SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) — Liu Wei-Heng pitched 5 1/3 innings to help Taiwan beat Aruba 1-0 in their Little League World Series international semifinal on Saturday, giving Taiwan a chance to win its first LLWS title since 1996.
The Taiwanese will play the winner of the U.S. semifinal between Connecticut and Nevada.
In a game dominated by defense, Chen Shi-Hong opened up the third inning with a full-count walk. He advanced on a passed ball and a single, then scored on an errant throw from third baseman Liam Peña Caraballo to first.
Facing runners on second and third with nobody out, Aruba pitcher Jayderick Wederfoor limited the damage by escaping the jam.
Taiwan has won 17 Little League World Series titles — including five straight from 1977 to 1981 — the most of any country besides the United States. Aruba was trying for its first championship appearance.
Liu allowed four hits and struck out seven, leading his team from Taipei to its third shutout in four games at the tournament.
Aruba threatened in its last at-bat when Emerson Mercado hit a leadoff single and advanced on a passed ball. Liam drew a one-out walk, and the runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt. But Chen Qi-Sheng struck out Prinze Kingsale, ending the game.
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Alexandra Wenskoski and Amanda Vogt are students in the John Curley Center for Sports Journalism at Penn State.
