08/09/2023 2 Minute Read

Aoi Higashionna perfect in five innings as Japan beat Puerto Rico

The right-hander did not allow a runner over five innings, striking out five. The U-18 Samurai combined for 13 hits.

World No. 1 Japan won against No. 13 Puerto Rico 10-0 in five innings to confirm their second position in the Super Round. The U-18 Samurai seemed over-aggressive on the bases early in the game. They capitalised in a six-run bottom of the sixth and ended the game by the international run-difference rule. Starter Aoi Higashionna pitched five perfect innings, striking out five. He used 53 pitches, 37 for strikes.

Japan scored two in the bottom of the first. Right-hander Byron Madero allowed a one-out walk and one runner reached on a defensive error. Designated hitter Riku Takeda singled to give the U-18 Samurai the lead.

Japan failed to score in the bottom of the second despite putting the runner in scoring position with no one out. Mikito Ogata hit a leadoff double to right field. Koga Hashimoto bunted him to third. Rysei Terachi fouled two bunt attempts to squeeze in a run, the second with two strikes, and became the second out. Syuya Yamada grounded out to end the at-bat.

Takeda hit a one-out single in the bottom of the third. He became the second out when he overslid the third-base bag on Yuzuki Nakayama's single. Nakayama scored on Minato Maruta's double to the gap in right-centre.

Japan added a run in the fourth. Hashimoto and Terachi reached on back-to-back and one-out infield singles. Puerto Rico replaced Madero with Carlos Roses. The reliever got the second out on a fly ball, then allowed an RBI single to Ren Ogata.

Japan closed the game with a six-run fifth at-bat. Nakayama led off with a single and advanced on a defensive error. Puerto Rico failed to get an out on Maruta's bunt and Japan scored on back-to-back walks.

Puerto Rico gave the call to Jan Reyes. The newcomer allowed a two-RBI single to Ryusei Teriachi. He got help from his defence when Yamada put the ball in play and Puerto Rico executed a trap to get Teriachi out between third base and home.

After that, Puerto Rico couldn't stop Japan's bats. The game ended on back-to-back RBI singles by Takeda and Nakayama.

Japan improved their record to 3-1 and will finish their Super Round against No. 5 Chinese Taipei on Saturday, 9 September. Puerto Rico (1-3) will play their last game against No. 2 USA.