02/09/2023 4 Minute Read

XXXI WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup Day 3: Chinese Taipei, Japan and USA collect second wins

World No. 1 and reigning U-18 World Champions United States lead Group B undefeated and will play for first place on Sunday. Japan and Chinese Taipei also earned their second victories. The hosts are at the top of Group A. The Netherlands earned a key win against Venezuela, while Puerto Rico and Australia clinched their first wins.

The third day of the XXXI WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup saw USA, Chinese Taipei, Japan, Australia, Puerto Rico and the Netherlands all collect wins as rain caused some small delays at Tianmu Stadium in Taipei City, but all the games came to their natural seventh-inning end.

The United States and Japan are the teams to beat in Group B. They lead undefeated and will face each other for first place on Sunday. The Netherlands won a key game against Venezuela and are now in third place with Panama.

Chinese Taipei and Australia are the only teams with two games played in Group A. The hosts overcame Korea and now lead the group undefeated. The Aussies earned a win against Mexico that may prove crucial.

Puerto Rico came from behind to beat Czechia, celebrating their first win.

Day 3 Results

Australia-Mexico	4-2	BOX SCORE	GAME REPORT
Netherlands- Venezuela	8-2	BOX SCORE	GAME REPORT
Puerto Rico- Czechia	6-2	BOX SCORE	GAME REPORT
USA-Spain	6-2	BOX SCORE	GAME REPORT
Chinese Taipei-Korea	6-1	BOX SCORE	GAME REPORT
Japan-Panama	7-0	BOX SCORE	GAME REPORT

Watch Every Game Live

Japan-Panama 7-0

Samurai Japan seem a team with no flaws. They showcased solid pitching, brilliant defence and some power. What helped the most against a brave Panama side was their capability to execute plays at high speed.

The game started with a ten-minute delay due to a sudden rain shower.

Panama blew a scoring opportunity in the third. With runners at second and third and no one out, Hector Rayo dropped a bunt that starting pitcher Nakayama fielded cleanly, getting the out at first. José Gonzalez tried to score from third, but first baseman Ryusei Terachi got him at the plate, completing the double play.

Japan got to Panama's starter Dereck Gomez in the bottom of the third with back-to-back infield singles by Ryusei Terachi and Hayaka Kobayashi. Shortstop Hector Rayo and second baseman Joey Wood could only stop the hard-hit balls.

In the bottom of the fourth Japan added two runs. With a runner at first and two outs, Shinnosuke Chibana hit a hard grounder that Dimas Oda could stop without finding the balance for the throw at first. A run scored and Chibana added one on a base hit by Koga Hashimoto.

The game was delayed by a heavy shower with one out in the bottom of the sixth and resumed after 20 minutes.

Japan opened the score in a sixth at-bat, highlighted that Kobayashi highlighted with a bases-loaded and two-out triple.

Chinese Taipei-Korea 6-1

Korea's early lead did not last. Chinese Taipei tied the game in the bottom of the first and took advantage of every chance to break the tie in the bottom of the third.

Sihun Park hit a leadoff single against starter Lin Wei En. He advanced on a sacrifice bunt. Tongkeon Yeo brought Park home with a base hit.

Lin got out of the inning with back-to-back strikeouts.

Chinese Taipei took advantage of a defensive error and a wild pitch to tie the game on Nian Hao Wang's RBI single. Starter Junseo Hwan got some help from his catcher.

Chinese Taipei broke the tie in the bottom of the third. Hwan allowed a walk, hit a batter, and then gave up consecutive hits to pinch hitter Hsin Chiu and Hsun Chieh Lee. Chinese Taipei scored the third run on reliever Taekyeon Kim on a two-out single by Tien Szu Hwan.

Hsin Chiu batted in another run in the bottom of the fourth to extend Chines Taipei lead to 5-1.

Chinese Taipei took advantage of an error to make it 6-1 in the bottom of the sixth.

Puerto Rico-Czechia 6-2

Puerto Rico responded to the Czech lead in the top of the fourth with a four-run rally, then relied on the bullpen.

Czechia scored the go-ahead run in the top of the fourth. Matous Bubenik got to starter Ibrahim Gonzalez with a leadoff single and advanced to third on Filip Kubicek's double. Jakub Winkler drove him home with a single.

Puerto Rico came right back against Czech starter Viktor Beranek. Yariel Pastrana reached on an infield single and scored on Ediel Rivera's triple. Adonys Velez followed with another triple to reverse the lead.

Beranek left for Matyas Trcka after allowing two more runs on a walk, a hit and a wild pitch.

USA-Spain 6-2

The United States took an early lead and relied on solid pitching and consistent defence to keep Spain at a distance on the way to their second win.

The US took a quick lead against starter Diego Alcala. Coy James led off with a triple and scored on a base hit by Konnor Griffin. Left fielder Perry Morlando tripled to right field and then scored on a sacrifice fly by pitcher Carter Johnson to make it 3-0

James added an RBI triple in the top of the second and scored the fifth run on a groundout.

USA starting pitcher Carter Johnson didn't have much to worry about, thanks to his outfield.

Defence appeared an effective weapon for the US, capable of stopping every comeback attempt with the double play.

The United States added a run in the fifth on an RBI single by Manuelle Marin.

Spain stayed in the game thanks to timely defensive plays.

Spain got on the scoreboard against reliever Noah Franco. Franco got catcher Ayson Mcintosh to ground to second base with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. The US tried to end the game on a double play, but the throw went beyond the first base, and Spain scored. Centre fielder Pablo Costales added an RBI single.

Australia-Mexico 4-2

A three-run rally in the bottom of the fifth proved to be the game changer for Australia on their way to the first win.

Australia took the lead in the bottom of the first as Callum Donnelly scored on a bases-loaded wild pitch by Mexican starter Luis Aguayo.

Mexico tied it without getting a hit. Australia starter Jack Bushell hit Angel Ramirez. The left fielder stole second, advanced on a wild pitch and scored on a throwing error.

Mexico hit into a double play and stranded a bases-loaded situation in the top of the fourth.

Australia took the lead back with a two-out and three-run rally in the bottom of the fifth. Lachlan Smith and Joshua Davies (2) batted in the runs against reliever Jorge Alvarez.

Mexico added a run in the top of the seventh against reliever Koby Chesterton. Jorge Hernandez doubled, advanced to third on a base hit and scored on a sacrifice fly by Antonio Macias.

Netherlands-Venezuela 8-2

The Dutch pitchers no-hit Venezuela but allowed them numerous scoring chances allowing 11 walks. Strong defence and timely hitting made the difference.

Starting pitcher Rodjensty Ignecia worked through a couple of scoreless and hitless innings with some support of defensive plays.

The Netherlands took the lead in the bottom of the third on an infield single by Joan Sierra. Jamie Berman made it 2-0 with a single up the middle.

Second baseman took reliever Dilan Fernandez out of a bases-loaded jam to end the inning.

Ignecia allowed Venezuela the first run on three walks in the top of the fourth and left for Nathan Arends, who walked in the tying run.

The Dutch took the lead back with a four-run bottom of the fifth. Reliever Juan Agudelo took the mound with the bases loaded and one out. He got the second out on strikes, then allowed a single to Tai Tromp and a triple to Miquel Willem.

Arends allowed a couple of walks in the top of the seventh. He got out of trouble thanks to his brilliant middle infield.

The imminent impact of the typhoon Haikui, advised the WBSC together with the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) to adjust the game times of Day 4. The WBSC Technical Commission announced that There will be no Pre-Game Ceremonies.