Israel, Netherlands meet for Pool A's top seed
Both undefeated teams have already punched ticket to next round
Two undefeated teams will go head-to-head when Israel and the Netherlands square off at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, South Korea, on Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET (noon Thursday local time) on MLB Network and MLB.TV.
While the Netherlands was ticketed as one of the favorites to advance through Pool A, Israel has unexpectedly thrived in WBC '17 thus far, winning each of its first two World Baseball Classic games in the nation's history.
:: 2017 World Baseball Classic ::
The final game for both teams in the first round will determine the winner of Pool A and, in turn, the higher seed in the second round of the tournament.
The Israelis will give the ball back to right-hander Jason Marquis, who also started for them in Game 1. Marquis hurled three shutout innings in a 2-1 win over Korea, allowing just two hits and a walk while striking out three batters.
The Netherlands send right-hander Rob Cordemans to the hill to counter Marquis. Cordemans makes his first appearance in this year's Classic and will become one of the few players who has participated in every World Baseball Classic when he throws his first pitch.
Things to know about this game
• Israel's offense has put up a tournament-leading 17 runs in two games -- two more than the next most prolific offense (Japan). Eight players for Team Israel have three or more hits, and Ike Davis and Player Page for Zach Borenstein each have recorded multiple extra-base hits.
• Cordemans has pitched 15 2/3 innings throughout his World Baseball Classic career and has recorded a 4.02 ERA. Cordemans has gone 63-12 with a 1.00 ERA in 107 games (104 starts) during his nine-year career across the Dutch Major League.
• Marquis (38) and Cordemans (42) are the two oldest players on their respective Classic clubs. Though both pitchers are among the oldest participants in WBC '17, neither is the oldest -- that honor goes to the Dominican's Bartolo Colon.
Watch the Classic
The World Baseball Classic runs through March 22. In the U.S., games air live exclusively in English on MLB Network and on an authenticated basis via MLBNetwork.com/watch, while ESPN Deportes and WatchESPN provide the exclusive Spanish-language coverage. MLB.TV Premium subscribers in the U.S. have access to watch every tournament game live on any of the streaming service's 400-plus supported devices. The tournament is being distributed internationally across all forms of television, internet, mobile and radio in territories excluding the U.S., Puerto Rico and Japan. Get tickets for games at Marlins Park, Tokyo Dome, Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, Estadio Charros de Jalisco in Mexico, Petco Park, as well as the Championship Round at Dodger Stadium, while complete coverage -- including schedules, video, stats and gear -- is available at WorldBaseballClassic.com.