BASEBALL/Taiwan keeps WBC hopes alive with 9-1 win over South Africa

Taipei, Feb. 22 (CNA) Taiwan kept its hopes of advancing to the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) alive with a 9-1 victory over South Africa in a qualifier at the Taipei Dome on Saturday, backed by solid pitching.

Bouncing back from Friday's struggles on the mound, when Taiwanese pitchers surrendered 15 runs to Spain, Team Taiwan kept the visiting team in check, allowing just one run in the bottom of the fourth inning.

The win was crucial for Taiwan, as a loss would have eliminated the team from contention for the next WBC.

Starting pitcher Sha Tzu-chen (沙子宸) struck out one and allowed no hits, except for a hit-by-pitch over 2 2/3 innings pitched. The 21-year-old right-hander likely would have finished the third inning had he not suffered a cramp in his right foot.

South African pitchers struggled with control, combining for nine walks -- including four by starter Damon King -- and four hit batters. In contrast, Taiwan's pitchers allowed no walks and hit two batters.

Taiwan put runners in scoring position in the first two innings but broke through in the third when Wu Nien-ting's (吳念庭) RBI groundout with runners on second and third put the team on the board. Chen Wen-chieh (陳文傑) soon followed with an RBI single, scoring Yu Chang (張育成).

The lead grew in the fourth inning thanks to a bases-loaded wild pitch and an RBI groundout by captain Chen Chieh-hsien (陳傑憲).

Taiwan put the game further out of reach in the sixth, seventh and ninth innings, highlighted by an inside-the-park solo homer by Sung Cheng-jui (宋晟睿) in the sixth and a two-run shot by Lee Tsung-hsien (李宗賢) in the ninth.

Sung and Wang Po-hsuan (王博玄) led the team with four hits each. Lin Tzu-wei (林子偉), batting second, reached base five times on four walks and a hit-by-pitch.

All Taiwanese batters reached base at least once.

Earlier on Saturday, Nicaragua edged Spain 2-1 in 10 innings, keeping Taiwan in contention to top the group and secure a 2026 WBC berth -- provided Spain loses to South Africa on Sunday and Taiwan defeats Nicaragua.

If Taiwan finishes second or third in the group, it will compete in a do-or-die game on Tuesday for the remaining berth.