(ATR) USA defeats Mexico for a place in the finals of the inaugural Premier 12 baseball tournament organized by the World Baseball Softball confederation.
Seizing on a two-out bases loaded opportunity in the fourth inning, Team USA scored five runs over Mexico and never looked back. Final score was 6 to 1.
The final and bronze medal games are set for Saturday at the Tokyo Dome.
Korea shocked the home town crowd in a Thursday night semifinal, upending Japan in the ninth inning. Despite the result, it was a game dominated by Japan, which will face Mexico for the bronze.
While the dome was filled to its 55,000 seat capacity for Japan-Korea, the night after was just the opposite with just 5,015 tickets sold to the USA-Mexico match, according to the WBSC.
The tournament is a new initiative of the WBSC to increase international play in baseball. The 12 teams selected were determined by WBSC rankings. The tournament began Nov. 8 with an opening game in Sapporo followed by round robin play in Taipei and the final four games in Tokyo.
Winning team claims a $1,000,000 prize from a $3 million purse.
The WBSC says the Premier 12 has attracted strong TV ratings in Korea and Japan. Around the Rings is told the rights for the tournament will generate $25 million in revenue for the confederation.
Written by Ed Hula
20 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is AroundTheRings.com, for subscribersonly.
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