Nicaragua
Great Britain
Photo: WBSC
In a hard-fought battle against host nation Nicaragua, Great Britain’s U23 side fell 1-0 at the WBSC U23 Baseball World Cup presented by RAXUS.
After a scoreless first, Nicaragua opened the scoring in the second. A throwing error led to the hosts’ first tally of the day, but GBR starter Quinn Allen was able to retire the side and keep the deficit at one. Great Britain were unable to score in the second, and Tommy Flaherty took over on the mound in the third, with a Cole Leclair double play erasing a walk.
GBR would get their first hits of the game in the home half of the third. A one-out single by Jackson Kraemer, who was replaced by Royce Clayton Jr. following a fielder’s choice, and a Jake Lambdin single put two runners on, but Great Britain literally ran into trouble. On a stolen base by of Lambdin, Clayton broke for home, and Nicaragua’s Nelson Lopez threw home to beat him, ending the inning and keeping the home side off the board.
Another Leclair double play got Flaherty out of trouble in the fourth, and Nicaraguan starter Samuel Guadamuz retired the side in order to send the game to the fifth, with Flaherty spinning a perfect frame of his own. Nicaragua went to the bullpen, and new pitcher Francisco Robleto hit Leclair to start the inning. He stole second with one out, but was stranded there as the fifth came to a close.
In the sixth, Flaherty gave way to Zac Colletti with one out and a runner at second, and while another would reach, Colletti was able to slam the door. Great Britain faced new Nicaraguan pitcher Derek Loaisiga, who retired the Brits in order to end the frame and send the game to the seventh, where Colletti worked around a lone baserunner to keep the deficit at one. Facing Nestor Castellon, Tucker Stockman worked a one-out walk. Pinch runner Will Kraemer was picked off first – confirmed by video review – and with two down LeClair reached on an infield hit. With the tying run at first, Walker Selley
Great Britain is now 3-1 in the Placement Round (with the results against other Placement Round teams carried over from the Opening Round) and will have the best placement of any Great Britain World Cup team of the modern era.
Great Britain wraps up play from the U23 Baseball worlds Cup with a rematch of the 2025 U23 European Championship game against Czechia at Estadio Rigoberto López Pérez, León. First pitch will take place at 00:00 GMT on 15 November (18:00 on 14 November in Nicaragua). The 2026 WBSC U23 Baseball World Cup can be watched on gametime.sport or for FREE on DAZN in the UK.
For the latest news and notes from the 2026 WBSC U23 Baseball World Cup, the Premier12 Qualifier and more, make sure to follow Great Britain Baseball on Facebook, gb_baseball on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, TikTok at @gbbaseball, and on the British Baseball Federation Website, britishbaseball.org.uk.