Three Japanese pitchers combined for 12 strikeouts to establish a 5-1 win against Canada, in a key game for Group B in the WBSC U-23 Men's Softball World Cup. Kazuka Umibe, Taiga Onishi and Koki Yagi allowed only two hits and one run in the game.
A well-balanced Japan offence, with seven players connecting at least one hit, produced a pair of multiple-run innings to complement the efforts of their pitching staff.
In the first inning, with runners on second and third, Koki Sato hit a hard grounder to second base to plate a run. Canada’s Isaac Lefevbre made a great diving catch to glove the ball, but his throw allowed the runner on second to score in the play.
Japan added three in the bottom of the third on a fielding error, an RBI triple by Ryuji Okawa and a single by Yuta Motozuka.
One of the two Canada hits was the longest homer so far in the tournament at the Nafaldo Cargnel Stadium. In the fourth, Isaac Lefevbre put Canada in the scoreboard with a homer that went well over the right field bleachers and landed close to the concession stands, recording their first and only run of the game at 5-1.
Umibe emerged as the winning pitcher who tossed four innings and gave up two hits and a run with eight strikeouts. Onishi pitched in the fifth. After two quick outs, he issued three consecutive walks to load the bases. However, he retired Jordan Pomeroy with a grounder to second to escape the jam. Yagi took care of the last two innings.
Japan climbed again to the peak in Group B, while Canada recorded their second loss of the tournament.
