Japan 15-0 Denmark: Onishi and Masaya home runs help Japan keep perfect record

Another clinical performance from world No. 1 Japan secured a 15-0 victory over Denmark on Monday to keep their win:loss card intact at 3:0 at the U-18 Men’s Softball World Cup in Palmerston North.

The pitching duo of Hibiki and Ren Ikeda combined for eight strikeouts, while six batters finished the match with double runs, including tournament front runner Masaru Nishimori. It was a tough day for Denmark, especially for pitcher Magnus Kirstein who gave up 13 runs over 1.2 innings (9H 13 R, 0 SO).

Second and third at bat respectively, Ibuki Onishi and Masaya Ohashi opened the scoring with back-to-back home runs putting Japan 3-0 up before Ikeda hit an RBI single to centre field to score Aoi Yamaguchi.

A misfield by shortstop Sebastian Gill allowed Rui Mimoto to score before a dirt tracker from Kirstein allowed Ikeda in for another run to put Japan 7-0 up. Ryuga Oyama sacrificed to centre field for Ayato Iseki to score before Yamamoto got home as another error from Denmark saw Japan take a 9-0 after the first innings.

Ikeda hit an RBI double in the top of the second to allow Rui Mimoto score for Japan before reaching home himself off an Iseki double. A misfield by second base Linus Kjaerulff allowed Iseki to score before Oyama fired over Lauge Munkso in centre field for a triple to score Yamamoto as Japan pulled further ahead at 13-0 at the end of the second innings.

Ohashi fired another homer in the 3rd before Aoi Yamaguchi scored another to close out the game 15-0.