Baseball World Cup Pool G, Parma:
Australia – Italy 5-4
ITA 130 000 000 4 9 0 AUS 011 200 001 5 12 1
Chris Snelling completed the comeback of Australia with a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the ninth, stunning second-round host Italy with a 5-4 victory. They are now 0-3 in the tournament. The Aussies improved to 3-1 with the win. The Azzurri had the better start taking a 4-0 lead midway through the second. Juan Carlos Infante had cleared the bases with a double to cap the rally. But Australia began to come back in the bottom of the frame and evened the score with a solo homerun by Nicholas Kimpton in the fourth. James Beresford had two RBI.
Tiago da Silva started for Italy and allowed seven hits, four runs and a walk in four innings. Australia’s starter Liam Hendricks lasted just two innings on the mound, surrendering seven hits and four runs. He was replaced by Dushan Ruzic of the Dutch champion DOOR NEPTUNUS. He shut the Italian offense down and picked up the win with seven brilliant relief innings of two-hit, one-walk ball. Chris Cooper also was solid for four relief innings. But in the ninth, Australia came through and handed him the loss, though Franklin Torres gave up the decisive hit.