Taiwan rout Philippines for bronze in U18

Taiwan yesterday routed the Philippines 13-0 in the Taipei Dome with a 10-run second-inning to win the bronze-medal game of the Baseball Federation of Asia’s U-18 Asian Baseball Championship.

In the second inning of the five-inning mercy-rule victory, with 14 plate appearances by Taiwan’s nine batters, who combined for eight hits and four walks.

Chen Yao-chieh and Bunun player Pasula Takislinian each had two hits.

Taiwan captain Chang Yi-an bats during their bronze-medal game against the Philippines at the Taipei Dome yesterday during the Baseball Federation of Asia’s U-18 Asian Baseball Championship.

Photo: CNA

Taiwan added a run in the bottom of the fourth inning and two more in the fifth before the game ended under the five-inning mercy rule. Under the rule, a game ends early if one team leads by 10 or more runs after five complete innings.

Taiwan’s three pitchers — Yang Yao-cheng, Tsai Cheng-lung and Chen Yu-hsun — combined to allow just two hits throughout the game. Tsai, who struck out two in two innings, was awarded the game. Starter Yang struck out three and Chen Yu-hsun struck out three in the fifth.

Taiwan on Friday similarly defeated the Philippines 10-0 in five innings.

Taiwan has finished third six times in the tournament, which has been held every two years since 1994.

Taiwan, who won the previous edition in 2024, were seeking their first back-to-back titles and fourth overall championship win, but a 2-1 loss to Japan on Saturday ended those hopes.

The hosts were relegated to the third-place playoffs after losing 2-1 to Japan in the Super Round on Saturday.

All three runs were scored in the first inning, when Taiwan briefly took the lead before Japan immediately responded.

Hu Chen-jui drew a leadoff walk, moved to second on Chang Yi-an’s sacrifice bunt and reached third on a wild pitch before scoring on a groundout from Liu Huan-yu.

Yusei Ishida reached on an infield single before Ritora Yamada hit an RBI double and Kenshin Manya followed with a run-scoring single, giving Japan a 2-1 lead.

Neither team scored again over the remaining six innings.

Japanese starter Shoki Oda allowed one run on three hits over six innings, striking out seven while issuing five walks. Manya pitched a scoreless seventh to secure the win.

Taiwan starter Liu Jen-yu surrendered two runs on six hits over 4-2/3 innings, recording seven strikeouts without issuing a walk.

Wu Hao-siang held Japan hitless over the final 1-1/3 innings, but Taiwan could not erase the deficit despite finishing with four hits and drawing five walks.

South Korea last night blanked Japan 2-0 for their sixth tournament title and their first since besting Taiwan 7-5 in 2018.

Japan have won five titles, the most recent being a 1-0 victory over Taiwan in 2016.

The top three teams from the tournament advance to next year’s World Baseball Softball Confederation U-18 Baseball World Cup, which is to be held in Pingtan, China, from Sept. 17 to 26.