WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup Day 4: South Africa and Japan are back on the field, Korea leads over Italy
Day 4 of the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup 2025 presented by RAXUS is underway in Naha and Itoman, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan.
The USA opened the day at Okinawa Cellular Stadium in Naha with a win against China in five innings.
Puerto Rico won a pitching duel with Cuba at Nishizaki Stadium in Itoman that puts them in a very good spot in the Super Round race,
Australia missed an early scoring opportunity; Chinese Taipei did not. They opened the score in the bottom of the first on their way to a win that improves Chinese Taipei's record to 3-1.
Panama needed only three at-bats to score 14 times and beat Germany by the run-difference rule at Nishizaki Stadium. Panama is now 1-3 but still has a chance to advance to the Super Round.
The night games are underway. South Africa and Japan took the field in Naha. Italy and Korea face each other in Itoman.
All games are live on GameTime, the WBSC OTT platform
- Exceptions may apply in Taiwan, Korea and Japan
South Africa @ Japan
Italy @ Korea
Chinese Taipei-Australia 10-2
Australia wasted an early scoring opportunity. The Aussies loaded the bases on three consecutive two-out singles off starter Yi-Shiang Wang. With a one-two count on Benjamin Nesbit, Wang caught Ashton Kennedy off the second base bag for the third out.
Chinese Taipei scored five runs to open the score in the bottom of the first. The first three batters singled off Aussie starter Riley Puckett. Yu-hao Chang batted in the first run, and a second scored on a defensive error. With the bases loaded and one out, Chinese Taipei made it 3-0 on a groundout. Shang-En Zeng hit a two-RBI double to extend the lead to 5-0.
Puckett didn't make it out of the first. Chinese Taipei added a third-inning four-run rally on reliever Kristian Haeusler, securing the win.
Wang left after four scoreless innings. Australia managed to score a pair of runs against reliever Hua Ho, avoiding ending the game by the run-difference rule.
Panama-Germany 14-0
Panama outscored and no-hit Germany. The Germans also had their worst defensive outing in the tournament, committing six defensive errors. Their pitchers allowed a combined seven walks.
Panama wasted no time getting on the scoreboard. German starter Emilio Goetz didn't make it out of the first. Luis Rivera bunted for the hit, Goetz allowed back-to-back walks, and Panama scored twice on a throwing error. Another run scored when Juan Rujano grounded into a double play, and Panama made it 4-0 on Carlos Castillo's RBI double.
The worst was yet to come for Germany. Panama scored nine runs on four hits and three errors in the bottom of the third against relievers Samuel Redle and Lukas Koettig.
Puerto Rico-Cuba 1-0
It was an old-fashioned pitching duel. Puerto Rico reached base on two hits, one error, one hit batter and one walk, while Cuba had two hits and one walk and also reached on an error. Puerto Rico's starter, right-hander Ethan De Jesus, earned the win, pitching four innings, but ace Pablo Figueroa added three innings, allowing only one walk. He used 50 pitches and will be available as the second round starts.
Puerto Rico scored the game's only run in the bottom of the fourth against Cuban starter Marlon Garcia. With two outs and Jorhan Castro at first, Garcia hit Sebastian Rolon, sending Castro to second. Emanuel Garcia turned Garcia's fourth pitch into a single to centre field, scoring Castro from second. Garcia wouldn't allow other hits.
USA-China
The USA scored four runs on two hits, including Will Brick's two-RBI triple, in the top of the first against starter Yitong Li on their way to a win by the run-difference rule in five innings.
Li left after allowing another run in the bottom of the third. The USA added five runs on seven hits against relievers Ruoyu Zhang and Zihao Yu. Grady Emerson, Aiden Ruiz and Coleman Borthwick enjoyed a two-hit game.
Pinch hitter Brody Schumacher walked it off with an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth.
Christopher Sampson used 58 pitches to go the distance. He allowed one hit and struck out six.
Key links
- Tournament website
- Schedule/Live scoring
- Live Streaming
- Live clips on X
- Highlights
- Photos
- WBSC Men's Baseball World Ranking
The tournament day by day
- Day 3 Recap
- Day 2 Recap
- Day 1 Recap
- The Pre-Tournament Press Conference
- U-18 Baseball World Cup preview
- Where to watch
Feature articles
- Manager Georg Bull speaks about Germany's Development Programme
- Kids step up to the plate - the future of international baseball is bright
- Italy's coach Daniele Santolupo, a former All-World Team centre fielder
- Yu Darvish: "The U-18 Baseball World Cup was a tremendous experience"
- Ten things to know about the U-18 Baseball World Cup 2025
- The U-18 Baseball World Cup 2025 by the Numbers
- A look at the historical records
- Meet the Okinawa Prefecture
- The Trophy is on display in Japan
- WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup trains on Okinawa Monorail
- All news