Aoki provides winning run, Japan earns first ever U-12 Baseball World Cup final

Japan earned the right to play for the title of U-12 Baseball World Champion with a thrilling 8-7 extra-inning victory against Korea.
The game was postponed on Friday because of rain with Korea leading 4-1. Japan’s Sakuma Aoki bunted the winning run to third. The run scored on a chopper to first by Kouta Kawashita.
Aoki, the sixth Japanese pitcher of the game, also earned the win.

Korea looked in control Friday, before a tropical storm sent everybody back to the dugouts. Lim Hogil was on the mound when the game was postponed and he took the mound as the game resumed. He had just allowed two walks and a two-RBI single that had costed Korea the game against Cuba.

Japan got to Lim with a two-RBI double by right fielder Shintaro Sakamoto that made it a one-run game in the bottom of the fourth.

Korea added a run on a wild pitch in the top of the fifth, but in the bottom half of the frame Japan came right back to send the game to extra innings. A bases-loaded two-run hit by left fielder Shinsuke Kuwamoto tied the game.

Korea took advantage of the WBSC international tie break rule (runners at first and second to start any at-bat) and of a couple of errors to take back the lead in the top of the seventh.

Korea’s relief pitcher You Yongiun entered the bottom of the sixth with a wild pitch that advanced the tie-break rule runners. Japan’s first baseman Shosei Takahashi made him pay with a base hit that scored the tying runs. Shortstop Imai Ren followed with another single. Sakuma Aoki bunted for the base hit and Kouta Kawashita gave Japan the win as he put the ball in play to first base. The throw home by Yoo Yongjae was not in time and Japan earned a spot in the U-12 Baseball World Cup final for the first time ever.