Yen Hao-en's 2 Hits and 3 RBIs Lead Kaohsiung to Semifinals at the 115th Yu-Shan Cup Youth Baseball Tournament

(Taipei, New Taipei City, June 17 — Reporter Hsieh Ching-wen) In a crucial rematch at the Yu-Shan Cup Youth Baseball Tournament, Kaohsiung City faced off against Taoyuan City and emerged victorious with a 9-2 win, propelled by catcher Yen Hao-en’s two hits and three RBIs. Kaohsiung seized the lead in the fourth inning by capitalizing on two defensive errors from Taoyuan, scoring four runs and shifting the momentum decisively in their favor.

Earlier in the 115th Yu-Shan Cup preliminary round, Kaohsiung had lost 5-12 to Taoyuan. In today’s rematch, Taoyuan scored two runs in the bottom of the second inning. However, Kaohsiung responded in the top of the fourth, taking advantage of two fielding errors in one inning. Yen Hao-en delivered a timely hit to tie the game, followed by a go-ahead double by Chuan Yung-lo, giving Kaohsiung a 4-2 lead.

Kaohsiung extended their lead in the top of the sixth inning. After drawing a walk and a double by Yen Hao-en, they added another run. With two outs, Jiang Chen-ting-wei singled to increase the lead. A hit-by-pitch and consecutive hits sparked a rally, with ten batters coming to the plate and five runs scored, solidifying their commanding position.

This marks Kaohsiung’s first semifinal appearance since 2021. Head coach Shih Hung-chieh credited the win to the team’s mental resilience: "Although we fell behind early, the players quickly adjusted their mindset and capitalized on the opponent’s mistakes to connect their offensive plays."

Having previously lost to Taoyuan, this rematch in the elimination bracket brought added pressure. Shih stated, "We didn’t change our approach—just encouraged the players to treat every game as their last and give their all. Reaching the semifinals is just one step. We’ll take it one game at a time and see how far we can go."

Yen Hao-en, a sophomore catcher batting fifth today, went 2-for-4 with three RBIs. Shih praised his performance: "Yen has excellent composure under pressure and the ability to deliver in clutch moments. Offensively, he’s a central figure in our lineup, and defensively, his game-calling and pickoff skills are strong. He’s a key player we’re developing for the future." (Edited by Li Hsi-chang) 1150617