Catcher Shion Matsuo and outfielder Shogo Asano (pictured above) were picked in the first round, reliever and catcher Kaito Noda was selected in the third round, and pitcher Haruto Yamada was drafted in the fifth round.

The speed of centre fielder Kendall George kept the hosts in the game and put them ahead. A three-run homer by Bryce Eldridge opened the score. Blake Mitchell earned the win, and Eldridge pitched the seventh.

The winners of the individual awards were presented during the Closing Ceremony.

It represents the second WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup bronze medal in history for Japan, and the nation’s sixth medal overall.

USA came from behind thanks to Kendall George and broke the score open on a home run by Bryce Eldridge to beat Chinese Taipei in the final. Their day started with a dramatic win against Japan to earn the right to play in the final. Japan defeated Korea to win the bronze medal.

Japan entered the seventh with a 3-2 lead, the US tied it on a balk by Yusefu Yoshimura and won it as Dylan Cupp (pictured above) singled off Kaito Noda.

Japan took a 3-2 lead in the third before the game was delayed at 17:18 for a lightning alert. After two heavy thunderstorms hit Sarasota, the WBSC Technical Commission decided to postpone the game to Sunday, starting at 09:30 local time. Earlier in the day, Chinese Taipei defeated the Netherlands to earn their spot in the final. Korea beat Mexico to stay in contention.

Four Australian pitchers combined to pitch a one-hitter for the Aussies in their last game at the XXX WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup.

The two pitching staffs combined nine walks in the first three innings. Mexico took an early lead but Korea came back thanks to timely hitting and the running game.

Chinese Taipei’s starter Shao-En Lin pitched five scoreless innings, striking out six while giving up two hits and three walks. The Netherlands closed their participation in fifth place, their best ever finish in the U-18 Baseball World Cup.