TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taipei Dome hosted an exhibition baseball game closed to the public on Tuesday (Nov. 14), with participants praising the new sporting venue.
Tuesday morning’s inaugural competition drew two baseball teams from Taiwan's Division I amateur league: New Taipei Heran and Taipei Highwealth. The game helped fine-tune the venue for the upcoming Asian Baseball Championship scheduled on Dec. 3.
Taipei Highwealth's manager Huang Qin-zhi (黃欽智) said conditions were comfortable for players and coaching staff. Huang said they eagerly awaited the opening of Taipei Dome, though details needed to be addressed to create optimal playing conditions, per CNA.
Taipei Highwealth's pitcher Hong Hsin-chi (洪心騏) worked into the eighth inning, giving up one hit and one run while recording three strikeouts. After the game, Hong spoke with the media, noting that the overall stadium environment was good, with a comfortable lounge and bullpen.
Regarding field conditions, Hong said there was no problem regarding the area between the pitcher’s mound and the catcher. However, improvements could be made regarding the area around the pitching mound rubber.
As for the handling of ground balls, Hong said the player’s line of sight could be affected by lighting, making it easy for a player to lose the ball. Furthermore, a fly ball can easily be lost in the air when set against the roof’s white backdrop or the color of the seats.
Another exhibition game, open to the public, is scheduled for Saturday (Nov. 18). All free tickets for this event have been claimed.
