Chinese Taipei was little less than perfect and defeated the USA, 2-1, in the final to become the new U-18 Baseball World Champion. Three pitchers, starter Yu Chien, Lin Yu Min and Chen Po Yu, limited the powerful line up of the four-time defending World Champions to five hits, three in the bottom of the ninth. Third baseman Wang Shun Ho provided the only extra-base hit of the game, a triple, and scored the go-ahead run in the fifth. Left fielder Lo Wie Chieh denied extra-base hits to Colby Halter in the second and Robert Hassell in the third. He then batted in what would prove to be the winning run in the top of the eighth.

The bottom of the ninth was not for the weak-hearted. Hassell led off with a base hit, his second of the night, against reliever Chen Po Yu. Chen got a couple of fly outs. Colby Halter followed with a hard liner up the middle. Shortstop Cheng Tsung Che got to the ball, but Lin Tzu Hao was late to the second base bag and Cheng had no play. Drew Romo hit a hard liner just off the glove of Lin. The ball rolled to the outfield and Hassell went for the run and scored. Nolan Mc Lean stepped to the plate with runners at second and first. His hard-hit ball landed in the glove of right fielder Lin Tzu Wei for the third out of the night.

“I never considered going to the bullpen,” said Chinese Taipei manager Chou Tsung Chih through an interpreter “I fully trusted the skills of Chen Po Yu.”

Chou Tsung Chih expressed pride about his team:”We have been together for two months and the players have kept improving. I’ve seen this team play better and better”.

Lo Wie Chieh made two key plays in the outfield: “This is a World Cup” commented Lo through an interpreter “I thought I had a chance on those balls and I took it. You need also to be lucky, to make those plays.”

Lo Wie Chieh just signed a professional contract and will join the Uni Lions of the Chinese Professional Baseball League right after the tournament. He also described his RBI-single that proved to be the game-winner: “The USA pitcher are confident about their fastball and I was looking for a fastball. We have been playing against each other many times, we know each other.”

Yu Chien earned the win for Chinese Taipei going 6.2 innings, a total of 96 pitches. He had pitched a total of 3.1 innings in the tournament, earning two saves.

“It was my first time as a starter and it was fun, I really enjoyed it, explained Yu Chien through an interpreter. “When the manager told me I was going to start, all I thought was that I wanted to win this game.”

Yu Chien will go to College: “I will spend for sure one year in College. I would then look for opportunities overseas, either in Japan or the USA.”

The USA manager Jack Leggett had a hug and a kind word for each player and each member of his delegation. He then commented: “We played hard, but we came just one run short. Chinese Taipei played very well. I believe this game was a perfect fitting for a World Championship game.”

The two plays by Lo Wie Chieh in left field made a difference: “Well, we hit the ball well. They made the great plays and we lacked one more key hit. We played a great ninth inning, I think we showed what kind of character we have. USA Baseball will be there again, in the hunt for the gold.