The Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, delivered a story for the ages as Taiwan captured its first championship since 1996, shutting out Nevada 7-0 in a dazzling display of pitching, defense, and timely hitting. The victory on August 24, 2025, not only ended a 29-year title drought for the Taiwanese team but also secured their 18th overall Little League crown—second only to the United States in total championships.
At the heart of Taiwan’s triumph stood 12-year-old Lin Chin-Tse, a right-handed pitcher from Taipei whose performance electrified Lamade Stadium and stunned the Nevada squad. Lin retired the first 13 batters he faced, allowing just one hit over five nearly flawless innings. His fastball, which zipped past 80 mph several times during the tournament, looked even faster from the 46-foot mound to the plate—a distance that makes every pitch a challenge for young hitters.
"I am very excited," Lin said through an interpreter after the game. "In the first inning, I was very nervous, but after that it was smooth." That calm under pressure paid off in the biggest moments. Lin not only dominated on the mound but also delivered with his bat, smashing a three-run triple in the fifth inning that broke the game open and put Taiwan ahead 5-0. The crowd roared as the bases cleared, and Nevada’s hopes faded with each passing out.
How did Lin develop such power and poise at such a young age? The answer lies partly in his family’s unique athletic pedigree. Lin’s father, Lin Shih-Hua, is a 56-year-old coach for Taiwan’s national boxing team. Drawing from his boxing background, Lin’s dad incorporated rigorous cardio and running routines into his son’s baseball training. "He used the physical training part for boxing to train him on the baseball part," said Kenny Yen, an interpreter assisting the Taiwanese team. Lin Shih-Hua himself added, "A lot of running. A lot of cardio." It’s no wonder Lin’s legs and delivery are so explosive—he’s been put through the paces by a national-level coach since he was in third grade.
Despite his father’s efforts to encourage him into the boxing ring, Lin Chin-Tse always preferred the camaraderie of team sports. "He doesn't like boxing," Lin Shih-Hua shared. "He likes team sports, so baseball has a lot of teammates. And when it's boxing, he feels by himself. He wants to be a part of a team." That team-first mentality was evident throughout Taiwan’s run in the tournament.
Manager Lai Min-Nan, who has coached Little League for over two decades and led teams to Chinese Taipei championships in 2003, 2008, 2015, 2017, and now 2025, built this squad around a philosophy of defense and pitching. "Leverage the defense as the offense. If the other team cannot get any runs, there’s no way they can win this tournament," Lai explained. The strategy worked to perfection: Taiwan allowed only three runs in the entire tournament, all of them coming in a single 7-3 victory over Venezuela. In Williamsport, the Taiwanese recorded four shutouts in five games—a testament to their discipline and depth on the mound.
The championship game itself was a masterclass in execution. Taiwan capitalized on four wild pitches and a passed ball, manufacturing runs with aggressive baserunning and alert play. Jian Zih-De worked a walk in the second inning and scored when he beat the throw home on a wild pitch. In the third, Chen Shi-Rong sprinted home on a Nevada throwing error. By the time Lin’s triple cleared the bases in the fifth, the writing was on the wall.
Nevada, making its first-ever appearance in the Little League World Series final, fought valiantly but couldn’t solve Lin’s electric fastball or the airtight Taiwanese defense. Their lone highlight came when Garrett Gallegos broke up Lin’s perfect game with a single in the fifth inning, only to be erased in a double play moments later. After the game, Nevada manager T.J. Fescher reflected, "I think you will judge this whole story, not by this one last chapter, but the whole book here. They will be heroes upon arrival in Las Vegas."
Lin’s journey to the mound in Williamsport was supported every step of the way by his family. His grandmother, Yu Pei-Ying, beamed with pride, saying, "He works really, really hard and he's been thinking about coming to the U.S to play ball. And he finally achieved that. That was his goal." Lin’s younger sister, Lin Yen-Hsi, was most proud of her brother’s first home run earlier in the tournament—a sign of just how much the family cherishes each milestone.
Off the field, Lin is inspired by MLB superstar Ronald Acuña Jr., and dreams of one day playing baseball in the United States. He’s even eager to learn English, hoping to connect with new friends and teammates as he chases his ambitions. The family’s journey to Williamsport was also a first for many of them, making the victory lap around Lamade Stadium with the championship banner all the more special.
Manager Lai Min-Nan’s leadership has been instrumental in shaping this group of young athletes. Having come close in 2015, only to be eliminated by Mexico, Lai knew this year’s team had something special. "When the group was in fourth grade, Lin Chin-Tse recalled they probably won one tournament out of 20 or 30. But their coach thought they might be something in 2 or 3 years." That patience and belief paid off handsomely in 2025.
The championship also shone a light on the unsung heroes of the team, like catcher Tsai Yu-Ge, who handled Lin’s blistering fastballs throughout the tournament. "Try to catch (that) in that short distance. Nobody wants to. Even the coach will say, ‘I’m not gonna do it.’ He’s the guy who will say, ‘I’ll do it,’" said team interpreter Phillip Chang. For Chang and manager Lai, Tsai was the team’s MVP in spirit.
This year’s Little League World Series wasn’t just about crowning a champion. It also saw a renewed push for youth sports participation, with the Aspen Institute and Little League announcing a joint initiative to raise youth involvement in sports to 63% by 2030, up from 55%. "The ultimate goal is creating a sports system that is anchored in the rights of children that recognizes that every child has a right to play," said Tom Farrey, executive director of the Aspen Institute Sports and Society program.
As the Taiwanese players celebrated, tossing gloves and piling onto the mound, it was clear this victory was about more than just a trophy. It was about family, teamwork, and the dreams that take shape on little league fields around the world. For Lin Chin-Tse and his teammates, the journey isn’t over—it’s just beginning, with new goals and bigger dreams on the horizon.
