China crushed the Czech Republic 9-2 on Sunday night in the second day of an Olympic baseball test event.

 

China led the game in all nine innings and only been tied in the second and fifth, making seven runs in continuous innings from the sixth.

 

Baseman Jia Yubing made a solo homer in his first batting appearance in the second inning. The MLB-contracted baseman shook his arm to cheer when the ball was still in the air, revealing a strong self-confidence.

 

It was also the first homer for the host team in the "Good luck Beijing" international baseball tournament, one of the 40-plus test events for next year's Beijing Olympics.

 

China resumed a short lead in the up fourth which was drawn up by the Czech in the bottom fifth.

 

The only chance for the Czech to win emerged in the bottom fifth in which left outfielder NavratilAles tied the game twice.

 

In the bottom, Chinese starting pitcher Zhu Dawei walked four Czeth batters with zero out, leaving a full-loaded bases to his substitute Chen Junyi who saved the inning with no more runs.

 

Chinese baseballers performed an excellent team work in the up eighth with four continuous hits, one tripple and three single, allowing three runs that discouraged the opponent.

 

"The fifth is really a big inning," said China's American coach James Lefebvre after the game.

 

"Our starting pitcher who is 19-year-old young was getting tired."

 

Lefebvre said his team will take the game on Monday with Japan very seriously for the rival was the most powerful one in Asia.

 

Czech coach Kania Bichard said that the Chinese team "suddenly became very powerful and professional" after the fifth inning and they just could not hold on any longer.

 

"But it was still a good game for us to prepare for the European Championship when we come back," he added.

 

Lefbvre also unveiled his ambitious intention to promote his team to be No. One in Asia, saying that Chinese players are in dire need of more games.

 

A Chinese baseballer in domestic league has 30 games, which is far less than that in MLB and Japanese professional leagues.

 

(Xinhua News Agency August 20, 2007)