South Korea cops 2 titles in L League regional tiff

MANILA, Philippines - South Korea ended the Little League Asia Pacific and Middle East Regional Tournament with a bang, copping the majors and intermediate 50/70 baseball titles yesterday at Clark Parade Grounds.

The Koreans pulled off a giant 4-2 upset of Japan, the 2013 world champions in the 11-13 age bracket, to kick start an explosive final day.

Hours later, the Koreans annexed the crown in the centerpiece Little League Baseball play, dispatching Hong Kong in a one-sided, rain-delayed finale, 11-0.

As Aspac champs, Korea will represent the region in the LLB World Series on Aug. 14-24 in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania and in the Intermediate Baseball World Series on July 29-Aug. 4 in Livermore, California.

Chinese-Taipei captured its second crown in the weeklong tourney after reigning in the juniors. The Taiwanese beat Hong Kong, 7-0, to grab a ticket to the worlds on Aug. 10-16 in Taylor, Michigan. Taiwan’s Big Leaguers had swept their side of the competition the other day.

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands rounded out the winners’ circle after edging Guam for the seniors plum, 8-6. The Marianas batters will play in the world meet on Aug. 10-16 in Bangor, Maine.

The Philippines capped its hosting with a silver medal for Tanauan in Minor League Baseball, a friendly competition featuring Japan and four Filipino squads. The Tanauenos, slowed down by errors, bowed to the Japanese, 2-6, in their title duel.

Japan capitalized on the Pinoy batters’ three miscues to score three runs in the fourth inning then reliever Yuichi Ota struck out six of the eight batters he faced from the fifth stanza on to preserve the W.

Despite the shut-out in baseball, the Phl could still consider it a successful campaign in the competition that drew close to 1,000 players from 52 squads from 16 countries with its clean sweep of the softball plum the previous days.

Iloilo dominated major and junior league softball plays while first timer GK Smokey Mountain emerged victorious in seniors and former world champ Manila South stamped its class in Big League.

The Ilonggas will play in the LLS WS on Aug. 7-13 in Portland, Oregon and in the JLS worlds on Aug. 10-16 in Kirkland, Washington. Smokey Mountain and Manila will represent Aspac in the JLS and BLS world meets on Aug. 3-9 in Lower Sussex, Delaware.