Israel defeated Nicaragua 5-0 thanks to solid pitching from Dean Kremer, timely hitting from Cole Carrigg, Noah Mendlinger and Harrison Bader and stellar defense by Jake Geloff to secure the win that will ensure the blue-and-white’s participation in the next World Baseball Classic.

After falling to Venezuela 11-3 in Brad Ausmus’s side’s opening game in the tournament, Israel’s ace in Baltimore Orioles start Dean Kremer took to the mound and retired 12 of the first 13 batters to start the game. Noah Mendlinger singled home Cole Carrigg in the bottom of the 2nd to give Israel a 1-0 lead but as Kremer approached the 65 pitch limit, Ausmus had to go to his bullpen with two men and one out in the top of the 5th as San Diego Padres farm hand, 24-year old righty Josh Mallitz came in and walked the bases loaded.

Mallitz then fell behind 3-0 to Freddy Zamora, but the shortstop to hit a hard grounder to third as Jake Gelof fielded it, stepped on third and threw to first, to get Israel out of the jam. From there the offense took over as Zach Levenson drove in a pair of runs while Harrison Bader and Cole Carrigg each picked up RBI’s in the four-run bottom of the fifth.

“It’s huge not to have to go through qualifying again,” Kremer said. “For not only us as a team, but the country as a whole that I’m more than proud to represent. I don’t know that I’ve ever yelled like that before, I don’t usually get super hyped, but that one was different.”

Since Israel can’t finish any lower than fourth in Pool D they ensured their participation in the next Classic no matter what the results are in the final two games against the Dominican Republic on Monday (6pm Israel time) and the Netherlands on Tuesday.

“I feel like every game in this pool play is a must-win game,” Carrigg said. “We’ve got a tough one with the D.R., but it’s a one-game series and you never know.”