*This content was translated by AI.View Original
The Ulsan Whales defeated the LG Twins to make a smooth start.
On the 15th, in the opening match of the '2026 Ulsan-KBO FALL LEAGUE' held at Ulsan Munsu Baseball Stadium, Ulsan won 5-3 against LG, leveraging the hitting concentration of their lineup that produced a mix of singles and extra-base hits, along with a relay of strong pitching from their bullpen.
On this day, the Ulsan lineup saw five batters—Noh Kang-min, Park Moon-soon, Kim Seo-won, Ye Jin-won, and Shin Jun-woo—record multi-hits in succession, delivering balanced performances.
The start was somewhat shaky. Ulsan fell behind early, allowing LG to score first in the top of the 1st inning. However, they immediately launched a fierce counterattack in the bottom of the 1st. They secured a bases-loaded opportunity by combining Park Moon-soon's leadoff single to center field, Park Jae-hyung's walk, and Kim Seo-won's single to right field.
The savior was Ye Jin-won. Ye Jin-won pushed LG starter Park Jun-seong's low outside changeup (131 km/h) into a two-run go-ahead double down the right-field line. The momentum did not stop. Following him, Noh Kang-min attacked the first pitch slider to hit an RBI single to left field, and with an error on the throw by the LG catcher, Ulsan scored a total of four runs in just the 1st inning.
In the bottom of the 4th inning as well, Ulsan added one more run via Kim Seo-won's infield hit in front of the pitcher, extending their lead to 5-2 and solidifying their grip on the game.
Pitching management was also stable. Following starter Naga (3 innings), a total of seven pitchers—Seo Young-jun, Seol Jae-wook, Eom Tae-gyeong, Jin Hyun-woo, Lee Seung-geun, and Yuto—took the mound to collaborate on the team's victory. Seo Young-jun, who entered in relief in the top of the 4th inning and retired all three batters with two strikeouts over one inning, was credited with the win. Seol Jae-wook, Eom Tae-gyeong, Jin Hyun-woo, and Lee Seung-geun collected relay holds. Closer Yuto, who entered in the top of the 9th inning, locked down the back end with a scoreless inning to record a save.
In particular, Eom Tae-gyeong, an underhand pitcher from Dong-eui College of Science and Technology who joined under tryout eligibility according to this tournament's rules, recorded two-thirds of a scoreless inning in his first appearance, earning his first hold and making a strong impression.
After the game, Noh Kang-min, who recorded multi-hits, shared his thoughts: "I was concerned about a decline in my competitive feel after the championship series, but thanks to the meticulous guidance of the coaching staff, I was able to approach the game in good condition and secure a victory." He then reaffirmed his resolve: "During the regular season, I had many strikeouts and lacked power hitting, but through this Education League, I will supplement my weaknesses and show you a further developed version of myself."
Meanwhile, the Ulsan Whales, who secured a pleasant first win, will play their second match in the tournament against the Long Beach Coast, the runner-up team from the US independent league (Pioneer Baseball League), at 4 p.m. on the 16th at Munsu Baseball Stadium. All matches in this tournament will be held with free admission.
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*This content was translated by AI.View Original
