BASEBALL/Taiwan finishes runner-up in Pony Palomino World Series

Washington, Aug. 4 (CNA) Taiwan's Pony League team in the under-18 Palomino division fell just short of the Pony Palomino World Series title on Monday, losing 7-1 to host Laredo in the championship game after having gone undefeated in the tournament.

Taiwan's team, made up of 19 high school players from Taoyuan, earned the right to compete in the tournament after winning this year's Wang Chen-chih Cup, a tournament named after the Chinese name (王貞治) of Japanese baseball legend Sadaharu Oh.

The tournament, played in Laredo, Texas, ran from July 31 to Aug. 4. Taiwan opened its campaign on Saturday with a 4-3 victory over Puerto Rico, followed by an 11-4 win against Harlingen later that day.

On Sunday, Taiwan secured a place in the championship game with a 2-0 victory over Mexico before losing to host Laredo in the final.

The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston said in a statement Tuesday that it conveyed congratulatory messages from President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) and Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) to the team online after the award ceremony.

Yvonne Hsiao (蕭伊芳), director-general of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston, praised the players for their fighting spirit, saying they "not only showcased the strength of Taiwanese baseball to the world but also helped build a strong bridge of friendship through sports exchanges between Taiwan and the United States."

Last year, Taiwan won the Pony Palomino World Series title when it was represented by New Taipei's Ku Pao Home Economics and Commercial High School.

Oh was born in Tokyo to a Chinese father and Japanese mother and has lived his entire life in Japan, but he was given a Chinese name and retained Republic of China (Taiwan) citizenship after being registered as an ROC citizen by his father.