Taiwan’s nearly unbeaten run in the U-18 Baseball World Cup yesterday ended in defeat, as they lost 2-1 to world No. 1 Japan in a brutal final in Taipei.
Taiwan were again runners-up in the World Baseball Softball Confederation tournament, which they lost last year to the US in Florida. They last won the tournament in 2019. No tournament was held in 2020 or 2021.
It was a devastating defeat in front of a crowd of 9,000 at Taipei Tianmu Baseball Stadium, after Taiwan proved they could beat just about anyone in the tournament, having won every game prior to last night’s final, including their Super Round match against Japan on Saturday. They won that game 5-2.
Photo: Lin Cheng-kun, Taipei Times
Yesterday’s final started promisingly, with Taiwanese starter Sun Yi-lei (孫易磊) holding Japan to just one hit in the top of the first inning.
Taiwan’s first batter of the day, designated hitter Chiu Hsin (邱鑫), also recorded the first run of the game.
After getting on base with a single in the bottom of the first, he moved to second off left fielder Hsu Ting-lun’s sacrifice bunt. Chiu then stole third on a wild pitch while center fielder Ko Ching-hsien (柯敬賢) was at bat. Shortly after, Ko sent Chiu home on a single to right field.
Photo: CNA
After two tense, scoreless innings, second baseman Ren Ogata and center fielder Minato Maruta put Japan on the board in the top of the fourth inning, taking a 2-1 lead. Maruta was initially called off at first base, but Japan successfully challenged the call.
After Lin Wei-en (林維恩) took over for Sun in the top of the fifth inning, Taiwan held Japan off for two more innings, with Lin striking out back-to-back batters in the sixth.
He kept Japan at bay again in a tense seventh inning, in which left fielder Koga Hashimoto was tagged out at third only to be replaced with shortstop Syuya Yamada. Lin struck out Ogata to close out the frame.
However, Taiwan was unable to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh, with three outs after four batters.
In the bronze medal game, South Korea blanked the US 4-0, as Kim Tae-kyeon held last year’s champions to just two hits in seven innings.
South Korea started off hot, with first baseman Yeo Tong-keon’s triple in the first inning sending home second baseman Jeong An-seok, while Yeo scored off a single from shortstop Park Jih-wan.
Third baseman Cho Hyun-min scored in the top of the fourth inning off a single from Lee Sang-jun, and then scored again in the top of the sixth off a triple from Lee Seung-min.
SECURITY: As China is ‘reshaping’ Hong Kong’s population, Taiwan must raise the eligibility threshold for applications from Hong Kongers, Chiu Chui-cheng said When Hong Kong and Macau citizens apply for residency in Taiwan, it would be under a new category that includes a “national security observation period,” Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said yesterday. President William Lai (賴清德) on March 13 announced 17 strategies to counter China’s aggression toward Taiwan, including incorporating national security considerations into the review process for residency applications from Hong Kong and Macau citizens. The situation in Hong Kong is constantly changing, Chiu said to media yesterday on the sidelines of the Taipei Technology Run hosted by the Taipei Neihu Technology Park Development Association. With
CARROT AND STICK: While unrelenting in its military threats, China attracted nearly 40,000 Taiwanese to over 400 business events last year Nearly 40,000 Taiwanese last year joined industry events in China, such as conferences and trade fairs, supported by the Chinese government, a study showed yesterday, as Beijing ramps up a charm offensive toward Taipei alongside military pressure. China has long taken a carrot-and-stick approach to Taiwan, threatening it with the prospect of military action while reaching out to those it believes are amenable to Beijing’s point of view. Taiwanese security officials are wary of what they see as Beijing’s influence campaigns to sway public opinion after Taipei and Beijing gradually resumed travel links halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the scale of
A US Marine Corps regiment equipped with Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) is set to participate in the upcoming Balikatan 25 exercise in the Luzon Strait, marking the system’s first-ever deployment in the Philippines. US and Philippine officials have separately confirmed that the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) — the mobile launch platform for the Naval Strike Missile — would take part in the joint exercise. The missiles are being deployed to “a strategic first island chain chokepoint” in the waters between Taiwan proper and the Philippines, US-based Naval News reported. “The Luzon Strait and Bashi Channel represent a critical access
Pope Francis is be laid to rest on Saturday after lying in state for three days in St Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful are expected to flock to pay their respects to history’s first Latin American pontiff. The cardinals met yesterday in the Vatican’s synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis’ successor, as condolences poured in from around the world. According to current norms, the conclave must begin between May 5 and 10. The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College
RSS