Former baseball player and coach Kim Tae-kyun, who once earned an annual salary exceeding 20 billion won, fiercely competed for his first win.
On the October 3rd episode of KBS 2TV's sports reality show 'Our Neighborhood Baseball Captain' (planned by Kim Sang-mi, directed by Lee Jung-wook), the second round match between the Little Tigers and Little Eagles took place.
Despite the rainy weather, the Little Tigers and Little Eagles faced off. Coaches expressed concerns, saying, "They probably haven't pitched in the rain," and "Games are usually not held in such weather," creating a mix of anticipation and tension about how the young players would perform in adverse conditions.
In the top of the first inning, Little Eagles' starting pitcher Hwang Jun-ah struggled with control, giving consecutive walks to two batters. Even after switching to pitcher Park Si-hyuk, the Little Eagles allowed two more consecutive walks, and the Little Tigers scored two runs on a wild pitch. After Coach Kim Tae-kyun checked the mound, emergency repairs were made to the pitcher's landing spot, and Park Si-hyuk quickly regained control with a big breaking ball, striking out a batter. However, Little Tigers' Na Ho-jun hit a two-run single, ending the top of the first inning with a 4-0 lead.
In the bottom of the first inning, the Little Eagles began their counterattack. Second batter Shin Hyun-woo hit a high ball, which Little Tigers' Seo Eun-woo caught with a diving catch, drawing admiration from everyone. After third batter Park Si-hyuk's double, fourth batter Lee Hyo-jun hit an RBI single and advanced to third base with agile base running. Commentator Kim Seung-woo was engrossed, saying, "Today's game is undoubtedly exciting," and Lee Dae-hyung remarked, "Lee Hyo-jun is called 'Little Kim Tae-kyun,' but his base running is a step above."
The second inning ended without any runs, and the Little Tigers began their attack in the top of the third inning. Seventh batter Na Ho-jun added another RBI single, extending the lead to 5-2. In the bottom of the third inning, Little Eagles' second batter Shin Hyun-woo reached second base with smart base running, and fourth batter Lee Hyo-jun grounded out to contribute to the team, narrowing the gap to two runs. Fifth batter Cho Young-ha persistently batted to produce an RBI single, making the score 5-4.
In the top of the fourth inning, Little Eagles' catcher Lee Hyo-jun's performance stood out. He made perfect throws to catch Park Do-hyun and Lee Seung-won stealing bases, achieving two outs. An outfield throw out completed the top of the fourth inning with three outs, boosting the Little Eagles' momentum. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Little Eagles continued their attack, and Lim Sung-min scored, tying the game at 5-5, creating thrilling tension.
In the top of the fifth inning, the Little Tigers launched a counterattack. Fifth batter Yoon Ah-jun hit an RBI single to take the lead, and Na Ho-jun's precise hitting added another run, widening the lead to two runs. In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Little Eagles brought in pinch hitter Jung Ah-in and substitute Park Joo-hyuk to make a final push, but they couldn't break through the opposing team's defense. The Little Tigers secured their first victory with a final score of 7-5. Coach Na Ji-wan commented, "I didn't expect the first win to be this tough and challenging," and 'Today's Baseball Captain' was awarded to Na Ho-jun, who had an outstanding performance with three hits and four RBIs.
Meanwhile, 'Our Neighborhood Baseball Captain' is a program where KBO legends Park Yong-taek, Lee Dae-ho, Kim Tae-kyun, and Na Ji-wan select U-10 youth players from their respective hometowns to form teams and compete in a league. It airs every Sunday at 9:20 PM on KBS 2TV.
Reporter Kim Se-ah, Ten Asia haesmik@tenasia.co.kr