TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Host nation Taiwan defeated South Korea 1-0 on Wednesday to finish third at the inaugural World Collegiate Baseball Championship, riding a dominant pitching performance and a game-saving defensive play at Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium.
The low-scoring pitchers' duel featured strong defense from both teams before Taiwan preserved the one-run lead in the eighth inning. With a potential tying run attempting to score, right fielder Tseng Sheng-an (曾聖安) threw out the runner at home plate. The out was upheld following a video replay review, preserving Taiwan's lead, per CNA.
Taiwan rebounded after consecutive tournament losses to the US, Japan, and an earlier defeat to South Korea. Kuo was available to start Wednesday's game after Taiwan's previous matchup against Korea on Monday was called because of rain in the top of the fifth inning. Korea was awarded a 6-0 victory after the shortened contest.
Taiwan used a three-pitcher rotation of Kuo, Lin Yi-wei (林佾葳), and Wang Yu-chieh (王宇傑) to shut out the South Korean lineup. Taiwan threatened in the first inning by loading the bases but failed to capitalize.
The game's only run came in the third inning. With two outs, Hsu Ting-lun (許庭綸) singled before advancing on consecutive walks. He later scored on a wild pitch with the bases loaded to give Taiwan a 1-0 lead, per CNA.
Kuo escaped early trouble in the first inning after allowing a single and a walk, then worked around a defensive error in the second. He finished his outing by striking out the side in the fourth inning.
Lin followed with three and two-thirds scoreless innings, surrendering only one hit while keeping South Korea off the scoreboard. South Korea mounted its biggest threat in the bottom of the eighth inning with two outs and runners on base.
After reliever Wang allowed a single to Kang Minwoo, Tseng fired a strike from right field to throw out the runner attempting to score the tying run.
Wang closed out the game with two strikeouts while allowing two hits. His fastest pitch reached 153 kph as he secured the victory. The win gave Taiwan a third-place finish in the inaugural tournament and redeemed what previously had been a disappointing performance, losing to each of the three teams it faced.
