03/08/2023 3 Minute Read

VII WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup-Day 7: Chinese Taipei stay undefeated, huge wins for USA and Japan

Lei Yeh and Ye-En Chiu shut out the Dominican Republic, confirming the strength of Chinese Taipei's pitching staff. Tyler Early, Bryant Ju and Michael Ohman homered for the defending World Champions against Venezuela. Daito Funayama started at shortstop, hit two home runs, and saved Japan's win against Korea. Mexico lead the Placement Round..

The Second Round of the VII WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup opened on Thursday, 3 August, at the Asia Pacific International Baseball Complex in Tainan, Taiwan.

The Chinese Taipei pitching staff and the United States sluggers have been setting the tone of the tournament, and Day 1 of the Super Round followed the trend. Chinese Taipei shut out the Dominican Republic to keep their perfect record. The US have outslugged Venezuela with three homers. Daito Funayama has done it all for Japan, hitting two home runs and picking the save, leading them to a key win against Korea.

Mexico lead the Placement Round undefeated.

Super Round-Day 1 Results

Japan-Korea	7-4	BOX SCORE	GAME REPORT
USA-Venezuela	11-4	BOX SCORE	GAME REPORT
Chinese Taipei-Dominican Republic	4-1	BOX SCORE	GAME REPORT

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Chinese Taipei-Dominican Republic 4-1

Ya-En Chiu pitched 4.1 scoreless innings for the win, Lei Yeh entered with the bases loaded and got out of the jam getting the double-play grounder he needed. Chinese Taipei remained undefeated at the top of the Super Round.

Left fielder Qi-En Zheng doubled off Dominican starter Joshua Tomas to give Chinese Taipei the lead in the top of the second.

Zheng hit a one-out infield single in the top of the fifth. Tomas walked the bases loaded and left for Jairo Mejia. A passed ball, a throwing error, and an RBI single by leadoff hitter Yi-Hau Huang extended the Chinese Taipei lead to 4-0.

Chinese Taipei starter Ye-En Chiu walked the bases loaded with one out in the bottom of the fifth. Reliever Lei Yeh went down in the count 3-1, then got Justin Garcia hit into an inning-ending double play.

Lei retired the side in order in order in the sixth to keep Chinese Taipei undefeated.

USA-Venezuela 11-4

Tyler Early, Bryant Ju and Michael Ohman homered to lift the United States over Venezuela in their Super Round debut.

The US scored with the first hit of the game, an RBI double by third baseman Zaylon Johnson off Willy Rodriguez in the bottom of the second.

Venezuela reversed the lead with two outs in the top of the third. Second baseman Alexandro Ladera got to starting pitcher Gavin Gomez with an RBI double, and Rodriguez helped himself by batting in the second run.

First baseman Leyland Henry put the defending World Champions ahead again with a three-run homer.

Venezuela haded the ball to Ezequiel Zamora with a runner at first. Catcher Bryant Ju homered on the newcomer's third pitch to extend the lead to 6-2.

The US broke the score open to 9-2 on a defensive error.

Gomez and his reliever Michael Ohman struggled with control in the top of the fourth. The US limited Venezuela to one run thanks to a double play and a running catch by Early.

Ohman helped himself in the bottom half of the frame with a two-run homer off Ender Acosta, the third Venezuelan picher.

Japan-Korea 7-4

Daito Funayama hit two home runs, and then took the mound with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the fifth. He retired the sice in order to get out the the jam, saving Japan's win.

Yusuke Koma gave Japan the lead with a two-run towering homer off Korean starter Minyeong Yoon in the bottom of the first.

Japan made it 4-0 in the bottom of the second when shortstop Daito Funayama homered off reliever Dongkyu Lee.

Renji Tachibana singled to left field with a runner at second in the bottom of the third and made it 5-0.

Jinwoong Lee put Korea on the scoreboard as he homered off Kengo Wada to lead off the fourth.

Taewoong Yoon batted in the second Korean run with a deep single off the wall, and Japan handed the ball to reliever Haruki Tsuchiya.

With runners at second and third, Korea scored their third run on a groundout and made it 5-4 when Masaya Yabuuchi's diving attempt fell just short on a pop by first baseman Junhyeong Park to right field.

Jinwoong Lee prevented Japan from getting into scoring position in the bottom of the fourth.

Japan made it 6-4 on Funayama's second homer run of the day.

Funayama stepped to the mound with the bases loaded and one out in the top of the fifth and retired the side to get out of the jam. Japan added a run on a throwing error in the bottom half of the frame.

Second baseman Sangmyeong Yang got Korea out of the inning with a brilliant diving catch.

Daito Funayama took care of the final five outs for Japan.

Placement Round-Day 1 Results

Mexico-Panama	3-2	BOX SCORE	GAME REPORT
Australia-New Zealand	17-2 (4 innings)	BOX SCORE	GAME REPORT
Germany-Czechia	6-3	BOX SCORE	GAME REPORT

The Super Round schedule.
Look at the statistical analysis after the Opening Round.
On Day 6: Dominican Republic, Japan, USA and Korea join Chinese Taipei and Venezuela in Super Round.
On Day 5: Chinese Taipei remains the only undefeated team
On Day 4: Venezuela dominated Japan, and 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.