'Kiwoom Heroes would be lucky' Ha Hyun-seung's perfect game in Korea-Japan matchup is a jackpot! 'KKKKKKKK' monster pitcher! Korean U-18 national team defeats archrival Japan, wins with perfect record, achieves Asian championship title for the first time in 8 years!

*This content was translated by AI.

Ha Hyun-seung (Busan High School), who is certain to be selected as the overall first pick by Kiwoom Heroes, showcased his monster pitching performance with a perfect game victory in the Korea-Japan matchup.

The South Korean Under-18 (U-18) baseball national team, competing in the 14th Asian Youth Baseball Championship, defeated their 'archrival' Japan 2-0 behind Ha Hyun-seung's outstanding perfect game performance, securing a thrilling championship title.

Under coach Jung Yun-jin, Lee Kkeu-neun (CEO)team defeated Japan in the final match held at Taipei Dome on the 13th, claiming their sixth overall championship and first in eight years.

Lee Nal (CEO)team succeeded in taking an early lead along with some luck. In the bottom of the second inning with one out, Jang Min-je (Chungam High School) reached base with a triple. During Nam Hyun-woo's (Seoul Convention High School) at-bat, a squeeze bunt play was called. At that moment, Nam Hyun-woo was hit by the pitch, resulting in a runner on first and third with one out. With Woo Ju-ro (Daejeon High School) at bat, the bench once again opted for a squeeze play. Japan noticed this and attempted a pickoff, but an error by the opposing catcher occurred during the rundown, allowing Jang Min-je to score at home plate.

Subsequently, South Korea missed a chance to pull away. With one out and a runner on third base in the following situation, another squeeze bunt was attempted by Woo Ju-ro, but the ball was caught by the pitcher, and the runner from third failed to return safely.

A disappointing scene also occurred in the bottom of the fourth inning. Leadoff hitter Eom Jun-sang (Deoksu High School) hit a single to left field and advanced to second base, but was thrown out by a narrow margin.

With momentum potentially shifting, a crucial defensive play emerged in the top of the fifth inning. Ha Hyun-seung issued a walk to the leadoff hitter. In the subsequent bunt situation, the ball rolled toward the catcher. Won Ji-woo (Gangneung High School) immediately threw to second base, resulting in a double play and ending the inning without allowing any runs.

Opportunity came after the crisis. With one out in the bottom of the fifth inning, Nam Hyun-woo reached base with a hit to center field. During Woo Ju-ro's infield single, the first baseman failed to field the ball cleanly, allowing Nam Hyun-woo to advance to third base. Subsequently, Jo Hee-seong (Yusin High School) smashed a sacrifice fly to left field, making the score 2-0.

On the mound, Ha Hyun-seung completely dominated Japanese batters. It was truly an all-out effort. He took the mound just two days after facing Japan in the Super Round. Only one day of rest. And he became the winning pitcher.

Ha Hyun-seung did not throw his signature weapon, lightning-fast pitches exceeding 150 km/h. However, he still neutralized the Japanese lineup by mixing fastballs reaching the high 140s with breaking balls.

As the starting pitcher, he remained on the mound even in the final seventh inning. After throwing all seven innings with maximum effort, he struck out all three batters and threw his glove into the air to savor the joy. Soon after, players rushed out from the dugout, gathered together, and celebrated their championship victory.

Ha Hyun-seung completed his mission with eight strikeouts over seven innings. He allowed only one hit and two walks. In just a week, he took the mound three times without allowing a single run. His final statistics for this tournament were 3 wins (undefeated), 15⅔ innings pitched, and 25 strikeouts — earning him the title 'Mr. Zero'.

He achieved a perfect process, winning the championship with an undefeated record. Facing tough opponent Taiwan in their first group stage match, the national team started the tournament with a satisfying victory. They avenged the defeat they suffered in the head-to-head matchup at the previous 2024 tournament.

In the Super Round's first match, which was the major turning point for advancing to the finals, they secured a comeback victory against Japan. They faced Japan again in the final and this time finished with a shutout win, achieving a record of three wins (undefeated) against both Taiwan and Japan.

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*This content was translated by AI.