Led by manager Ryu Ji-hyun, the South Korean national baseball team easily defeated underdog Thailand, powered by two grand slams, to advance to the Super Round as the top team in their group.

The national team crushed Thailand 18-1 in a five-inning mercy-rule game during the third match of Group B at the Toyohashi Municipal Baseball Stadium in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, today (23rd).

Having previously defeated Taiwan 5-0 and Hong Kong 13-0 (seven-inning mercy rule), South Korea secured its third consecutive win to claim first place in the group.

Carrying one win against the runner-up of Group B, South Korea will play the Super Round against the first and second-place teams from Group A from the 25th to the 26th.

Group B's runner-up is expected to be Taiwan, which faces Hong Kong later in the afternoon.

The top two teams in the Super Round will advance to the final, while the bottom two teams will play in the bronze medal match.

All medal matches will take place on the 27th.

In the first inning, with runners on second and third following a walk and a stolen base by Park Jae-hyun (KIA Tigers), a walk by Yoon Dong-hee (Lotte Giants), and an advance by Kim Do-young (KIA), South Korea scored the opening run on an RBI sacrifice fly to right field by Noh Si-hwan (Hanwha Eagles).

Moon Bo-gong (LG Twins) then smashed a two-run homer over the right-field wall, making it 3-0.

In the second inning, after loading the bases with no outs following consecutive hits by Lee Jae-hyun (Samsung Lions), Kim Gun-hee (Kiwoom Heroes), and Jung Jun-jae (SSG Landers), Park Jae-hyun hit a grand slam over the right-field wall to instantly widen the gap to 7-0.

In the third inning, three more runs were added on a walk by Lee Jae-hyun and consecutive hits by Kim Gun-hee, Jung Jun-jae, and Park Jae-hyun, pulling ahead 10-0.

The national team continued to batter the Thai pitching staff in the fourth inning.

Consecutive hits by Park Joon-soon (Doosan Bears) and Moon Hyun-bin, a sacrifice fly by Lee Jae-hyun, and RBI hits by Jung Jun-jae and Kim Do-young brought the score to 14-0. After the batting order turned over, Park Joon-soon stepped up to the plate and blasted a grand slam over the left-field wall, making it 18-0.

Under the tournament rules, a mercy rule is applied if a team leads by 15 or more runs after 5 innings or 10 or more runs after 7 innings (not applied in the final).

South Korea's only blemish was conceding a run in the fifth inning with two outs and a runner on first when center fielder Kim Ji-chan (Samsung) dropped a fly ball.

Park Jae-hyun shone with 2 hits in 2 at-bats, 1 home run, 2 walks, 5 RBIs, and 3 runs scored, while Park Joon-soon recorded 2 hits in 2 at-bats, 1 home run, 4 RBIs, and 2 runs scored.

The national team's pitching staff, which achieved a combined perfect game against Hong Kong the previous day, tightly shut down the Thai batting lineup as well.

Starting pitcher Oh Won-seok pitched 4 scoreless innings, allowing just 1 hit with 7 strikeouts and no walks, while Bae Chan-seung (Samsung) took the mound in the fifth inning, pitching 1 inning and allowing 1 hit and 1 run (unearned).

(Photo: Yonhap News)