BANGOR – The members of the Curacao Senior League baseball team realize that if they don’t play good defense and get good pitching, they’re in trouble.

Curacao committed 11 errors combined in its first two Senior League Baseball World Series games, but still went into Thursday night’s game against South Vineland, N.J., with a chance to reach the semifinals.

The Latin American champions played nearly flawless defense and received steady pitching from three players to earn a 6-2 victory over the U.S. East champs at Mansfield Stadium.

“I’m happy for the boys. They had to do the job and they did it,” said Curacao manager Norval Faneyte.

Curacao, 3-1, finished second in Pool B and faces Pool A winner San Pedro, Calif. (3-1), in today’s noon semifinal. South Vineland finished up at 2-2.

“[It’s] very good, exciting,” said righthander Jair Jurrjens, who scattered four hits and allowed two unearned runs in 5 1/3 innings while setting the tone for Curacao. “My fastball was very hard and I feel good on the mound.”

Jurrjens needed relief help from Eugene Offerman and Flannery Coster, but the squad played outstanding defense behind them, turning three double plays.

“Our problem in the first two games was our defense,” said Curaco manager Norval Faneyte, whose club committed seven errors in the Series opener and had four in its second game.

“I hope now the defense is set and we go on with the good defense,” he added.

South Vineland not only was unable to string together any hits against Jurrjens and Co., it also struggled throwing strikes. Three New Jersey pitchers issued eight walks, hit four batters and threw five wild pitches, despite allowing only six hits, all of them singles.

“This is the same story for every losing team here; if you don’t pitch well, you don’t win,” said South Vineland manager Abe Heredia Sr.

Curacao scored five runs in the first three innings, despite stranding seven baserunners. Coster punched an RBI single to right in the first, while three walks, a Sharlon Schoop single and two wild pitches made it 3-0 in the second.

Jurrjens delivered a sacrifice fly and Schoop an RBI groundout in the fourth to make it 5-0.

Luis Nieves’ two-run single in the sixth was the clutch hit for South Vineland, while didn’t make a lot of good contact. He also had another single.

CURACAO 6, SOUTH VINELAND, N.J. 2

Curacao (3-1) South Vineland, N.J. (2-2)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Seferina, c 3 1 0 0 Ford, cf 4 0 0

Jurrjens, p 1 0 0 1 S.Rivera, 3b-p-2b 2 0

g-Offerman, rf-p 0 0 0 1 Martinez, 1b 3 0

Statia, ss 2 1 1 0 O’Donnell, rf-p 3 1 0

Asjes, 1b 3 0 1 0 Nieves, c 3 0 2

Coster, rf-p 3 0 1 1 Acevedo, p-3b 2 0 0

d-Martis 1 0 0 0 Heredia, ss 2 0 0

Koko, cf 1 1 0 0 b-Myrie, ss 0 0 0

e-Walle 1 0 1 0 Castillo, lf 2 0 0

Reigina, lf 2 1 0 0 Ruggiero, 2b 0 0 0

f-Fornerino 1 0 0 0 c-Lugo 1 0 1 0

Obispo, 3b 0 1 0 0 Cichy, p 0 0 0

a-Smith, 3b 1 0 1 0 h-A. Rivera 0 0 0

Schoop, 2b 4 1 1 1

Totals 23 6 6 3 Totals 22 2 5 2

a-ran for Asjes in the first and fourth, b-ran for Nieves in the second and sixth, ran for Lugo in the third, ran for A. Rivera in the fifth, c-singled for Ruggiero in the third, d-fouled out for Coster in the fourth, e-singled for Koko in the fourth, f-popped to first for Reigina in the fourth, g-sacrificed for Jurrjens in the fifth, h-walked for Cichy in the fifth

Curacao 122 010 0 ? 6

So. Vineland, N.J. 000 002 0 ? 2

E?Schoop; LOB?Curacao 10; So. Vineland 7; DP?Obispo-Schoop-Seferina, Jurrjens-Statia-Asjes, Schoop-Statia-Asjes; S. Rivera-Martinez; S?Offerman; SF?Jurrjens; SB?Statia, Reigina, Koko, Walle; Ford

Curacao IP H R ER BB SO

Jurrjens (W,1-0) 5 1/3 4 2 0 6 3

Offerman 2/3 0 0 0 0 2

Coster 1 0 0 0 2 1

South Vineland IP H R ER BB SO

Acevedo (L,0-1) 1 1/3 3 3 3 3 2

O’Donnell 2 2/3 2 2 2 4 1

Cichy 3 1 0 0 1 2

HBP?Asjes by Acevedo, Obispo by O’Donnell 2, Serferina by Cichy; WP?Jurrjens; Acevedo, O’Donnell 3, Cichy; PB?Nieves; T?2:39; ATT?1,110 (est.)