VII WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup-Day 6: USA, Korea, Japan, Dominican Republic join Chinese Taipei and Venezuela in the Super Round
The six games postponed on Friday, 28 July, concluded on Wednesday, 2 August, the group stage of the VII WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup at the Asia Pacific International Baseball Complex in Tainan, Taiwan.
Japan (3-2) beat Mexico to earn the third spot out of Group A, behind undefeated Chinese Taipei (5-0) and Venezuela (4-1). Chinese Taipei will start the Super Round with a 2-0 record, Venezuela will begin from 1-1, and Japan will have a 0-2 record.
The Dominican Republic, the United States and Korea clinched their fourth wins to finish tied at the top of Group B. The Team Quality Balance determined the placement: The Dominican Republic is first, the US second and Korea is in third place. They all will start on Thursday with a 1-1 record.
Day 6 Results
| Dominican Republic-Panama | 7-5 | BOX SCORE | GAME REPORT |
| Japan-Mexico | 12-6 | BOX SCORE | GAME REPORT |
| Korea-New Zealand | 15-0 (4 innings) | BOX SCORE | GAME REPORT |
| USA- Czechia | 25-0 (4 innings) | BOX SCORE | GAME REPORT |
| Chinese Taipei- Australia | 18-0 (4 innings) | BOX SCORE | GAME REPORT |
| Venezuela-Germany | 11-1 (5 innings) | BOX SCORE | GAME REPORT |
Chinese Taipei-Australia 18-0
The first five Chinese Taipei batters reached on hits and the route of the game was clear from the first at-bat.The hosts won in four innings to end group play undefeated.
The first five Chinese Taipei batters hit safely off Australian starter Chase Crew. Chun-Han Tien led off with a single. Hung-Kai Chen and Pin-Yu Lin followed with two infield singles. The second broke the tie. Guan-Syu Chen and Yu-Yen Lo made it 4-0 with back-to-back doubles. The fifth run scored on a one-out double by Qi-Jia Zeng. Australia got out of the inning thanks to a double play started with a good relay by right fielder Ashton Diplock.
Chinese Taipei extended the lead to 12-0 against Crew and reliever Bodhi Evans after a second at-bat highlighted by Yu-Yen Lo's grand slam.
The hosts used their third at-bat to end the game by the run-difference rule.
Venezuela-Germany 11-1
Venezuela outscored and outhit (12-4) Germany to finish the opening round with a 4-1 record.
Venezuela got started with five hits against German starter Mason Cameron, who didn't receive much support from his defence. Germany committed three errors, and Venezuela took a 6-0 lead after the first.
Germany scored in the top of the third. Tizian Sulilatu scored on a bases-loaded walk by José Ramirez.
Venezuela broke the score open in the bottom of the fourth against Cameron and reliever Rafael Borgardt. They scored four runs on four hits to extend their lead to 10-1.
Korea-New Zealand 15-0
Korea hit a leadoff homerun and went on to defet New Zealand in four innings, to secute a spot in the Super Round.
Third baseman Jinwoong Lee led off with a home run off Tavita Arthur.
Korea added three runs on three hits and a balk.
Second baseman Yuto Ikeda helped New Zealand escape a bases-loaded jam ending the bottom of the second with a double play.
Korea took advantage of two defensive errors to break the score open in the bottom of the third with five runs on fourt hits.
Korea scored six in the bottom of the fourth to walk off the game.
USA-Czechia 25-0
The defending World Champions went at bat 19 times in the first and 15 in the third inning. Their lineup combined 21 hits, including five home runs, and their pitchers allowed just one runner on a walk. The US qualify for the Super Round.
First baseman Leyland Henry put the United States on the board with an RBI double. One run scored on a groundout and a base hit by shortstop Paris Head made it 3-0. Left fielder Gavin Gomez went deep and made it 5-0.
Center fielder Parker Nicholis (three runs) and right fielder Tyler Early homered back-to-back.
Gomez came up for the second time with the bases loaded and delivered a grand slam.
Dominican Republic-Panama 7-5
The Dominican Republic hit three home runs in the bottom of the fourth to come from behind and beat Panama in an elimination game for a spot in the Super Round.
Despite losing a runner at home, Panama scored two in the top of the first against Railin Cabrera on a two-out single by third baseman Roger Vasquez and a wild pitch.
The Dominican Republic used some good defence to stay in the game in the second inning.
Designated hitter Anthony Reyes put the Dominican Republic on the board in the bottom of the second. He singled off starter Algis Palacio and scored from first on a double by Yerald Vargas. Panama's first baseman advanced on a wild pitch and became the second out as he tried to score on a grounder to second.
Reyes hit a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game at two.
The Dominicans took control of the game against Palacio and reliever Javier Acevedo. Leadoff hitter Carlos Marrero hit an RBI double to put them ahead. Second baseman Justin Garcia followed with a three-run homer to extend the lead to 6-2.
Right fielder Gustavo Talmare added a two-out solo shot to make it 7-2
Panama cut the deficit in the top of the fifth. Palacio batted in the third run with a sacrifice fly and Vasquez launched a two-run homer to dead center to make it 7-5.
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Japan-Mexico 12-6
Yusuke Koma and Kengo Wada hit two home runs leading slugging Japan to win that is worth a spot in the Super Round.
Catcher Yusuke Koma hit his third home run of the tournament to put Japan ahead, 3-0, in the bottom of the first.
Mexico went to the bullpen, and left-hander Geronimo Perez relieved starter Alfonso Del Valle. A two-out RBI single by left fielder Renji Tachibana made it 4-0.
Mexico got on base on a walk and an error, but Japan's middle infield got starter Sosuke Mizuno out of trouble with a double play.
Koma did it again in the bottom of the second against reliever Geronimo Perez.
First baseman Kengo Wada welcomed Mexico's third pitcher Alan Dominguez hitting another three-run homer on his first offering.
Mexico took advantage of two defensive errors to get on the scoreboard against reliever Teto Suzuki in the top of the fourth, but in the bottom half of the frame Wada homered again to make it 12-2.
Down 12-3, Mexico escaped a bases-loaded threat in the bottom of the fifth, avoiding the run-difference rule.
Esteban Gallardo homered off Mitsui, the third Japanese pitcher, in the top of the six and cut the gap to 12-5.
- On Day 5 Chinese Taipei remains the only undefeated team
- 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.
