By BRETT R. CROSSLEY
WILLIAMSPORT–Sometimes it’s just your team’s day.
The Asia-Pacific pitchers combined to strikeout the first 12 batters of their game against Canada.
The offense also provided three home runs, which added up to a 10-0, five inning win over Canada during the fourth day of the 2016 Little League World Series in Williamsport.
Youbin Choi opened the game with six consecutive strikeouts for the Asia Pacific. Of the six strikeouts, five were swinging as Choi looked untouchable in the game’s early goings.
Choi recored two more to open the third before being pulled for Wontae Cho, who came on to record the Asia-Pacific’s ninth strikeout to end the inning.
In the fourth, Cho didn’t even record a ball as he fanned the side for a combined 12 strikeouts to open the game.
Not only did it shutdown Canada’s lineup, it also put the coaches in a difficult position since each player had to record a minimum of one at bat.
Cristian Santarelli was one of those batters and in the fifth. He drew a four-pitch walk to end Asia-Pacific’s bid at a combined perfect game. The no-hitter ended a batter later when Stefano Dal Sasso reached first on an infield grounder.
Jaekyeong Kim opened the fourth with a walk and quickly scored when Cho hit a triple into right field. A walk followed and Jungtaek Ru cleared the bases with a three-run home run that nearly hit cars in the parking lot outside of Volunteer Stadium.
It was more of the same in the fifth as home runs from Moosung Kim and Cho put the game out of reach. A double from Minho Choi brought the game to a close as it scored the ninth and tenth runs to enforce the 10-run-rule.
With Choi dominating Canada’s lineup, Moosung Kim and Wontae Cho connected with hits in the bottom of the second to give the Asia-Pacific a 2-0 advantage.
Kim hit a double and scored on a passed ball. Wontae hit a single and scored on Jungtaek Ru’s single a batter later.
Asia-Pacific 10, Canada 0 (5 innings)
CAN 000 00-0 1 1
AP 020 44-10 12 0
Nicola Barba, Stefano Dal Sasso (2), Sean Coventry (3), Liam MacLean (4), and Antonio Cusati. Youbin Choi, Wontae Cho (3), Jaekyeong Kim (5), and Junseo Cho.
WP: Cho. LP: Barba.
Top Canada hitters: Stefano Dal Sasso 1-2. Top Asia-Pacific hitters: Jungtaek Ru 2-3, HR, 2 runs, 4 RBI.
Records: Canada 1-1. Asia-Pacific 2-0.
