06/09/2024 5 Minute Read

U-23 Baseball World Cup: China and Puerto Rico the big stories of Day 1

The hosts came from behind to defeat Great Britain and earn an historic first win in a WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup. The Boricua beat the defending World Champions, Japan. Korea, Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Australia also started with wins.

The WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup 2024 had a rich first day, full of surprises in Shaoxing, China on Friday.

Hosts China delighted a respectable and enthusiastic crowd with a comeback extra-inning win against Great Britain. The two WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup rookies played eight dramatic innings and the Europeans came within three outs from the win.

Puerto Rico's pitchers dominated Japan, limiting the defending U-23 World Champions to three hits while Korea, Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Australia also started with wins.

Korea disappointed Chinese Taipei relying on solid defence and a brilliant bullpen.

"We think that Chinese Taipei is the strongest team in this tournament, and we knew it would be difficult to defeat them. But we did it, and I am so proud of my players," said Korea manager Tae-Won Choi.

Nicaragua, Australia and Venezuela also began with wins.

Tournament Links

Puerto Rico-Japan 6-1

Four pitchers allowed the defending champions only three hits, and Puerto Rico earned a surprise win against Japan.

Jorhan Laboy started for Puerto Rico, while Japan handed the ball to Koki Kaniwaki.

The Boricua had a five-hit first at-bat, including RBI singles by Luis Gonzalez, Luis Hernandez and Daniel Figueroa.

Puerto Rico made it 4-0 in the top of the third. Felix Morales led off with a double and scored on a two-out double by Luis Hernandez.

Japan loaded the bases on three walks in the bottom of the fourth. Laboy got out of the jam striking out Kazuhiro Ura.

Oga Nishimura took the mound for Japan in the top of the fifth.

Japan left three runners on base also in the bottom of the sixth. Ramon Rodriguez took over for Colon and got Kazuhiro Ura on a pop to shortstop to end the threat.

Puerto Rico added two insurance runs in the top of the seventh on RBI singles by Edgardo Villegas and Luis Gonzalez.

Yuichiro Murakami homered off the fourth Puerto Rican pitcher Luis Mercado to put Japan on the scoreboard with two outs in the bottom of the seventh.

Mercado struck out Taishi Noguchi to end the game.

GAME REPORT

China-Great Britain 5-3

Great Britain took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second, but China tied the game with their last chance and scored three in the top of the eighth to earn a historic first win in the U-23 Baseball World Cup.

Great Britain handed the ball to left-hander Oliver Duthie, while China started Xiang Wang.

Right fielder Yi Zhou robbed Great Britain a base hit with a brilliant catch in the bottom of the first.

In the bottom of the second, Great Britain blew a scoring opportunity with runners at the corners and no one out. China got the first out at home on a failed double steal attempt, and Wang retired the side in order after.

Max Viera gave Great Britain the lead when he homered om Wang's second pitch in the bottom of the sixth.

China didn't give up and tied the game in the top of the seventh. Duthie left for Samuel Hutchinson with runners at second and first and no one out. Tianyuan Hu drove his second pitch in the gap to right centre for a double. Lin scored from second, but Zhang became the second out at the plate. Hu reached third on the play, scoring the tying run on Qirui Wu's single through the left side. China left three runners on base.

China scored the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly by Keyu Lin. Aiqi Zhang singled to right field to extend the lead to 4-2. Tianyuan Hu doubled to make it 5-2.

In the bottom half of the frame, Great Britain bunted the tie-break runners Benjamin Leid to third and Rayondre Mercer to second. Benjamin scored on a throwing error, but Wang got Biera to ground into a force out and James Quinn to ground into the game-ending double play.

GAME REPORT

Korea-Chinese Taipei 3-1

Timely hitting and a brilliant effort by relievers Hyunseok Choi and Jaeyoung Song gave Korea the win against Chinese Taipei.

Jia-Huei Zeng took the mound for Chinese Taipei, while Korea handed the ball to Taehyun Kim.

Chinese Taipei scored the go-ahead run in the bottom of the first thanks to an RBI double by centre fielder Chia-Wei Lin.

Korea tied the game in the top of the third on a sacrifice fly by Sang-Woo Lim.

Kim struck out the side in the bottom of the third. He got Nian-Hao Wang swinging to end the inning with runners at the corners.

Korea took the lead in the top of the fourth when a two-RBI single by first baseman Anseok Jeong scored third baseman Daeseon Jeong from second.

Jaeyoung Song took the mound for Korea in the bottom of the fifth.

Korea added an insurance run in the top of the seventh on a single by catcher Hyeonjun Ryu.

GAME REPORT

Venezuela-Netherlands 10-9

Venezuela came from behind and beat the Netherlands thanks to a three-run sixth at-bat. The Dutch came back despite falling behind 5-0 in the first, outhit the opponents 11-7, but their bullpen failed to protect a two-run lead with only six outs to go.

The Netherlands started Naut Kragts, while Venezuela chose José Guzman.

Kragts had a wild start, hitting one batter and walking two, and Venezuela made the most of it with Gilbert Medina's three-RBI double. Giovanny Rivero singled to make it 5-0 in the bottom of the first.

The Dutch struck back in the top of the second with a pair of two-RBI triples by Darryl Collins. and Donovan Antonia, tying the game at five.

The Netherlands took the lead in the top of the third. Ruendrick Piternella and Sem Kuijper (back-to-back singles) advanced to third and second on sacrifice bunt. Collins scored Piternella with a sacrifice fly. Venezuela handed the ball to reliever Juan Romero, who allowed the go-ahead run with a wild pitch.

A defensive error cost the Dutch the Venezuelan tying run in the bottom of the third. Gilbert Medina advanced on a walk and a sacrifice bunt and scored on Daniel Castillo's sacrifice fly.

Piternella put the Netherlands ahead again in the top of the fourth when his RBI single wone a nine-pitch duel with Romero.

Cristian Fermin took the mound for Venezuela in the top of the fifth and allowed the ninth run. Collins singled, advanced on a groundout and scored when Rushenten Tomsjansen delivered a base hit.

Venezuela won the game in the bottom of the sixth. The third Dutch pitcher, Jiorgeny Casimiri, faced three batters and couldn't get an out, allowing one run. Jelle Van der Leie took over with runners at third and second and a one-run lead. With one out and the bases intentionally loaded, he allowed a two-RBI single to Alexander Pena.

It would prove the game-winner. Adrian Luna took the mound for Venezuela and got the final three outs, allowing only one walk.

GAME REPORT

Australia-Colombia 4-2

Australia opened Group A with a win, coming back from an early 2-1 defecit to defeat Colombia.

David Acevedo took the mound for Colombia and Australia responded with Ky Jackson.

Blake Cavill hit a two-out triple to put Australia ahead in the top of the first.

Colombia reversed the lead in the bottom half of the frame thanks to back-to-back doubles by Guillermo Quintana and Jorge Puerta.

Australia scored the tying run in the top of the fourth. Left-hander David Burgos took the mound with runners at second and first. Leadoff hitter Solomon Maguire got to his third pitch with an RBI ground-rule double to right field.

The Aussie took the lead in the top of the fifth. Cristian Diaz took the mound with runners at the corner. He allowed the go-ahead run on a bases-loaded walk and Australia made it 4-2 on Cooke's sacrifice fly to left field.

With the potential tying run at the plate and one out, Australia called Cooper Morgan from the bullpen. The left-hander got the second out on a grounder and Jean Pierre Henao to end the game.

GAME REPORT

Nicaragua-South Africa 8-1

World No. 17 Nicaragua opened Group B defeating No. 31 South Africa. Nicaragua led the game from the start, but could open the score only in the bottom of the sixth.

Axel Zapata started for Nicaragua, while South Africa gave the ball to Robert White.

Nicaragua took the lead in the bottom of the first on a two-out RBI double by Godwin Bennet.

They made it 2-0 in the bottom of the second. Back-to-back one-out singles put runners at the corners and Jay Sinclair scored from third on a wild pitch.

South Africa got on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth. Corbin Greenslade scored Josh November from second with a single up the middle.

Nicaragua extended the lead in the bottom of the fifth. Odlanyer Matamoros batted in the third run with a one-out bases-loaded single. Another run scored when Emanuel Trujillo grounded into a force out.

Joey Sinclair got Nicaragua out of the sixth with a brilliant catch.

Nicaragua broke the score open with four runs in the bottom of the sixth, taking advantage of reliever Ethan Grobler's wild outing.