01/09/2017 - 10/09/2017

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XXVIII U-18 Baseball World Cup 2017 - Official Payoff

Chinese Taipei upset Canada in extras to close Day 1 of the U-18 Baseball World Cup. Easy night for Cuba

Chinese Taipei upset Canada in extras to close Day 1 of the U-18 Baseball World Cup. Easy night for Cuba
02/09/2017

THUNDER BAY (Ontario), Canada-In the night games of the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup 2017 Chinese Taipei upset Canada in the tenth while Cuba lived an easy night against South Africa

In the night games of Day 1 of the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup 2017 Chinese Taipei upset the hosts Canada in the tenth inning, while Cuba needed only 7 to beat South Africa.

Chinese Taipei won (7-6) a game that saw only 12 hits (7 by Chinese Taipei, 5 by Canada) but had also 20 walks (11 allowed by Chinese Taipei, 9 by Canada).

Canada starter Moore walks lead off third baseman Wang Hung Yi and Chinese Taipei bunt him over to second. Left fielder Kuo Tien Hsin hits a bullet just over shortstop Willow glove. With runners at the corners, right fielder Chiu Chih Heng flies out on the warning track in left center and his sacrifice fly scores Wang.
Also Chinese Taipei starter Lin Hsin Chieh opens his game walking the lead off batter. With second baseman Julien at first, center fielder Clayton Keyes looks at a ball and then sends an opposite field bullet over the right field fence for a 2 run homer.

Wesley Moore (Christian J Stewart-WBSC)

Lin opens the bottom of the third with back to back walks (third baseman Naylor and designated hitter Cerny). First baseman Stovman sends a sharp roller to the gap on the left. Shortstop Liu Chih Jung fields it brilliantly but can get just the force out at second. Lin then walks Willow to load the bases. Catcher Brookman sends a towering fly ball to deep right field that falls for a long single and scores Naylor. Right fielder Clarke is the second out to right, but his (sacrifice) fly is deep enough to score Cerny. Lin issues his seventh walk to left fielder Parente to load the bases again and is done for the day. Chinese Taipei switch to left hander Chu Yi Sheng. The newcomer strikes out Julien to end the inning.

In the top of the fourth Clarke literally robs first basemanLi Yu Chuan of an extra base hit and Chinese Taipei of a run with a spectacular diving catch. The standing ovation he receives as he heads back to the dug out is well deserved.
Chinese Taipei is anyway back into the game in the top of the fifth. Moore walks Liu Chih Jung and catcher Su Wei Chih. With runners at second and third and 2 outs, second baseman Tseng Han Yu sends a 2 RBI single to center and cuts Chinese Taipei deficit to one run.
Canada immediately extends the lead. In the bottom half of the fifth, Brookman takes Chu Yi Sheng deep for a solo homer to left center.

Naylor of Canada dives to return to first base (Christian J Stewart-WBSC)

Cade Smith takes the mound for Canada in the sixth and leaves with one out in the seventh after allowing 2 walks (to center fielder Chiu Tang and third baseman Wang Hung Yi). Tseng advances the runners with a bunt and left fielder Kuo Tien Hin welcomes reliever Gollert (the third pitcher for the hosts) with a blooper to center that ties the game.
Chu Yi Sheng goes to the showers after he walks Julien to open the bottom of the eigth. Bo Hao Chen takes the mound and gets the third out with Canada’s potential go ahead run at third.
In the ninth, Chinese Taipei put the potential go ahead run (Chiu Tan) on base thanks to a fielding error by Willow. Wang Hyìung Yi advances the runner with a bunt and Canada intentionally walks Tseng Han Yu. Kuo Tien Hsin grounds out to first but advances runners. Canada intentionally walks Chiu Chih Heng. First baseman Li Yu Cguan sends a sharp liner to left, but Parente turns it into the third out with a brilliant running catch.

The decision comes in the tenth inning tie break (because of the rule, in extra innings at bats begin with runners at first and second).
Chinese Taipei score 2 after failing to advance runners with a bunt (pinch hitter Chu Mai Ko strikes out bunting foul). Liu Chih Jung and Su Wei Chih hit back to back singles to score the go ahead run and another run scores on Chiu Tan groundout.
Canada gets started with an RBI single by Brookman. Clarke walks to load the bases and pinch hitter Bremner steps to the plate. Liu Chih Jung fields cleanly his sharp grounder and  gets the first out at home.  Bo Hao Chen strikes out Julien and Keyes (both looking) to win the game.

Chu Yi Sheng (Christian J Stewart-WBSC)

Cuba had an easy debut against South Africa. They needed only 6 at bats (actually 5, because they didn’t score in the fifth) to score 15 runs on 15 hits and win (15-2) in 7. South Africa gave them some help committing 9 defensive errors. Loidel Chapelli Junior got 3 hits and scored 4 runs. Reliever Ubert Mejias earned the win pitching 2 innings.

Loidel Chapelli Junior (James Mirabelli-WBSC)