Shugo Maki Delivers Key Hit in Japan's Triumph Over South Korea in the Premier12

Shugo Maki picked up where he left off in the Japan Series to lead defending champion Samurai Japan to a 6-3 win over rival South Korea in the opening round of the Premier12 tournament on Friday, November 15.

The Yokohama DeNA infielder played a key role in leading the BayStars to the Japan Series championship less than two weeks ago.

He was back at it on Friday night at Taipei Dome, hitting a clutch bases-loaded single in the fifth inning to score two runs and give Japan a 4-2 lead.

"We battled to the very end and I am happy to contribute to the win," said Maki.

Shota Morishita, one of the hottest hitters for Japan so far in the tourney, belted a two-run homer in the seventh to widen Japan's lead to 6-3.

Solid Pitching for Japan in Premier12 Showdown

Japan starter Hiroto Takahashi struck out eight batters while giving up two runs on seven hits over four complete innings.

Chihiro Sumida picked up the win after striking out six and giving up one run over three innings in relief. Taisei Ota retired the side in order in the ninth.

South Korea took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Chang Ki Hong singled to center, scoring Dong Won Park.

Japan pulled ahead 2-1 in the next inning on a Kotaro Kurebayashi single to left, scoring runners from second and third.

Park hit a solo homer to left in the top of the fourth to tie the game at 2-2 and South Korea took a 3-2 lead in the fifth on a Dong Hee Yoon double to center.

Top-ranked Japan improved to 2-0 in the preliminary round. Samurai Japan won its opening game by a score of 9-3 over Australia on Wednesday, November 13 in Nagoya.

A Look Ahead at the Premier12

Japan next faces Taiwan on Saturday at Taipei Dome, while South Korea plays the Dominican Republic.

South Korea (1-2) defeated Cuba 8-4 on Thursday following a 6-3 loss to Taiwan in a tournament-opening game on Wednesday.

For South Korea, its second loss of the opening round jeopardizes its chances of advancing to the next round.

Friday's matchup at Taipei Dome was a showdown between the tournament's previous champions.

Samurai Japan won the tournament in 2019 while South Korea lifted the trophy in 2015 in the inaugural event.

Since 2011, Japan has a 23-11 record against South Korea at all levels in international tournaments. The senior team has now won nine games in a row against South Korea.

A Quick Primer on the Premier12

The Premier12 tournament features the top 12 national baseball teams determined by the World Baseball and Softball Confederation's ranking system at the end of 2023.

In the opening round, two groups of six teams are playing a round robin format with the top two teams from each group advancing to the Super Round.

Japan is in Group B along with Taiwan, South Korea, the Dominican Republic, Australia and Cuba. 

Group A features teams from the United States, Mexico, Venezuela, Panama, the Netherlands and Puerto Rico. 

In the November 21-23 Super Round at Tokyo Dome, the top two teams from each group will play a round robin. At the end of this round, the standings to play in the Finals will be determined based exclusively on results of the Super Round games.

In the Premier12 Finals on November 24, also at Tokyo Dome, the first- and second-place teams will play in the championship final while the third- and fourth-place teams will compete for the bronze medal.

Samurai Japan, guided by manager Hirokazu Iabata, has selected a relatively young team for this tournament as it builds for the 2026 World Baseball Classic where it hopes to defend the title it won in 2023.

RELATED:

• [ODDS and EVENS] A Singular Focus Lifted the BayStars to the Top in 2024
• [NPB NOTEBOOK] Samurai Japan Pitchers Impress in a Combined Perfect Game Against Team Europe
• Samurai Japan Wins Asia Professional Baseball Championship in Hirokazu Ibata's Managerial Debut

Author: Jim Armstrong

The author is a longtime journalist who has covered sports in Japan for over 25 years. You can find his articles on SportsLook.