Tokyo: The South Korean bats that had been dormant the previous day woke up just in time Monday night to send the team to the quarterfinals of the World Baseball Classic (WBC). Designated hitter Moon Bo-gyeong led the charge with a four-RBI night at Tokyo Dome, as South Korea defeated Australia 7-2 in the teams' final Pool C game.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the victory netted South Korea a ticket to Miami for the quarterfinals, marking the country's first trip to the knockout phase since 2009. To win a tiebreaker and reach the quarterfinals over Australia and Chinese Taipei, South Korea had to win Monday's game by at least five runs and also hold Australia to two or fewer runs. South Korea met those criteria right on the numbers thanks to its resurgent offense.
Moon fired the opening shot with a two-run home run in the top of the second inning, followed by Lee Jung-hoo's RBI double that made it a 3-0 game in the top of the third inning. Moon then added a run-scoring double of his own to extend South Korea's lead to 4-0. Moon continued to build the momentum, putting South Korea up 5-0 with a single in the fifth inning.
Despite a solo home run by Robbie Glendinning in the bottom of the fifth inning, which forced South Korea to score at least another run, Kim Do-yeong came through with a two-out single, giving South Korea a 6-1 advantage. Australia managed to cut the lead to 6-2 in the eighth inning. However, Ahn Hyun-min secured the victory with a sacrifice fly that restored the five-run lead, ensuring South Korea's advancement.
Kim Do-yeong, who had been the standout performer in South Korea's 5-4 loss to Chinese Taipei on Sunday, received much-needed support from his teammates this time, as the team collectively pounded out 10 hits. Moon, the protagonist of Monday night's game, expressed pride in overcoming pressure in a high-stress situation and emphasized the significance of advancing to the knockouts for the first time in 17 years.
Moon, currently leading the tournament with 11 RBIs, remarked on the feeling of moving on in the tournament, expressing his happiness over the team's success rather than his individual achievements. Both Moon and Kim, recent champions in the Korea Baseball Organization, shared that Monday's win felt more exhilarating than clinching their domestic league titles.
Kim also highlighted the team's resilience, stating their confidence remained intact despite consecutive losses to Japan and Chinese Taipei over the weekend. He expressed belief in the team's ability to overcome challenges and enjoy the experience, ultimately achieving their goal of reaching the quarterfinals.