The Cuban team will go out today to give its all at the Volunteer Stadium in the US city of Williamsport, Pennsylvania, in its first game of the Little League Baseball 2024 World Series.
The Antillean squad will play this afternoon at 5:00 p.m. local (Eastern) time against the team from the Czech Republic, qualified by the Europe-Africa region.
As scheduled, mentor Everaldo Machado designated right-hander Yan Michel Espinosa as the pitcher on the mound and for the next game the starter will be left-hander Deivi Hernández.
If the Caribbeans beat the Europeans, something that could happen, it would be a good start for the islanders.
Also known as the “Bombarderos de Santa Clara” (Santa Clara Bombers) won their pass to Williamsport after defeating Sancti Spíritus on March 2 in the national championship, a result that gave them the ticket to represent the largest of the Antilles in this international competition, which will be held until August 25.
The Cuban players, together with the teams from Cardenales de Lara (Venezuela), Matamoros (Mexico), Guayama (Puerto Rico) and Aruba, are the face of Latin America and the Caribbean in this competition.
According to the rules of this traditional sporting event, the system is double elimination, in which the team that loses two consecutive games will pack its bags and return home.
Last year, Cuba made history with its debut in this type of competition with the participation of the then national champions, the Little League of Bayamo (eastern Cuba), who were victorious in their debut, but were later eliminated “with their boots on”, as the popular saying goes.
In the opening game of the tournament yesterday, the team from Tamaulipas, Mexico, defeated its similar team from Santa Cruz, Aruba, 2-0, and will face the Venezuelan hitters tomorrow.
The Little League World Series, founded in 1947, is an annual baseball tournament for children between the ages of 10 and 12, held in the eastern United States.