Australia's under-19s softball team have defeated Japan to claim the title of junior men's softball world champions for the fifth time.
The Junior Steelers beat the highly-fancied Japanese 6-1 in the final on Sunday, with pitcher Layton Reid producing a no-hitter and striking out 15 batters in Saskatchewan, Canada.
"This is a fantastic result for the boys and we are all incredibly proud of their achievements across the whole week, but especially in the finals," Softball Australia Chief Executive David Pryles said in a statement on Monday.
"Credit must also be given to the coaching and support staff who have supported the team tirelessly in the lead up and throughout the tournament."
The sixth-ranked Junior Steelers were no match for Japan in the group round, but got the better of their Asian opponents 4-2 in the semi-finals.
Japan then made the most of their second chance to reach the final with a 5-3 victory over New Zealand.
New Zealand finished in third place, with Canada rounding out the top four.
