Taipei City. After 2006 and 2009 Chinese Taipei also will play in the 2013 World Baseball Classic. Having lost all games at the last WBC they had to re-qualify and did this in impressive fashion.
They capped the WBC Qualifier at Xinzhuang Stadium in Taipei City with a 9-0 shutout over New Zealand in the final on Sunday. During the tournament they celebrated three wins in three games, out-scoring their opponents 35-0.
In the final the Diamondblacks kept it close through the first three innings. In the fourth Chinese Taipei put six runs on the board to blow the score wide open. Chien-Ming Chang sparked their offense with four RBI. Cheng-Wei Chang and Chih-Shen Lin scored two runs apiece.
Daniel Lamb-Hunt and Scott Campbell led the way for New Zealand, collecting two hits each, while combining to get on base six times. But they weren’t able to convert these opportunities into runs and had to settle for the loss and second place at the WBC Qualifier.
Yao-Hsun Yang earned the win, allowing just two hits and two walks in four scoreless innings. He struck out five and threw 38 of his 63 pitches for strikes. John Holzdkom was charged with the loss, surrendering three hits, four runs and three base on balls in 3 1/3 frames.
New Zealand had reached the final thanks to wins over Thailand and the Philippines, having lost the opener against Chinese Taipei.
Chinese Taipei is now going to face IBAF Baseball World Cup champion the Netherlands, Olympic Gold Medal winner Korea and Australia in the first round of the 2013 World Baseball Classic at Intercontinental Stadium in Taichung next March.
Results WBC Qualifier Taipei City:
Thursday, November 15:
Thailand 2 – Philippines 8
Chinese Taipei 10 – New Zealand 0
Friday, November 16:
Thailand 2 – New Zealand 12 (Thailand eliminated)
Philippines 0 – Chinese Taipei 16 (Chinese Taipei reaches final)
Saturday, November 17:
Philippines 6 – New Zealand 10 (Philippines eliminated, New Zealand reaches final)
Sunday, November 18:
Chinese Taipei 9 – New Zealand 0 (Chinese Taipei qualifies for World Baseball Classic 2013)
Photo: Copyright World Baseball Classic, Inc.
