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The under-18 (U-18) national team competing in the 14th Asia Youth Baseball Championship defeated their arch-rival Japan in a comeback victory, securing an advantageous position for advancing to the finals.
Jung Yun-jin (55), manager of Deoksu High School, led the team to a 3-2 victory over Japan in the first game of the Super Round held at Taipei Dome in Taiwan on the 11th.
In the early stages, Japan seized the momentum. In the bottom of the 1st inning with one out and no runners on base, starting pitcher Park Geun-seo (Seoul Design High School) allowed an infield hit to Ishida Yusei. Following Ishida's stolen base, with one out and a runner on second base, Ono Shusuke's double and Manya Kensin's hit followed, and Japan took an early 2-0 lead.
In the bottom of the 2nd inning, the momentum reversed as the crisis was averted. Park Geun-seo gave a walk to the leadoff batter, and after a sacrifice bunt moved the runner to second base with one out, putting a runner in scoring position. Yoon Ye-sung (Inchang High School), who took over the mound, allowed consecutive walks, facing another crisis. With the bases loaded and one out, Kim Min-hun (Gwangju Jinheung High School) took the mound and threw change-ups that drifted away on the outside corner to consecutive batters 2 and 3 in the Japanese lineup, recording two strikeouts to close out the inning without allowing a run.
After the crisis came the opportunity. In the top of the 3rd inning, leadoff batter Park Bo-seung (Gyeongnam High School) recorded his first hit of the day and scored in the 4th inning. With two outs and no runners on base, cleanup batter Lee Ho-min (Gyeongnam High School) hit a solo home run over the left field wall.
In the bottom of the 4th inning, the team faced another crisis. With two outs and a runner on first base, Ishida Yusei hit a large fly ball to right-center field, but center fielder Park Bo-seung made a diving catch that drew admiration, snagging the ball.
Starting from the bottom of the 5th inning, Ha Hyun-seung (Busan High School) took the mound for an all-out effort. Four days earlier in the Taiwan game, Ha Hyun-seung threw the maximum 90 pitches and took a three-day rest before taking the mound, throwing a maximum fastball of 150 km/h according to the scoreboard. He dominated the opposing middle of the lineup with 2 strikeouts, retiring the side in order.
In the top of the 6th inning, the team finally achieved the comeback. Leadoff batter Jo Hee-sung opened the door with a walk, and Hwang Sung-hyun (Deoksu High School) successfully executed a sacrifice bunt. Eom Jun-sang (Deoksu High School), stepping up with a runner in scoring position, had a batting average of .125 (1 hit in 8 at-bats) up to that point in the tournament, but delivered a large double down the right-center gap for a tying RBI. Following that, Lee Ho-min, the author of the earlier solo home run, hit a go-ahead double to left field.
Ha Hyun-seung recorded 1 strikeout in the bottom of the 6th inning and 2 more strikeouts in the bottom of the 7th inning, recording 5 strikeouts over 3 innings without allowing a single hit, earning the win once again.
Kim Min-hun's pitching was also brilliant. In the bottom of the 2nd inning with the bases loaded and one out, he took the mound under pressure but recorded 1 hit allowed and 2 strikeouts without allowing a run over 2⅔ innings. At the plate, Lee Ho-min and Park Bo-seung recorded multi-hits, and Eom Jun-sang also delivered a go-ahead RBI, leading the team to victory.
The national team has essentially secured a spot in the finals. On the 7th, they won their first game against Taiwan in Group B of the group stage, entering the Super Round with one victory, and by defeating Japan from Group A, they secured two Super Round victories, leaving only a final game against the weaker Philippines on the 12th. They are aiming for a finals berth with an undefeated Super Round record.
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