Curacao outlasts Taiwan in Little League World Series semis - ESPN

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Jay-Dlynn Wiel and Nasir El-Ossais got back-to-back singles off Taiwanese ace Fan Chen-Jun and later scored, leading Curacao to a 2-0 victory over Taiwan on Saturday in the semifinals of the Little League World Series.

Taiwan came into the game having outscored its opponents 25-1 in its three previous outings at the tournament, but Curacao — which lost 9-1 to Taiwan on Wednesday — kept the Taiwanese bats quiet until the Caribbean team broke through.

«I'm very proud of these guys,» Curacao manager Zaino Everett said. «When you put the ball in play, you are going to put some runs on the board. Here we are, international champs.»

Fan came in for the bottom of the fourth to face Curacao's top of the lineup. Fan hadn't allowed a hit all tournament, but Jay-Dlynn hit a hard grounder into left field and Nasir followed with a single to right.

After a steal from Jay-Dlynn, Curacao had runners at first and third when Joshua Acosta Fernandez laid down a bunt. The bunt had Fan, third baseman Liu You-An and catcher Chen Kai-Sheng confused on who was covering home and who was taking the ball. Liu took the ball and overthrew Chen, allowing Jay-Dlynn to score.

Chen threw the ball back to Fan, but it was another overthrow and Nasir scored from first, making it a 2-0 game.

«Liu was supposed to field that one,» Taiwan manager Lee Cheng-Ta said. «They were supposed to send it to first base or home base. They made a wrong choice. Even then, after the wrong choice, they made a bad throw. They're just kids.»

Curacao will play the winner of the semifinal in the U.S. bracket, between California and Texas, later Saturday.

Curacao is back in the championship after losing to Hawaii 13-3 in the title game last year.