After getting blown out by Japan 10-1, Saudi Arabia came back with an 8-7 win over defending champion Mexico.

Third baseman Tony Davidson was 3-3, including a triple and a two-run homer. He also scored three times.

Saudi Arabia went up 8-4 after five innings. Mexico managed to score three times in the sixth, but it was too little, too late for the defending champs.

One highlight for the Mexican squad came when their leadoff hitter, Carlos Humberto Garza, who stands four feet, eight inches tall, hit a two run homer in the fifth. It was the first in his baseball career.

"I wasn’t thinking about hitting a homerun," he said. "I just wanted to make solid contact with the ball."

It was a disappointing World Series for Guadalupe, Mexico. They lost all three of their pool-play games and ownership of the title "defending champs."

"Without a doubt, the difference was pitching," said Jose Angel Valadez, manager of the Mexican team. "It was far better last year. We could have used some luck because things could have changed real quick."

So Europe stays alive in the hunt for a spot in the International Championship Game. They will need a win tomorrow and a little luck.

"I like the way we played," said Ian Holloway, manager of the Europe squad. "We played really good defensively and that could take us far."

--Mark Rogoff
   Special Correspondent