Japan easily dispatched with the Filipino national team 10-0 in last nights Asian Olympic Qualifier match up in Taichung. Starting Pitcher Wakui Hideaki breezed through six scoreless innings against a badly overmatched Philippines squad that managed only one hit. Kobayashi Masahide pitched a perfect seventh to end the game.

Despite the mismatch, it was hard not to be won over by the courageous fighting spirit of the Filipino squad, who turned in a more than respectable effort against a Japanese team billed as the most talented in the tournament.

The Japanese team features a roster stacked with All-Star talent, including the likes of Kobayashi, Yu Darvish, Norichika Aoki, and Iwase Hitoki among others. Philippines starter JonJon Robles took the loss but battled against Japan’s hitters, holding the loaded roster scoreless in the second through fourth innings despite barely cracking 114 KPH with his fastball.

In all likelihood the highlight of the night for the Philippines pitching had to be holding Aoki–considered by many Japanese baseball analysts to be the best hitter in Japan– hitless in an 0-for-5 performance, including freezing him for a called strikeout in the bottom of the sixth. The strikeout was the team’s only one in the match.

Several Filipino hitters were clearly no taller than 5ft. 5in., including first baseman Virgilio Roxas. Japanese players could be seen laughing amicably from the dugout as 2B Nishioka Tsuyoshi-listed at 180 cm. literally towered over Roxas as the first baseman held him on the bag after a first inning single. Their small stature didn’t prevent them from giving their all during the game however, particularly on one play where diminutive RF Fulgencio Rances Jr. nailed an overconfident Kawasaki Munenori with a dart of a throw as he tried to take third on a Nishioka single.

Japan takes on Korea tomorrow in what is billed as a showdown between the two most talented squads in the tournament. One has to wonder if an evening of seeing sub-80 MPH fastballs and few breaking balls might not throw off the Japanese hitter’s timing.