VII WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup-Day 9: Defending champions USA beat Chinese Taipei; Will meet again in the final

The defending World Champions USA will play against the hosts Chinese Taipei in the VII WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup final on Sunday, 6 August, at the Asia Pacific International Baseball Complex in Tainan, Taiwan.

The United States, Japan and Venezuela (3-2) finished the Super Round tied behind Chinese Taipei (4-1). The USA advanced to the final thanks to a better Team Quality Balance (TQB).

Venezuela and Japan will compete for the bronze medal.

The United States and Chinese Taipei have competed three times in the U-12 Baseball World Cup final, in 2013, 2015 and 2017. The US prevailed on all occasions.

The US (2013, 2015, 2017 and 2021) and Chinese Taipei (2011 and 2019) are the only U-12 World Champions.

Places from fifth to twelfth are set:

Super Round-Day 3 Results

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USA-Chinese Taipei 11-3

The United States came from behind to defeat Chinese Taipei and earn the right to face them again in the World Championship game. The defending World Champions had 14 hits, including a game-changing grand slam by slugging right fielder Tyler Early.

Chinese Taipei center fielder Qi-Ja Zeng showcased his athletics on the first out of the game.

The hosts took the lead in the bottom of the first on a defensive error and added a run when catcher Yu-Yen Lo got to starter Paris Head with an RBI single.

The US made it 2-1. Third baseman Zaylon Johnson led off the second with a double off starter Chang-Ruei Cheng and scored from third on a sacrifice fly.

Nicholis Parker doubled off starter Chang-Ruei Cheng and scored when designated hitter Leyland Henry hit a one-out single off reliever Pin-Yu Lin.

The defending World Champions reveresed the lead in the top of the fourth. They loaded the bases with two outs for slugging right fielder Tyler Early, who was all over Lin's third pitch.

The US got to Ting-Wei Lin, Chinese Taipei's third pitcher, in the top of the fifth. Nicholis Parker and Tyler Early hit back-to-back RBI singles and extended the lead to 9-2.

Chinese Taipei cut the deficit to 9-3 in the bottom of the fifth thanks to an RBI double by Yi-Hau Huang.

The defending World Champions added two runs in the top of the sixth on RBI doubles by Wuis and Parker.

Venezuela-Korea 5-4

Venezuela saw a four-run lead evaporate in the top of the sixth but came back to score the winning run in the bottom of the seventh to finish the Super Round with a 3-2 record, tied with the US and Japan. They will face Japan in the bronze-medal game.

Catcher Josè Castillo helped Venezuela out of a second inning and bases-loaded jam picking off the runner at third with a perfect throw.

Venezuela took the lead in the bottom of the third. Left fielder Angel Rondon got to starter Nawon Kim with an RBI double.

Korea stayed in the game thanks to a couple of brilliant defensive plays in the bottom of the fourth. Third baseman Dongkyu Lee got the first out at third.

Shortstop Jeongwoo Moon manufactured a double play to get them down of the inning.

Venezuela got to Uijeong Kim in the bottom of the fifth. Second baseman Alexandro Lara and catcher Josè Castillo hit back-to-back base hits to add three insurance runs.

Korea didn't give up. Four consecutive base hits put two runs on the scoreboard. Willy Rodriguez got a key out with a fine running catch.

With two outs, Korea brought the potential tying runs in scoring position with a double steal. Pinch hitter Taewoong Yoon got to reliever Ender Acosta's first pitch with a two-RBI single that tied the game.

After advancing the tie-break runners with a sacrifice bunt, Korea ran into an inning-ending double play in the top of the seventh.

Venezuela also dropped a bunt to advance the tie-break runners in the bottom of the seventh. Uijeong Lee intentionally walked Zamora to load the bases, and Ladera followed with a walk-off hard grounder to the left side of the infield.

Japan-Dominican Republic 13-1

Daito Funayama, Yusuke Koma and Renji Tachibana hit three-run homers. The U-12 Samurai finished with a 3-2 record, tied with the United States and Venezuela. They will play Venezuela for a bronze medal.

Samurai Japan didn't waste time. They loaded the bases against left-handed starter Angel Peralta with no one out. Catcher Yusuke Koma singled to break the tie, and third baseman Ren Mitsui made it 2-0 with a sacrifice fly. Peralta walked the bases loaded again and left for right-hander Hendry Vargas, who got out of the jam thanks to a double play.

Shortstop Daito Funayama broke the score open with his fourth home run in the tournament.

Koma kept the home run derby with his teammate alive as he hit a three-run monster shot off reliever Yerald Vargas, Koma's sixth homer run in the tournament, to extend Japan's lead to 8-0.

Designated hitter Renji Tachibana hit Japan's third three-run home run in the top of the fourth to make it 12-0.

The Dominican Republic got on the scoreboard against reliever Elshin Miyano in the bottom of the fourth.

Placement Round-Day 3 Schedule

• On Day 8: Chinese Yaipei qualify for the World Championship game
• On Day 7: Chinese Taipei stay undefeated, huge wins for USA and Japan.
• The Super Round schedule.
• Look at the statistical analysis after the Opening Round.
• On Day 6: Dominican Republic, Japan, USA and Korea join Chinese Taipei and Venezuela in Super Round.
• On Day 5: Chinese Taipei remains the only undefeated team
• On Day 4: Venezuela dominated Japan, and the Dominican Republic outslug the United States.
• The WBSC had a chance to interview Francys Sandoval, the Venezuelan Princess of Baseball.
• On Day 3: Chinese Taipei, Venezuela, USA and Korea stay undefeated.
• On Day 2: Chinese Taipei walked off Japan, and Venezuela's Willy Hernandez threw a no-hitter.
• All Day 1 games were postponed because of bad weather.

More on the VII U-12 Baseball World Cup official web page.