Chinese Taipei remain the only undefeated National Team in the XXX WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup after Day 1 of the Super Round.
In a repeat of the last edition's final, the defending World Champions proved to good for nine-time winners USA claiming a 6-2 victory.
World No. 3 Korea shut out and outscored world No. 1 Japan and look strong in the race for the World Championship game.
The Netherlands came from behind to defeat Mexico thanks to consistent defence, timely hitting and a dangerous running game.
Super Round - Day 1 Results
The Placement Round also got underway with the fourth, fifth and sixth placed teams from the Opening Round competing for places 7-12.
Brazil lead the standings with a 3-0 record after beating Panama while Italy and Canada also picked up thrilling wins.
A Myles Naylor solo home run in the bottom of the fifth was the difference in a very close baseball game between Canada and Australia while a beautiful pitching duel between starters Luis Aguilar and Paulo Noris saw Brazil beat Panama in the eighth when pinch hitter Paulo Barbosa scored both tie-break runners on a double.
Italy’s starter Pietro Verzin struck out eight in six innings against South Africa while allowing one run and six hits to get his first win of the tournament.
Placement Round - Day 1 Results
Chinese Taipei-USA 6-2
Chinese Taipei got to USA starter Cameron Johnson in the top of the first and didn't need to look back. The defending World Champions remain the only undefeated team
US starter Cameron Johnson didn't make it through the first inning. Reliever Cameron Tilly allowed one run on a throwing error and a second on a sacrifice fly by Chia-Wei Lin.
Chinese Taipei made it 4-0 in the bottom of the third. Chia-Wei Lin doubled to right field and scored on an RBI single by Yi-Lei Sun. Jia-Xiang Sung also doubled.
Chinese Taipei added two runs on a bases-loaded wild pitch and extended the lead to 6-0.
Bryce Eldridge made it 6-2 with a mammoth two-run homer over the batter's eye in dead centre.
Chinese Taipei wouldn't allow other runs.
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Korea- Japan 8-0
Korea was all over Japan's starter Hiruto Yamada, who didn't receive much support from his defence and didn't survive the second inning. Three Korean pitchers limited Samurai Japan to four hits.
Korea didn't waste time to get to Japan's starter Hiruto Yamada. Junyong Jeong hit a lead off single, advanced on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a base hit by Beomseok Kim.
Jeongmin Kim singled with the bases loaded.
Another run scored on a wild pitch and Korea made it 4-0 on a defensive error.
Korea added two more in the second on a wild pitch and a base hit by Dongheon Kim.
Korea made it 7-0 in the bottom of the third on a double by Junyoung Jeong.
Korea added a run in the bottom of the sixth.
Japan loaded the bases in the top of the sixth, Reliever closed the game hitting three digits on the radar gun.
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Mexico-Netherlands
The Netherlands came from behind to beat Mexico in a game that saw both managers try to manufacture runs and put defences under pressure. Reliver Stijn Van der Schaaf pitched three scoreless innings to earn the win.
Mexico scored first. With runners at the corners, Alberto Barriga dropped a safety-squeeze bunt that rolled just to the foul line.
Dutch pitcher Brandon Herbold walked the bases loaded, and Mexico added a run as Carlos Gutierrez grounded to shortstop.
Mexico kept advancing runners through the hit and run and scored again. Antonio Macias walked, ran all the way to third base on a slow chopper to second and scored as Manuel Estrada hit into a double play.
The Netherlands got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth. Mees Robbersee doubled, advanced to third on a balk and scored on a groundout to shortstop.
The Netherlands cut the gap to 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth. Angel Albertus doubled and scored on a single up the middle by Matis Crouwel..
The Dutch reversed the lead in the bottom of the fifth. Alexander Albertus doubled and scored on back-to-back bunts by Ryan Hoogendoorn and Jakey Josepha. The go-ahead run came when Hoogendoorn scored on a hard grounder to second by Kendrey Maduro.
The Netherlands extended the lead in the bottom of the sixth thanks to two more bunts by Matis Crouwel and Hoogendoorn.
The Dutch added one run on a wild pitch and entered the seventh with a comfortable 7-3 lead.
Mexico cut the lead in the top of the seventh against Bryon Rincones on a two-out base hit by Manuel Estrada.
Rincones got Ichiro on a grounder to give the Netherlands their first win in the Super Round.
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