Taiwan had its share of trouble in a warm-up match for the 2009 International Baseball Federation World Youth Championship, with three players — a pitcher, a catcher and a fielder — sustaining injuries in Taichung yesterday.
Despite sporadic showers, the match started on schedule in the morning.
Following the game, in which Taiwan beat the US 8-3, Taiwan head coach Huang Wu-hsiung said the team had done well and that the pitchers had allayed worries about their ball control.
PHOTO: LIN CHENG-KUNG, TAIPEI TIMES
Taiwan’s first four batters all scored hits, with fourth batter Chu Li-jen scoring a triple, driving in two runners to put Taiwan ahead 2-0.
Unfortunately, team captain Wen Kun-yu suddenly had cramps in both legs after scoring a hit in the sixth and was taken off the field on a stretcher. He was immediately put on an IV and medics said he should be fit to play in later matches.
The two other injured players were pitcher Chiang Li-wei and catcher Lin Yu-chih. Chiang’s left arm was struck by a line drive in the seventh inning, while Lin injured his right leg when he collided with a runner in the fifth.
PHOTO: LIN CHENG-KUNG, TAIPEI TIMES
Huang said he did not expect the injuries to affect the team’s performance in the first round of the championship. His only worry was that the team might have trouble with American left-handed pitcher Cory Geisler, adding that he would he would arrange extra training for them between now and the first round.
The Taiwanese team is scheduled to hold its second warm-up match against Australia in Taichung’s Intercontinental Stadium at 10am today. Spectators are welcome and entry to warm-up matches is free.
Taiwan last hosted the under-16 championship in 2003, when the US beat Taiwan in the final.
The biannual event, originally scheduled to be hosted by Venezuela in 2007, was canceled after Caracas refused to issue visas to the Taiwanese players. Taiwan is set to face Venezuela in the first round on Saturday.
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