World No. 3 Korea are the sole owners of first place after the first day of the Super Round at the IV WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup after they defeated hosts Chinese Taipei on Thursday.
Earlier in the day, last year's silver medallists Mexico beat bronze medallists Colombia while Japan defeated Australia.
Japan and Mexico (2-1) are now tied with Chinese Taipei. The race for the medal round is going to heat up in the next couple of days.
At the end of the three-day round robin, the top two finishers will compete for the U-23 World Title, while the number three and four teams will play for the bronze. The medal games are scheduled for Sunday, 23 October, at Tianmu Stadium.
The Baseball Stadium in Dou Liou City hosted three games for places between 7 to 12.
SUPER ROUND SCHEDULE
Super Round standings: Korea (3 wins-0 losses); Chinese Taipei, Japan, Mexico (2-1); Australia, Colombia (0-3)
PLACEMENT ROUND SCHEDULE
Placement Round standings: Venezuela (3 wins-0 losses); Netherlands, Puerto Rico (2-1); Cuba, Germany (1-2); South Africa (0-3)
WATCH LIVE
Korea-Chinese Taipei 6-2
A defensive error and control issues by starter Hsin Yen Chuang set things up for a couple of well executed squeeze bunts. Korea scored four runs in the top of the second and never needed to look back.
A bases-loaded single by Songbin Son put Korea ahead in the top of the first.
Korea added two runs on a squeeze bunt by Hanbyul Kim and a defensive error.
Korea bunted again against reliever Yan Cheng Wang and made it 4-0.
Chinese Taipei got on the scoreboard in the top of the third.
Yueh Ku Lin singled to add one more run for Chinese Taipei.
Korea added a run on a two-out single by star third baseman Seunghyeok Yang.
Korea stopped a potential rally in the fourth with an inning ending double play.
In the sixth Korea added a run against Ding Hong Guo, the fourth Chinese Taipei pitcher
Kyuyeon Kim and Donghyun Sung retired the side in order in the last two innings, striking out four.
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Japan-Australia 2-1
First baseman Kanta Aiba hit a two-RBI single in the bottom of the third and it proved to be all the offence Japan's pitching needed. Left-hander Ren Tomida limited Australia to one run on four hits over six innings and flame thrower Ryusei Gonda took care of the final six outs.
Japan's shorstop Hiroki Nakagawa displayed some range to retire the first our of the game.
Japan took the lead in the botton of the third on a two-RBI single by Kanta Aiba.
On a hard comebacker to the mound by Dermot Fritsch, Travis Bazzana scored Australia's first run.
Hard-throwing right-hander Ryusei Gonda took care of the final three outs.
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Mexico-Colombia 4-3
Sitting on a 3-1 lead, Colombia looked in control after four innings. The move to the bullpen that brought reliever Jose Altamiranda into the game didn't prove right. Mexico tied the game on consecutive bases-loaded walks and went on to get their first Super Round win.
Colombia took the lead in the top of the second, as Branlyn Jaraba scored on a groundout.
In the bottom of the second, Mexico tried to score on back-to-back bunts, but reliever Carlos De Avila got Javier Sanchez at home.
Colombia made it 2-0 in the third. Hecrtor Martinez scored on a groundout.
Colombia scored the third run in the top of the fourth. Daniel Aguilar doubled, advanced on a bunt and scored on a sacrifice fly by Roger Caraballo.
Mexico got on the scoreboard thanks to a base hit by Javier Sanchez,
Mexico tied the game in the bottom of the fifth on a back-to-back bases loaded walks by reliever Jose Altamiranda.
New pitcher Dahan Batista allowed Mexico's go-ahead run on a wild pitch.
Nestor Anguamea got the final six outs pitching two perfect innings.
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