The South Korean under-18 national baseball team secured a 14-0, five-inning victory over Thailand on September 9 at the Xinzhuang Baseball Stadium in New Taipei, Taiwan, finishing the group stage of the Asian U-18 Baseball Championship with a flawless 3-0 record, according to the Korea Baseball Softball Association (KBSA).
Group Stage Dominance and Super Round Schedule
Manager Jung Yoon-jin’s squad opened the tournament with a 2-0 win against host Taiwan, followed by a 15-0 victory over Singapore, and capped the preliminary round with their third mercy-rule triumph against Thailand. According to the KBSA, South Korea finished at the top of Group B, advancing to the Super Round alongside Group B runner-up Taiwan, which finished the opening stage with a 2-1 record.
Following a scheduled rest day on September 10, South Korea moves into the Super Round at Taipei Dome to face Group A winner Japan on September 11, followed by a matchup against Group A runner-up Philippines on September 12. The Super Round standings will ultimately determine the matchups for the tournament’s championship and third-place games, both also scheduled at Taipei Dome.
Pitching Staff Delivers Combined Perfect Game
Playing through intermittent rain in New Taipei, South Korea’s pitching staff combined to throw five perfect innings, retiring all 15 Thai batters faced without allowing a baserunner. According to the KBSA, starting pitcher Kim Min-hun worked the assigned two innings, striking out four batters. Relievers Han Gyu-min, Kwak Do-hyun, and Yoon Ye-sung each pitched one flawless inning, striking out every batter they faced to seal the combined feat.
The offense backed the pitching dominance with seven hits that translated into 14 runs. The highlight of the inning came in the fourth when Hwang Seong-hyun launched a three-run home run over the left-field wall with two outs and runners on second and third, pushing the score to 14-0 and marking South Korea’s first home run of the tournament. Teammates Eom Jun-sang, Lee Ho-min, and Won Ji-woo each contributed a double.
Next Challenge Against Japan
South Korea’s next opponent in the Super Round is Japan, with the game scheduled for September 11 at 7:30 PM. A victory against Japan in the opening game of the Super Round would place South Korea on the brink of securing a berth in the tournament final. Following the victory over Singapore, Jung urged his players to maintain their focus, emphasizing to the roster that they must give their absolute best regardless of the opponent across the diamond.
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