President Yoon Seok-yeol’s referee transformation… Became the first champ with Gadongcho’s ‘Finish Homesteel’!

-game referee ceremony In the 2023 Presidential Office Invitational National Youth Baseball Championship, Seoul Gadong Elementary School became the first champion with a miraculous end victory.

Seoul Gadong Elementary School (director Kim Seong-hoon), after repeating reverses in the final match held at the Sports Field baseball field in Yongsan Children’s Garden on the 14th, scored three runs at the end of the 6th inning, the last inning, and Daejeon Shinheung Elementary School (director Ryu Deok-hyun) 6-5. He won the thrilling first championship by defeating it.

The national youth baseball tournament invited by the Presidential Office (hosted by the Presidential Office, supervised by the Korea Baseball Softball Association, sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the National Sports Promotion Corporation) was introduced for the first time this year. The Yongsan Garrison, which was returned to the USFK, was turned into the Yongsan Children’s Garden and opened to the public after 120 years.

Since it was an invitational tournament, high-ranking government officials, including President Yoon Seok-yeol and Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Park Bo-gyun, visited and encouraged the players of both teams prior to the final. President Yoon, wearing a jumper for the national baseball team emblazoned with ‘KOREA’, delivered a commemorative hat and a bouquet of flowers to the finalist teams of Gadong Elementary School and Shinheung Elementary School in Daejeon. Then, instead of throwing the first pitch, he wore referee equipment and transformed into a referee and held a call ceremony shouting “Strike!”.

▲ The players of Seoul Gadong Elementary School run to the ground and enjoy the joy as they confirm their come-from-behind victory in the final of the ‘2023 Presidential Office Invitational National Youth Baseball Championship’. ⓒSPOTV relay screen capture

In the final, which was broadcast live on SPOTV, Seoul Gadong Elementary School scored first. In the bottom of the first inning, lead batter Park Ji-ho’s walk and Kim Jin-hui’s right-handed hit made it a safe first and third base chance. In a situation where Kim Jin-hui’s stolen base made the second and third bases safe, third hitter Lee Ha-jun and fourth hitter Kim Han-joon’s consecutive infield ground balls earned two points first.

However, Shinheung Elementary School in Daejeon immediately launched a counterattack. 4th hitter Yoon Tae-woong, who started as the lead batter in the top of the 2nd inning, went out with a left-handed hit and succeeded in stealing second and third bases consecutively. Min Seon-Hong, who came out as the 6th hitter after one out, blew a deep sacrifice fly to the center fielder and started the chase with a score of 1-2.

Shinheungcho scored 3 points in the beginning of the 3rd inning and succeeded in reversing at once. After two outs, first hitter Lee Dong-gyu’s shortstop infield hit sparked the fire. The second hitter, Joo-Wan Pyeon, tied the score 2-2 with a triple through the middle right. Here, Gadongcho skipped third hitter Lee Jin-woong with an intentional walk, and fourth hitter Yoon Tae-woong proudly hit a two-run triple in left-middle, turning the tide of the game 4-2.

The moving seconds did not back down. After one run, Park Ji-ho, the first hitter, took a chance with a triple in the right middle, and Kim Jin-hui caught up with a right-handed hit at the right time, 3-4.

Afterwards, the game, which entered a lull in the pitchers of both teams, caused a violent whirlpool in the last inning, the 6th inning.

In the top of the 6th inning, Sinheung-cho scored an extra run and gained momentum. Leading hitter Lee Jin-woong went out with a heavy hit and succeeded in stealing base, and when fourth hitter Yoon Tae-woong grounded in front of the third baseman, while the third baseman’s throw was heading toward first base, he tactfully ran to third base and got a chance to get one out and third base. Here, fifth hitter Kim Do-hyun put a squeeze bunt toward the first baseman, but it became an infield hit and the third base runner scored and ran away with the score 5-3.

Elementary baseball is played in 6 innings. Therefore, the extra 1 point seemed heavy. However, Gadongcho blossomed into a miraculous flower in despair.

After one death in the bottom of the 6th inning, Park Ji-soo fired a signal of pursuit, getting a walk against pitcher Min Seon-hong, who was fighting hard. 7th batter Song Yu-chan continued his chances for first and second base with a right-handed hit. 8th hitter Jeon Gye-rim retreated with a fly to right field and got 2 outs.

However, like Yogi Berra’s famous saying, “Baseball is not over until it’s over,” a dramatic drama unfolded in the bottom of the 6th inning with 2 outs and 3B-2S. Both runners homed as ninth hitter Shim Min-ho hit a dramatic triple that landed in left field.

The moment the score was tied 5-5, the players of Gadong Elementary School, who had been on the brink of defeat, cheered in unison. After changing the pitcher to Joo-Wan Pyeon, Shinheungcho sent out No. 1 hitter Park Ji-ho and No. 2 hitter Jin-Hwi Kim on intentional walks in a series of intentional walks.

At this time, the operation of the mobile unit to catch the opponent off guard came out. Third base runner Shim Min-ho boldly made a home steal on the first pitch when third batter Lee Ha-jun was at bat. Shim Min-ho was a fast-footed player who came to the baseball team belatedly from the track and field team. Then Shinheungcho catcher Lee Dong-gyu stood up in surprise and tried to catch the pitch, but threw it backwards. Third base runner Shim Min-ho succeeded in scoring with a home steal, completing a miraculous comeback drama.메이저사이트

▲ Players from Seoul Gadong Elementary School pose with Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Park Bo-gyun (center) at the award ceremony after winning the ‘2023 Presidential Office Invitational National Youth Baseball Championship’. ⓒSPOTV relay screen capture

Gadongcho players all rushed to the ground and enjoyed the joy, and Shinheungcho players who missed the victory they had almost caught sat on the ground and shed tears.

Gadong Elementary School reconfirmed its strongest power by winning the national championship once again following the championship of the National Elementary Baseball Championship held last month (the 19th Cheonan Heung Taryeong).