BASEBALL/Taiwan loses in final of Junior League Baseball World Series

Taipei, Aug. 17 (CNA) A team from Taoyuan lost in the final of the 2026 Junior League Baseball World Series in Taylor, Michigan, falling 6-3 in 10 innings to a team from California in the championship game Sunday.

Shing-Ming Junior High School, representing the Asia-Pacific region, battled La Mirada Little League from La Mirada, California, in a game that was tied three times before the U.S. West champion scored three runs in the top of the 10th inning.

Taiwan was unable to respond in the bottom half, settling for the runner-up finish after having already secured the international championship.

Both teams entered Sunday's title game unbeaten through three games, with Shing-Ming having outscored its opponents 20-0.

The teams traded runs in the fourth, sixth, seventh and ninth innings before La Mirada scored three in the 10th to win 6-3.

Taiwan managed five hits and struck out eight times against Adam Brewer and winning pitcher Jerimiah Ortega, who combined to allow only one earned run.

Ma Tian-en (馬天恩) allowed two runs over 5 2/3 innings for Taiwan, while Hsu Yung-tai (許永泰) took the loss. Chen En-yu (陳恩宇) recorded Taiwan's only RBI.

Hundreds of Taiwanese expatriates in Michigan attended the game and waved Republic of China flags while cheering for the team, according to Taiwan's representative office in Chicago.

Shing-Ming has now reached the tournament eight times and won five championships, the most of any Taiwanese representative at the event.