Focus Taiwan App
Download

BASEBALL/Taiwan wins first gold in world-class national team level baseball

11/24/2024 10:12 PM
To activate the text-to-speech service, please first agree to the privacy policy below.
Team Taiwan celebrates its historic WBSC Premier12 win inside the Tokyo Dome on Sunday. CNA photo Nov. 24, 2024
Team Taiwan celebrates its historic WBSC Premier12 win inside the Tokyo Dome on Sunday. CNA photo Nov. 24, 2024

Tokyo, Nov. 24 (CNA) Taiwan's national baseball team made history on Sunday when the squad won its first gold medal at the world-class national team level after beating Japan in a 4-0 shutout victory in the WBSC Premier12 Championship Game at the Tokyo Dome.

In a rematch of a game the night before, Team Taiwan took an early 4-0 lead thanks to two home runs in the top of the fifth inning -- one solo by catcher Lin Chia-cheng (林家正) and another three-run homer by team captain, center fielder Chen Chieh-hsien (陳傑憲) -- against Japanese starter Shosei Togo of the Yomiuri Giants.

Meanwhile, facing the defending champions, Taiwan's starter Lin Yu-min (林昱珉), a 21-year-old Arizona Diamondbacks prospect who started 19 games at Double-A and finished the season at Triple-A, cruised through four scoreless innings Sunday night, giving up only one hit, three walks and striking out three.

Taiwan's three relievers were able to contain the Japanese batters for the rest of the game to seal the historic win.

Taiwan, competing under the name Chinese Taipei, had a total of 11 hits against Japan's four.

"We've pulled off a miracle," Chen said after the game.

"I would like to thank all our teammates. We have really done this together," Chen said with tears in his eyes.

Chen has also been named the 2024 Premier12 MVP due to an explosive 0.625 hitting percentage with 14 hits in 24 at bats, including two homeruns.

Chen Chieh-hsien celebrates his three-run homer on the top of the fifth. CNA photo Nov. 24, 2024
Chen Chieh-hsien celebrates his three-run homer on the top of the fifth. CNA photo Nov. 24, 2024

Taiwan was rated second to last by Japanese media before the Premier12 tournament began and was widely considered an underdog.

Sunday's championship game was the first time since the 1992 Olympics that the Taiwanese national baseball team had advanced to the finals of a world-class national team-level baseball event.

Before Sunday's gold medal finish, the team's best record was a silver medal at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

Taiwan and Japan faced each other three times during the 2024 Premier12 with Taiwan losing both matches before Sunday's game.

Taiwan's triumph on Sunday also marked the end of the Japanese team's 27th consecutive international victory.

Members of Taiwan's team to the WBSC Premier12 rush into the filed of Tokyo Dome to celebrate the nation's first gold medal win at the event. CNA photo Nov. 24, 2024
Members of Taiwan's team to the WBSC Premier12 rush into the filed of Tokyo Dome to celebrate the nation's first gold medal win at the event. CNA photo Nov. 24, 2024
Taiwan's team to the WBSC Premier12 celebrates the nation's first gold medal win at the event. CNA photo Nov. 24, 2024
Taiwan's team to the WBSC Premier12 celebrates the nation's first gold medal win at the event. CNA photo Nov. 24, 2024

The 2024 WBSC Premier12 is the third edition of the baseball championship featuring the 12 highest-ranked national teams in the world. It is organized by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC), the world governing body for the two sports.

Taiwan finished ninth in 2015 before advancing to the Super Round in 2019 and finishing fifth.

Supporters gather outside of Taichung City Hall to watch the Premier12 final between Taiwan and Japan. CNA photo Nov. 24, 2024
Supporters gather outside of Taichung City Hall to watch the Premier12 final between Taiwan and Japan. CNA photo Nov. 24, 2024
A fan breaks down in tears after Taiwan's victory against Japan at the Premier12 final. CNA photo Nov. 24, 2024
A fan breaks down in tears after Taiwan's victory against Japan at the Premier12 final. CNA photo Nov. 24, 2024
Fans in Taipei's Xinyi shopping district celebrate Taiwan's champion title after defeating Japan at the WBSC Premier12 on Sunday. CNA photo Nov. 24, 2024
Fans in Taipei's Xinyi shopping district celebrate Taiwan's champion title after defeating Japan at the WBSC Premier12 on Sunday. CNA photo Nov. 24, 2024

Earlier Sunday, Team USA beat Venezuela 6-1 to take the bronze medal.

The United States won silver in the 2015 Premier12 and finished fourth in 2019. Meanwhile, fourth place was Venezuela's best result ever.

(By Joseph Yeh)

Enditem/kb

View All
0:00
/
0:00
We value your privacy.
Focus Taiwan (CNA) uses tracking technologies to provide better reading experiences, but it also respects readers' privacy. Click here to find out more about Focus Taiwan's privacy policy. When you close this window, it means you agree with this policy.
27