Ronald Rivera’s walk-off single in the 10th inning sent the Nicaraguan bench into a frenzy, securing a 2-1 victory over South Africa in a must-win opening game of the Taipei Pool at the 2025 World Baseball Classic Qualifiers at the Taipei Dome.
It was a heartbreaking defeat for South Africa, which will now face hosts Chinese Taipei in its next game. Nicaragua, meanwhile, took a vital first step in its quest to return to the World Baseball Classic and will play Spain in its next contest.
Both starting pitchers were dealing early on. South Africa’s Dylan Unsworth delivered 4.1 shutout innings, and Nicaragua’s Ronald Medrano allowed just one run over five innings while striking out eight.
In the top of the fifth, Victor Ngoepe – brother of Gift Ngoepe, the first African to play in Major League Baseball – put South Africa on the board with a two-out RBI single into center field, scoring Brandon Bouillon to jump out to a 1-0 lead.
Nicaragua did not get their first run of the game until the bottom of the seventh, when Freddy Zamora drove a one-out single to center field, scoring Emanuel Trujillo to even the board at 1-1.
Benjamin Alegria followed with a fly ball to right, and Zamora tagged up for third. However, South African third baseman Anthony Phillips executed a miraculous hidden ball trick to catch Zamora off guard to end the inning.
THE HIDDEN BALL TRICK WORKS TO PERFECTION 🤯#WorldBaseballClassic pic.twitter.com/8782a1jXNI
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) February 21, 2025
Tied at 1-1 heading into extra innings, South Africa came up empty in the top of the 10th despite having a ghost runner at second. In the bottom of the 10th inning, Elian Rayo successfully laid down a sacrifice bunt to third base, resulting in Emanuel Trujillo moving to third, with the winning run 90 feet away.
A few moments later, South Africa manager Neil Adonis intentionally walked Zamora to make it first and third with one out.
Rivera, shortly after, sent Nicaragua on the left side of the column with an RBI game-winning single to right field, scoring Trujillo and beating South Africa 2-1 in their first game of the 2025 WBCQ.
Team Nicaragua walks off as winners 💥 #WorldBaseballClassic pic.twitter.com/UYwwitxeYz
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) February 21, 2025
Sandor Guido’s pitching staff between Medrano, relievers Jesus Garrido, Carlos Teller, and Bryan Torres combined for throwing 10 innings, allowing four hits, one earned run, three walks, and 12 strikeouts.
South Africa’s pitching staff with Unsworth, relief pitchers Justin Erasmus, and Dean Jacobs threw 9.1 innings, allowing six hits, one earned run, one walk, and three strikeouts.
South Africa left eight men on base and was one for eight with runners in scoring position during its first-game loss of the 2025 WBCQ.
The time of the game took two hours and thirty minutes.
The 2025 WBCQ games in Taipei will take place at the Taipei Dome until the final out of the second and third-place game on February 25 at 6 a.m. EST.
No. 16 World-ranked Nicaragua will play No. 24 Spain on February 21 at 11 p.m. EST.
No. 32 ranked South Africa will play on February 22 at 6 a.m. EST against No. 2 Chinese Taipei.
All WBC Qualifier games will stream live on the World Baseball Classic website, Facebook page, MLB.TV, and YouTube channel. Coverage will run through the final out of the second qualifier in Tucson, Ariz., on March 6.
Matt Tallarini contributed to this story.
