Israel opens WBC with an upset win
Scott Burcham’s run-scoring infield single in the 10th inning led Israel to a 2-1 upset win over South Korea in the World Baseball Classic opener Monday in Seoul.
And with a 15-7 win over Taiwan on Tuesday night, Israel is in good position to advance to the second round.
On Monday, Tyler Krieger’s bases-loaded walk from Won-Jun Chang forced home Nate Freiman with a second-inning run, but South Korea tied the score in the fifth on Geon Chang Seo’s RBI single against Jeremy Bleich, which scored Kim Jae-ho.
Ike Davis began the go-ahead rally with a one-out walk in the 10th off Chang-Yong Lim and took third on Ryan Lavarnway’s single. Krieger popped out on a bunt and Burcham, a 23-year-old in the Colorado Rockies’ organization, hit a three-hopper up the middle that Seo gloved with a sliding stop. The second baseman had no play as pinch-runner Mike Meyers scored.
Utah could be without two starters when it begins the Pac-12 men’s basketball tournament play Thursday. Center David Collette must clear the concussion protocol after being hit in the head and leaving the game in the first half of a win over Stanford on Saturday. Collette has averaged 13.7 points and 5.0 rebounds — making him second on the team in both categories.
Coach Larry Krystkowiak hasn’t made a decision on the availability of freshman Devon Daniels, who was suspended indefinitely for conduct detrimental to the team nearly two weeks ago. Daniels had started 26 of 27 games and averaged 10.4 points per game.
Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay won his third straight Brazil Open — but it took him two days to do it.
In the rain-delayed clay-court tournament in Sao Paulo, Cuevas finally wrapped up the title Monday with a 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-4 victory against Albert Ramos-Vinolas of Spain. The Spaniard won the first set Sunday, but the second set was stopped by rain at 3-3 and deuce with Ramos-Vinolas serving.
Kansas standout Bill Hougland, who led the Jayhawks to the 1952 national title before becoming the first player to win two Olympic basketball gold medals, died Monday in Lawrence, the school announced. He was 86.