Taiwan, Japan brace for title clash

Chinese Taipei and Japan pulled off victories in varying fashions yesterday to arrange a titular showdown in the 30th Asia-Pacific Zone Pony Baseball Championship at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Field.

Riding on emphatic victories Tuesday, the Taiwanese dealt the hosts their second shutout loss, 17-0, while the Japanese downed the Koreans, 5-1, to barge into the championship round of this event serving as the World Series qualifier.

Wen Wang Kai belted three of his team’s tournament-high 10 homers while Cheng Chi Po allowed only a hit and a walk in an abbreviated five-inning game for a second straight Chinese Taipei win in the tournament organized by RP tot baseball head Rodolfo "Boy" Tingzon, Jr.

The Taiwanese, who won the last staging of this meet backed by Jollibee, Purefoods, Coca-Cola, San Miguel and Pizza Hut, clash with Japan, also unbeaten in two matches, at 10 a.m. today in a preview of the championship showdown tomorrow.

The winner of this four-day event will represent the Asia-Pacific Zone in the Pony World Series in Pennsylvania, USA late this month.

Noel Katipunan, coach of the team boosted by the Morong, Bataan mainstays, said the field is just too strong.

"Napaka-raw pa ng players ko kumpara sa mga kalaban, ang lalakas talaga nila," said Katipunan, whose wards also lost to the Okinawa-based Japanese in the opener, 0-19.

"Pero kumpara kahapon (Tuesday), mas maganda ng konti ang nilaro namin ngayon," he added.

Truly, the local clouters had some fine moments this time.

John Romulo Cordova hit a single at the bottom of the third inning but was foiled at second base when he tried to go for a steal.

Reynaldo Calma, Jr. walked after getting hit by a pitched ball in the fifth and final inning but suffered the same fate as that of Cordova.

Meanwhile, Katipunan disclosed that 13-year-old Juan Kristopier Angeles, who was accidentally hit in the team’s loss to Japan, will undergo a jaw operation today at the Ospital ng Maynila. — Joey Villar