Australia makes history with win over Czech Republic, advance to World Baseball Classic quarter-finals
Australia has advanced to the knockout stage for the first time in the country’s history with a gritty 8-3 win over the Czech Republic.
The Aussies entered the contest having been handed their first loss in the tournament, falling convincingly to Japan less than 24 hours beforehand.
However, with the loser of this final group stage game facing immediate elimination, Australia had no choice but to shrug off the loss.
The game couldn’t have started off better for the Aussies, with Alex Hall sending a rocket over the right field wall in the first inning, giving his nation an immediate 1-0 lead.
💪 🤝 Team Australia. #WorldBaseballClassic pic.twitter.com/Xrfactjz05
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 13, 2023
Two innings later, some patient batting and savvy baserunning saw the Czech Republic draw level.
What followed was a textbook pitcher’s duel, with both teams kept in check offensively as the game flew through innings after innings.
By the time the seventh inning came around, it became clear that the Aussies were fed up with this defensive display, putting together a string of patient at bats before Logan Wade broke the game open with a two-run double, giving Australia a 3-1 lead.
The Aussies take the lead in Tokyo! #WorldBaseballClassic pic.twitter.com/7l1ympUYOP
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 13, 2023
Back in control, the Aussies immediately put the foot down, clinically dispatching the Czech batters before piling on another three runs in the eighth inning, with a triple from Alex Hall doing the bulk of the damage.
Despite this late flurry, the Czechs refused to go away, immediately getting two runs back to keep themselves within reach.
Yet Australia was not to be denied this late in the game, answering with another pair of insurance runs before Jon Kennedy came in to close the game in the ninth, shutting down the Czech Republic and securing a historic victory for the Aussies.
With the win, Australia finishes second in Pool B with a 3-1 record, losing only to the #1 ranked Japan en route to the quarter-finals.
2023 marks Team Australia’s best performance in a World Baseball Classic by a significant margin, with the country having previously never won more than a single game in the tournament.
Australia will now turn their attention to Cuba who, despite their 2-2 record, managed to secure the top spot in Pool A after a bizarre five-way tiebreaker within the pool.
Regardless of the result against Cuba, this tournament performance serves as a pivotal milestone in the history of Australian baseball.
Team Australia will take on Team Cuba on Wednesday at 9pm (AEDT)