(Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail)
WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup 2025 Kicks Off in Okinawa: Korea, USA, Germany and Cuba Start Strong
The WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup 2025, presented by RAXUS, officially got underway on Friday in Naha and Itoman, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan with exciting performances on opening day.
Day 1 Results
-
Germany 5–4 Australia
-
USA 9–0 Panama
-
Korea 5–2 Puerto Rico
-
Cuba 10–0 South Africa
Two more evening games were scheduled: Japan vs. Italy at Cellular Stadium (following the Opening Ceremony) and China vs. Chinese Taipei at Nishizaki Stadium.
Korea vs. Puerto Rico: Choi’s Pitching Dominance
Puerto Rico struck early when Emanuel Hernandez launched a two-run homer in the first inning. But Korea shut the door from there.
Reliever Yohan Choi delivered a masterclass, retiring 14 consecutive batters over 4.2 no-hit innings, striking out eight on 64 pitches. Korea’s offense came alive with RBI singles from Jiho Park and Hangyeol Park, while Jaewon Oh tied the game on a fielder’s choice.
Puerto Rico’s pitchers struggled to contain Korea’s steady batting, and by the fifth inning Korea had built a 5-2 lead. Taeyang Lee closed the game with three solid outs to secure the victory.
Other Highlights
-
USA 9–0 Panama: The defending champions looked dominant in their shutout win at Cellular Stadium.
-
Germany 5–4 Australia: In a close morning clash, Germany staged a comeback to edge past Australia.
-
Cuba 10–0 South Africa: Cuba needed just five innings to finish their game under the mercy rule.
What’s Next
The Opening Ceremony took place in Naha ahead of host nation Japan vs. Italy, while China faced Chinese Taipei in Itoman.
Fans can catch all the action live on GameTime, WBSC’s OTT platform (regional restrictions apply in Taiwan, Korea, and Japan).
Standings – Opening Round (After Day 1)
Group A
-
Germany (1–0)
-
USA (1–0)
-
China (0–0)
-
Chinese Taipei (0–0)
-
Australia (0–1)
-
Panama (0–1)
Group B
(Korea, Puerto Rico, Cuba, South Africa, Japan, Italy results continue as games progress)
👉 The WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup 2025 continues through September with the world’s top young talent battling for international glory in Okinawa.
