match report
October 23, 2022
On October 23, the last match of the “4th WBSC U-23 World Cup” (held in Taiwan) was held at Tianmu Baseball Stadium in Taipei City, where the Japan Samurai U-23 national team defeated South Korea 3-0. won the championship for the first time in three tournaments.
The game was decided by the long shot, which has been one of the themes and emphasized since the first day of training camp. Late in the 3rd inning with the score at 0-0, Ri Sang Yoon, an erratic southpaw who has been tortured so far, suddenly collapses after hitting hits, giving him a chance of 1 out and 1st and 2nd goal.
Soshi Maruyama (ENEOS) is here at bat. Although he had a strikeout on the first at bat, he was very calm. Maruyama narrowed his aim, saying, “It’s going to attack with a slider”, because he missed the slider, which runs away from a bullet and hits. And the third ball was a slider that entered the middle of the interior. If you get rid of that without hesitation, the ball hit will be a three-run home run that goes through the light fence and is worth a thousand dollars.
That three-point save was enough for a pitching staff that allowed just 10 runs in nine games. Ren Tomita (Mitsubishi Motors Okazaki/Hanshin Draft 6th pick), who started Game 4, completely held on without a single runner in Game 2, and Ryota Kudo was given Game 3 (Shin-Etsu Baseball Club), and Takuto Yanagihashi (JR Tokai), who was awarded the 4th inning, also had no hits.
Yanagibashi, who was in the second inning of the 5th inning, allowed the first batter to bat out for the first time, but the next batter was hit by a rolling court. The buds of the counterattack were quickly picked.
In the 6th inning, leading pitcher Tetsuyuki Fujimura (Toshiba) was hit with a double at the start, but he quietly beat the next one, and in the last inning, Ryusei Gonda (TDK), the absolute keeper of this tournament, went up up to the mound. Gonda, who won the tournament’s Most Valuable Player award, took the lead, but again that day he pushed with a clean straight and the game ended with three outs immediately. The players exploded with joy and rushed to Gonda, and the leaders exchanged warm hugs and savored their joy.
The crown at the U-23 World Cup has been since the first tournament (held in Mexico in 2016) with a mixed pro-am team. Each team had many professional players, but the 23 elite young members of the baseball society fully understood the most important theme, “challenge.” They played aggressive and resolute in running, attacking and defending, and that turned out to be the best result.
Coach/Player Comments
Directed by Akio Ishii
“It’s amazing. The players fought without hesitation. I came here thinking I had to show the new Samurai Japan baseball, and I’m really happy I got to show it.”
Hsun Nakamura (NTT East Japan) Commander
“It’s great to be the best in the world. We were able to come together in a short time.
Soshi Maruyama (ENEOS)
“We were able to grow and get stronger as we played more games. It was a team where everyone was able to judge the situation well while keeping the theme of being proactive. With the power of all players and staff, we have become the best in the world.”
Ryusei Kaida (TDK)
* Player of the Tournament, Best Nine (Relief Pitcher)
“I’m happy. I haven’t had much experience as a suppressor, but I think I’ve grown. Thanks to everyone’s encouragement. They’re great friends.”
Ren Tomita (Mitsubishi Motors Okazaki)
*Best Pitcher, Best Nine (starting pitcher)
“There was a different feeling of tension than the previous game, but since I heard it was going to be the second inning, I thought about connecting with the pitchers behind me. It gave me more Confidence in the straight line.”
4th WBSC U-23 World Cup
Tournament Overview Participating Players Broadcast Schedule
Tournament period
October 13 to October 23, 2022
opening round
Friday 14 October 6:00 p.m. Germany 0-6 Japan
Saturday October 15 15:30 Venezuela 2-5 Japan
Sunday October 16 20:00 Japan 1-3 Chinese Taipei
Monday, October 17 3:30 p.m. Japan 4-1 Colombia
Tuesday 18 October 15:30 South Africa 0-9 Japan
super round
Thursday 20 October 15:30 Japan 2-1 Australia
Friday, October 21 3:30 p.m. Korea 1-2 Japan
Saturday, October 22 2:00 p.m. Japan 4-2 Mexico
final
Sunday, October 23 8:00 p.m. Japan 3-0 Korea
*The start time is Japan time (Taipei: time difference -1 hour)
venue
Taipei, Taiwan)
Participating countries and regions
group A
Japan, Chinese Taipei, Colombia, Germany, South Africa, Venezuela
Group B
Australia, Cuba, Mexico, Netherlands, Puerto Rico, South Korea
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