Nicaragua beat Chinese Taipei, remain undefeated

World No. 17 Nicaragua continued their winning streak in the WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup 2024 with a 4-3 win against No. 3 Chinese Taipei. The game was intense and dramatic. Nicaragua lost a run for not stepping on the plate after a home run. Chinese Taipei lost the potential tying run at home in the bottom of the seventh. Nicaragua stay on top of Group B, tied with Korea. Chinese Taipei face potential elimination from Super Round contention.

Nicaragua took the lead in the top of the second with two outs. Chinese Taipei starter Yin Chen hit Enmanuel Aburto. Luis Gonzalez brought him to third with a single and Christian Moreno sent him home with another base hit. The third (Junior Ortega) and fourth (Odlanyer Matamoros) consecutive singles scored another run.

Chinese Taipei tied the game in the bottom half of the frame.Yu-Ching Tseng reached on a two-out double. Shun Ho Wang was all over Gaytan's fifth pitch with a monster home run to left field.

Nicaragua took the lead back in the top of the third, but the play left them with regret. Enmanuel Aburto was all over a 2-0 pitch and turned it into a two-run home run. It would have given Nicaragua a 4-2 lead. Chinese Taipei challenged the play, and the on-field review found that the Nicaraguan first baseman never stepped on home plate. He became the third out, and only one run scored.

Godwin Bennett added a run for Nicaragua in the top of the fifth. He doubled, stole third and scored on the error.

Chinese Taipei struck back. Yu-Ching Tseng led off the bottom of the fifth with a double off reliever Carlos Rodriguez and scored when Shun-Ho Wang reached on an error.

Bryan Torres took the mound for Nicaragua in the bottom of the seventh. Nian-Hao Wang led off with a single. Torres hit Bo-Rui Huang, then got Yu-Ching Tseng on a fly to left field. Nian-Hao Wang reached third on the play.

Nian-Hao Wang became the second out at the plate when he tried to score on a grounder to third base. Torres retired Heng-Yu Ho on a grounder to second base and earned the save.

Nicaragua (3-0) will face No. 7 Netherlands (1-2) in the afternoon on Monday, September 9. Chinese Taipei (0-3) will play South Africa (0-3) in the night game.