Kaohsiung Advances to Semifinals as Freshman Lefty Chiu Hsiao-Yu Suppresses Taoyuan in Yu-Shan Cup

(CNA reporter Hsieh Ching-wen, New Taipei, June 17) In the Yu-Shan Cup youth baseball tournament, Kaohsiung's freshman left-handed pitcher Chiu Hsiao-Yu showcased exceptional composure and control. Coming in as a reliever today, Chiu pitched five scoreless innings, shutting down the powerful Taoyuan lineup and leading his team to a 9-2 victory and advancement to the semifinals. Chiu, who adjusted his release point from over-the-top to three-quarters sidearm, has shown promising results and is considered a key developmental pitcher for the team.

In the 115th Yu-Shan Cup youth baseball tournament, Kaohsiung faced Taoyuan in a losers' bracket matchup. After trailing 0-2 through the first two innings, Kaohsiung brought in freshman left-hander Chiu Hsiao-Yu in the top of the third inning. Despite issuing a walk and allowing a long hit early, Chiu escaped the jam with strikeouts and held the opposition scoreless.

Chiu grew increasingly dominant, throwing a total of 79 pitches over five innings. He allowed only four hits, recorded three strikeouts and three walks, and gave up no runs—earning the win with a commanding performance.

Kaohsiung head coach Shih Hung-chieh said, "We initially planned for Chiu to pitch about two innings, but he became more and more stable, so we decided to entrust him with finishing the game."

Coach Shih highlighted Chiu's pitching strengths: "His three-quarters release point is unique. The angle and movement of his pitches make it difficult for batters to adjust. He showed great poise and leadership in critical moments."

Chiu revealed that he previously pitched over-the-top before high school but switched to a three-quarters sidearm delivery on his coach's advice after entering high school. "The adjustment worked well, and I've grown more confident. I don't have many pitches yet, but my fastball is my most reliable pitch," he said.

In their previous Yu-Shan Cup meeting, Chiu had a disappointing outing against Taoyuan. "I was too tense and couldn't relax. This time, I was still nervous, but my seniors kept encouraging me. I stopped overthinking, just focused on throwing strikes and letting the defense back me up. I didn't aim for strikeouts," Chiu recalled.

Chiu's idol is MLB star Shohei Ohtani. "Ohtani excels both as a pitcher and hitter, and he has incredible mental strength. He delivers consistent performances in every game—he's an outstanding player," Chiu said. (Edited by Chang Ming-kun) 1150617

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