The long-awaited shot from Kang Baek-ho (KT Wiz) of the Korean national baseball team finally exploded.
Kang Baek-ho started as designated hitter No. 6 in the game against China in the second game of the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games Baseball Super Round held at the Shaoxing Baseball Softball Sports Center in Zhejiang Province, China on the 6th, and scored 3 hits in 4 at bats, including a home run, 1 RBI, and 2 runs. Raised it.
He came out cannonballing in his second at-bat.
Entering the third inning with Korea leading 3-0 and no runners on base with two outs, Kang Baek-ho faced opposing reliever Wang Xiang. He took the 6th pitch in a full-count match and drew a solo arch that went over the right fence.
This is the first home run that Kang Baek-ho hit in this tournament and the first home run he reported in an international tournament.
Kang Baek-ho recorded a batting average of 0.362 (17 hits in 47 at-bats) and 9 RBIs in 16 games in international competitions, including the 2019 Premier 12, 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC). Although there were no home runs, he played a role in the national team’s batting lineup with his accurate hitting.
However, in this tournament, the bat was particularly heavy.
After starting as the 4th hitter in the first game against Hong Kong and the 2nd game against Taiwan, he went silent with 8 at-bats and no hits, so he moved to the 6th hitter starting against Thailand in the 3rd game.
Kang Baek-ho finished the three group stage games with 1 hit and 2 RBI in 11 at-bats.
In the first game of the Super Round against Japan held on the 5th, he had one hit but struck out two.
Kang Baek-ho is a batsman who must play the role of ‘core of the batting lineup’ in the national team. With Kang Baek-ho unable to show his strength, Korea’s batting lineup also suffered.
This day was different. He showed off his sharp bat again and led the team to an 8-1 victory.
Korea, which won both Super Round games, advanced to the finals.
Coach Ryu Joong-il of the Korean national baseball team, who is continuing his challenge of winning the tournament for the fourth time in a row, was happy and said, “It is encouraging that Kang Baek-ho survived.”카지노사이트
Kang Baek-ho said, “It was an important game, and tomorrow is also an important game, so I was satisfied with the home run because I felt like I was in good condition.” He said, “I am more than happy with my first home run because it helped my country win.”
He also conveyed his feelings to his colleagues who made up for his sluggishness. “I was in very poor condition, but I was really grateful that our players showed good results and relieved my burden. I will work hard in the remaining games to show a good performance as a Korean player,” he pledged.
Regarding his batting skills, he said, “There were a few good hits in the previous game, but it was disappointing that they didn’t lead to results. I felt a little better today, so I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s game.”
Korea’s opponent in the finals is Taiwan again. Korea lost 0-4 to Taiwan in the group stage on the 2nd. They suffered a complete defeat as they failed to target opponent’s starter Lin Yumin.
We need to show a different side against Taiwan, which we meet for the second time in this tournament.
Kang Baek-ho, who expressed caution by saying, “I think Taiwanese pitchers are good,” expressed confidence, saying, “I think our players have also improved their sense of the game a lot, so I think they will be able to attack the team sufficiently.”
At the same time, he emphasized, “I think the first point early will be the most important. I think that if we score the first point, our pitchers will be able to block it well, so we have to focus from the first at-bat.”
Korea is only one win away from its fourth consecutive loss in the tournament.
Kang Baek-ho said, “I felt pressure because I had shown a lot of bad performances in international competitions. I tried to work harder and focused a lot for this competition as people really expected it. In tomorrow’s match, I will do my best with a sense of responsibility with the players. “He promised.