July 13, 2007 — The Virgin Islands’ team failed to reach the semifinals of the 2007 Latin American Big League Baseball Tournament, losing its fourth game in a row Thursday night.
In a battle of the tourney’s two winless teams, Curacao proved a little bit better as it secured the fourth spot of the semifinals with a 10-4 victory over the host team. The V.I. team did not help its own cause much, leaving eight men on base to Curacao’s two. Most of Curacao’s damage in the game came in a seven-run second inning. It proved a deep hole that the host team could not climb out of.
After Curacao failed to score in the top of the first, the V.I. team was able to take its only lead of the game, scoring one run on an error by Curacao’s catcher.
That lead was short-lived, however, as Curacao exploded for seven runs in the top of the second inning to take the lead for good. Curacao scored seven runs on a three-run home run by Dinyor Antonia, a two-run double by Angelo Bito, an RBI double by Prinstonyork Poulina and an RBI ground out by Shuranoy Mariano. The Virgin Islanders were only able to answer with two runs on a wild pitch and a bases-loaded walk drawn by Odingo Davila. They trailed 7-3 after two complete innings.
The huge inning by Curacao chased off the V.I. starter, Ivor James. He was relieved by Roberto Soto, who held the Curacao squad scoreless for the next four innings.
Meanwhile, the host team picked up its final run in the bottom of the third on a solo homer off the bat of Mark Franklin to trail 7-4 at the end of three.
The score would stay that way until the top of the seventh, when Curacao finally got to Soto. They touched him up for three runs on a solo home run to right field off the bat of shortstop Marickson Gregorius and two errors to set the final sore at 10-3. To rub salt into the wounds of the Virgin Islanders, the Curacao manager brought in his team’s closer, the fireballing Gregorius, in the bottom of the seventh. All he did was blow away the three batters he faced, striking them out for a 1-2-3 final inning.
Jonathan Balentina picked up the win for Curacao, while James got the loss for the Virgin Islands. Top hitters for Curacao were Gregorius, 1 for 2 with a home run and one RBI; Antonia, 1 for 4 with a home run and three RBIs; and Paulina, 1 for 4 with one RBI. For the Virgin Islands, Franklin went 1 for 4 with a home run and one RBI and Charles Bollings went 1 for 3.
Panama 9, Venezuela 6
In the early game, defending champions Panama beat Venezuela 9-6 to remain the only unbeaten team in tournament play. Joel Frias pitched the win for Panama, while Luis Ramirez picked up the loss for Venezuela. Top hitters for Panama were Santiago Perez and Victor Vasquez, both 2 for 3 with one RBI apiece; David Gutierrez, 2 for 4 with one RBI; and Virgilio Castillo, 1 for 3 with two RBIs. For Venezuela, Jose Soto went 1 for 1 with one RBI and Hernan Luzado and Jorge Rodriguez both went 1 for 3.
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