TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's national baseball team secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Panama on Sunday (Sept. 7) at the U-18 Baseball World Cup in Okinawa, Japan. Chang Yu-hao (張育豪) delivered the decisive walk-off hit that sealed Taiwan's triumph and improved their tournament record to 2-1 in the preliminary round. The hard-fought victory positions Taiwan favorably heading into their crucial matchup against Australia on Tuesday (Sept. 9).
Taiwan established their winning foundation in the fifth inning when Chiang Ting-i (江庭毅) crossed home plate after being struck by a pitch, stealing a base, and taking advantage of a wild throw. Starting pitcher Chen Shih-chan (陳世展) demonstrated exceptional control by retiring eight consecutive batters and recording three strikeouts across 5.2 scoreless innings. The young pitcher's performance provided Taiwan with the stability needed to maintain their narrow lead throughout the middle innings.
Su Lan-hung (蘇嵐鴻) relieved Chen and pitched 1.1 innings while striking out three batters. Although Su allowed one run, he stabilized the game during a critical juncture and earned the victory. Taiwan's preliminary round journey included defeating China in their opening game and losing to the United States in their second contest before Sunday's triumph against Panama. The team will seek to maintain their momentum when they face Australia, hoping to secure another victory that would strengthen their tournament position. ◼
