Coming up at the World Baseball Classic
The two Asian brackets continue Group play Saturday. In Tokyo, the Czechs play Korea and Japan faces Australia. The winner of the Japan-Australia game is assured of advancing; the second slot out of Group B could come down to a Sunday game between the Czechs and Australians, although Korea holds out hope for the moment.
China, which is winless in its three games, is playing dead when it faces Korea Sunday.
In Taichung, Chinese Taipei hosts play Cuba, a victory sending Taipei to the next round. Later that day, Netherlands tries to rebound from its defeat at the hands of Chinese Taipei against Italy, also looking to lock up advancement.
For the moment, Netherlands and Taipei share the Group lead at 2-1 while Panama is 2-2, Cuba and Italy 1-2. Panama needs a loss by at least one of the front runners to remain alive.
Play also begins Saturday in the two Western Hemisphere Groups. In Group C in Phoenix, the U.S. will host Great Britain and Colombia will play Mexico. In Group D, the Dominican Republic begins what it hopes to be a championship run against Venezuela and Nicaragua plays Puerto Rico. Those games will be played in Miami.
Canada in Group C and Israel in Group D do not begin pool play until Sunday.
You can see the full schedule here.