China crushed the Czech Republic 9-2 on Sunday night in the
second day of an Olympic baseball test event.
China led the game in all nine innings and only been tied in the
second and fifth, making seven runs in continuous innings from the
sixth.
Baseman Jia Yubing made a solo homer in his first batting
appearance in the second inning. The MLB-contracted baseman shook
his arm to cheer when the ball was still in the air, revealing a
strong self-confidence.
It was also the first homer for the host team in the "Good luck
Beijing" international baseball tournament, one of the 40-plus test
events for next year's Beijing Olympics.
China resumed a short lead in the up fourth which was drawn up
by the Czech in the bottom fifth.
The only chance for the Czech to win emerged in the bottom fifth
in which left outfielder NavratilAles tied the game twice.
In the bottom, Chinese starting pitcher Zhu Dawei walked four
Czeth batters with zero out, leaving a full-loaded bases to his
substitute Chen Junyi who saved the inning with no more runs.
Chinese baseballers performed an excellent team work in the up
eighth with four continuous hits, one tripple and three single,
allowing three runs that discouraged the opponent.
"The fifth is really a big inning," said China's American coach
James Lefebvre after the game.
"Our starting pitcher who is 19-year-old young was getting
tired."
Lefebvre said his team will take the game on Monday with Japan
very seriously for the rival was the most powerful one in Asia.
Czech coach Kania Bichard said that the Chinese team "suddenly
became very powerful and professional" after the fifth inning and
they just could not hold on any longer.
"But it was still a good game for us to prepare for the European
Championship when we come back," he added.
Lefbvre also unveiled his ambitious intention to promote his
team to be No. One in Asia, saying that Chinese players are in dire
need of more games.
A Chinese baseballer in domestic league has 30 games, which is
far less than that in MLB and Japanese professional leagues.
(Xinhua News Agency August 20, 2007)