Taiwan gained a second straight win yesterday at the Asian Little League Championships being held in Japan, triumphing 16-0 over Thailand in a game that ended in the fifth inning.
“All 15 players took part in the game and we scored an overwhelming win,” said Kuo Tong-yen, leader and coach of the Taiwanese team.
“The third hitter, Wang Wei-an, and the seventh hitter, Yeh Huang-you, both turned in outstanding performances,” he said.
“In the pitching lineup, five players were called to the mound rotationally in such a way that we totally blocked the strikes of the Thai hitters,” he said.
HOPEFUL
Kuo said he is hopeful the team will get through to the semi-finals as long as they can adapt to the cold weather in Japan,.
The Taiwanese team, composed of players from several elementary and junior high schools in New Taipei City, narrowly defeated China 4-3 on Friday in their opening game of the championships that began earlier that day in Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture.
Kuo is chief coach at Gueishan Junior High School.
Taiwan, China, Indonesia and Thailand are in Group A, while Group B comprises Japan, South Korea, Pakistan and Hong Kong.
SEMI-FINALS
The top team from each group will compete in tomorrow’s semi-finals, with the winners meeting for the championship game the following day.
The Asian Little League Championships have been held every two years in a country in the region since 2000.
Taiwan have won the championship four straight times since 2002.
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