Tunisia emerged as the champions of the Western Regional Baseball5 Championship after a dramatic 2-1 victory over defending champions Ghana in a tension-filled final held at the NIS Sports Complex Gymnasium on Sunday.
The North African team, which had already defeated Ghana in the group stage, reaffirmed their superiority with a hard-fought win in the decisive third set.
The final commenced at 4:28pm WAT, with Tunisia taking the first set 9-5, setting the tone for the match. However, Ghana rallied in the second set, which began at 5:01pm WAT, securing a 4-2 victory to level the match at 1-1.
The third set, which kicked off at 5:32pm WAT, was a battle of tactics and resilience. Tensions boiled over when a controversial umpire decision led to a 7-minute stoppage at 5:54pm WAT, as both managers fiercely protested the call. Tunisia initially awarded 5 runs, saw the number reduced to 4 to match Ghana’s score, sparking further disputes. Play resumed, but another disruption occurred at 6:09pm WAT when the umpire ruled out a Tunisian player, leading to further protests.
Despite these interruptions, Tunisia displayed remarkable tactical discipline, pulling ahead with a 9-5 lead to secure the final set by 6:10pm WAT, and with it, the championship. Speaking after the victory, Tunisia’s manager Sofine said, “Tunisia’s resilience and tactical discipline were the keys to our victory today. This was a true test of character, and we are proud to be the champions of the Western region.”
Both Tunisia and Ghana have qualified for the continental championship, where they will compete against Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe for Africa’s spot in the World Cup.
In the third-place play-off, Nigeria triumphed over Benin Republic with a 2-0 victory, solidifying their position with a 5-3 win in the first set and a dominant 13-7 performance in the second set.
