Jin-Lin Juang charges Chinese Taipei win to clinch Finals 2025 ticket
Jin-Lin Juang's walk-off home run secured Chinese Taipei's undefeated streak in Group A with a 9-1 victory over New Zealand, ensuring their place in the WBSC U-18 Women’s Softball World Cup Finals 2025.
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.