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A 10-run inning in the second lifted Curacao past Nicaragua 12-3 to advance at LLWS

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With bases loaded in the bottom of the first inning to start the game for Nicaragua, Willemstad,Curacao pitcher Jaymiell Martina thought to himself, oh no. But he stepped off the mound, calmed himself, and delivered three straight strikeouts.

"I told myself in my head that no one's going to hit me and then went one, two, three," Martina said.

Those three strikeouts carried Curacao's momentum into the top of the second and from there, it was all Curacao.

The Pariba Little Leaguers batted through the lineup in the second inning, collecting eight hits and scoring ten runs to blow the doors off and open a lead that Nicaragua was never able to claw back from en route to a 12-3 victory.

The win moves Curacao into the International championship game on Saturday while Nicaragua falls into an elimination bracket game on Thursday at 9 a.m.

Thursday's two elimination games were moved up to 9 a.m. due to expected rain in the forecast later in the day.

"I saw Nicaragua was a difficult team and I asked (my pitchers) for some pitches to keep their bats low, not so active," Curacao manager Railison Gijsbertha said. "Nicaragua had a good team."

A leadoff single, walk and error put V-dien Ignacio Lindo, Naeem Angel Coeriel and Nathanael Jansen on base. Steven Felix had an RBI to reach before an RBI single by Jaymiel Antonia drove two runs in. Curacao had a grounder that brought in a run thanks to Q'Jeaume Valks and then Juriensly De Windt had a big two-RBI double. Ruendrikson Leuteria had an RBI double into left and Zha'djir Janga had an RBI single. Then, with bases loaded again off three consecutive singles by Martina, Giendry Ryan and Raymiel Antonia, Lindo hit a deep single down the left-field line that drove three runs in.

And just like that, Curacao had a huge 10-0 lead over a talented Nicaragua team from Leon.

Nicaragua manager Jose Gabriel Rodriguez Mayorga declined a press conference.

Curacao limited Nicaragua to just two hits, one of which wa a double by Jonathan Urroz Cahvez as he went 2 for 3 on Thursday in the loss.

"I knew that they were not hitting to many hits, but they make good use of the walks we have," Gijsbertha said. "I went over to say about the first inning, and we were the visiting team, so it was imperative to get runs before them."

Nicaragua wasn't able to score until the fourth inning, but it was too little, too late to claw back.

Clemente Sevilla Pichardo, Kendry Arauz Roque and Kenyi Jimenez Baldnon all were on base thanks to two walks and an error to load the bases. An error and two passed balls were what allowed Nicaragua to score runs and avoid the mercy-rule shutout.

Jaymiel Antonia went 2 for 3 with an RBI and run and Janga was 2 for 2 with an RBI and run. The duo were the only players form Curacao with mutliple hits in the win.

Martina went 1 for 2 with a run, Ryan was 1 for 3 with a run, Raymiel Antonia finished 1 for 3 with a team-high three RBIs, Lindo was 1 for 2 with two runs scored, Valks finished 1 for 3 with two RBIS, De Windt was 1 for 2 with an RBI and run scored and Reundrikson Ieuteria had a double by going 1 for 2 with an RBI and run scored.

Curacao scored twice in the top of the sixth inning. Those runs came in thanks to a two RBI single into left by Valks.

Curacao threw four pitchers, keeping all below the 50-pitch mark so they were eligible for Saturday's International championship game.

Martina went 2 1/3 innings with seven strikeouts, one hit allowed and two walks while Ryan went 2 2/3 innings with seven strikeouts, three walks and two runs with no hits. Jordan Richards and Raymiel Antonia also saw time on the mound.

"I tell myself that nobody can hit my pitches," Martina said about his confidence when he's on the mound.

And Wednesday's performance proved that Martina's statement was true and Nicaragua wasn't able to collect hit after hit to rally.

Instead, Curacao dominated and won.

Starting at /week.