Soya Kokubo's elite defence clinches U-15 Baseball World Title for Japan

Japan defeated Puerto Rico, 7-6, in the World Championship Final of the WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup 2024 in a roller-coaster game to claim their third world title in this age group. A pair of spectacular defensive plays by centre fielder Soya Kokubo helped Japan to outlast Puerto Rico and lift the trophy for the first time in 34 years.

Japan has won now three U-15 World Titles and six medals overall. They currently hold the the WBSC U-15, U-18, U-23 and Women's Baseball World Cup World Champion titles as well as Premier12 and World Baseball Classic trophies along with the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games gold medal.

All eyes now turn to the WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup, which will take place in Shaoxing, China from 6-15 September, to see if world No. 1 Japan can continue their title winning streak.

Puerto Rico, who were striving to add the WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup World Champion title to their only other previous trophy - WBSC Baseball World Cup winners in 1951 in Mexico City - earned their first medal in this age bracket in just their second participation.

Kokubo stole the show at Edgar Renteria Stadium, with two gold glove plays to save the win for Japan. "I'm very happy, it's amazing to be a World Champion," said Kokubo after the Closing Ceremony. "It was a very close game, that's why defense was very important to win the game."

In the top of the sixth, Kokubo threw Joseph Mendez out at home plate with a spectacular throw, keeping Puerto Rico from tying the game in that play. "It was raining at that moment so I thought I had to hand the ball firmly and make a good throw," said Kokubo.

One inning later, he made an amazing sliding catch in the left centre field gap, to steal Puerto Rico's tying run. "My only thinking at that moment was 'I must catch the ball, I would die if I cannot catch the ball!'," remembered Kokubo with a smile on his face. 

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Shoki Hayashi had issues to find his command in the top of the first inning, loading the bases with two walks and a hit by pitch, with no outs. However, the Japanese starter limited the damage, giving up only one run on a sac fly to left field by Arnaldo Rodriguez to plate to plate Adniel Quiles. Puerto Rico took the lead, 1-0.

Japan tied the game right away in the bottom of the first. Soya Kokubo reached first on an error, and two pitches later scored on an RBI triple to right field by Yuga Arai. However, the Japanese was left stranded there since Darrel Sanchez forced a grounder and struck out the next two batters to keep the game deadlocked.

Japan showed outstanding defence in the top of the second with a pair of great plays by shortstop Kei Kawakami and first baseman Yusei Niwa.

Darrel Sanchez allowed three hits in the innings, including an RBI single by Kakeru Omiya, and was pulled from the game. He was replaced by Emilio Solivan who retired the second out of the inning on a popup to second base, but couldn't avoid Japan's third run with a wild pitch. Japan leading 3-1.

Puerto Rico loaded the bases again in the third, with no outs, but this time they scored three times to take a 4-3 advantage. An error by Yusein Niwa, a single by Joseph Mendez and a full-count walk by Jean Rosa put three runners on, and one out later Shoki Hayashi walked Valentin Carrasquillo and Edward Pineiro to tie the game. A sac fly by Bradley Rodriguez gave Puerto Rico the lead in the game, and Hayashi was replaced. Mitsuki Tokura retired the last out. Hayashi made 74 pitches in the game, but only 31 for strikes. He walked seven and gave up four runs and only one hit.

With two runners on and two outs, Narushi Nakashima hit a two-run triple to the right field corner to increase Japan's lead to 7-4 as Japan managed to score at least a run in each of their first four at bats. Nakashima's was the third triple of the game for the world No. 1.

Puerto Rico reduce the deficit to 7-5. With Carrasquillo on first, Edward Pineiro singled to right field. Bradley Rodriguez the drove in Carrasquillo on a sac fly. 

After five innings, with the game at 7-5 for Japan, it began to drizzle in Barranquilla. 

In the top of the sixth, with two runners in scoring position, Arnaldo Rodriguez hit a single to centre field to plate the runner on third base to close the score to 7-6, but Soya Kokubo threw Joseph Mendez out at home plate with a spectacular play.

Another spectacular defensive play by Soya Kokubo helped Japan hold the one-run lead and celebrate their 14th Baseball World Champion Title and 27th overall (including Softball and Baseball5) to rank third as the most successful nation behind USA and Cuba.