Kim Taeyeon Kwang Sok-Gu and Lim Kyu-Young Flame Swing reach the quarterfinals of the Incheon High School Presidential Regatta
Incheon High reaches the quarterfinals of the President’s Cup. Kim Taek-yeon’s hard-hitting fastball and Lim Kyu-young’s fiery swing shined.
Incheon Go defeated Sango 7-0 in the seventh inning in the round of 16 of the 57th Presidential High School Baseball Tournament (organized by the Korea Baseball Softball Association) at Mokdong Stadium in Seoul on Sunday. Incheon went on to win the championship for the first time in 19 years since 2004.
“Our starter, Park Sang-hyun (three innings, four hits, no runs), did a good job early on. Han Kyu-hyuk found his groove after not getting hit, and Lim Kyu-young also hit well. I’m happy that we were able to save our pitchers today. If we went to the ninth inning, Kim Taek-yeon could have thrown more pitches (to win the cold game).”
Right-hander Kim Taek-yeon was the hero of the game. Kim took the mound with runners on first and second in the bottom of the sixth inning with a 4-0 lead. The score was tied, but it was a tense situation that could have given away the game.
Kim threw a fastball from the first pitch. Lee Sang-go tried to lay down a sacrifice bunt, but couldn’t quite get it down. After two fouls for two strikes, Kim struck again with a fastball for a three-pitch strikeout. The next batter, Jung Hee-jae, swung at a fastball and missed with a slider in the zone. Pinch-hitter Gong Gun-hee struck out looking on a full pitch to the body. The seventh inning ended with a strikeout to complete the two-inning perfect game. “To induce a ground ball or get a strikeout, I had to go for it, so I threw hard,” Kim said.
Incheon High’s third-year right-handed pitcher Kim Taek-yeon poses for a photo after pitching the second inning against Jangang-ango in the 57th Presidential Baseball Tournament at Shinwol Baseball Park in Seoul on Wednesday. By Ko Bong-jun
Coach Kye Ki-beom said, “It’s the best. Thank you for doing what I expected. Taek-yeon has a calm personality. He doesn’t get nervous easily. He doesn’t shake whether he’s starting or finishing. In her sophomore year, she was a little shaky, but she doesn’t have that now, which is a strength.” “I’ve pitched a lot in crunch time, so I can enjoy it,” Kim said.
Kim is a fireballer with a fastball that tops out at over 150 kilometers per hour. He touched 150 in this game. However, he is also praised for his fastball. In 50 and two-thirds innings pitched this year, he has only given up six walks. “My most confident weapon is my fastball,” he said.
Jang Hyun-seok (Masan Yongmago)’s arrival in the United States has changed the draft landscape. There is speculation that Jang will go to the Hanwha Eagles, who hold the No. 1 pick, and Kim Taek-yeon, who has recently improved his rating, will go to the Doosan Bears, who hold the No. 2 pick. Doosan fans are even using the phrase “Doo Taek-yeon. “I heard about it through an article. My friends who support other teams said, ‘You’re going to Doosan. Come to our team,'” he laughed.
At the plate, the No. 5 hitter, Lim Kyu-young, made a big impact. She hit a leadoff triple in the third inning with runners on second and third. In the top of the seventh inning, with a 4-0 lead, she hit a three-run shot over the left-center field fence to drive a wedge into the game. “I was in good shape from the day before, and with the bases loaded, I tried to capitalize on my chances. I tried to make a strong pitch without going high,” Lim said.
“It was a two-ball no-strike, so I aimed for a fastball, and I got a good pitch. I tried to send a fastball, and I got a good pitch. My role models, Kim Ha-seong and Kim Do-young, are utility players who hit fastballs. I go to the plate thinking that I need to do the same to survive. I want to challenge the pros until the end.”메이저놀이터
All of the teams that reached the quarterfinals of the President’s Cup were eliminated. Masan Yongmago-Gyeonggi Go, Gunsan Sangil Go-Hwimun Go (over 8 days), Gyeongbuk Go-Cheongdam Go, Incheon Go-Yu Shin Go (over 9 days) will compete for a spot in the semifinals.