SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Kuei-Shan Little League is ready to make another run through the bracket at the Little League World Series, only this time it’s hoping for a happier ending.
The team from Taoyuan, Taiwan, that came into South Williamsport last year with the hardest-throwing pitcher and left with third place in the tournament is back, again under the leadership of manager Lee Cheng-Ta, but the roster is drastically different.
There are no returning players — none. But that isn’t a worry for Cheng-Ta. “There’s no one ace for the team and everyone is contributing,” Cheng-Ta said through an interpreter.
Wanting to follow in the footsteps of last year’s team, Taiwan has trained hard to make another trip to the tournament that opens Wednesday (Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024, PH time) with four games scheduled, including Taiwan against Canada on the international side of the bracket.
Last year, Taiwan outscored its three opponents 25-1 headed into championship weekend, thanks in large part to pitching ace Fan Chen-Jun. But Taiwan got only one hit in a 2-0 loss to Curacao in the semifinals to end the nation’s hopes of winning its first LLWS title since 1996. / AP