Japan dominate final, capture second consecutive WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup. Nicaragua win bronze
World No. 1 Japan shut out No. 10 Puerto Rico in the World Championship Final and confirmed as WBSC U-23 World Baseball World Champions in Shaoxing, China on Sunday. It's the third Samurai Japan World Title in the age bracket after 2016 and 2022.
"We learned a lot from the Opening Round defeat against Puerto Rico," said manager Tomoyasu Kawaguchi through an interpreter. "We understood how to approach these strong hitters, and that was the foundation for our victory.
"We did our best," commented Puerto Rico's star outfielder Edgardo Villegas. "We hit the ball hard and I believe we were not lucky. You need to credit Japan, they played very sound baseball."
Puerto Rico's silver medal finish represents their best U-23 Baseball World Cup result. In previous participations, the Boricua finished eighth (2018) and ninth (2022). Puerto Rico haven't won a Baseball World Cup since the 1951 edition in Mexico, which was then called the Amateur World Series.
Puerto Rico honoured the memory of legendary Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente, displaying his number 21 on their World Championship Final uniforms.
No. 17 Nicaragua beat No. 24 China in the bronze medal game. It's their best WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup finish. Nicaragua was fifth in 2016 and fourth in the U-21 World Cup 2014.
The tournament also featured best ever results for China (4th) and Great Britain (11th), who were both making their debuts in the tournament, and the Netherlands (7th), whose previous best was eighth in 2022.
The Medal Day at the WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup 2024 started early. The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) modified the medal round schedule due to the weather forecast.
Typhoon Bebinca was approaching southern China and was expected to strike in the late afternoon, causing inclement weather. Rain started to fall minutes after the Closing Ceremony was completed.
Tournament Links
Japan-Puerto Rico 5-0
Japan dominated the World Championship Final, earning their second consecutive U-23 World Title. Kosei Nagakubo pitched the first four innings, and Kosuke Sasamori pitched the other three.
Right-hander Luis RIvera started for Puerto Rico. Japan chose lefty Kosei Nagakubo.
Takuya Yamada singled on the first pitch of the game. The two following Japanese batters also reached base. Japan took the lead when Puerto Rico failed to get the force out at second on a grounder by Takanori Takahashi to second, allowing Yamada to score from third.
The second run scored when Kaito Yoshikawa beat the throw at first and an inning-ending double play as Ryo Imazato ran home.
Also Puerto Rico opened with a hit. Edgardo Villegas singled on the first pitch he saw. On the second, Randal Diaz grounded into a double play.
Puerto Rico called lefty Jorhan Laboy from the bullpen with a runner on and one out in the top of the second.
Third baseman Takanori Takahashi prevented a run when he dove to stop a hard grounder by Edrick Felix with runners at second and first. He got the force out at second to record the second out.
Kosuke Sasamori took the mound for Japan in the bottom of the fifth.
The defending U-23 World Champions extended the lead to 3-0 when Shinnosuke Nishimura got to the first offering by reliever Shadai Colon with an RBi-single.
Puerto Rico handed the ball to Lucas Vega, but Japan struck again on the first pitch with Kenta Aiba's RBI single, extending the lead to 4-0.
Yuichiro Murakami sent Japan to the bottom of the seventh with a 5-0 lead with a sacrifice fly.
Puerto Rico put the bottom of the seventh leadoff hitter on base thanks to a single by Luis Hernendez. With pinch-runner Jandiel Feliciano at first, Sasamori got Gilberto Torres to ground into a double play and ended the Final striking out Laracuente after an eight-pitch duel.
GAME REPORT
Nicaragua-China 3-1
Starling Orozco limited China to five hits and Nicaragua earned the bronze medal, their best U-23 World Cup finish.
Nicaragua handed the ball to right-hander Sterling Orozco. China picked righty Juyun Lin.
First baseman Enmanuel Trujillo tripled in the top of the first to give Nicaragua a 2-0 lead.
Nicaragua made it a 3-0 game against reliever Xiang Wang when right fielder Godwin Bennett hit an RBI single to right-centre in the top of the third.
Yi Zhou put China on the scoreboard with an RBI single in the bottom of the third.
A brave play by catcher Shuai Wang prevented Nicaragua from extendind the lead in the top of the fourth.
Orozco allowed China only a runner between the fifth and the sixth. Bryan Torres pitched a perfect bottom of the seventh and sealed Nicaragua's bronze medal win.
GAME REPORT
