By TENAJH SWEETING

Tribune Sports Reporter

tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

TEAM Bahamas excelled on the opening day of the sixth Caribbean Baseball Cup at the Andre Rodgers National Baseball Stadium. 

The home team took care of business 3-1 in seven innings versus the no. 65 ranked US Virgin Islands (USVI) last night in the featured matchup of the evening.

In the first matchup of the evening, the defending champions Cuba opened the tournament with a dominant 8-0 victory against St Maarten.

The Dominican Republic’s national team also got in on the winning action. They defeated Curaçao 8-1 in seven innings.

Team Bahamas delivered a win to the home crowd thanks to a masterful pitching performance from pitcher Deshaugn Forbes.

The winning pitcher got his money’s worth in seven innings, striking out four batters and earning two holds during the process.

Team head coach Geron Sands was particularly impressed with Forbes’ performance on the mound and the team’s overall competitiveness on opening night.

“I was so impressed with the guys tonight. We swung at good pitches, played solid defence, put up runs when we needed to put up runs and we had timely hitting. 

“The pitching was phenomenal. You guys saw Deshaugn Forbes out there. He amazed us tonight and he pounded the strike zone with strikes tonight and he did a really good job. Congratulations to the guys on the win,” he said.

Coach Sands was also happy the team did not have to go to the bullpen on day one of competition and is looking forward to the remaining matchups.

“It was key for us to go as long as we can without getting to the bullpen. We have full strength in the bullpen for the rest of the week so far. Tomorrow, we are gonna go again and hopefully we have the same performance and we are gonna continue on,” he said.

Team Bahamas did most of its work in the first three innings of the ball game. 

The home team went ahead 2-0 at the bottom of the second inning until USVI’s Zayd Brannigan scored a run at the top of the third inning to close the gap to 2-1. Team Bahamas retaliated with another score to close out the game 3-1 in seven innings. 

Centrefielder Chavez Young was responsible for two runs and went 2-3.

Third baseman Kristin Munrow scored one run and went 1-3. D’Shawn Knowles went 1-3 with 2RBIs.

Forbes, the winning pitcher,  said he came into the matchup with the mindset to have a strong game.

 “I just came here to do my job, execute and throw strikes. I came in with the mindset to throw strikes and don’t give up any runs,” he said.

“I was just trying to throw some strikes because I know my teammates got me. Just gotta be able to get that strike in there and make plays,” 

The sixth Caribbean Baseball Cup continues today at 11am. The Dominican Republic takes on Cuba in the first matchup.

The second matchup features the US Virgin Islands versus Curaçao and in the final matchup the home team takes on St Maarten.