The big day has arrived. South Korea will be led by 20-year-old right-hander Park Min-sung against the Philippines.
The Korean national team, who will compete at the 2023 Asian Cup (BFA) in Hong Kong, will play their final group game against the Philippines at 10am on 28 April.
Both Korea and the Philippines have one win and one loss. With Japan securing top spot in the group with two wins, the winner of the Korea-Philippines match will advance to the Super Round as the runner-up.안전놀이터
It’s an all-out war. Neither team can afford to back down. The winner of this game will advance to the Super Round and earn a spot in the World Baseball Classic, which offers up to four spots among the 12 nations participating in the Asian Cup. Both teams will be desperate.
The Philippines has assembled a squad from softball players. The Philippines is a softball powerhouse, especially in men’s softball. The Philippine women’s team plays with natural resilience and power. However, they are weak in details. As a result, the national team plays a detailed game.
“From the first inning, we’re going to bunt, steal bases, and play football,” said national coach Yang Sang-moon. Leadoff hitter Ahn Soo-ji and No. 2 hitter Yang Seo-jin are expected to play aggressively. Once they get on base and rattle the Philippines, the plan is for the clean-up trio of Joo Eun-jung, Park Joo-ah, and Kim Hyun-ah to score runs.
The lower batting order of Shin Noori-Ijia-Jang Yoon-seo-Choi Min-hee is also solid. Shin has great long-hitting power, while Lee has quick feet. Jang Yoon-seo has good fundamentals, while Choi Min-hee is the team captain and has good batting ability. If the top of the order can flow well, the team has a chance.
Park Min-seong, the starter against the Philippines, took the mound in the fourth inning against Indonesia on the 27th, but gave up two consecutive singles. He struggled to adjust to the mound conditions, but he was able to get the third batter to ground out on a full count to keep the game scoreless. Park is determined to show his true colours against the Philippines on the 28th.
Lee Ji-sook, who pitched one scoreless inning in relief against Japan on the 26th, will also be ready to go. The team is ready to go all out. Coach Yang Sang-moon aims to minimise runs by making quick pitching changes.