The South Korean baseball team suffered a setback in their opening match of the 2026 Asia Professional Baseball Championship (APBC), losing to Australia 8-7.
Coached by Choi Won-ho, South Korea played their first round-robin game at Tokyo Dome on November 12.
After trailing 4-0, South Korea rallied in the sixth inning, scoring six runs to take the lead. However, late-game bullpen struggles and costly defensive errors prevented them from holding onto the advantage.
Starting pitcher Kim Min-jun struggled with control and was pulled early. He allowed a three-run homer to Blake Cavil after issuing two walks in the first inning.
Kim was replaced in the third inning after allowing another run, with Jo Dong-wook giving up an RBI single to Chris Burke, extending the deficit to 4-0.
South Korea's offense finally came alive in the sixth inning. Pinch hitter Kim Ji-chan opened with a double down the left-field line, and Kim Joo-won followed with a two-run homer to left field.
With the bases loaded and two outs, Kim Hwi-jip hit a three-RBI double off the right-field wall, turning the game around to 5-4. Park Jae-hyun added an RBI single, extending the lead to 6-4.
However, South Korea faltered in the eighth inning. A fielding error by second baseman Kim Hwi-jip allowed the leadoff batter to reach base, and with one out, Park Jung-min surrendered a two-run homer to Clayton Campbell, tying the game at 6-6.
In the ninth inning, Choi Jun-yong allowed Burke to hit an RBI double with one out, giving Australia the lead. Max Darlington followed with another RBI double, increasing the score to 8-6.
South Korea managed to score one run in the bottom of the ninth on a sacrifice fly by Kim Do-young with runners on second and third, but it was not enough to reclaim the lead.
The APBC is an international tournament featuring players under 24 years old or those who have been professional for three years or less. This year marks the third edition of the tournament, following events in 2017 and 2023. Teams can select up to three wild card players aged 29 or younger, and South Korea has chosen Kim Ji-chan, Han Dong-hee, and Choi Jun-yong as their wild cards.
Four countries—South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and Australia—are competing for the championship. The round-robin matches will take place from November 12 to 14, with the top two teams facing off in the finals on November 15, while the third and fourth place teams will compete for placement.
South Korea has reached the finals in both previous tournaments but finished as runners-up to Japan each time.
Following their opening loss, South Korea's path to the finals is uncertain as they prepare to face Japan on November 13 at 7 p.m. at the same venue. Japan, who defeated Taiwan 5-0 earlier in the day, will be a formidable opponent.
Japan's leadoff hitter Masaki Tomoya led the charge with two home runs in the first and third innings, finishing with three hits and three RBIs. Second hitter Muneyama Rui also had a strong performance, contributing three hits, including a solo homer in the ninth inning.
Starting pitcher Kanemaru Yumeto showcased his skills with a fastball reaching 154 km/h, throwing seven scoreless innings while allowing just two hits, one walk, and striking out five.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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