Team Nigeria on Saturday put behind the disappointing opening game loss to Ghana and went on to beat Benin in the ongoing West Africa Regional Baseball5 Championships.
The Nigeria Baseball5 youth team suffered a defeat in their opener against Ghana but rebounded to beat Benin Republic 2-0 in their second match.
Nigeria secured two runs within the first two minutes of play, boosting their hopes of a win over their West African neighbors, and demonstrated improved tactics throughout the game.
There was also significant home support for Nigeria in this encounter, courtesy of younger players from the Lagos State Baseball team, who cheered them to their first victory in the championship.
The first set ended with Nigeria finishing with 13 runs against Benin Republic, which had only 1 run before the break.
The second set provided some inspiration for both sides, but Nigeria triumphed again with a 13-3 victory, marking Benin's highest run total in the match.
In the fourth and final game of the day, defending champions Ghana struggled to find their rhythm against a determined Tunisia, losing 2-0.
This game could be described as the "final before the final," as the tactical battle from both benches resulted in several calls on umpires by managers, with the atmosphere becoming heated as tempers flared.
To prevent any escalation as the game grew rowdy, the umpires called the managers of both sides together for a pep talk at the end of the first set. Tunisia won the first set with 19 runs, while Ghana had 5 runs before the break.
After the five-minute break, Tunisia continued their dominance, taking an early 2-run lead within five minutes. Ghana's efforts to mount a comeback were unsuccessful, as Tunisia won again with 8-3, ensuring the game did not go into a third set.
The competition continues on Sunday, which is the final day, with Ghana facing Benin Republic, while Tunisia will confront Nigeria.
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