Jin-Lin Juang charges Chinese Taipei win to clinch Finals 2025 ticket

Chinese Taipei secured the first Finals 2025 ticket in the WBSC U-18 Women’s Softball World Cup Group A with a 9-1 victory in five innings, completing their undefeated campaign with a walk-off home run by Jin-Lin Juang at Estádio Municipal de Beisebol Mie Nishi in Sao Paulo, Brazil on Saturday.

Yu-Ching Lo had an impressive game, going 2-for-3 with two runs, while Wei-Chi Lin hit 2-for-2 with one run. However, the standout moment of their nine-hit offensive performance was the walk-off homer by pinch hitter Jin-Lin Juang, sending the ball soaring over the centre field fence.

Pitcher Yi-Ting Chou was stellar in the circle, striking out six in five innings, giving up only two hits and one run. She finished the tournament as the leader in ERA, boasting an impressive 0.51 in 13.1 innings pitched.

Chinese Taipei struck first with one run in their first at-bat. Yu-Ching Lo singled down the left field line and moved to third after a stolen base and a sac bunt. With two outs and runners on the corners, she scored on a steal play at second base. Chinese Taipei led 1-0.

Wei-Chi Lin hit a two-out triple to centre field in the second inning and scored four pitches later on a throwing error by shortstop Poppy Starr. Chinese Taipei extended their lead to 2-0.

With two outs in the third inning, Yu-Ling Wu walked and moved to second on a wild pitch. She scored on an RBI single by Yu-Lan Wang. Chinese Taipei now led 3-0.

Poppy Priddle singled and Kaiyah Ratu doubled to put two runners in scoring position in the fourth inning. Priddle then scored on a sac fly to centre field by Maysen Kurene-Iwikau.

Chinese Taipei used six hits, including a two-run walk-off homer by pinch hitter Jin-Lin Juang, to score six runs and finish the game in the bottom of the fifth. Chinese Taipei won 9-1.