Taiwan Advances to Premier12 Super Round with 11-3 Win Over Australia
Taipei, Taiwan – Taiwan secured a dominant 11-3 victory over Australia at the Taipei Dome on Sunday, clinching a spot in the Super Round of the 2024 World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Premier12 tournament. Despite a tough loss to Japan the previous day, Taiwan’s offense came alive in this crucial game, with two massive three-run home runs leading the charge.
This win sees Taiwan finish second in Group B, securing its place in the Super Round alongside Japan, the top team in their group, as well as the top two teams from Group A: the United States and Venezuela.
Early Momentum: Taiwan Takes Command
Taiwan wasted no time in asserting its dominance over Australia. After a walk to Chen Chieh-hsien (陳傑憲) and a stolen base, Tseng Song-en (曾頌恩) also walked to first, setting up an early scoring opportunity in the top of the first inning.
Chen then crossed the plate on an RBI from Pan Chieh-kai (潘傑楷) to give Taiwan a 1-0 lead. Taiwan doubled the score in the top of the second when Li Kai-wei (李凱威) made it home following a sacrifice RBI from Lin Li (林立).
Australia Fights Back, but Taiwan Responds
Australia answered back in the third inning with a solo home run by Solomon Maguire, cutting Taiwan’s lead to 2-1. However, Taiwan quickly responded, adding to its lead with two runs in the fourth inning and another in the fifth, pushing the score to 5-1 heading into the seventh.
Lin Li’s Three-Run Blast Powers Taiwan
In the top of the seventh, Taiwan loaded the bases with Chen Chen-wei (陳晨威) and Chang Cheng-yu (張政禹) on first and second. Lin Li then delivered a crushing three-run homer to deep left field, extending Taiwan’s lead to 8-1.
Australia’s response came in the bottom of the seventh, when Robbie Perkins hit a solo home run, trimming Taiwan’s lead to 8-2.
Giljegiljaw Kungkuan’s Late Homer Caps Off the Win
As Taiwan looked to seal the game, Giljegiljaw Kungkuan came up as a pinch hitter in the top of the ninth. With two runners on, Kungkuan smashed a home run to left field, bringing the score to 11-2.
Australia made a final push in the bottom of the ninth but could only manage one run, ending the game at 11-3 in favor of Taiwan.
Taiwan Secures Super Round Spot
With this commanding win, Taiwan finishes second in Group B and moves on to the Super Round. Taiwan will join Japan, along with the United States and Venezuela, for the final phase of the Premier12 tournament, where the world’s top teams will battle for the championship.
Taiwan’s best finish in the Premier12 came in 2019, when it placed fifth in the tournament.
Summary Table: Key Highlights from Taiwan vs. Australia
| Event | Details |
|---|---|
| Final Score | Taiwan 11-3 Australia |
| Game Location | Taipei Dome, Taiwan |
| Key Player Performances | Lin Li hit a crucial three-run homer in the 7th inning. Giljegiljaw Kungkuan also hit a three-run homer in the 9th. |
| Taiwan’s Super Round Position | Taiwan finishes second in Group B and advances to the Super Round. |
| Australia’s Key Moment | Robbie Perkins hit a solo home run in the 7th inning. |
| Tournament Milestone | Taiwan’s best finish in the Premier12 was 5th in 2019. |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What was the final score of the Taiwan vs. Australia game?
Taiwan won 11-3 over Australia to advance to the Super Round of the 2024 WBSC Premier12 tournament.
Q2: What was the key moment in the game?
The pivotal moment was Lin Li’s three-run home run in the seventh inning, which extended Taiwan’s lead to 8-1 and broke the game open.
Q3: Who hit the game-winning home run for Taiwan?
Lin Li hit a crucial three-run home run in the seventh inning, followed by Giljegiljaw Kungkuan’s home run in the ninth inning to seal the victory.
Q4: Where does Taiwan stand in the Premier12 tournament now?
Taiwan finishes second in Group B and advances to the Super Round, joining Japan, Venezuela, and the United States.
Q5: What is Taiwan’s best finish at the WBSC Premier12?
Taiwan’s best finish came in 2019, when it placed fifth in the tournament.
