Max Stagg’s Four-Hit Game Sends Australia Past Chinese Taipei 4-0

Max Stagg collected four hits and three Australian pitchers combined on a four-hit shutout as Australia beat Chinese Taipei 4-0 at the 2026 WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup in Nicaragua. The victory moved Australia to 3-1 and into first place in Pool A, strengthening its position in the race for one of three Super Round berths.

Australia outhit world No. 2 Chinese Taipei 11-4 on Monday, November 9. Stagg supplied the most productive game of the lineup, while Lachlan Rosser, Will Page-Allen and Lachlan Brook kept Chinese Taipei scoreless across seven innings.

Stagg sparks Australia after scoreless start

The game remained scoreless through three innings, with Rosser matching Chinese Taipei starter Chin-Hao Huang. Australia finally broke through in the fourth after Stagg opened the inning with a single and Quinn Johnson reached on an error.

Josh Nati brought Stagg home on a fielder’s choice before Darcy Barry followed with an RBI single for a 2-0 lead.

Australia doubled its advantage in the fifth. Nikau Pouaka-Grego led off with a double, and John Lemm drove him in with a triple. Stagg then added another single to score Lemm and make it 4-0.

Stagg finished with four hits. Lemm went 2-for-4 with a triple and an RBI, continuing a strong tournament in which he leads the field in hits. Solomon Maguire, Pouaka-Grego, Johnson, Barry and Callum Donnelly also recorded hits for Australia.

Three pitchers combine for four-hit shutout

Rosser worked the first three innings, allowing two hits and two walks while striking out one. Page-Allen and Brook each followed with two scoreless innings to complete the shutout.

The trio allowed six walks but repeatedly escaped trouble, combining for seven strikeouts and holding Chinese Taipei to four hits. It was Australia’s second shutout of the tournament after Brook and Page-Allen combined to hold Nicaragua scoreless in the opener.

Australia takes control of Pool A race

Australia’s 3-1 record puts it on top of Pool A with head-to-head victories over Nicaragua, Puerto Rico and Chinese Taipei. The top three teams from each six-team group advance to the Super Round.

The result was also an immediate response to Australia’s 9-6 loss against Czechia one day earlier. Australia now closes the opening round against Panama, with qualification still dependent on the remaining results and any necessary tiebreakers.

For Chinese Taipei, the loss dropped its record to 2-2 and increased the pressure around its final group-stage game.