2024-07-03 07:58:24
Photo: RRSS
Text: Hugo Leon
The squad that represented Cuba at the Pan American Baseball5 in Venezuela drew on its experience and drive to beat Mexico 2-0 and finish undefeated in the tournament, which offered three spots for the next World Cup.
The Cubans defeated Mexico 8-1 and 6-4, and without much opposition they won the tournament’s long-awaited gold medal.
The Cubans had previously fulfilled the predictions by date, leaving the Puerto Rican and Venezuelan teams on the field initially. They dispatched Mexico on two occasions, including in the final, and the tournament remained in the pockets of the Cubans.
The tournament was the first Baseball5 event in the Americas at any level and the three World Cup berth winners will join others who have already qualified for the II Baseball5 World Cup.
The Cubans were led by the capital coach Pablo Terry, who defined with few but accurate words the action plan for this event: a lot of concentration, speed based on the offense and good defense.
Following these regulations and due to their good performance on the field, two Cubans were named the most valuable players of the tournament in each gender: the Havana midfielder Briandy Molina and the Guantanamo first baseman Chaquira Aspiazú.
Cuba is an undisputed power in Baseball5 and is in fact the defending world champion, after winning the first edition of the global event in 2022.
Baseball5 maintains the fundamentals of baseball in terms of running, fielding and batting with your hands, but there is no catcher or pitcher and the game is played over five innings. It also inherits rules from the famous street game “four corners.”