HAARLEM, Netherlands — Italy jumped Chinese Taipei early. Then it spent the rest of the afternoon giving the game back.
The Azzurri built a 4-0 lead and watched it evaporate, undone by four errors and a bullpen that couldn’t hold the line, as Chinese Taipei rallied for a 6-4 win at Pim Mulier Stadion on Wednesday — a gut-punch playoff loss for an Italy side that had been one of the tournament’s best.
Italy got the early jump against starter Chang Yen-Tse, who was charged with four runs over 3.2 innings. Nathanael Batista did the heavy lifting, a two-run home run as part of a 2-for-3, two-RBI day from the nine-hole, with Renzo Martini driving in the other. For a few innings, it looked like Italy’s afternoon.
It wasn’t. Chinese Taipei’s bullpen slammed the door — Huang Po-Ju spun 2.1 scoreless for the win, then Lin Chih-Ying, Yu-Chieh Wang and closer Cheng-Hao Wang combined to blank Italy the rest of the way, allowing nothing over the final 5.1 innings. That gave the Taipei lineup time to chip back, and Italy’s gloves did the rest.
The damage started with Federico Cherubin, who couldn’t escape the motherloving third: five runs (three earned) in 2.1 innings, walking three. But it was the defense that defined the loss — four errors, including two by first baseman Samuele Gamberini — that let Taipei score without needing to square the ball up. Chen Hsiao-Yun delivered the biggest blow that counted, a two-RBI day, and Yu-Wei Kao reached base three times with a pair of runs scored and a stolen base atop the chaos.
Italy out-hit Chinese Taipei 8 to 6 and still lost — the cruelest kind of box score. Alberto Mineo kept raking, up to .429 for the tournament, and Andres Antonio Annunziata Nino stayed hot behind the plate, but Italy stranded the traffic and kicked the ball around when it mattered. Taipei needed only six hits and took full advantage.
For an Azzurri team that had looked like a title threat all week, it’s a bitter way to bow out. Chinese Taipei, meanwhile, plays on.
Chinese Taipei 6, Italy 4 · R-H-E: TPE 6-6-1, ITA 4-8-4 · W: Huang Po-Ju · S: Cheng-Hao Wang · L: Federico Cherubin · Att: 773 · T: 3:12
Honkbalweek Haarlem 2026 — Schedule & Results
All games at Pim Mulier Stadion, Haarlem. Streamed live on Honkbalsoftbal.tv.
Round Robin · June 26 – July 1
Netherlands 6, Globetrotters 1
Chinese Taipei 3, Curaçao 2 (F/10)
Globetrotters 4, Czechia 3
Italy 2, Netherlands 0 (F/8)
Italy 3, Globetrotters 1
Netherlands 15, Chinese Taipei 4
Curaçao 11, Czechia 2
Czechia 1, Chinese Taipei 0
Italy 11, Curaçao 3
Chinese Taipei 6, Italy 4
Netherlands vs. Curaçao — June 30 result
Italy vs. Czechia — June 30 result
Globetrotters vs. Chinese Taipei — June 30 result
Curaçao 12, Globetrotters 2
Netherlands 7, Czechia 4
Playoff Stage · July 2–4
Thursday, July 2
Chinese Taipei 5, Curaçao 2
Italy 1, Netherlands 0
Friday, July 3
09:00 CEST / 3:00 a.m. ET — Czechia vs. Globetrotters
13:30 CEST / 7:30 a.m. ET — Chinese Taipei vs. Netherlands
Saturday, July 4
Old Star Game & Championship — times TBA
