Japan, which played in the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Premier 12 2024 aiming to win all games, passed the preliminary round with all five games and advanced to the Super Round (fourth round). 토토사이트
Japan defeated the Dominican Republic 11-3 in the fifth Group B qualifying round at Taipei Tianmu Stadium in Taiwan on the 18th.
Japan confirmed its No. 1 ranking in Group B, but Tokyo did not let go of the reins. At the top of the fifth inning when the score was 2-2, Japan had consecutive walks by Keita Sano and Shota Morishita to secure the first and second bases with no outs, and Ryoya Kurihara made a timely hit to the left. The next batter, Shogo Sakagura, also added another run with a timely hit.
With runners on the first and third bases with no outs, Kotaro Kurebayashi was out after a double play next to the third baseman, but third baseman Kurihara made a home run. Japan quickly gained momentum with a 5-2 run.
Taiwan won 2-0 at a match against Cuba held at the Taipei Dome. With two outs and a runner on first base in the bottom of the third inning, Chiriziraogungwan scored the first run with a double to the center, and added one more run when Zhang hit a grounder next to the second baseman in the fourth inning with no outs.
Taiwan dominated Cuba by having seven pitchers throw consecutive innings. After beating four other countries except Japan, Taiwan advanced to the Super Round with four wins and one loss and second place in Group B.
Japan and Taiwan will hold a super round with Venezuela, the No. 1 player in Group A, and the No. 2 player the U.S. at Tokyo Dome, Japan, starting on the 21st.
In the Super Round, four teams will face each other once to determine the ranking, and the first and second places will play the final match on the 24th, and the third and fourth places will play the third place match.
South Korea failed to advance to the Super Round, finishing third in Group B.
Japan won five games, Taiwan won four games, and South Korea won three games and two games, while Australia, the Dominican Republic and Cuba finished Group B qualifying with one win and four losses.
As expected, Japan was the strongest team in Group B. Korea and Taiwan were competing for the second place, but Korea lost to Taiwan 3-6 in the most important first match. Korea lost to Japan 3-6, failing to qualify.
South Korea, which became the first Premier 12 champion in 2015 and finished second in the second tournament in 2019, left the tournament lonesomely early in the third tournament.
