BASEBALL/Taiwan falls 2-0 to South Korea in U18 Asian Championship opener

Taipei, Sept. 8 (CNA) Taiwan lost 2-0 to South Korea in its opening game of the BFA U18 Asian Baseball Championship on Monday as its offense struggled, wasting a strong start by left-hander Liu Jen-yu (劉任右).

Seeking its second consecutive Asian U18 title and fourth overall, Taiwan managed only three hits against the Koreans at Tianmu Baseball Stadium, while each of its nine starters struck out at least once as the team fanned 14 times in all.

A two-out triple in the first inning and a single in the seventh by Chang Yi-an (張乙安) and a single by Hu Chen-jui (胡辰睿) with two outs in the sixth were all the offense Taiwan's lineup could muster.

Liu kept his team in the game with five scoreless innings, striking out six and walking two while throwing 69 pitches.

The teenager's fastball reached 154 kilometers per hour, matching his career high, according to scouts at the venue.

Liu faced his only serious jam in the third inning, when a leadoff walk and a fielding error put two runners on with one out, but he escaped by inducing an inning-ending double play.

South Korea broke through against Taiwan's bullpen in the sixth. Nam Hyeonu singled off reliever Wu Hao-siang (吳昊翔), and Cho Huiseong followed with a one-out double.

Chen Yu-hsun (陳昱勛) came on in relief of Wu but allowed one run on a fielder's choice and another on a sacrifice fly. Wu was charged with the loss.

South Korean starter Ha Hyunseung struck out 12 and allowed two hits over 5.2 scoreless innings to earn the win. Reliever Eom Junsang recorded the final four outs in the regulation seven-inning game, striking out two to record the save.

Taiwan will face Thailand and Singapore on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, at Tianmu Baseball Stadium.