07/09/2023 4 Minute Read

XXXI WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup Day 8: Chinese Taipei shut out USA to remain the only undefeated team as Super Round starts

Third baseman Nian Hao Wang homered in the top of the third to give the hosts all the run support they needed. Japan and Puerto Rico also won their first Super Round games. The first Placement Round day is also in the books.

The tail of the Opening Round opened the first day of the XXXI WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup Super Round.

Korea beat Puerto Rico 8-1 to complete Wednesday’s postponed game to finish second in Group A.

The Puerto Rican side returned to the field for the first Super Round game, bouncing back from their earlier loss with a 3-2 win over the Netherlands. In the East-Asian clash, world No. 1 Japan outclassed Korea 7-1 with the help of Shinnosuke Chibana.

In the third Super Round game of the day, Chinese Taipei played a near-perfect game against the defending U-18 champions United States to stay as the lone undefeated squad in the tournament.

Meanwhile, Czechia, Venezuela and Panama came up with wins in their Placement Round games against Spain, Mexico and Australia, respectively.

Opening Round Result

Korea-Puerto Rico 8-1

BOX SCORE

GAME REPORT

Game # 3 Czechia @ Mexico is now scheduled for Friday, 8 September, at 9:00 local time in Taichung.

Scroll to the end of the page to view the Placement Round's results, box scores and game reports.

Korea beat Puerto Rico 8-1 in the completion of the game postponed on Wednesday, 6 September, to finish second in Group A. Initially scheduled for Friday, 1 September, the game was postponed to Wednesday, 6 September, and called because of heavy rain. It resumed from the top of the third on Thursday, 7 September, with Korea leading 5-1. They added three insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth.

Korea used four pitchers between Wednesday and Thursday. Submarine Kiho Park allowed the only run. Taekyeon Kim was on the mound when the game was called and returned as the game resumed. He struck out seven of the nine batters he faced. Geonwoo Park pitched three scoreless innings, and Mireu Jeon got the final two outs.

The first day of the Super Round began with Puerto Rico's win against the Netherlands. Japan shut out Korea, and Chinese Taipei played a game close to perfection to beat the United States and remain the only undefeated team.

Super Round Results

Puerto Rico-Netherlands	3-2	BOX SCORE	GAME REPORT
Japan-Korea	7-1	BOX SCORE	GAME REPORT
Chinese Taipei-USA	3-0	BOX SCORE	GAME REPORT

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Chinese Taipei-USA 3-0

Their first hit of the night, a two-run homer by third baseman Nian Hao Wang gave Chinese Taipei the lead they wouldn't surrender. Starting pitcher Jun Wei Zhang pitched a 6.1-inning gem.

In the top of the first, US starter Tegan Kuhns struck out Chao Hung Chang swinging, and catcher Nolan Traeger caught Ting Lun Hsu stealing second for the double play.

Chinese Taipei starter Jun Wei Zhang showcased a 153 kilometre (95 mile)-per-hour fastball.

Kuhns used again some helpe from a double play in the top of the third.

He allowed his second walk of the inning, and Nian Hao Wang was all over the first pitch he saw, putting Chinese Taipei ahead with a solo homer to left, the first Chinese Taipei hit of the night.

Jun Wei Zhang pitched 6.1 masterful innings. Flame thrower Yi Lei Sun got the final two outs. The game ended on a perfect play by third baseman Nian Hao Wang.

Japan-Korea 7-1

Shinnosuke Chibana did it all. He hit a three-RBI triple in the second and a two-RBI single in the sixth, giving the U-18 Samurai Japan pitchers all the run support they needed.

Shinnosuke Chibana got to left-hander Chanseung Bae with a two-RBI triple in the bottom of the second to put Japan ahead. He scored the third run on a groundout.

Korea got on the scoreboard in the top of the sixth with back-to-back two-out singles by Jihwan Park Seungmin Lee. Choongheon Lee scored from third. Japan handed the ball to Riku Takeda. Japan used some brave defence to get out of the inning.

Shortstop Syuya Yamada led off the bottom of the sixth with a solo homer, sending Korean starter Chanseung Bae to the showers. Korea called Mireu Jeon from the bullpen.

Chibana opened the score with a two-RBI single, taking the lead to 6-1 and his score to five RBIs. The centre field advanced to third on consecutive wild pitches and scored on Mikito Ogata's two-out single.

Puerto Rico @ Netherlands

After losing the final two games of the Opening Round, including the completion of the game against in the morning, Puerto Rico defeated the Netherlands thanks to an impressive pitching staff and timely hitting.

Left fielder Harold Laracuente helped Puerto Rico's starter Ibrahim Gonzalez get through the first with a diving catch on Jamie Beerman's deep fly.

Gonzalez displayed a 150-kilometer (or 93 mile) per hour heater to close the third.

The Netherlands scored the go-ahead run in the bottom of the fourth. Tyler Mercado walked, stole second, advanced to third on a base hit and scored as the ball got away from Puerto Rico's catcher.

Puerto Rico struck back and reversed the lead in the top of the fifth. Hiram Bocachica tied the game on starter Reitery Merite's wild pitch.

Another run was scored as reliever Noah Arends hit Jan Reyes. Beerman with a leaping catch on a hard lines and Helms with a sliding catch in foul territory helped the Netherlands stay in the game.

Third baseman Adony Venez started a smooth double play to end the bottom of the fifth.

Puerto Rico added a run in the top of the sixth on a base hit by Dicky Gonzalez.

The Netherlands made it a one-run game when they got to reliever Josè Bulter with Mercado's double and Ashby's RBI single.

Willem got the first out of the seven with an impressive diving catch,

Right-hander Jarrette Bonet took care of the bottom of the seventh, striking out the side.

Placement Round Results

Czechia-Spain	4-0	BOX SCORE	GAME REPORT
Venezuela-Mexico	5-2	BOX SCORE	GAME REPORT
Panama-Australia	2-1	BOX SCORE	GAME REPORT