Taiwan on Tuesday advanced to the Super Round at the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup in Naha, Japan, after winning a dramatic extra-inning tiebreaker over Germany.
Taiwan’s Pasula Takislinian scored in the top of the first inning at Nishizaki Stadium in Itoman City, Okinawa, but Germany answered with two runs in the bottom half of the inning.
Despite Taiwan’s efforts to even the score, Germany held the lead until Hsu Shu-cheng scored a run and tied the game at 4-4 in the sixth inning thanks to teammate Li Kai-qi’s single to center field.
Photo: CNA
Both sides failed to score in the seventh inning and the game went into a tiebreaker in accordance with the WBSC’s rules for events at the U18 level and below.
In the top of the eighth inning, Hsu bunted and Germany pitcher Finn Niemeyer’s error allowed Taiwan’s runners on first and second base — Jiang Ting-yi and Chang Yi-an — to score.
Hsu, who made it to third base on the error, scored on Zeng Sheng-en’s single through the left side. Zeng scored after a bunt by Takislinian resulted in an error by Niemeyer’s replacement, Pepe Stockhaus.
Photo: CNA
Taiwan pitcher Lin Chun-hsi allowed no runs after being called up at the bottom of the seventh inning.
Taiwan’s win improved their standing in the Super Round after they lost only one game in the Opening Round, beaten by the US, who concluded the group stage undefeated after crushing Australia 11-1 on Tuesday.
Panama were the third team from Group B to advance.
In Group A yesterday, South Korea and South Africa resumed their game that was suspended due to rain, with South Korea winning 17-0 at Okinawa Cellular Stadium in Naha.
South Korea, ranked No. 4 in the world, made the Super Round along with world No. 1 Japan and No. 7 Puerto Rico.
Taiwan, No. 2 in the world, face South Korea today at Nishizaki Stadium, and Puerto Rico on Friday and Japan on Saturday at Okinawa Cellular Stadium.
The six teams in the Super Round are vying for spots in either the championship game or the bronze-medal game on Sunday.
The Kansas City Chiefs wrapped up a brief visit to Brazil on Friday with a season-opening loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, but despite the defeat, the team outshone their divisional rivals in the fight for the hearts and minds of Brazilian fans. In Sao Paulo for just the second-ever NFL game in the city, Chiefs players — especially quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce — were treated as major celebrities throughout their stay, turning Corinthians Arena into a scene reminiscent of the Chiefs’ Arrowhead Stadium. Before kickoff, crowds of fans gathered around the Chiefs’ tunnel, eager to catch a
New Zealand stayed firm at their Eden Park fortress to claim an attritional 24-17 win over South Africa in a heavyweight clash between the world’s top two rugby sides yesterday. Under pressure after conceding a first-ever defeat on Argentine soil against the Pumas two weeks ago, the All Blacks responded with a performance of grit and discipline to stretch their unbeaten run at their Auckland stronghold to 51 matches. Two well-taken tries by Emoni Narawa and Will Jordan set up a 14-3 lead at halftime before Quinn Tupaea grabbed a third five-pointer for the hosts 13 minutes from time. Well-held for most of
The Wallabies trusted their instincts to keep pushing for a late try instead of a potential equalizing penalty goal late in their Rugby Championship Test match yesterday against Argentina, with prop Angus Bell scoring the clinching try in the sixth minute of added time to give Australia a comeback 28-24 win. The Wallabies were awarded three kickable penalties after the 80th minute, but kept pushing in search of the match-winning try, which was finally delivered by an unlikely hero in reserve prop Bell. “It’s just relieving,” Bell said. “It’s just awesome we could get the win in the end; not go for
RETURN TO FORM: Osaka extended her deepest run in a Grand Slam since returning to tennis after giving birth, putting her in a position to lift the trophy for a third time Reigning champion Jannik Sinner on Wednesday marched into the US Open quarter-finals as Amanda Anisimova avenged her Wimbledon thrashing by Iga Swiatek to set up a last-four clash with Naomi Osaka. World No. 1 Sinner swept aside 10th seed Lorenzo Musetti 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 in the first all-Italian men’s quarter-final in Grand Slam history. “It was a great performance, very solid. I started the match very well,” said Sinner, who faces Canadian 25th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime in the semi-finals today. Auger-Aliassime has won two of three previous meetings, but Sinner thrashed him for the loss of just two games in Cincinnati last month. “Every
RSS