'Strongest lineup in history' softball team aims for first medal... Baseball players and Korean Americans join the roster

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The team has assembled its strongest lineup in history, transcending sport boundaries and national borders.

The Korea Baseball & Softball Association (President Yang Hae-young) announced that it is dispatching the U-15 Softball National Team (Team Manager Im Hye-jin, President of the Korea Women's Baseball League) to the "3rd U-15 Softball Asia Cup," which will be held from the 12th to the 17th in Weihai, Shandong Province, China.

The Lee Beon (CEO) team, led by Manager Lee Sang-hyun, consists of two coaches and 16 players. While previous national team rosters were composed primarily of softball players, this time the selection pool was expanded to include promising prospects from Little League and women's baseball, as well as Korean American players active in the United States.

Park Chae-hyeon (Gimhae City Little), Kim Ye-won (Gijang County Little) from the Korea Little Baseball League, and Kim A-in (Cheonan Junior Women's Baseball Team) from the Korea Women's Baseball League joined the So Peu-teu-bol (CEO) team for the first time wearing the national emblem. Additionally, Korean American players An Hye-young, Jo Yu-ju, Choi Min-ju, and Jo Yun-ju, who have gained competitive experience in the United States, bolstered the depth of the national team's skills and overall strength. The association expressed its expectation that "by broadening the selection scope without regard for sport or nationality, we will be able to elevate our competitiveness beyond previous limits."

The U-15 Softball National Team advanced to the 3rd/4th place playoff at the inaugural tournament held in Taiwan in 2023 but lost 0-10 to the Philippines, finishing in fourth place. At the second tournament, also held in Taiwan in 2025, the team recorded a 5th-place finish with two wins and four losses.

Before departing, the Lee Beon (CEO) team conducted intensive training in Incheon and Pyeongtaek, and checked their defensive organization and competitive readiness through practice matches against Daejeon Health University. After arriving on-site on the 10th to adjust, they entered the preliminary round-robin starting on the 12th. The two teams that finish with a runner-up or better result at this tournament will qualify for the World Championship to be held in Los Angeles, USA, in 2027. The association is aiming not only for its first medal but also for securing qualification for the world championship.

Association President Yang Hae-young stated, "We have assembled our most competitive roster in history by thoroughly reviewing promising players both domestically and internationally, regardless of sport or affiliation," adding, "I hope we can enter the medal contention this time and demonstrate the potential for the future of Korean softball."

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original