Japan is your 2024 Haarlem Honkbalweek champions, having defeated the United States in the final game 10-4.
This ended an impressive run for them, as Japan finished undefeated and received the gold medal.
The game started with a bang, as Japan got three runs off Ryan Borberg. Taiga Kojima knocked in two with a single, and Kengo Yanagidate delivered one more with a sacrifice fly.
The U.S. scored in the top of the second inning with a leadoff single by Kainen Jorge, a one-out walk by Blaise Priester, and a single down the right-field line by Cole Bullen to drive in Jorge and move Priester to third. Gehrig Goldbeck scored Priester, the next at-bat with a fielder choice. The US bounced back, cutting into the Japan lead, making it 3-2.
Japan’s starting pitcher, Yuto Nakamura, went five innings but allowed four earned runs on three hits and two walks. Nakamura struck out eight hitters in his outing.
The U.S. starting pitcher, Ryan Borberg, only went three innings, allowing three earned runs on four hits. Borberg did not walk any hitters and struck out three.
The U.S. took the lead in the top of the fifth on a two-run home run by Jake Munroe. After going quietly in the bottom of the fifth, Japan responded strongly in the bottom of the sixth with six runs.
Kengo Yanagidate started the inning with a single and was immediately driven in with a two-run home run by Ayuto Matsushita. Japan kept it going with an RBI double by Shu Yamagata. Yamagata was later driven in on a single through the right side by Misho Nishikawa.
Seiya Watanabe knocked in two runs with a base knock in the next at bat. Japan added to their lead in the bottom of the eighth on another RBI single by Seiya Watanabe, making the score 10-4. It would stay that way as Japanese reliever Yuya Fujii closed the game out in the ninth in his third inning of work, delivering Japan the 2024 Honkbal Championship.
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Photo Credit: Haarlem Honkbal (Helene Weisen)
