TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taoyuan City's Hsin Ming Junior High School (新明國中) defeated a team from Michigan, US in the finals of the Junior League Baseball World Series by a score of 5-0 on Sunday (Aug. 11).
The Taoyuan team relied on starting pitcher Fan Chen-jun (范宸竣), who tossed seven scoreless innings, allowing his team to cruise to its third consecutive championship.
The tournament caters to competitors between the ages of 13 and 14. Hsin Ming Junior High School qualified by winning the Asia-Pacific regional tournament, per CNA.
Even when up against a team with a home-field advantage, Taiwan’s ace pitcher, Fan Chen-jun (范宸竣), scattered just two hits during his pitching performance, with seven strikeouts. In the sixth inning, Hsin-Ming Junior High School took advantage of the opponent’s poor pitching, with consecutive hits and runs.
Hsin-Ming Junior High School Baseball Manager Huang Mao-chih (黃湋志) said he was proud of his players for remaining calm in the face of international competition. He noted strong pitching as a key to victory.
Huang praised Fan for his stable performance, which allowed the team to go undefeated. Huang said his pitcher has continued to impress since entering junior high school.
The recent victory marks the school's eighth time participating in the LLB Youth Baseball World Series, with six championships and one runner-up performance.
It is also the 10th time Taiwan has won the JLWBS tournament since 2010. It is Taiwan's third consecutive victory at the tournament stretching back to the period following the COVID-19 pandemic.
