▲ Players of the under-18 (U-18) national baseball team, led by Manager Jung Yoon-jin, pose for a commemorative photo after defeating Japan 2-0 to win the championship at the Asian Youth Baseball Championship at the Taipei Dome in Taiwan on the 13th.
Manager Jung Yoon-jin of the Deoksu High School baseball team, widely recognized as one of the era's greatest masters with 21 high school baseball titles, has savored the pinnacle of success as the national team manager.
The South Korean national baseball team, led by Manager Jung, defeated Japan 2-0 in the final of the U-18 Asian Youth Baseball Championship at the Taipei Dome in Taiwan yesterday (the 13th), reclaiming the tournament's top spot for the first time in 8 years.
Manager Jung, who previously helmed the national team 13 years ago at the World Youth Baseball Championship in Taichung, Taiwan—where the team finished 5th after consecutive losses to Japan and Taiwan—restored his honor this year by defeating both Taiwan and Japan to conquer Asia.
Following the victory, Manager Jung expressed his gratitude through the Korea Baseball Softball Association, saying, "I deeply thank KBSA President Yang Hae-young and the association's working-level staff for helping us run this tournament smoothly. I am truly grateful to the four coaches who were with me, and I extend my infinite appreciation and thanks to the players who faithfully followed our coaching staff over the past three weeks."
Having promised before the tournament to prove that South Korean amateur baseball's skills had not rusted, Manager Jung raised his voice, saying, "I am so happy and thrilled to have kept that word. Our elementary, middle, and high school amateur coaches and players still have enough competitiveness to take first place in Asia, making our future bright."
Manager Jung recalled that defeating Taiwan 2-0 in the opening match of the group stage, which served as a de facto final, was his happiest moment.
He added that consecutively subduing Japan in the Super Round and the final was endlessly joyous.
In particular, Manager Jung heaped praise on ace Ha Hyun-seung (Busan High School), who guided South Korea to victory with passionate pitching in both games against Taiwan and Japan.
Manager Jung explained, "I had originally thought about pitching him until around the 4th inning in the final, but since his pitch count was low, I kept letting Hyun-seung pitch, and when Hyun-seung said he wanted to pitch in the 7th inning as well, I pushed ahead with it."
Ha Hyun-seung started the game against Taiwan, recording 5 and 2/3 innings with 12 strikeouts and no runs allowed, and pitched as a reliever in the Super Round against Japan, showcasing a perfect 3 innings with 5 strikeouts.
Then, in the final played just two days after the match against Japan, he pitched brilliantly with a complete-game shutout, allowing just 1 hit with 8 strikeouts over 7 innings.
Manager Jung praised him highly, saying, "I was surprised when Hyun-seung told me on the night of the 12th that he wanted to pitch as the starter in the game against Japan. Player Ha Hyun-seung looks like he will become a national treasure-class pillar for our country, just like Choi Dong-won and Sun Dong-yol."
(Photo provided by Korea Baseball Softball Association, Yonhap News)
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