New Taipei City scored three runs on just one hit in the fourth inning, then made the lead stand up to win the 70th PONY League World Series championship. Lee, Cheng-Yen doubled with one out. Shih, Cheng-Yu was hit by a pitch, then both runners advanced with stolen bases. Sun, Kai-You hit a grounder to third but the throw to the plate was too late to get Lee. Yang, Wen-Wai hit into a force play at second, scoring Shih, and later scored on a fielding error. NTC added its final run an inning later. Hong, Wei-Zhe. Hong singled with one out and moved to third on a double by Lin, Xin-Hong. Lee grounded softly to short, scoring Hong.
Monterrey scored its only run in the fifth. Roy Kim walked with one out, moved to second on Diego Alvarado’s basehit and both moved up 80 feet when Isai Garza drew a walk. After a strikeout, Yosiro Eguia singled to score Kim before another strikeout left the bases loaded.
Lu, Guan-Wei got the win, working 3.2 innings, scattering five hits and striking out three. Lee, Cheng Yen worked the final 2.2 innings, allowing two singles and striking out seven to pick up the title game save. Lu made four appearances in the World Series, a total of 11.0 innings and did not allow an earned run. The championship is the 11th all-time for teams from Taiwan, all since 1994. They have won five straight World Series in which they’ve appeared, 2015-2016, 2018-2019, 2022.
The World Series Batting championship went to Aiden Revette (Bay County, MI) who was 8-for-13 (.615) with 8 singles and 3 RBI. The John D. Voytek Award, presented to Washington County’s leading hitter, went to L.J. Zidek who went 9-for-18 (.500) with a home run., two triples (tying a PLWS record), 6 runs scored and 5 RBI.
The ERA award was decided by a tie-breaker between Israel Herrera (Monterrey) and Lu, Guan-Wei. Neither allowed an earned run and pitched the minimum required 5.0 innings. Herrera allowed only 4 hits in his work and was named the winner.