VII WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup-Day 5: Chinese Taipei, Venezuela qualify for Super Round, Wednesday's games to decide the other four spots
Chinese Taipei remained the only undefeated team and will advance to the Super Round with a 2-0 record. Venezuela also qualified and will start from 1-1. Mexico and Japan will play an elimination game for the third spot out of Group A.
Three teams are at the top of Group B with a 3-1 record, the United States, Korea and the Dominican Republic. The US, facing Czechia, and Korea, facing New Zealand, have a fair chance to advance. Dominican Republic-Panama (2-2) will be another elimination game.
Day 5 Results
| Panama-Czechia | 10-4 | BOX SCORE | GAME REPORT |
| Japan-Australia | 15-0 (4 innings) | BOX SCORE | GAME REPORT |
| Mexico-Germany | 10-0 (5 innings) | BOX SCORE | GAME REPORT |
| Dominican Republic-New Zealand | 22-3 (4 innings) | BOX SCORE | GAME REPORT |
| USA-Korea | 5-1 | BOX SCORE | GAME REPORT |
| Chinese Taipei- Venezuela | 4-2 | BOX SCORE | GAME REPORT |
USA-Korea 5-1
Tyler Early pitched five masterful innings and got the final out of the game with a leaping catch. Leyland Henry hit a three-run homer to break the tie. The United States beat Korea and created a three-way tie, including the Dominican Republic, at the top of Group B.
Tyler Early and Jinwoong Lee posted an old-fashioned pitching duel. In the bottom of the fourth, slugging first baseman Leyland Henry turned Lee's fourth pitch into a three-run homer run to dead center.
Korea got on the scoreboard in the top of the fifth. Early struggled with control, allowing shortstop Jeongwoo Moon to score on a walk, a wild pitch and a balk. Early got Jinwoong Lee on a fly to center to end the at-bat.
The US added two insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Nicholis Parker and a bases loaded walk.
Paris Head pitched a scoreless sixth for the save. He received a little help from Tyler Early, who got the final out of the game on a leaping catch, completing a brilliant two-way performance.
Chinese Taipei-Venezuela 4-2
Chinese Taipei came back from an early deficit to beat Venezuela and remain the only undefeated team in Group A.
Venezuela took a quick lead thanks to a throwing error and aggressive running by second baseman, who scored from second. Venezuela added a run in the top of the second on a towering pop that the infielders lost into the ballpark lights.
The hosts tied it in the bottom of the second thanks to an RBI double by star second baseman Sheng-Rang Wang and two consecutive bunts.
An impressive effort by Sheng-Rang Wang helped Chinese Taipei maintain the tie in the top of the third.
Yi-Hau Huang scored Chinese Taipei's go-ahead run when Yu-Hsiang Wang hit a bases-loaded grounder to shortstop with one out. Right fielder Sheng-Kai Hau singled to make it 4-2.
Lei Yeh pitched 2-2 scoreless innings to protect the lead.
Mexico-Germany 10-0
Mexico scored the first five runs on just two hits, capitalizing on nine walks. Their bats came to life in a five-run fourth at-bat, producing enough runs to end the game in five innings. Mexico must beat Japan on Wednesday, 2 August, to advance to the Super Round.
In the bottom of the second, Mexico scored the go-ahead run on two walks by German starter Constantin Bieth and a defensive error. A two-RBI single by center fielder Burciaga extended the lead to 3-0.
The German defence didn't support reliever Gideon Kutzner and Mexico added two runs in the bottom of the third.
Mexico's starter Jose Camargo pitched three scoreless innings and showed a fine pickoff movement.
Mexico added five runs in the bottom of the fourth on an infield hit by catcher Maximiliano Ortega, a two-RBI double by left fielder Xavier Ortega and a single by Burciaga.
Dominican Republic-New Zealand 22-3
The first seven batters had consecutive hits, and the score was immediately open. The Dominican Republic slugged their way to a win in four innings against New Zealand.
The Dominican Republic didn't waste time. The first two hitters reached base and shortstop Raiyer Gonzalez got to the third offering from starter Hayden Zen Wong and turned it into a three-run homer.
Zen Wong left for Kayden Wood without getting an out and with the Dominicans leading 7-0.
Timothy Harvey led off the bottom of the first with a double off right-hander Joshua Tomas. The Dominican outfield dropped a fly by second baseman Yuto Ikeda to put New Zealand on the board.
The Dominican Republic loaded the bases against Wood in the top of the second, and New Zealand handed the ball to Curtis Grootjans. By the third out, the Dominican lead had grown to 18-1. Gustavo Talmare and Keimel Paula hit back-to-back home runs.
The Dominicans took a 22-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth. New Zealand took advantage of a pair of walks and a base hit by Ikeda to add two runs.
Japan-Australia 15-0
Slugging first baseman Kengo Wada broke the score open with a towering grand slam in the bottom of the second. Eishin Miyano and Mei Oguri limited Australia to one hit and Japan earned an easy win in four innings.
The first three hitters, third baseman Ren Mitsui, shortstop Kanade Abe, and first baseman Kengo Wada, all reached with base hits against Aussie starter Harry Roberts to give Japan a 2-0 lead. Shortstop Archer Petersen got Australia out of the first executing a fine double play.
Japan's starting pitcher Eishin Miyano gave himself some run protection with a two-RBI double in the bottom of the second. Japan loaded the bases and opened the score with back-to-back hits. Abe singled, and Wada hit a monster grand slam to dead center to make it 9-0. Japan would go on to win in four innings.
Panama-Czechia 10-4
A brave Czech side fought until the end against Panama, scoring four runs in the bottom of the fifth. Panama outhit the Europeans, 12-4, on the way to their second win.
Panama took advantage of a fielding error to score the first run of the game.
Czechia tried with the running game, but Panama's catcher Alain Cruz showcased his arm to end the threat,
Panama got to Czech starter Max Major in the top of the second. Third baseman Abdel Vigil hits a two-RBI double, and left fielder Isaac Achurra adds one run on a base hit, extending the lead to 4-0. They broke the score open with a four-run third at bat. Vigil and Achurra contributed with 2-RBI doubles.
After getting one hit over four innings, Czechia got to starter Diego Camargo with back-to-back singles by Oliver Slenc and Tadeas Klimes. Camargo allowed three runs on a walk and a wild pitch and left for Eilan Gordon. Dominik Maly singled off the reliever to cut the deficit to 8-4.
Manuel Maclao doubled off Adam Cacel, the third Czech pitcher, and Panama added two insurance runs in the top of the sixth.
- On Day 4: Venezuela dominated Japan, the Dominican Republic outslug the United States.
- The WBSC had a chance to interview Francys Sandoval, the Venezuelan Princess of Baseball.
- On Day 3: Chinese Taipei, Venezuela, USA and Korea stay undefeated.
- On Day 2: Chinese Taipei walked off Japan, and Venezuela's Willy Hernandez threw a no-hitter.
- All Day 1 games were postponed because of bad weather
- The 12 managers previewed the tournament after the Technical Meeting on Thursday, 27 July.
- On 27 July, the City of Tainan introduced the Chinese Taipei National Team to the media.
- Huan Nan Financial Holdings supports the U-12 Baseball World Cup.
- The 12 participants through the history of the tournament.
- Tainan has 400 years of rich history.
