(Story by Marco Stoovelaar)
  Netherlands opens World Baseball Classic vs. South Korea
Nederlands
 NEW YORK, New York (USA) -
The schedule for next years fourth edition of the World Baseball Classic has been announced on Tuesday (November 15).
The Netherlands begins the event in Pool A, which takes place at the Gocheok Sky Dome in South Korean capital Seoul.
The Netherlands Kingdom Team opens against host South Korea on Tuesday, March 7.
The game starts at 7 PM local time (11 AM Dutch time).
Hereafter, the Orange squad meets Chinese Taipei and Israel.
The first game in Pool A is played on Monday, March 6 between South Korea and Israel.
Last weekend, the Netherlands played a 2-game series in Tokyo against Japan in the Samurai Japan Games, which was a preparation for the WBC.
The Orange Team lost both games in ten innings.
In the first game on Saturday, the Netherlands led 5-1 halfway the fifth inning, but lost 9-8.
In the second game on Sunday, the team led 8-2 after six innings, but lost 12-10.
In the 4-day event, Japan also played two games against México, losing the first one 7-3, then winning the second one, 11-4.
There are four Pools in the Preliminary Round.
Playing in Pool B, which is played at the Tokyo Dome in Japanese capital Tokyo are Australia, China, Cuba and Japan.
Cuba opens this pool against Japan on Tuesday, March 7 at 7 PM local time (11 AM Dutch time).
In Pool C, in Marlins Park in Miami (USA), Canada, Colombia, the Dominican Republic and the USA will play against each other.
The first game in this pool is played on Thursday, March 9.
On that day, Canada meets the Dominican Republic (the winner of 2013), starting at 6 PM local time (midnight Dutch time).
In Pool D, Italy, México, Puerto Rico and Venezuela will play in Estadio Charros de Jalisco in the Mexican city of Jalisco.
This pool also opens on Thursday, March 9.
Italy then will play against host México, starting at 8 PM local time (3 AM Friday-morning Dutch time).
The two best teams of Pool A and Pool B will advance to the Second Round and continue the event in Pool E, which also will be played in Tokyo.
The first game in this pool will be played on Sunday, March 12.
The qualifying teams from Pool C and Pool D will meet each other in Pool F, which is played in Petco Park in San Diego.
That pool opens on Tuesday, March 14.
Hereafter, the event will close in Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles (USA) with the Finals.
The Semi-Finals will be played on Monday, March 20 and Tuesday, March 21.
The Final then will be played on Wednesday, March 22.
All games in Los Angeles will begin at 6 PM local time (3 AM next morning Dutch time).
| FIRST ROUND |
Pool A
Gocheok Sky Dome
Seoul (South Korea) | Pool B
Tokyo Dome
Tokyo (Japan) | Pool C
Marlins Park
Miami, Florida (USA) | Pool D
Estadio Charros de Jalisco
Jalisco (México) |
| Monday, March 6 | Monday, March 6 | Monday, March 6 | Monday, March 6 |
| ISR vs. KOR | 7:00 PM (11:00 AM) | | | |
| Tuesday, March 7 | Tuesday, March 7 | Tuesday, March 7 | Tuesday, March 7 |
| ISR vs. TAI | 12:30 PM (4:30 AM) | | | |
| NED vs. KOR | 7:00 PM (11:00 AM) | CUB vs. JAP | 7:00 PM (11:00 AM) | | |
| Wednesday, March 8 | Wednesday, March 8 | Wednesday, March 8 | Wednesday, March 8 |
| | CHN vs. CUB | 12:00 PM (4:00 AM) | | |
| TAI vs. NED | 7:00 PM (11:00 AM) | AUS vs. JAP | 7:00 PM (11:00 AM) | | |
| Thursday, March 9 | Thursday, March 9 | Thursday, March 9 | Thursday, March 9 |
| ISR vs. NED | 12:30 PM (4:30 AM) | | | |
| TAI vs. KOR | 7:00 PM (11:00 AM) | CHN vs. AUS | 7:00 PM (11:00 AM) | CAN vs. DOM | 6:00 PM (0:00 AM) | ITA vs. MEX | 8:00 PM (3:00 AM) |
| Friday, March 10 | Friday, March 10 | Friday, March 10 | Friday, March 10 |
| | AUS vs. CUB | 12:00 PM (4:00 AM) | | |
| tie-breaker (*) | 6:00 PM (10:00 AM) | CHN vs. JAP | 7:00 PM (11:00 AM) | COL vs. USA | 6:00 PM (0:00 AM) | VEN vs. PUR | 8:00 PM (3:00 AM) |
| Saturday, March 11 | Saturday, March 11 | Saturday, March 11 | Saturday, March 11 |
| | | COL vs. CAN | 12:00 PM (6:00 PM) | VEN vs. ITA | 2:00 PM (9:00 PM) |
| | tie-breaker (*) | 7:00 PM (11:00 AM) | USA vs. DOM | 6:30 PM (00:30 AM) | PUR vs. MEX | 8:30 PM (3:30 AM) |
| Sunday, March 12 | Sunday, March 12 | Sunday, March 12 | Sunday, March 12 |
| | | DOM vs. COL | 12:30 PM (6:30 PM) | ITA vs. PUR | 1:30 PM (9:30 PM) |
| | | CAN vs. USA | 7:00 PM (1:00 AM) | VEN vs. MEX | 8:00 PM (4:00 AM) |
| Monday, March 13 | Monday, March 13 | Monday, March 13 | Monday, March 13 |
| | | tie-breaker (*) | 6:00 PM (0:00 AM) | tie-breaker (*) | 7:00 PM (3:00 AM) |
| (*) = tie-breaker game, if needed | Times are local and Dutch |
(November 15)
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