Japan top Israel 7-0 for second straight win

Japan posted a 7-0 six-inning effort against Israel on Sunday at El Plumazo to gain a 2-0 winning start in their WBSC U23 Men’s Softball World Cup campaign. The Japanese lineup tallied 10 hits in the game, including a solo homer by leadoff hitter Tomoki Kikuwa.

The Asian champions scored in five of their six at-bats, including a three-run rally in the sixth to get the seven-run lead that ended the game. 

Shoki Matsuo, Koki Sato and Ryuji Okawa had multiple-hit games for the winner. Sato scored three times in the game. 

Israel’s lone hit of the game was an Avinoam Sachs single in the second inning. 

Taiga Onishi was the winning pitcher after three innings of work in relief, with no hits or runs allowed. He struck out three.