TAIPEI: South Korea was eliminated in the opening stage of the World Baseball Softball Confederation Premier12 on Sunday, preceding what will now be its inconsequential final group phase game. The team's fate was determined during its offday in Taipei, where Japan edged out Cuba 7-6, and Chinese Taipei secured a victory over Australia 11-3 in Group B competitions. According to Yonhap News Agency, these outcomes ensured Japan and Chinese Taipei's advancement to the Super Round as the top contenders from Group B. They will be joined by leading teams from Group A, Venezuela and the United States, in Tokyo later this week. South Korea, standing at 2-2, is set to face Australia in its final game on Monday at Taipei Tianmu Baseball Stadium. However, even a victory will not elevate their position beyond third place. South Korea commenced the tournament with a 6-3 defeat to Chinese Taipei but managed to recover with an 8-4 win against Cuba. Despite taking early leads against Japan, they suffered a 6-3 loss, though they made an impressive comeback from a 6-0 deficit to overcome the Dominican Republic 9-6, keeping their hopes alive until Sunday's results extinguished them. In a hypothetical scenario where South Korea wins and Chinese Taipei loses to Cuba on Monday, both teams would have a 3-2 record. However, Chinese Taipei holds the tiebreaker, having defeated South Korea earlier. South Korea, the inaugural Premier12 champion in 2015 and runner-up in 2019, fielded a youthful squad this year. The 28-man roster, with 18 players aged 25 or younger, reflects the Korea Baseball Organization's strategy to develop talent for future international competitions, including the 2026 World Baseball Classic and the 2028 Summer Olympics. Veteran players, such as former major league pitchers Ryu Hyun-jin and Kim Kwang-hyun, were excluded in favor of providing international exposure to younger athletes. The team's position core was spearheaded by Kia Tigers' Kim Do-yeong, a standout performer with notable statistics and achievements in the KBO. Despite having a promising bullpen, the team's lack of starting pitching depth was exposed, with injuries affecting key young pitchers. This resulted in no starter lasting beyond four innings in any of the games, thereby overburdening the bullpen. Ko Young-pyo, the oldest pitcher in the squad, struggled against Chinese Taipei, while other young starters faced similar challenges in subsequent games. The team had to rely heavily on relievers, showcasing both the potential and limitations of the youthful roster.