Draft left-hander Choi Dae-eo Junsung Park, national team's no-hit KKKK show of force against South Africa, Oh Jae-won and Ahn Ji-won's four hits and seven RBIs
Sep 11, 2025
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Junsung Park took the mound as relief in Game 3 of the 32nd World Youth Baseball Championship (under 18) opening round against South Africa at Cellula Stadium in Okinawa, Japan, on the 10th, and gave up only one walk in two ⅔, leading the team to a 17-0 and 5th inning with no hits and no runs.
South Korea was leading 13-0 until the beginning of the third round of the preliminary round against South Africa on the 7th, but suddenly it became a suspended game due to heavy rain.
The Korean batters of Oh Jae-won (Yoo Jae-won 3), Um Jun-sang (Deoksu 2), Shin Jae-in (Yoo Jae-in 3), Kim Ji-seok (Incheon High School 3), Ha Hyun-seung (Busan High School 2), Ahn Ji-won (Busan High School 3), Kim Gun-hwi (Chungam High School 3), Lee Yeon-woo (Convention High School 3), and Park Ji-ho (Gunsan Sangil High School 3) scored 12 points in both the first and second innings. He also added one run in the top of the third inning.
South Korean starter Kim Yo-el pitched well in two innings with one hit, no four outs, no three strikeouts and no runs. In the bottom of the first inning, South Africa's leadoff hitter Hashim struck out, and second batter McKenzie received a heavy hit, which was the only hit of the day, but catcher Lee Yeon-woo stole McKenzie's steal at second base and deleted the runner. He struck out No. 3 hitter Oh Gil to end the first inning. Kim Yo-el, who also blocked him with three outs in the second inning, handed over the mound to Junsung Park in the bottom of the third inning, and the game was suspended due to heavy rain during the match against Wallen No. 9 after two outs.
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The South Korean batters added four more runs in the top of the fourth inning with a walk and a pitch, a hit by Heo Yoon and a double by Ahn Ji-won, taking advantage of the opposing pitcher's poor control.
South Korea completed the cold game in the fifth inning when Shin Jae-in, who took the mound after Junsung Park caught two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning, struck out the last batter.
Top hitter Oh Jae-won, who is considered the biggest outfielder in the draft, led the lineup with two hits, one walk, two RBIs and one run from four times at bat. No. 5 Ha Hyun-seung scored two RBIs and two runs, and No. 6 Ahn Ji-won had two hits and five RBIs in three at-bats.
South Korea, which confirmed its advance to the Super Round with a big victory against Cuba the previous day, will play the first Super Round match against Taiwan at 6:30 p.m. on the 11th at Nishijaki Stadium in Okinawa. The match will be held against the U.S. at 6:30 p.m. on the 12th and against Panama at 6:30 p.m. on the 13th.
There are a total of six teams that will advance to the Super Round. Group A is No. 1 Japan (2 wins), No. 2 Korea (1-1), No. 3 Puerto Rico (2 losses), No. 1 U.S. (2 wins), No. 2 Taiwan (1-1), and No. 3 Panama (2 losses). Six countries made it to the Super Round. The first and second places in the Super Round will play the final, and the third and fourth places will play the bronze medal match.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
