Team Taiwan have concluded their World Baseball Classic (WBC) Pool C campaign with a 2-2 record, leaving their fate dependent on the outcome of this evening’s showdown between South Korea and Australia.
With undefeated Japan (3-0) already qualified for the quarter-finals in Miami, Florida, and the Czech Republic (0-3) eliminated, tonight’s game is to decide the final remaining berth in the group.
Photo: AFP
The path for Australia is simple: A win over South Korea guarantees them a spot in the next round.
However, for Taiwan to advance, the team needs a mathematical miracle involving a South Korean victory.
To ensure Taiwan advances at the top of the tie-break, tonight’s game must fall within a narrow scoring window: In a nine-inning game, South Korea must defeat Australia while scoring at least eight runs, and Australia must score at least three.
According to WBC tie-breaker rules, when teams are tied, the winner of their head-to-head matchup earns the higher seed.
Given Taiwan’s 0-3 loss to Australia and 5-4 win against South Korea, a South Korean victory would create a three-way tie at 2-2.
In this scenario, where no single team has beaten both of the others, the tie is broken by a defensive run quotient.
Under tournament regulations, the tied teams shall be ranked in the standings according to the lowest quotient of fewest runs allowed, divided by the number of defensive outs recorded in the games between the tied teams.
In its games against Australia and South Korea, Taiwan allowed seven runs over 54 defensive outs, locking in its quotient at 0.129.
In the previous five editions of the WBC, Taiwan has advanced to the quarter-finals only once in 2013.