Mexico Zone Champion Tijuana, Baja California and Caribbean Zone Champion Aruba met in the semifinal of the Mustang-9 World Series for a ticket to the championship game on July 29.

Tijuana, who won every game going into the semifinal, terrorized the bracket, winning with authority. Aruba had not met the Mexico champions in bracket and faltered early in the game.

Pitching on both sides dominated the first inning as Aruba’s Jovin Willems induced three groudouts and Tijuana’s Angel Henriquez struck out the first batter, allowed a single and then manufactured a double play to end the first inning.

Aruba soon learned the power of Tijuana, however, in the top of the second when Rafael Rodriguez doubled, Matthew Delgado singled and shortstop Nishentel Meyers committed an error and Willems threw a wild pitch to score its first three runs. Another wild pitch later and Tijuana quickly led 4-0.

Henriquez continued to work, getting three straight outs to blank Aruba before Tijuana singled in three straight at bats, scoring another run (5-0).

A balk by Doran and a single by Nicholas Sanchez drove in three more. Ricardo Aguilar singled on a line drive to center and drove in another three insurance runs, much as he had done the entire tournament. Henriquez himself got a single as well and drove in two more runs, adding to Tijuana’s already large lead (13-0).

Aruba found themselves in a bind in the bottom of the fourth, needing to score at least four to avoid the mercy rule Tijuana were so fond of. The team opened its possible final inning with a double and a walk, scoring two off subsequent fielder’s choices and a single, but they could not score two more, sending the team home and Tijuana to the final game of the tournament.

Tijuana will play the winner of Mililani, Hawaii and Placentia, California in the championship game on July 30 at 1 p.m.

For more information, visit mustang9worldseries.org and see the box score here.