Seoul (Korea). Korea defeated Canada 9-3 on Friday afternoon, but the Maple Leafs are still going to the Gold Medal Game of the XXV IBAF 18U Baseball World Championship on Sunday. Their opponent and home field advantage will be determined in the evening game between the United States and Japan. Korea also has to wait. For the host that game will decide if they play for third or fifth place in the final standings.
Korea needed just three hits to defeat the second-round leader. Canada’s pitchers Myles Vincent, Jacob Marks, Logan Seifrit and Christian Botnick combined to issue nine walks and additionally hit four batters. Together with a defense, which committed three errors, Korea was able to score easily. They erased a 0-2 deficit with a four-run fifth. Five more runs in the seventh sealed the deal.
Jun Young Yoo had two of the three Korean hits. He scored twice, as well as In Tae Kim and Min Jun Kim. Seung Ho Kang and Dae Young Yoon drove in two runs each. Christopher Shaw had given Canada a short-lived lead with a two-run single in the fourth. Nathan Desouza accounted for the third run thanks to a wild pitch.
On the mound Su Min Lee allowed seven hits, three runs and four walks in 6 2/3 innings, striking out seven. Hyun Sik Jang closed it out by retiring seven of the last nine batters. Myles Vincent ended up with the loss, conceding one hit, four runs (3 ER) and three base on balls in 4 2/3 innings.
