Hwimun Academy Youth Baseball Team Achieves First Championship in 8 Years Since Founding... MVP Jo Seung-min: "I Want to Be Like Park Byung-ho"

*This content was translated by AI.

Hwimun Academy Youth Baseball Team from Dongtan, Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, achieved its first championship in eight years since its founding at the 13th National Youth Baseball Tournament in Yanggu, located in the center of the nation.

Hosted by the Korea Youth Baseball Federation (Chairman Lee Sang-geun), the tournament took place from the 2nd to the 7th at Hari Baseball Stadium and other venues in Yanggu, Gangwon Province, with over 3,000 participants, including players and parents from 130 teams. The competition was conducted through a preliminary group stage followed by a knockout tournament, with teams competing for championship cups in six divisions: Sapssak League (U-9), Dream Nari League (U-11), Youth League (U-13), and Junior League (U-16).

In the Youth League (U-13) Cheongryong final, the strongest division, Hwimun Academy faced Daejeon Seo-gu Youth Baseball Team, led by former Hanwha Eagles coach Park Sang-gyu. Daejeon Seo-gu took an early 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning thanks to a three-run home run by fifth batter Kim Dong-jun to center field. However, Hwimun Academy immediately tied the game in the bottom of the first inning with three runs, including a two-run double to left-center field by Park Seo-jun.

Adding one more run in the bottom of the second inning, Hwimun Academy extended its lead to 8-3 in the bottom of the third inning with four hits and a walk, including one-run singles by Kang Min-hyeong and Song Nu-ri, effectively sealing the victory.

Although Daejeon Seo-gu's Park Do-hyeok hit a two-run home run to left-center field in the top of the fifth inning to narrow the score to 8-5, closer Hwang Ji-hoo struck out all three batters in the final defensive inning of the sixth using just 13 pitches, lifting the Youth League Cheongryong championship cup for the first time since the team's founding in 2018. At this tournament, Hwimun Academy also won the Dream Nari League (U-11) Cheongryong, achieving a double crown.

Finals MVP and the team's offensive and defensive core Jo Seung-min (Hwimun Academy Youth Baseball Team, Gyeonggi Province) received the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, while Park Do-hyeok (Daejeon Seo-gu Youth Baseball Team) and Moon Hyun-seo (Hwimun Academy Youth Baseball Team, Gyeonggi Province) received Woo Su-seon (수상).

MVP Jo Seung-min said, "Thanks to all my teammates giving their best at their respective positions, we were able to win the championship. I am truly happy to receive Choi U-su-seon (수상) for the first time. As a first-year middle school student, I will take on more responsibility and train hard every day to become an essential player for the team. Park Byung-ho (former Kiwoom Heroes player) has a powerful batting style and hits home runs, which I find impressive. I want to emulate his consistent self-management. In the future, I hope to become a great professional baseball player like Park Byung-ho."

Park Young-ju, coach of Hwimun Academy Youth Baseball Team, who received the tournament's Coach of the Year award, stated, "This National Youth Baseball Tournament in Yanggu was a very meaningful event for our academy, as we secured our first Youth Cheongryong championship since founding and achieved a three-peat in the Dream Tree Cheongryong. I am grateful to the parents who have always believed in and entrusted our academy to us. I also thank Hwang Sang-ho (Director), Coach Ryu Je-seung, Coach Son Jae-yoon, Coach Choi Byung-jin, and Coach Heo Yoon for diligently nurturing our players and standing firmly by my side, enabling us to have such proud athletes. I also want to attribute this glory to the children who smiled, enjoyed themselves, and trusted and followed us even through difficult training schedules. I am also grateful to Chairman Lee Sang-geun Yeon Maeng (Chairman) for creating a good environment where children can enjoy baseball."

He continued, "Over the past eight years, we have prepared with the belief that 'professionalism is elite baseball,' paying special attention to the children's training environment, educational system, and systematic management beyond what is typically found in elementary school baseball teams or Little League teams. It is gratifying to see these efforts bearing fruit. We will continue to work harder to make Hwimun Academy a model team for club elite baseball."

Lee Sang-geun, Chairman of the Korea Youth Baseball Federation, said, "The 13th National Youth Baseball Tournament in Yanggu, which we have been part of for 13 years, is almost the beginning of youth baseball tournaments. In the Yanggu tournament, promising professional baseball players and weekend club baseball players enjoy the sport together every year. I would like to express my gratitude to the Yanggu County Sports Foundation, Yanggu County officials, and the people of Yanggu County. We will do our best to contribute to the expansion of youth baseball and the revitalization of the local economy."

This tournament was sponsored by the Yanggu County Sports Foundation, SOOP, and baseball equipment company Dominion (DOMINION). Two games, including the Youth League (U-13) Cheongryong final, were broadcast live on SOOP with commentary by cast member So Dae-su and Korea Professional Baseball legend An Kyung-hyun.

● Sapssak League (U-9) ▲ Championship – Gyeonggi Big Dream Youth Baseball Team (Coach Nipert) ▲ Runner-up – Seoul Songpa-gu Mineball Youth Baseball Team (Coach Lee Hong-gu) ▲ Most Valuable Player – Choi Ji-ho (Gyeonggi Big Dream Youth Baseball Team)

● Dream Nari League (U-11) Cheongryong ▲ Championship – Gyeonggi Hwimun Academy Youth Baseball Team (Coach Park Young-ju) ▲ Runner-up – Gyeonggi Paju City Youth Baseball Team (Coach Kim Min-su) ▲ Most Valuable Player – Bae Ji-won (Gyeonggi Hwimun Academy Youth Baseball Team)

● Dream Nari League (U-11) Hyeonmu ▲ Championship – Jeonbuk Wanju County Youth Baseball Team (Coach Kim Byung-cheol) ▲ Runner-up – Incheon Yeonsu-gu Nine Youth Baseball Team (Coach Park Han-sol) ▲ Most Valuable Player – Yang Ha-jun (Jeonbuk Wanju County Youth Baseball Team)

● Youth League (U-13) Cheongryong ▲ Championship – Gyeonggi Hwimun Academy Youth Baseball Team (Coach Park Young-ju) ▲ Runner-up – Daejeon Seo-gu Youth Baseball Team (Coach Park Sang-gyu) ▲ Most Valuable Player – Jo Seung-min (Gyeonggi Hwimun Academy Youth Baseball Team)

● Youth League (U-13) Baekho ▲ Championship – Seoul Dongjak-gu Youth Baseball Team (Coach Shin Hee-gwang) ▲ Runner-up – Gyeonggi Siheung City Youth Baseball Team (Coach Jeong Seon-gi) ▲ Most Valuable Player – Lee Dae-young (Seoul Dongjak-gu Youth Baseball Team)

● Junior League (U-16) ▲ Championship – Sejong Public SC (Coach Kim Seung-kwon) ▲ Runner-up – Gangwon Pyeongchang Bandavis Junior Baseball Team (Coach Kim Min-beom) ▲ Most Valuable Player – Kim Yun-hak (Sejong Public SC)

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*This content was translated by AI.