TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan concluded group play in the U12 Baseball World Cup with a come-from-behind 6-5 victory over Mexico on Tuesday at Tainan Asia Pacific International Baseball Stadium.

Taiwan fell behind early as pitcher Lee Yun-ruen (李昀潤) allowed five runs on six hits and two walks in one and one-third innings. Fortunately, the local team responded with five runs in the bottom of the second inning to tie the game, per UDN.

Relief pitcher Zhong Ding-xu (鍾定栩) kept Mexican batters off balance, allowing just two hits and no runs over four and two-thirds innings of relief, while striking out five. His outstanding performance on the mound gave Taiwan a chance to get back into the game.

The game was suspended due to rain in the bottom of the fourth inning with the score deadlocked at 5-5. After play resumed, the pitching duel continued until the bottom of the sixth inning, when, with two outs, Zhong reached base on an error and stole second.

The next batter, Hu Cheng-en (胡誠恩), was intentionally walked. Mexico then brought in right-handed reliever Uriel Gonzalez, who hit two consecutive batters to force in the winning run.

The win clinched Taiwan’s berth in the "super round," a round-robin format against South Korea, Japan, the US, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico. Unlike Little League Baseball, which features local club teams, the U12 WBSC Baseball World Cup involves national teams.