The South Korean baseball team, aiming for its fifth consecutive gold medal, struggled in its opening game of the Super Round against Japan.
Under the leadership of manager Ryu Ji-hyun, South Korea faced Japan on September 25 at the Toyohashi Municipal Stadium in Aichi Prefecture, trailing 0-5 by the sixth inning. After advancing to the Super Round with a perfect record in the group stage, including a victory over Taiwan, the team faced challenges both on the mound and at the plate against Japan.
Starting pitcher So Hyung-jun (KT) was the first to falter. Japan's lineup included Yano Yuki (shortstop), Soeda Manami (second base), Mukoyama Motoki (left field), Aizawa Ryosuke (center field), Mizutani Shohei (right field), Kumada Toyo (designated hitter), Yamada Kenta (first base), Wada Keita (third base), and Tsujimoto Yuki (catcher).
So Hyung-jun allowed a double and a hit-by-pitch in the first inning but escaped without conceding a run. He retired the side in order in the second inning.
The trouble began in the third inning. After a leadoff batter reached base, a stolen base and a walk set the stage for Mukoyama Motoki, who delivered a timely hit for Japan's first run. An infield groundout added another run, and a defensive error compounded the issue, pushing the score to 0-3. So Hyung-jun exited after throwing 54 pitches over three innings, allowing four hits, two walks, and three runs (two earned).
Kim Jin-wook (Lotte), who took the mound in the fourth inning, managed to put out the fire, striking out batters while allowing no runs in the fourth and fifth innings, giving South Korea a chance to rally.
However, South Korea conceded more runs in the sixth inning. Third pitcher Jo Byeong-hyeon allowed a hit to leadoff batter Kumada and then issued a walk, putting the team in a tough spot. With two outs and runners on first and second, Yano hit a timely single, prompting South Korea to bring in Park Young-hyun, but Soeda followed with another hit, allowing two more runs to score. The score widened to 0-5.
The South Korean offense was also lackluster. Despite placing Kim Do-young as the leadoff hitter and featuring key players like Kim Joo-won, Noh Si-hwan, and Moon Bo-kyung, the team struggled to make contact with Japan's pitching staff. By the end of the sixth inning, South Korea had only three hits and had not crossed home plate.
In this tournament, South Korea previously defeated Taiwan 5-0 and secured consecutive mercy-rule victories against Hong Kong and Thailand to advance as the top team in Group B. However, the match against Japan, seen as a pivotal moment in the gold medal race, has taken a different turn by mid-game.
With a five-run deficit at the end of the sixth inning, the key question is whether the silent offense can find a way to mount a comeback in the remaining three at-bats.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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