World Baseball Classic Day 4: New Pools Begin, Australia Eliminated
By Keaton Moore
Extra-Inning Thriller Ensures 2021 WBC Appearance for Korea
Although their six-run lead over Chinese Taipei gradually slipped away, Korea won 11-8 after scoring three in the tenth.
By the final out of the top of the second, Korea bragged a 6-0 lead. Yet, Chinese Taipei quickly cut their deficit down to 6-3 with three runs in the bottom of the second.
Still trailing Korea 8-3, Che-Hsuan Lin launched a two-run homer in the bottom of the fourth, making the score 8-5. Chinese Taipei chipped away at Korea’s lead until Yung-Chi Chen tied the game with an RBI single in the seventh.
Not long after the game was tossed into extra innings did Eui-ji Yang put Korea ahead with a sacrifice fly in the tenth. Tae-kyun Kim followed Yang and secured Korea’s victory with a two-run homer.
Although neither team competed for a chance to move farther in the tournament, Korea’s victory over Chinese Taipei guarantees them a spot in the next WBC. On the other hand, Chinese Taipei must work their way through the qualifier in order to reach the WBC in 2021.