*This content was translated by AI.
As soon as the last out count filled the electronic display and the myth of advancing to the quarterfinals of the World Baseball Classic (WBC) for the first time in 17 years, all the players' eyes turned to one place. In the joy of winning, the first place the players ran was Lee Jung-hoo (28, San Francisco Giants) of the outfield, not the mound or dugout.
The Korean baseball team, led by head coach Ryu Ji-hyun (55), beat Australia 7-2 in the fourth Group C match of the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) at Tokyo Dome, Japan, at 7 p.m. on the 9th.
In fact, it was difficult for Korea to advance to the quarterfinals ahead of the match against Australia. In addition to having to catch Australia, the team with a low run rate had to meet all the conditions of "winning by more than five points" along with "less than two runs" as the team with a low run rate went up according to the tournament regulations.
But a miracle happened. With solid mound management, the Australian batting line was tightly tied to two points, and the batting line showed concentration and scored seven points. As soon as the final out count was taken on the electronic display and the 7-2 victory was confirmed, the brutal history of WBC, which has plagued Korean baseball for 17 years, finally came to an end.
After Moon Bo-kyung caught the last out count in the ninth inning with a fly ball, players poured out of the dugout. After everyone hugged and shared their joy, center fielder Park Hae-min, Ahn Hyun-min, Ko Woo-seok, Moon Bo-kyung, and Jeomai Jones all sprinted to the outfield and surrounded Lee Jung-hoo. The players shared the joy of victory by lifting up Lee Jung-hoo. It seemed to be a sign of respect for him, who struggled by encouraging his juniors as the leader of the national team, leaving behind the brilliant title of Major Leaguer.
Lee Jung-hoo, the leader of the team, eventually collapsed due to the hot celebration of his colleagues. Lee Jung-hoo shed tears, covering his face with his glove, as if he could not control his overwhelming emotions. It was a moment when the pressure I felt as the leader of the national team was washed away with the miraculous advance to the quarterfinals due to consecutive losses against Japan and Taiwan.
In the end, the national team was reborn as a "one team" through the central point of "Lee Jung-hoo." This is also the reason why head coach Ryu Ji-hyun picked Lee Jung-hoo as the captain because he can encompass both overseas and domestic teams.
Moon Bo-kyung, who hit hard with four RBIs, including one home run, said firmly after the game when asked if there was a major league player he would like to see if he went to the U.S. from the mixed zone. I'm really happy to play baseball with Jung-hoo. Actually, I've been on a different team since my brother was in Korea, but it's good to play on the same team. "I think I'm so happy to play baseball with overseas players such as Germay Jones, Witcom, and (Kim) Hye-sung," he said with a smile.
Lee Jung-hoo also said in an interview after the game, "I'll fly to the United States on a chartered plane, and the flight time will be shortened, but I think that's really big because I've experienced what major league players can enjoy. He even said, "It can be a greater motivation, and I will experience things that I haven't really done, but I hope that I will motivate a lot and create more major league players through those things."
The national team, which overcame many criticisms and concerns immediately after the match against Taiwan on the 8th, is now heading to the United States, the land of the quarterfinals. The team's miracle, which contains the sincerity of the juniors, "I'm happy to be with Jung-hoo," has only just started.
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*This content was translated by AI.
