Central American And Caribbean Games 2026 Day 7 Roundup: Orozco’s Two-RBI Performance Sparks Nicaragua To Gold Medal Game Berth Vs. Panama

The 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games Super Round delivered another thrilling chapter of international baseball, with Nicaragua and Panama earning berths in Friday’s gold medal game. 

Nicaragua (4-2) 6, Cuba (4-2) 5 – On Thursday, Nicaragua emerged victorious in one of the Super Round’s most compelling contests, outlasting Cuba in a tense, back-and-forth game that came down to the final out. 

Nicaragua struck first in the second inning when Saúl Orozco lined a two-run single up the middle to score Luis Montealto and Emanuel Trujillo before Ronald Rivera crossed the plate on Benjamín Alegría’s groundout. 

Orozco later scored on Omar Mendoza’s groundout, extending Nicaragua’s lead with another productive at-bat. 

Luis Montealto makes the catch right in front of the wall and Nicaragua beats Cuba 6-5! They will play Panama tomorrow for gold at the Central American and Caribbean Games! pic.twitter.com/FvSjtXyn6e

— Jeff Duda (@INTLBaseball24) August 6, 2026

Elian Rayo followed with an RBI double to deep center that scored Cristhian Sandoval, and Cheslor Cuthbert added an RBI single to center, bringing home Rayo. 

Yoel Yanqui, who finished 2-for-3 with a .421 batting average and a 1.206 OPS, sparked Cuba’s offense with a solo home run to deep left in the first inning before adding an RBI double to deep left-center in the third that scored Yoelkis Guibert. 

Luis Mateo Terry belted solo home runs in the sixth and seventh innings, while Henry Quintero Chávez added an RBI single through the left side to score Yasiel Andy González García. 

Dominican Republic (3-3) 5, Colombia (1-5) 1 – The Dominican Republic closed out Super Round play with a complete performance, pairing consistent offense and effective pitching in order to defeat Colombia.  

The Dominican Republic broke through in the second inning when Jimmy Paredes scored on a balk, then added another run in the fourth as Juan Manuel Guerrero Yan crossed the plate on a passed ball before Raimel Tapia Linares lifted a sacrifice fly to right that brought home Paredes. 

The offense extended its lead in the fifth when Paredes reached on a fielder’s choice, allowing Michael De León to score on a throwing error. 

Diego Hernández Liriano, who finished with a .476 batting average and a 1.066 OPS, added the final run with an RBI single through the right side in the sixth, scoring Deivi Muñoz. 

Colombia scored its lone run in the third inning when Carlos Arroyo Padilla lined an RBI single to right field, bringing home Jaider Morelos Castilla. 

Colombia remained competitive on both sides of the ball but ultimately fell short to the Dominican Republic, ending the team’s tournament run. 

Puerto Rico (3-3) 4, Panama (5-1) 1 – Puerto Rico handed Panama its first loss of the Super Round, combining disciplined hitting with a strong effort on the mound. 

Puerto Rico struck early in the first inning when Yadiel Rivera lined an RBI single to center to score Edison William Mora Rodríguez before José J. Rivera crossed the plate on a wild pitch. 

Left-hander Noel Roldán Pinto neutralized Panama’s lineup after allowing a first-inning sacrifice fly, consistently attacking the strike zone, limiting solid contact and preventing the tournament’s top offense from finding their rhythm. 

Kevin Luciano followed with an RBI single through the left side that brought home Rubén Castro Ortiz, and Anthony García later scored on another wild pitch to extend Puerto Rico’s early lead. 

Panama took an early lead in the first inning when Juan Alonso lifted a sacrifice fly to right-center field, allowing Edgard Muñoz to score. 

Panama’s pitching stabilized after the first inning, preventing any further scoring by Puerto Rico, but the four runs allowed in the opening frame were all Puerto Rico needed. 

Photo: Nicaragua celebrates earning a berth in the gold medal game at the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. (Photo courtesy of the WBSC Americas)