The nation’s Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) squad last night crushed the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) team 16-2 in their Asia Winter Baseball League (AWBL) match in Taichung.
CPBL accumulated an unsurmountable early lead, scoring 13 runs in the first four innings, before WBSC put points on the board in the fifth and eighth innings.
With the win, Taiwan’s representatives at the competition improved to a 7-5 record.
In a battle between two Japanese sides, Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) West blanked NPB East in a 5-0 afternoon victory, also in Taichung.
NPB West pitcher Tsubasa Kokuba went the distance to record a complete shutout, scattering five hits, giving up two walks and striking out eight to pick up his third AWBL win.
Second baseman Haruka Yamada had two key hits, driving in three runs to move NPB West ahead 4-0 in the second inning.
Prior to yesterday’s games, Taiwanese players and officials were most impressed by the Japan Amateur Baseball Association (JABA) team, who they said they would focus more attention on over the next few weeks.
JABA, who were leading the Korea Baseball Organization team 5-4 in the seventh inning at press time last night, entered the day with an 8-2 record, the best in the competition.
JABA is headed by manager Akio Ishii, who has been designated to lead Japan’s national squad for next year’s Asian Games in Indonesia.
Ishii told local media that he would mainly select JABA players who perform well in the AWBL to comprise the core lineup for Japan’s squad at the Asian Games.
“Most players under JABA’s jurisdiction are members of amateur teams, whose schedules mirror those of professional teams, with spring training and league games through summer and autumn,” Ishii said.
The amateur players return to their normal jobs after the season ends in November and try to stay in shape through winter to prepare for the next year, he added.
“Amateur teams normally do not have the chance to play against foreign competition,” Ishii said. “This is why we like to play the AWBL in Taiwan, because the players engage in competition in the winter months, and it is very good training for them, honing their skills against Taiwanese and South Korean teams.”
CPBL manager Lin Cheng-hsien said he and other officials have seen many outstanding players on the JABA team, adding: “Many of them are good enough to play in professional leagues.”
“It is important for us to follow this team and scout them out, because the nucleus of Japan’s national squad for the Asian Games will come from this side. We need to know them well if we are to make it into the medal rounds next year,” Lin said.
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