The tournament upstarts finally did meet their Waterloo at the hands of a gutsy Nicaragua squad. The final score was 6-5 for the Central American nation over surprise package Argentina. The South American side is now out but made it a tight affair that fell just short of being the first upset of this Pool B qualifier.
It was Nicaragua that struck first with two in the second inning. One run was courtesy an RBI double, the other off a wild pitch. The Argentina squad ties it up though with their big gun Eduardo Zubriggen ripping a two run double in the fourth. Exequiel Talevi and Jacinto Cipriota both had RBI hits in the fifth to give Argentina a 4-2 lead and turn an upset into a real possibility. Nicaragua was not to be suppressed though. Melvin Noboa and Millar Perez who both tormented Pakistan prior to this both drove in runs in the sixth for 5-4 Nicaragua lead. Lucas Stalman would then hit his first homer in the seventh to tie it. But alas, a Dwight Britton single in the bottom of the seventh would score the winner for the final 6-5 scoreline.
It is a bittersweet ending for Argentina who bow out from the tournament but have elicited plaudits for their strong effort and two wins that few expected. They have crafted a strong foundation for future success like that which they have had in men's softball. Their performance will hopefully do a lot to grow the game in Argentina. For Nicaragua, the loser of Panama versus Brazil awaits. The winner of that game moves on to the WBC. A Nicaragua squad that went in as a favorite now sit just a win away from the prize it has sought, a first ever trip to the W
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