BASEBALL/Taiwan beats Canada 8-0 in Little League World Series opener

Taipei, Aug. 15 (CNA) Taiwan's Guishan Elementary School on Wednesday defeated Canada 8-0 in the first international round of the Little League World Series held in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

The Taoyuan team defeated Canadian representatives Whalley Little League behind a complete-game shutout at the hands of starter Lai Cheng-xi (賴承希) and reliever Chiu Chih-kai (邱治愷).

Lai was the team's star, tossing a steady no-hitter through four innings before he was relieved by Chiu midway through the fifth inning.

While Lai denied the Canadian team any runs during his time on the mound, batters of the Taoyuan school scored its first five runs all in the top of the third before securing the last three of the eight runs together all during the top of the fifth.

With Canada unable to score any runs from Taiwan in the bottom of the sixth and last inning, Taiwan took the win of the first international match at the Little League World Series Complex, where a considerable population of Taiwanese expats attended the game to show support and cheer for the young players.

Guishan Elementary School represents the Asia-Pacific region and will vie against nine other international teams for a spot in the final of the Little League World Series against the winner of the U.S. bracket on Aug. 25.

The Taoyuan school won the right to represent its region on July 3 after defeating South Korea in the final of the Asia-Pacific regional tournament 3-0.

This year is the school's second consecutive and fourth overall appearance in Williamsport.

Meanwhile, in the Little League International-organized Junior League Baseball (JLB) World Series, which concluded on Aug. 11, Taiwan's Hsin Ming Junior High School defeated Taylor North Little League from the host state of Michigan 5-0 to secure Taiwan's 10th JLB World Series title.

The win was also Taiwan's third consecutive in the 12-to-14-year-old tournament and the sixth title for Hsin Ming Junior High School in eight appearances.