Saturday’s semifinals at The World Games 2025 Men’s Softball competition in Chengdu, China, are set after the final day of play of the Opening Round on Friday. Japan will face Canada while USA will meet world champions Venezuela. The winners will play for the gold medal on Sunday.
In the first two games on Friday, Venezuela and Canada closed the Opening Round on a high note. The world champions defeated Czechia, 11-1; while the North Americans came from behind to defeat Singapore, 9-8, and qualify for Saturday’s semifinals. USA closed Group B with a four inning win over Australia, 14-3, while Japan handed Argentina a 7-5 loss in the last game of the day.
In Group A, Japan topped the standings with a 3-0 record, followed by Venezuela (2-1). Argentina (1-2) finished third, and Czechia (0-3) placed fourth.
In Group B, USA (3-0) advanced as group winner, with Canada (2-1) as runners-up. Singapore (1-2) and Australia (0-3) will play for fifth place.
Singapore vs Canada – Play by Play and Box Score
Shortstop Max Major hit a clutch go-ahead three-run homer in the bottom of the fifth to power Canada past Singapore, 9-8, and into the semifinals of the competition. Canada finished second in Group B and will play the winner of Group A in the semifinals on Saturday.
With two outs in the fifth and Singapore winning 8-6, Major sent a towering home run over the right field fence to give his team a 9-8 lead that would remain until the end.
Singapore wasted a 7-1 lead, built with a pair of homers by Joshua Tan and a solo shot by Bin Mohammad Huzaife (2-for-4, 3 RBI), but a pair of key defensive errors proved costly for the Asian squad.
Veteran Sean Cleary claimed the win pitching three magnificent innings, striking out eight while giving up a walk and a hit.
Venezuela 11 – 1 Czechia – Play by Play and Box Score
Engelbert Herrera and Rafael Flores homered and Luis Colombo pitched a two-hit game to lead Venezuela to a 11-1 victory against Czechia in six innings and close Group A with a 2-1 record.
After three scoreless innings, Venezuela scored twice in the fourth and fifth before capping the game with a seven-run sixth inning to secure their second win in the tournament. Herrera collected four RBIs in the game while Rafael Flores drove in three.
Colombo pitched six quality innings with 10 strikeouts against two walks. He gave up two hits and one run. The losing pitcher was Michal Holobradek.
Czechia closed the Opening Round with a 0-3 record and will play for fifth place on Saturday.
Australia vs USA – Play by Play and Box Score
Tyler Johnson went 3-for-3 with a homer, three RBIs and three runs scored leading USA to a commanding 14-3 win against Australia, closing the Opening Round undefeated with a 3-0 record.
USA scored four in the second and exploded with a 10-run rally in the third, putting the game safe.
Coddy Gibbons pitched for USA, giving up seven hits in four innings of work, with two strikeouts.
Japan vs Argentina – Play by Play and Box Score
In a back-and-forth thriller, Japan defeated Argentina, 7-5, securing first place in Group A and a berth in Saturday’s semifinals.
Japan jumped to a 3-1 lead by the third inning, highlighted by a towering home run from Taiyo Kataoka off Huemul Mata. Argentina responded in the following two frames, as Ladislao Malarczuk homered twice — the second a three-run blast — to put his team ahead, 5-3.
The Japanese offense struck back in the sixth, sparking a four-run rally with a walk and four consecutive hits to reclaim control of the game.
Reliever Fuga Nagai was outstanding, throwing 3.1 scoreless innings and allowing just one hit while striking out five to earn the win. Pablo Migliavacca took the loss for Argentina.
Key News
Key Links
AloJapan.com