The Tribune

By JONATHAN BURROWS

Tribune Sports Reporter

jburrows@tribunemedia.net

THE championship game of the Caribbean Baseball Cup took place at the Andre Rodgers Stadium last night as the tournament continues to serve as the regional qualifier.

The Bahamas entered the final with a 3-1 record and faced undefeated Curacao for the gold medal.

The matchup already carried meaning for the home team, as The Bahamas had made history by reaching the finals of the Caribbean Baseball Cup for the first time.

The Bahamas would eventually lose 5-1 and take the silver medal, but the appearance in the championship alone marked a major milestone for the programme.

Curacao scored first in the opening inning to take a 1-0 lead. The Bahamas held the score through the next four innings but could not get the early offence they needed. Curacao controlled the pace and kept pressure on The Bahamas.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Curacao created a larger gap. They produced two runs that moved the score to 3-0. The Bahamas answered shortly after when Duarte Stuart crossed the plate for their first run of the night to make it 3-1.

The score lifted the crowd and gave The Bahamas signs of momentum. The inning ended with The Bahamas still down but showing life at the plate.

The game reached the sixth inning before the weather became an issue. Rain forced a delay and the players left the field until the rain passed. The delay broke the rhythm of both teams but when play resumed, The Bahamas had a runner positioned on third base. It was an important chance to cut the lead to one, but Curacao held firm and The Bahamas did not bring the runner home. The missed opportunity kept the score 3-1 and left Curacao in control.

Curacao returned to the plate with confidence after escaping the threat. They placed two runners on base and then connected on a deep hit that left the park for a home run. The home run pushed the score to 5-1 and created a difficult gap for The Bahamas to overcome. The home run shifted the momentum fully in Curacao's favour and The Bahamas' defence recorded the remaining outs with the damage already done.

“I'm still proud of my guys. We knew it would come down to who executed best. They got the better part of us tonight but we are still proud of our guys and the way they perform,” said head coach Michael Butler. “We feel good about our programme because we're restructuring in many phases of our national development programme right now. We see where we need to go.”

“The majority of these guys, they come from different teams and colleges and were just assembled within two weeks, right before the tournament, you know, to have the team chemistry where it is, is so great. Shout out to my team-mates for being able to come together for a short period of time and, you know, put on for our country,” said outfielder Chavez Young. 

The Bahamas finished with the silver medal after a competitive and historic run through the tournament. They kept the score close early but missed key chances in important moments while Curacao capitalised on theirs. The tournament ended with Curacao taking the title and The Bahamas completing their first appearance in the championship game, making history in front of a home crowd.