Обсуждение участника:Noh Si-hwan's 10th inning blast gives South Korea a 3-2 comeback win over Australia

South Korea's Noh Si-hwan hits a single with the bases loaded in the seventh inning during the 2023 Asia Professional Baseball Championship (APBC) match between South Korea and Australia at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan, on Nov. 16.

South Korea's baseball team at the 2023 Asian Professional Baseball Championship (APBC) earned a hard-fought victory over Australia in the first game of the tournament thanks to a walk-off single by Noh Si-hwan (Hanwha) in the 10th inning.

South Korea (No. 4 in the WBSC rankings), led by Ryu Jung-il, defeated Australia (No. 11) 3-2 in 10 extra innings in the first game of the APBC Qualifier at the Tokyo Dome in Japan on Saturday.

The hard-fought victory puts Korea one step closer to reaching the finals. The tournament features South Korea, Australia, Chinese Taipei, and Japan, with the top two teams advancing directly to the final after three preliminary rounds.

Aside from Japan, which is categorized as the strongest team, there is not much difference in power between the rest of the teams, so the result of each game was crucial, but crossing the mountain of Australia reduced the pressure on Japan on the 17th.

Having lost to Australia in the first game of the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC) in March, Korea avenged that defeat with a win on Sunday.

The result was a victory, but the process was not easy.

South Korea's starting pitcher Moon Dong-ju walks down the mound with runners on second and first in the sixth inning during the Asia Professional Baseball Championship (APBC) 2023 match between South Korea and Australia at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan, on Nov. 16.

South Korea came into the tournament having completed their domestic season, and with most of their players exhausted, it was expected that they would be underperforming.

Korea was shaky from the start. Starting pitcher Moon Dong-ju (Hanwha) was hit by a pitch in the first inning, putting runners on first and third and giving up a single to Clayton Campbell.

Despite giving up the lead, they tied the game relatively early. In the second inning, Moon Hyun-bin (Hanwha) led off with an infield single and Kim Do-young (KIA) followed with a grounder, but Na Seung-yeop (Lotte) singled to put runners on first and second. Kim Hyung-jun (NC) then singled up the middle to make it 1-1.

However, Kim Joo-won (NC) singled and Kim Hye-sung (Kiwoom) and Choi Ji-hoon (SSG) were unable to capitalize on the opportunity.

Moon Dong-joo gradually settled down. The fielders also played solid defense in the early innings without making any major mistakes, with right fielder Yoon Dong-hee standing out with a sliding catch on a short outfield hit.

However, the bats went silent after the second inning.

With the score at 1-1, the game tilted further in Australia's favor in the sixth inning. The leadoff hitter, Alex Hall, hit a 110-meter solo shot off Moon Dong-joo. With two on and one out, Kim Young-gyu (NC) struck out Mitch Edwards on a fielder's choice to put out the fire.

South Korea's Choi Ji-min claps his hands after hitting a double during the seventh inning of the Asia Professional Baseball Championship (APBC) 2023 match between South Korea and Australia at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan, on Nov. 16.

South Korea was in trouble in the seventh inning. With one out in the top of the seventh, new pitcher Shin Min-hyuk (NC) hit a single to Liam Spence, who made a sloppy throw to second base. He then walked Aaron Whitefield and was replaced by Choi Ji-min (KIA).

Choi walked Rixon Wingrove to load the bases with one out, but he showed great concentration to get out of the jam. He struck out both Hall, who had homered in his previous at-bat, and Campbell, who had singled in the first inning.

With one out in the bottom of the seventh, Korea put runners on first and second after Yoon Dong-hee (Lotte) led off with a walk and Noh Si-hwan singled, but Moon Hyun-bin flied out to shortstop to end the threat.

The Koreans, who continued to overlook their chances, finally tied the game in the eighth inning. Kim Do-young (KIA) led off with a double. After pinch-hitter Park Seung-kyu (Commerce) struck out and Kim Hyung-jun was retired on an infield grounder, Kim Joo-won hit the tying run to tie the game.

After nine innings of scoreless play, the teams went to extra innings in regulation.

With runners on first and second and no outs in the top of the 10th, Korea's closer Jung Hae-young (KIA) took the mound and pitched a scoreless inning. She struck out the first batter she faced and then turned a double play against the next batter.

Korea had the last laugh. With runners on first and second in the bottom of the 10th, leadoff hitter Noh Si-hwan hit a game-tying single to end the long game. 19가이드03