KU baseball travels to Taiwan next week

By Staff     Jun 29, 2018

Mike Yoder
Kansas sophomore Benjamin Sems, right, is greeted at home plate by Owen Taylor (4), center, and James Cosentino (9) left, after Sems hit a home run in the 5th inning to give KU a 2-1 lead against West Virginia, Sunday at Hoglund Ballpark. The Jayhawks won the game 5-2 with additional home runs from both Cosentino and Taylor.

The Kansas baseball team will fly to Taiwan next week to compete on the diamond.

On Friday, the International University Sports Federation finalized the sixth World University Baseball Championship, which includes the Jayhawks, who will represent the United States. Kansas begins competition against Hong Kong on Thursday, July 5.

The WUBC runs through July 15 in Chiayi, Taiwan, at the Chiayi City Baseball Field. The pool play format is set up with eight teams divided into two groups. Group A consists of Taiwan, Korea, Czech Republic and Australia. Meanwhile, Group B comprises of Japan, United States (Kansas), Russia and Hong Kong.

Each team will play three games during pool play before moving to the second phase of the championship that features a super round and consolation round July 11-13. The third phase, the finals, will be July 14-15 and decides first through eighth place.

Kansas squares off against Hong Kong at 8 p.m. (CT) Thursday. The second game of pool play takes place Sunday, July 8 at 12 a.m. (CT) against Japan. The third contest will be against Russia on Monday, July 9, which is also at 12 a.m. (CT).

The games will all be live streamed in some facet on a combination of sources, with more information to follow.

A total of 22 student-athletes are allowed to participate for each team. For Kansas, only U.S. citizens can compete, with incoming freshmen and transfers qualifying. An official USA Team roster will be released prior to the start of the competition on Wednesday, July 4.

The United States has won three gold medals and two silver medals in the event, which is more than any other participating country. That includes taking home the crown in 2004, 2006 and 2008.

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