Mexico Eliminated From World Baseball Classic After 9-1 Loss to Italy

Houston, Texas — Mexico’s baseball team was eliminated from the World Baseball Classic on Sunday after suffering a decisive 9-1 loss to Italy in the final game of the group stage.

The result ended Mexico’s tournament run and secured quarterfinal berths for both Italy and the United States from Group B.

The game was highlighted by a historic performance from Italian batter Vinnie Pasquantino, who hit three home runs in the same game — a feat never before accomplished in the tournament’s history. Mexico’s offense struggled to respond and was ultimately overwhelmed by Italy’s powerful hitting.

With the loss, Mexico finished third in Group B with a record of two wins and two losses. A victory over Italy would have secured Mexico’s advancement to the quarterfinals and would have eliminated the United States, one of the tournament favorites.

Mexican manager Benji Gil said the result should not be considered a failure, though he acknowledged the team failed to capitalize on offensive opportunities during the decisive game.

Italy advanced as the group leader with a perfect 4-0 record, while the United States claimed the second quarterfinal spot.

The quarterfinal matchups will feature the United States against Canada, the Dominican Republic against South Korea, Italy against Puerto Rico, and Venezuela against Japan, the tournament’s defending champion.