Baseball had its third appearance as an official medal sport at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. Eight nations competed, with the preliminary phase consisting of each team playing every other team. Playoffs were then held, with the four highest ranked teams advancing. For the semifinals, the 1st place team played the 4th place team and the 2nd place team played against the 3rd place team. The winners of those semifinals competed against each other for the gold medal, with the loser getting the silver medal. The teams defeated in the semifinal played a match for the bronze medal.
For the first time, baseball was open to professional players as well as amateurs.
Medallists
Final ranking
United States (USA)
Cuba (CUB)
South Korea (KOR)
Japan (JPN)
Netherlands (NED)
Australia (AUS)
Italy (ITA)
South Africa (RSA)
Preliminary round standings
The top four teams (Cuba, United States, South Korea and Japan) advanced to the semifinals. To determine the seed ranking of teams tied in the standings, the result of the two teams' game against each other was used. Cuba therefore received first place due to the win over USA. In the semi-finals, Cuba (#1) played Japan (#4) and United States (#2) played South Korea (#3). The higher ranked team in each game was the home team.
Results
Preliminary round
September 17
Time |
Home |
Score |
Visitor |
11:30 |
Cuba |
16 - 0* |
South Africa |
12:30 |
Japan |
2 - 4 |
United States |
18:30 |
Korea |
10 - 2 |
Italy |
19:30 |
Australia |
4 - 6 |
Netherlands |
* Game ended by Run Difference Rule (after 7 innings, lead is by 10 runs or more)
September 18
Time |
Home |
Score |
Visitor |
11:30 |
Cuba |
13 - 5 |
Italy |
12:30 |
Korea |
3 - 5 |
Australia |
18:30 |
United States |
11 - 1 |
South Africa |
19:30 |
Japan |
5 - 4 |
Netherlands |
September 19
Time |
Home |
Score |
Visitor |
11:30 |
Italy |
13 - 0 |
South Africa |
12:30 |
Japan |
7 - 3 |
Australia |
18:30 |
United States |
6 - 2 |
Netherlands |
19:30 |
Cuba |
6 - 5 |
Korea |
September 20
Time |
Home |
Score |
Visitor |
11:30 |
Japan |
6 - 1 |
Italy |
12:30 |
Netherlands |
4 - 2 |
Cuba |
18:30 |
Australia |
10 - 4 |
South Africa |
19:30 |
United States |
4 - 0 |
Korea |
September 22
Time |
Home |
Score |
Visitor |
11:30 |
Korea |
2 - 0 |
Netherlands |
12:30 |
Cuba |
1 - 0 |
Australia |
18:30 |
Japan |
8 - 0 |
South Africa |
19:30 |
United States |
4 - 2 |
Italy |
September 23
Time |
Home |
Score |
Visitor |
11:30 |
South Africa |
3 - 2 |
Netherlands |
12:30 |
Korea |
8 - 7 |
Japan |
18:30 |
Italy |
8 - 7 |
Australia |
19:30 |
Cuba |
5 - 1 |
United States |
September 24
Time |
Home |
Score |
Visitor |
11:30 |
Netherlands |
3 - 2 |
Italy |
12:30 |
Korea |
13 - 3 |
South Africa |
18:30 |
Cuba |
6 - 2 |
Japan |
19:30 |
United States |
12 - 1 |
Australia |
Semifinals
September 26
Home |
Score |
Visitor |
Cuba |
3 - 0 |
Japan |
United States |
3 - 2 |
South Korea |
Bronze medal match
Final