Australia score two runs in the ninth inning to defeat Czech Republic

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/australia/h2RcNuiG/"]Australia[/a] is now the first team in the tournament to reach two wins, with their next matchup being against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/japan/vuZGJUZ0/"]Japan[/a] on March 8th at 6:00 a.m. Eastern time (New York).[/p][p]Starting pitcher [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hendrickson-josh/UV2UC8M9/"]Josh Hendrickson[/a] earned the win, giving up Czechia's only run on two hits with two strikeouts and one walk. Australia's bullpen has now thrown eight scoreless innings this tournament, giving up just five hits while recording six strikeouts.[/p][p]Meanwhile, Czechia falls to 0-2 in the Pool stage, already on the outside looking in. Their next game is against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/chinese-taipei/WpW7PCsR/"]Chinese Taipei[/a] (Taiwan) on March 6th at 10:00 p.m. Eastern time.[/p][embed guid="3b6b57c7-b9f1-44b4-958d-9ee2b14cfc42" url="https://x.com/WBCBaseball/status/2029791607734636953?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][h2]Game recap[/h2][p]After a scoreless first inning from both teams, Czechia managed to get on the board first in the bottom of the second. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cervenka-martin/SAacQ7KQ/"]Martin Cervenka[/a] recorded the first hit of the game with a double to get things started. [/p][p]Batters were previously 0-for-18 against Australian pitcher fastballs up until his hit. Following his double, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/chlup-marek/I3yEIWxH/"]Marek Chlup[/a] drew a walk as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/muzik-martin/rcqT7mk2/"]Martin Muzik[/a] bunted the runners over with one out. [/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mensik-vojtech/phvP083K/"]Vojtech Mensik[/a] would hit in the Cervenka from the third with a sac-fly to deep centerfield to make it [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/baseball/australia-h2RcNuiG/czech-republic-6JB1nrVs/?mid=lIb2r3Vq"]1-0[/a] heading into the third inning.[/b][/p][embed guid="edf92a41-6942-4d05-9820-576234a72de4" url="https://x.com/WBCBaseball/status/2029763864842125326?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Australia's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/burke-chris/bRjeDmoD/"]Chris Burke[/a] not only recorded the first hit of the game for his squad, but it was his first-ever hit in the World Baseball Classic tournament's history.[/p][p][b]With runners on 1st and 2nd with two outs in the top of the third inning, Australia's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mead-curtis/dIIWDyMp/"]Curtis Mead[/a] launched a three-run home run to give them a 3-1 lead in the top of the third. [/b][/p][p]Mead finished the game going 2-for-4 and is now a stellar 4-for-8 (.500) in the tournament with one home run and three RBI.[/p][embed guid="0902a06f-8503-4748-8acd-da07785b0d6e" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhNgs0_Qtyo&pp=ugUEEgJlbg%3D%3D" social-type="youtube" /][p]After Australia took the lead, Czechia's own [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/satoria-ondrej/QJFm4185/"]Ondrej Satoria[/a] was lights out in 3.2 innings of relief with his first appearance of the 2026 WBC.[/p][p]He finished with three strikeouts and zero runs on just one hit and one walk that allowed his team to stay in the game.[/p][p]Unfortunately, Czechia's bats couldn't bring home the runs, and Australia piled on even more.[/p][embed guid="a2ce067e-4ba8-4391-848f-1b80e593064a" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNgju90e8_k" social-type="youtube" /][p][b]In the top of the ninth, Australia's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hall-alex/j9TXimO8/"]Alex Hall[/a] hit a solo home run to make it 4-1. [/b][/p][p]Hall would finish the game 2-for-4 at the plate, bringing his tournament total to 2-for-6. [/p][p][b]They would tally on another run in the top of the ninth after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/perkins-robert/nsZhMhfE/"]Robbie Perkins[/a] hit a single to score [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dale-jarryd/p08WcCz8/"]Jarryd Dale[/a] from third base to increase the lead to 5-1.[/b][/p][p]Perkins, who hit a home run against Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) to start the tournament, is now 2-for-7 in the tournament with one home run and three RBI.[/p][embed guid="230450ac-450e-4807-bc61-f2f6de6d5619" url="https://x.com/WBCBaseball/status/2029785731393081454?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p] [/p]