15/09/2023 2 Minute Read

Chinese Taipei beat Puerto Rico in slugfest, stay undefeated

Chinese Taipei took a comfortable lead, scoring six in the bottom of the first. Lineups outplayed pitchers, and the two teams combined for 23 hits. Still, the game's turning point was a perfect sliding catch by Chinese Taipei's left fielder Yu Chuan Tu.

World No. 2 Chinese Taipei defeated No. 9 Puerto Rico, 12-6, at the end of a game dominated by lineups. The two teams combined for 23 hits.

Chinese Taipei scored six in the bottom of the first to take a comfortable lead. Puerto Rico had the potential tying run at the plate in the top of the fourth. A perfect sliding catch by left-fielder Yu Chuan Tu on a deep fly by Adrizx Paradizo proved the game's turning point.

Leadoff hitter Luz Feliciano was all over the fourth pitch of Chinese Taipei starter Yu Pei Chen and drove it off the left-field wall for a stand-up double. Shortstop Adriz Paradizo singled and brought her to third. Chen got the first out on a pop to right field, and Paradizo was caught stealing second, becoming the second out. Designated hitter Yahelis Munoz singled on a line drive to left field to put Puerto Rico ahead.

Chinese Taipei also wasted no time in getting to Puerto Rico's starter, Nylah Ramirez. Yu Ying Hsieh singled on the third pitch and advanced to third on a groundout and a wild pitch. She scored on a fielding error. Chiao Yun Huang doubled to centre field, and Chia Yu Lin followed with an RBI single to give Chinese Taipei the lead. With two outs, Puerto Rico intentionally walked Yu Chuan Tu to load the bases. Chia Huy Yang worked the count full and then drove the sixth pitch beyond right fielder Luz Feliciano for a stand-up and three-RBI triple. Chiu Yi Hsuan Chiu followed with an RBI single to extend the lead to 6-1.

Puerto Rico loaded the bases with one out in the top of the second. Feliciano looked at one ball and one strike and then doubled in the gap to right-centre for a stand-up and three-RBI triple, cutting the hole to 6-4.

Chinese Taipei extended the lead in the bottom of the third. Chia Hui Yang and Yu Ying Hsieh hit one-out back-to-back singles. Yang scored on a fielding error. Shih Yun Lee grounded to first base, and Lisandra Berrios-Lopez got Hsieh at the plate to end the inning.

Alanis Santiago and Feliciano hit back-to-back singles to lead off the fourth. Paradizo got to Yu Pei Chen's first offering and hit it into the gap in left-centre. Yu Chuan Tu got the first out with a perfect sliding catch, and Paradizo had to settle on a sacrifice fly.

Reliever Luz Moreira allowed a run on three walks in the bottom of the fourth and left. Katiria Davila took the mound and allowed the ninth run on a bases-loaded walk. Chinese Taipei made it 10-5 on Yi Hsuan Chiu's sacrifice fly.

Yu-Pei Chen allowed a deep one-out single to Jenny Ortiz in the top of the fifth and left for Wen Ching Hsieh. The right-hander walked the first batter and hit the next two, allowing the sixth run.

Chinese Taipei handed the ball to Hsiao Mei Chen, who got out of the inning, getting Feliciano on a line to shortstop and closing the at-bat as she got Paradizo to ground into a force out at second.

Davila allowed two more runs to Chinese Taipei in the bottom of the fifth. She loaded the bases with one out and then walked Chiao Chi Lai. Puerto Rico handed the ball to Zoe Collazo, who got the second out on a force play to second as Chiao Yun Huang scored the twelfth for Chinese Taipei.

Chinese Taipei (3-0) will play No. 1 Japan at 14:00 (local time) on Saturday, 16 September, for the game that will very likely decide the first-place finisher. Puerto Rico (1-2) will open the day against No. 16 France at 10:00 (local time).