[Nagoya AG] Ryu Ji-hyun's Team Defeats China 9-2... Rematch Against Japan in Final

Choi Minseok Shines with 7 Innings, 7 Hits Allowed, 1 Run

The South Korean national baseball team, aiming for its fifth consecutive Asian Games title, has advanced to the final and will face Japan once again.

Led by manager Ryu Ji-hyun, the South Korean team defeated China 9-2 in the second game of the super round at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, held at Toyohashi Citizens Baseball Stadium, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, on the 26th.

Including a victory against Taiwan in the group stage, the national team posted a record of 2 wins and 1 loss in the super round, securing a spot in the final. Their opponent will be Japan, which earned three wins by defeating Taiwan (1 win, 2 losses) earlier in the day.

After losing 0-5 to a Japanese squad comprised of semi-professional and amateur players on the 25th, South Korea will seek both revenge and a fifth consecutive championship at the same venue at 6:30 p.m. on the 27th.

Choi Minseok is pitching in the baseball super round match against China at the Toyohashi Citizens Stadium in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, on the 26th during the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. Photo by Yonhap News

The game against China was played in continuous rain. Due to the weather, the start was delayed by one hour, and starting pitcher Choi Minseok struggled to settle into a rhythm in the top of the first inning.

With two outs and a runner on second, Choi Minseok gave up three consecutive hits to Ruan Chencheng, Cao Jie, and Pu Wenlong, allowing one run. Fortunately, he struck out Li Xiaoyang with the bases loaded and two outs, escaping a big inning without further damage.

After that, he regained his composure. Choi shut out the Chinese lineup through the seventh inning, laying the foundation for victory. He finished with an impressive line: 7 innings pitched, 7 hits allowed, 1 run, and 9 strikeouts.

The Korean team immediately turned the tide in the bottom of the first. After Moon Hyunbin drew a walk and advanced to second and third on an error with one out, Moon Bokyung grounded out to first base, allowing Moon Hyunbin to score and tie the game.

Moon Bokyung, who tied the game, was called safe at first on a controversial umpire decision. Amid confusion among the Chinese fielders, third-base runner Kim Doyoung sprinted home, giving South Korea a 2-1 lead.

In the bottom of the second, back-to-back singles by Park Junsun and Kim Jichan, followed by a sacrifice bunt by Cho Hyungwoo and a grounder from Kim Juwon, produced two more runs, increasing the lead to 4-1.

The South Korean national baseball team players are greeting Chinese players after winning the baseball super round match against China at Toyohashi Citizen Stadium in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, on the 26th during the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

After being held scoreless from the third to the fifth inning, South Korea struck again in the bottom of the sixth for two runs. With one out and runners on first and third, created by a single from Park Junsun and an infield hit by Cho Hyungwoo, Kim Juwon lined a single to right, bringing in a run. Then, after a single to center by Moon Hyunbin loaded the bases, Kim Doyoung was hit by a pitch, making it 6-1.

In the bottom of the seventh, Yoon Donghee drew a walk and then Park Junsun and Cho Hyungwoo hit back-to-back RBI triples and singles to center, respectively, adding two more runs to push the score to 8-1 and seal the game.

In the bottom of the eighth, Moon Bokyung hit an RBI double to right-center, extending the lead to 9-1. With the outcome already decided, China scored once in the top of the ninth, closing out the game at 9-2.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.