Team Taiwan is winner of the U-18 World Cup after defeating the U.S. 2-1 in the penultimate match of the tournament organized by Lausanne-based World Baseball Softball Confederation Sept. 8 in South Korea.
Taiwan scored first in the fifth inning with two consecutive hits by third baseman Wang Shun-ho and right fielder Lin Tzu-wei. Another run was added in the eighth on a hit by left fielder Lo Wei-chieh.
Aided by an aggressive defense, including two decisive plays by Lo, starting pitcher Yu Chien and relievers Lin Yu-min and Chen Po-yu restricted the powerful U.S. lineup to two hits in the first eight innings.
The bottom of the ninth proved to be a nail-biter. A fielding error by Taiwan and two singles by the U.S. saw the Americans score a run with two runners on base. But Chen closed out the game after Lin caught a hard-hit ball in the right outfield to make the third out.
The victory, Taiwan’s third following those in 2010 and 1983, was all the more impressive as the country fell 1-8 to the U.S. during the opening round of the series. In addition, the Americans had won four consecutive championships since 2012.
Yu was also named the tournament MVP. In a report published by the WSBC on its website, he said he wished to share the award with his teammates, adding that they all helped him live an unforgettable experience. (Taiwan Today)
