Taiwan has once again claimed the top spot in the U15 Asian Baseball Championship by defeating Japan 3-0 in the final held in Tainan. This victory marks Taiwan’s eighth title in this tournament and continues its streak of reaching every final since 2000. The young team showed resilience and skill to secure the championship.
From the very beginning, Taiwan’s pitcher Ko Shao-chieh controlled the game. He pitched seven scoreless innings, allowing only four hits and throwing 82 pitches. Despite facing a tense bases-loaded situation in the first inning, Ko maintained his composure. As the game went on, he grew more confident, which helped Taiwan’s defense hold strong. After the game, Ko admitted feeling nervous early but said he learned to trust his teammates and let them handle the defense.
Meanwhile, Taiwan’s offense struggled to find momentum early on. The team failed to score during a key opportunity in the fourth inning. However, the tide turned in the sixth inning. With two outs, Taiwan capitalized on a walk and a single that brought Chen Bo-yu to the plate. Chen then delivered a crucial triple, driving in two runs and putting Taiwan ahead. Later, in the seventh inning, Taiwan extended its lead with three additional hits, adding an insurance run.
This victory came after Taiwan’s only loss in the tournament, which was to South Korea in the opening game. Both Taiwan and Japan have now qualified for next year’s U15 Baseball World Cup in Italy. Taiwan’s manager, Chiu Yao-yu, expressed that the pressure was immense but the home advantage helped. He also praised the team’s progress after two months of dedicated training.
Overall, Taiwan’s consistent excellence in the U15 Asian Baseball Championship highlights their dominance in youth baseball across Asia. The team’s ability to perform under pressure and improve continuously keeps them at the top of the game.
