SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Taiwan didn’t get much done at the plate on Saturday. But given the way starter Lai Cheng-Xi threw, it didn’t matter.
Lai struck out 12 batters and allowed just three hits in 5 1/3 innings as the Asia-Pacific representative defeated Venezuela 4-1 and advanced to the Little League World Series championship.
“He is the team’s top shooter and he shows leadership qualities,” manager Lee Cheng-Ta said through an interpreter. “He is calm and hard-working, so he has been the one in charge in every important game.”
Taiwan also only managed three hits, but collected eight walks and scored twice on wild pitches.
Taiwan will play in Sunday’s final against the winner of the Florida-Texas semifinal later Saturday. In its 32nd LLWS appearance, Taiwan has a chance to win it all for the first time since 1996 — although it has won the tournament title 17 times, more than any other international team, including five straight victories from 1977 to 1981.
The Kuei-Shan Little League from Taoyuan, Taiwan, made it to the semifinals on the international side of the tournament in 2023, but ultimately had to settle for third place. Cheng-Ta brought the team back to South Williamsport, but with a completely different roster.
José Perez stepped onto the mound for Venezuela with the bases loaded and one out in the top of the third. Yu Chia-Jai managed to make five throws and threw his arms in joy as he looked toward his dugout as Chen Bo-Wei headed home. The play left the score only 2-0, but it felt like a turning point as Lai was in control.
“I told the kids to be aggressive when hitting, but the kids are trained enough to know what a ball or a strike is going to be, so when they see a ball, they don’t just chase it,” Cheng-Ta said.
While Lai was racking up strikeouts, Venezuela was having trouble finding the strike zone. Wild throws proved costly from the start. In the first inning, a pitch from starter Luis Yepez reached the backstop, allowing Chiu Wei-Che to slide home safely and put Taiwan on the scoreboard.
Venezuela opened its first at-bat with a single to left by Luis and a sacrifice bunt moved him to second base, but Lai ended the Latin American threat by striking out the next two batters.
In the fifth inning, Taiwan scored another run when Luis and Samuel Carrasquel collided in shallow center while trying to catch a fly ball for the last out of the inning. Chen, who had hit a single to left in the previous at-bat, had enough time to run home and increase the lead to four.
Venezuela finally became dangerous in the sixth inning, putting runners on second and third base when Abraham Lucena hit a double to right. A groundout brought home a run, but Simon Vicheria hit a groundout back to Chiu, who had been brought in as a relief pitcher, ending the game.
“We’ll celebrate for a few minutes, maybe an hour,” said Cheng-Ta. “After tonight, we’ll focus on what’s coming up tomorrow.”
