Yuki Saito was such a certainty to take the mound against South Korea that Japan manager Tamotsu Enomoto forgot to tell him.
Luckily, Saito was ready just in case.
Saito threw six shutout innings and Hayata Ito and Shota Ishimine powered Japan with a pair of two-run home runs in a 4-0 victory over South Korea at the World University Baseball Championship at Jingu Stadium on Friday.