Taiwan’s under-16 team beat Australia in their second warm-up game in the 2009 International Baseball Federation World Youth Championship in Taichung yesterday, following up on the local team’s victory over the US on Tuesday.
Although the Taiwanese players’ offensive ability went from good to better, head coach Huang Wu-hsiung remained worried that they did not look so confident when confronted with a left-handed pitcher.
Huang said the Taiwanese players scored mostly infield hits when facing a left-handed pitcher, only scoring long hits when the pitcher was a right-hander.
PHOTO: LIN CHENG-KUNG, TAIPEI TIMES
The coach nonetheless praised his team for taking the offensive whenever they had the chance.
Taiwan beat Australia 14-2, ending the match early in seven innings. However, six of Taiwan’s 14 hits were infield hits. Third batter’s Cheng Chia-ming’s triple was preceded by four infield hits.
Just as they struggled with US left-hander Cory Geisler on Tuesday, the Taiwanese players couldn’t shake off their fear of left-handed pitchers when facing Australia. But Huang chose to look on the bright side, saying that the Taiwanese should thank the Australian left-handers for giving them some much-needed practice before formal matches start on Saturday.
Huang said that when Australia meet Taiwan again on Tuesday in the formal contest, he expected the Aussies to use their left-handed pitchers to try to exploit Taiwan’s weakness.
Speaking at the US-Cuba match yesterday afternoon, US head coach George Sanchez praised the Taiwanese team, especially the pitchers, and said he still had not decided what strategy his team would follow against Taiwan.
Formal matches will start at Taiwan’s Intercontinental Stadium on Saturday and run through Aug. 23.
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