South Korea's Lee Jung-hoo hits a doubles during the World Baseball Classic (WBC) Pool C game between Australia and South Korea at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, March 9. AFP-Yonhap
TOKYO — Before South Korea played a win-or-go-home game against Australia at the World Baseball Classic (WBC) on Monday, team captain Lee Jung-hoo gathered his teammates in a huddle for a pregame speech.
The meeting hardly seemed solemn, despite what was at stake for South Korea as it was seeking a trip to the quarterfinals.
A loss would have eliminated the team from knockout contention for the fourth consecutive WBC. A South Korea win would create a tiebreaking situation with Australia and Chinese Taipei, and South Korea had to win by at least five runs and limit Australia to two or fewer runs.
Odds seemed stacked against South Korea, and yet Lee flashed a small grin as he told his teammates, "We can do this."
Then South Korea went out and did it, beating Australia 7-2 with Lee delivering a crucial hit early on before making a tournament-saving diving catch in right field in the bottom of the ninth inning to preserve the five-run margin.
"When we went into the bottom of the ninth after scoring our seventh run in the top of the ninth, that was the most nervous moment of my baseball career," Lee said moments after South Korea's victory. "This win was thanks to every member of this team."
Lee's teammates would argue their captain had a major role.
Lee's third-inning double gave South Korea a 3-0 lead, and Lee himself would score the team's fourth run later in the same frame.
Then in the top of the ninth, Lee stepped in with a man at first and one out, his team up by 6-2. South Korea needed at least one more run or its dreams of making it to the knockouts for the first time since 2009 would be shattered.
Source: Korea Times News
