The Masan Yongmago won a thrilling come-from-behind victory after a suspenseful game, led by ‘ace’ Jang Hyun-seok. Jang Chung-go, who boasts the strongest pitching power, also showed off his hot bat to advance to the round of 16.

Yongmago won 4-1 in the second game of the 78th Cheongnyonggi National High School Baseball Championship and Weekend League Wangjungwang (co-hosted by Chosun Ilbo, Sports Chosun, and the Korea Baseball Softball Association) at Mokdong Stadium in Seoul, South Korea, on April 19.

The two teams played a suspended game over two days due to rain on the 18th. After Jinheungo scored the first run in the first inning, the game was suspended in the top of the fifth inning at 1-0 and resumed the following morning on the 19th.

After Yongmago’s starting pitcher Kang Chae-woon faltered after giving up a run in the first inning, giving up a hard-hitting ball to leadoff batter Park Kyu-seung in the second inning, and allowing two consecutive walks with two outs, the team sent hard-hitting pitcher Jang Hyun-seok, who is considered the “biggest name in high school,” to the mound. Jang got out of the jam by striking out the first batter, Park Sung-ha.

He continued to pitch well. After striking out the side in the third inning, he struck out the side in the fourth inning to neutralize the Jinheung High bats. Jang Hyun-seok continued to pitch the next day on the 19th, throwing a scoreless fifth inning before leaving the mound. His final line was 3⅓ innings, one hit, six strikeouts, one walk, and no runs.

While the Jinhungo bats went silent, Yongmago tied the game in the top of the ninth. Extra innings ensued. In the top of the 10th inning, with the bases loaded, No. 5 hitter Son Yul-ki lined a pitch over the outfield fence for a two-run double, giving Yongmago a 4-1 lead. In the bottom of the 10th, Jinheungo failed to capitalize on their chances and Yongmago advanced to the Round of 16.

In the next game between Jangchungo and Gunsan Sangilgo, Jangchungo’s “biggest lefty,” Hwang Jun-seo, attracted attention by starting as a designated hitter instead of a pitcher. After drawing walks in his first and second at-bats, Hwang drew applause in his third at-bat of the fifth inning with an exquisite bunt that slipped past the pitcher’s side.

Jang Chung-go rode a hot bat, including a two-run wedge hit by Kim Min-chan, to a 9-2 victory in a cold game in the seventh inning and punched another ticket to the round of 16.

Meanwhile, Bibongo secured its first ever Cheongnyonggi Round of 16 berth with a 7-3 win over Busan Information Go, while Seoul Go earned a 9-2, 8th inning cold-game victory over Woosin Go. 파워볼