 Venezuela, Australia win; Bronze Medal game rains out; Long rain-delay Final
Nederlands
   AGUADULCE / SANTIAGO DE VERAGUAS / PANAMA CITY (Panama) -
Venzuela won 8-3 vs. Panama on Saturday-afternoon to finish in seventh place, while Australia nipped South Korea 3-2 to claim fifth place.
But in capital Panama City, the day started with rain and thunder, preventing the Bronze Medal-game between Canada and the USA to start on time at it's scheduled time of 11:00 AM (6:00 PM Dutch time).
After an almost 3-hour delay, the Technical Committee and IBAF Officials decided to cancel the game due to the weather and the field conditions.
The decision was made as it was stated that the field was not in a condition to host two games of importance playing for bronze and gold.
Initially, Canada and the USA were announced as co-winners of the Bronze Medal, but later it was stated that a decision regarding the winner of the Bronze Medal was pending.
Therefore, based on the face-fo-face game, the Bronze Medal therefore probably will be awarded to Canada.
...The infield of Estadio Rod Carew in Panama City...
...is covered frequently due to steady rain... |
So, it's now fingers crossed for the remainder of the evening for the rain to stop, the weather to improve and the field to become playable in order to start the preparations for the Final between the Netherlands and Cuba, which has to start at 5:00 PM (midnight Dutch time).
update 22:30 Dutch time
One-and-a-half hour before the start of the Final, it still drizzles a little and the field is covered, but as of now, it is expected that the Final can start on its scheduled time of 5:00 PM (local, midnight Dutch time)!
The teams are preparing in the tunnels of the Estadio Rod Carew in Panama City.
update 23:30 Dutch time
Currently, the drizzling rain has turned into some harder rain, making it impossible at the moment to say whether the game starts on time or will be postponed.
update 23:40 Dutch time
It is decided to postpone the start of the final at least for 30 minutes.
update 00:30 Dutch time
Predicted scheduled starting time 1:30 AM Dutch time.
update 1:00 Dutch time
Weather permitting, game time at 2:30 AM Dutch time.
Weather predictions for this evening and the coming night are partly cloudy, with rain and the possibility of thunderstorms and 77 degrees Fahrenheit (28 degrees Celsius)........
update 2:30 Dutch time
As it started raining harder again, the tarp was put back on the infield.
A new starting time is now under review.
update 3:10 Dutch time
New starting time is now 3:40 Dutch time.
update 3:40 Dutch time
Managers Brian Farley and Alfonso Urquiola handed in their starting line-ups with the umpires, but then it started to rain heavier again, resulting in the tarp being put back on the field.
Another meeting is now underway to discuss a new starting time.
In the end, the final started at 4:02 Dutch time.
At Aguadulce, Venezuela scored a run in each of the first three innings to take an early lead vs. Panama, then rallied for four runs in the fourth to take more distance.
Leading 1-0, back-to-back doubles by Antonio Granadillo and Yonathan Sivira doubled the lead in the second at bat.
Panama reacted with a run in its second when Carlos Quiroz homered.
But Venezuela then increased its lead with a run in the third and added four more in the next at bat on a grounder by Herbert Lara, a double by Rodolfo Cardona and singles by Wuillians Vasquez and Ronald Acuņa.
In the fifth, Venezuela made it 8-1, before Panama was able to get two more runs back in the home of the fifth on a 2-run double by David Gonzalez.
But was to be all for the organizing country.
Venezuela, which was held to seven hits by Dutch pitcher Arshwin Asjes on Friday-evening, today collected 15 basehits.
At Santiago de Veraguas, Australia struck first in the first inning in a double-steal situation, but the Koreans came alongside in the third on a single by Joo-Hwan Choi.
Australia re-took the lead in its third when Mitchell Dening homered, then added a run in the fourth on an RBI-single by Scott Wearne.
Korea, which played some strong games in the last few days, could add only one more run in the fifth.
(October 15)
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