Seoul (Korea). Defending champion Chinese Taipei made a statement at the start of the second round, defeating Korea with 7-3 in ten innings at Jamsil Stadium on Wednesday evening. The host had just tied the game with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to force extra innings. But Chinese Taipei used three hits in the top of the tenth to plate four runs with the IBAF Extra Inning Rule in effect to win the game.
The game between one of two Asian baseball rivals started with a pitcher’s duel, as they exchanged zeroes through the first five innings. In the sixth Chia Wei Yang broke the scoreless tie with a RBI single to right to take a 1-0 lead for Chinese Taipei. One batter later, Tsung Hsien Lee scored when second baseman Min Jun Kim dropped a fly ball by Chun Hsiang Chan. However in the bottom of the sixth Korea came right back. Seung Ho Kang had a RBI single to left to bring the host on the board. He eventually would score the tying run on a balk call.
This time Chinese Taipei countered shortly after. In the seventh Yu Pin Sen drove in Yu Ning Tsao to put them back in front. It looked like they were able to close it out. But Korea wasn’t done. Dae Young Yoon led off the ninth with a single and was replaced by pinch runner Jung Woon Kye. The next two batters went down in order, moving Kye to second. Jun Suk Song came through with a broken bat bloop single into no-man’s land in right field on a 2-2 pitch, tying the game with two outs.
Nonetheless the momentum didn’t change towards Korea afterwards. Just the opposite. Chinese Taipei, having experienced a pair of walk-off wins in their last first-round games, took full advantage of the IBAF Extra Inning Rule in the tenth. Singles by Yu Ning Tsao and Yu Pin Sen plated three runs to give the reigning title holder a quick lead. Chih Chieh Su capped the rally with a RBI double.
In the bottom half of the frame leadoff hitter Min Jun Kim got hit by the first pitch to load the bases. But Korea couldn’t come back. The heroes from earlier in the game Seung Ho Kang and Jung Woong Kye struck out and lined out into a double play to end the game. Chinese Taipei is 2-1 after the start of the second round, while Korea dropped to 1-2.
