Canada to face U.S. in WBC quarterfinal after Italy beats Mexico

After 24 hours of number crunching and tiebreaker debates, Team Italy provided the easiest solution on Wednesday night.

Italy downed Mexico 9-1 to secure its spot atop Pool B and advance to the quarterfinals at the World Baseball Classic.

The result also means that Canada, which won Pool A with its win over Cuba earlier in the day, will face Team USA in a quarterfinal on Friday in Houston at 8 p.m. ET on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+.

If both countries stick with their Game 1 starters, it would set up a Michael Soroka versus Logan Webb matchup.

Italy got three home runs from Vinnie Pasquantino and a solo shot from Jon Berti in the win, supporting five shutout innings from Aaron Nola to cruise to a 4-0 record in the round robin.

Nola allowed just four hits and one walk while striking out five.

Pasquantino's performance, meanwhile, marked the first three-homer game in WBC history.

Jakob Marsee, Dante Nori and Andrew Fischer also drove in runs as the Italians left no doubt late in the ballgame.

Italy stunned Team USA on Tuesday, escaping with an 8-6 win and the upset. It set up a scenario against Mexico, where all three teams could have been 3-1 if Team Mexico prevailed. Had Mexico won by a score of 4-3 or less in nine innings, the Americans would have been eliminated.

But fuelled by espresso and one of this tournament's hottest offences, Italy made any such calculations unnecessary.

It marks the third time in WBC history that Italy has advanced past the first round. It previously moved on in 2013 and 2023.

Italy will now face Pool A runner-up Puerto Rico in the quarterfinal.