Team Taiwan are set to face Spain in a win-or-go-home match tomorrow for the final berth at next year's World Baseball Classic (WBC), despite losing to Nicaragua 6-0 in the WBC qualifier at the Taipei Dome yesterday.
The home team's loss means that Nicaragua finishes No. 1 in the qualifier round held in Taipei with a perfect 3-0 record and advances to the games.
Photo: Lin Cheng-kun, Taipei Times
After crushing South Africa 9-1 earlier yesterday, Spain took second place in the four-team qualifier with a 2-1 record.
With a 1-2 record, Taiwan, competing under the name Chinese Taipei, finished third, while South Africa placed at the bottom with a 0-3 record.
Taiwan and Spain are set to face each other again tomorrow for the final berth at the WBC.
The home squad was crushed by Spain in the WBC qualifier opener 12-5 on Friday.
In yesterday's match, the Central American team struck first in the opening frame against Taiwan's 19-year-old starter Hsu Hsiang-sheng (徐翔聖) on a fielder's error and two consecutive hits, giving them an early 2-0 lead.
The visitors added one run in the top of the sixth inning and three more in the ninth to widen the gap to an insurmountable 6-0.
Team Taiwan's best chance came in the bottom of the fourth inning when the bases were loaded with one out.
However, Nicaraguan reliever Osman Gutierrez, who replaced starter Dilmer Mejia, managed to finish the inning with an infield fly and a strikeout.
The WBC is a premier men's baseball international tournament organized by the MLB, with its inaugural edition held in March 2006.
Taiwan's best finish was eighth in the third edition of the WBC in 2013.
In the 2023 edition, Taiwan finished with a 2-2 record, tying with three other teams in Pool A.
However, due to tournament rules that take into account runs scored and conceded, Taiwan was placed last and must now participate in the qualifier for next year's edition.
With the conclusion of the WBC qualifier in Taipei next week, a second qualifier featuring China, Germany, Brazil and Colombia are to compete for the remaining two slots in the WBC from March 2 to 6 in the US.
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