From the Liveblog of
Monday, March 9, 2026
Israel’s baseball team beats Nicaragua 5-0, evens World Baseball Classic record at 1-1
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleZev Stub is the Times of Israel's Diaspora Affairs correspondent.
Team Israel beat Nicaragua 5-0 in its second game of the World Baseball Classic last night in Miami, ensuring that it won’t need to requalify for the next WBC tournament in four years and keeping hopes alive of advancing to the next round.
The team, comprising primarily Jewish American baseball players, improved to 1-1 in the four-game first round of its pool. It plays the Dominican Republic today and the Netherlands tomorrow, both expected to be difficult games.
Israel had a strong start from right-hander Dean Kremer, who retired 12 of the first 13 batters and helped keep Nicaragua scoreless early. The bullpen preserved the shutout, the first in Israel’s World Baseball Classic history.
Israel broke the game open with a four-run fifth inning, highlighted by a two-run single from Zach Levenson. Second baseman Noah Mendlinger led the offense with three hits and an RBI, while shortstop Cole Carrigg added two hits and two stolen bases.
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