Taiwan on Monday night grabbed their first win of the WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup after a brutal series of losses for the World No. 3 team in the opening round in Shaoxing, China, while they yesterday scored against Venezuela without a hit in a rain-delayed game.
Taiwan’s 11-0 drubbing of South Africa in just five innings finally moved them out of last place of Group B to just below the Netherlands, far behind World No. 17 Nicaragua, who remained undefeated after yesterday dominating South Korea 7-1.
While Taiwan last night was playing their final opening round game against Venezuela at Shaoxing Baseball and Softball Sports Culture Center’s field 1, they have already failed to qualify for the Super Round.
Photo courtesy of the CPBL
At the 2022 edition of the biennial tournament in Taichung, Taiwan finished with a bronze. This year, they would have to see how they fare in the placement round.
While South Africa proved to be an easy win for Taiwan, World No. 5 Venezuela has lost only one game, to Group B leader Nicaragua, and has already earned a Super Round berth, along with South Korea.
Last night’s game started 20 minutes late due to rain and was delayed again in the bottom of the fifth, before play resumed after press time last night.
After four scoreless innings, in which Venezuela grabbed three hits, but no runs, off pitcher Lu Yu-ting, Taiwan took the lead.
In the top of the fifth, Villegas Rodriguez walked second baseman Tseng Yu-ching, who reached second on a sacrifice bunt by right-fielder Huang Bo-rui.
While center-fielder Chiu Hsin was at bat, Tseng stole third, before running home off a wild pitch to record the first run of the game, all without a hit.
Meanwhile, after failing to survive Nicaragua 4-3 on Sunday, Taiwan on Monday seemed eager to get on the board, with shortstop Liu Chun-wei homering off the first pitch. Designated hitter Lin Chia-wei scored off a double from third baseman Wang Nian-hao, who was later brought in off an RBI single from Tseng to finish the inning 3-0.
Taiwan starter Zhang Jun-wei pitched three perfect innings to keep South Africa off the board, before he was replaced in the fourth.
Following two early outs in the top of the third, Huang scored after catcher Chen Chiu-teng was walked with the bases loaded.
A triple from Chiu then sent in Tseng, third-baseman Lai Chun and Chen to take the score to 7-0.
In the top of the fourth inning, left-fielder Wang Shun-ho scored off an RBI single by Huang, while Lin scored after Tseng was walked with bases loaded.
Wang Nian-hao scored off a sacrifice fly from Chen, while Huang crossed home base off a wild pitch to put Taiwan ahead 11-0.
South Africa did not reach base until the bottom of the fourth, when Josh Andrew November singled off reliever Wu Li-chen.
November made it to third base after two of his teammates were walked, but was unable to score after Wu struck out the last two batters.
The game was called by the run-difference rule after the fifth inning.
In Group A, World No. 24 China yesterday beat Australia 4-1 to book a historic Super Round berth, joining Japan and Puerto Rico.
Puerto Rico yesterday beat Colombia 3-2 to rise to the top of the group 4-1, while Japan’s last game of Group A against Great Britain was also delayed, but had not resumed as of press time last night.
Playing simultaneously as Taiwan on field 2, Japan was ahead 3-1 at the top of the fifth, when their game was delayed due to rain.
Japan scored two runs in the first inning, before giving one up to Great Britain in the second. They added another in the fourth.
Placement and Super Round games begin today.
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