TAIPEI — Taiwan has powered into the Super Round of the 2026 BFA U18 Asian Baseball Championship after demolishing Singapore 16-1, delivering another dominant performance as the defending champions continue their push for back-to-back continental titles.
Every player in Taiwan’s starting lineup recorded at least one hit as the hosts overwhelmed Singapore at Taipei Tianmu Baseball Stadium, finishing the preliminary round with a 2-1 record and advancing as the second-placed team in Group B behind unbeaten South Korea. (Taipei Times)
The emphatic victory came after Taiwan rebounded from an opening defeat against South Korea and followed up with an 18-0 rout of Thailand, giving the home team major momentum heading into the tournament’s decisive stage.
Taiwan’s Bats Explode Against Singapore
Taiwan established a 3-1 lead after two innings before completely taking control of the game.
The hosts erupted for eight runs in the third inning, turning a competitive contest into a one-sided affair.
Then came the finishing blow.
Hu Chen-jui sparked a five-run fourth inning with an inside-the-park home run, helping Taiwan build a 15-run advantage and ending the game early under the tournament’s mercy rule.
Taiwan finished with 14 hits and no errors, underlining the team’s dominance on both offense and defense.
Hu was among the biggest stars of the game, going 2-for-2 with three runs scored and four RBIs.
Every Starter Gets a Hit
Perhaps the most impressive statistic from Taiwan’s victory was the contribution from the entire lineup.
All nine Taiwan starters recorded at least one hit.
That balanced offensive performance could be a major warning for Taiwan’s upcoming opponents.
Rather than relying on one or two star players, Taiwan showed it has offensive production throughout the batting order — an important advantage as the competition intensifies in the Super Round.
Taiwan’s Pitching Staff Keeps Singapore Under Control
Taiwan’s pitchers also delivered another strong performance.
Starting pitcher Cheng Pin-shen allowed one run on two hits over one inning.
Tsai Cheng-lung then struck out five batters across two hitless innings to earn the victory, while Wu Hao-siang completed the game with a hitless fourth inning.
Taiwan manager Yang Hsiao-cheng said Cheng initially struggled to find his rhythm after going for an extended period without appearing in a game.
But Taiwan’s bullpen quickly shut down any hopes of a Singapore comeback.
A Huge Response After South Korea Defeat
Taiwan’s tournament did not begin as planned.
The defending champions opened the competition with a 2-0 loss to South Korea, despite a strong pitching performance from left-hander Liu Jen-yu.
Taiwan managed just three hits and struck out 14 times in that game, exposing early offensive problems against one of Asia’s strongest youth baseball teams.
But the response has been dramatic.
Taiwan bounced back by crushing Thailand 18-0 in four innings before following that with the 16-1 victory over Singapore.
Against Thailand, Taiwan scored 14 runs in the first inning and its pitchers combined for a perfect game.
Now, after back-to-back mercy-rule victories, the defending champions appear to be finding their rhythm at exactly the right time.
Philippines Up Next, Then Japan
Taiwan will now face the Philippines on Friday before taking on Japan on Saturday.
Manager Yang said Wu Chieh-jui is scheduled to start against the Philippines.
The starting pitcher against Japan will depend on whether Liu Jen-yu has fully recovered.
Those games could prove crucial to Taiwan’s hopes of reaching the final.
The tournament moves toward its climax at the Taipei Dome, which is hosting the Super Round, third-place game and championship game. It is also the first international U18-level baseball tournament to use the approximately 40,000-seat venue.
Taiwan Chasing History on Home Soil
Taiwan enters the tournament as the defending champion after beating Japan 6-1 in the 2024 final.
That victory gave Taiwan its third U18 Asian championship.
Now the team is chasing something it has never achieved before:
Back-to-back U18 Asian Baseball Championship titles.
A fourth championship overall is also within reach.
With the tournament being played on home soil, Taiwan has an additional advantage — but expectations are also growing rapidly after the team’s two straight blowout victories.
The Bottom Line
Taiwan has sent a powerful message to the rest of the U18 Asian Baseball Championship after crushing Singapore 16-1 and securing its place in the Super Round.
Every starter recorded a hit, Hu Chen-jui delivered an inside-the-park home run, and Taiwan’s pitchers once again controlled the game from the mound.
After an opening loss to South Korea, the defending champions have responded with consecutive mercy-rule victories over Thailand and Singapore.
Now comes the real test.
Taiwan faces the Philippines next, followed by a blockbuster clash with Japan — and with the Super Round moving closer to the Taipei Dome, the defending champions are suddenly looking dangerous again.
Can Taiwan complete its comeback from the opening defeat and make history with its first-ever back-to-back U18 Asian championship? The next two games could decide everything.
WWC ONE MEDIA J.M.D
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