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Taiwan batters China in baseball to reach gold medal game

Taiwan dominates China with solid pitching by 'Fireball Men'

Oct. 6, 2023 13:41

Taiwanese player (left) prepares to tag Chinese player (center) out.

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TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan's baseball team on Thursday (Oct. 5) won in a decisive fashion over China punching their ticket for the gold medal game.

In Thursday's Asian Games baseball matchup, Taiwan's team faced the host team, China, in the first game of the Super Round. Taiwan's pitchers included "Fireball Men" Cheng Hao-chun (鄭浩均), Chen Po-yu (陳柏毓), and Ku-lin Jui-yang (古林睿煬), who took turns on the mound to effectively suppress China's batting lineup, reported CNA. In the end, Taiwan's team secured a 4-1 victory, advancing to the gold medal game.

Taiwan's team had a perfect record of three wins in the preliminary round and entered the Super Round with one win, while the South Korean team advanced with one loss. In the other group, host China finished first in their group with one win, and Japan had one loss. China's win came over Japan, the first time in history a Chinese baseball team has defeated a Japanese team in international competition, reported WBSC.

The Super Round began on Thursday, with the South Korean team defeating the Japanese team in the afternoon, resulting in Japan's second loss.

Taiwan's team initiated their offensive in the first inning, with Yang Chen-yu (楊振裕) drawing a walk and Lin Li (林立) hitting a single. Lin An-ko (林安可) followed with a two-run double.

In the fifth inning, Taiwan managed to score their third run by capitalizing on three walks and one hit-by-pitch, which occurs when a batter is hit by the ball without swinging at it.

In the eighth inning, after Yang hit an infield single, Lin Li and Lin An-ko both drew walks, loading the bases. Wu Nien-ting (吳念庭) then hit a sacrifice fly, adding a fourth run for insurance.

Currently, in the Super Round, Taiwan has a record of 2 wins and 0 losses. Although they will face Japan on Friday (Oct. 6), they have already secured their spot in the gold medal game scheduled for Saturday (Oct. 7).

Lin An-ko in action in first inning. (CNA photo)