The ‘Master of Reversal’ remained the same even after changing its name. Gunsan Sangil High School (formerly Gunsan Sango High School) is back on top after 37 years.
On Thursday, Gunsan Sangil High 꽁머니사이트 School defeated Incheon High School 11-10 in the final of the 57th Presidential Baseball Tournament at Mokdong Baseball Stadium in Seoul, South Korea, thanks to a walk-off hit by junior Chan-woo Park.
Gunsan Sangil-Go, which changed its name in March this year when it converted to a general education high school, won its first national championship since the name change. It is also the first time since 2013 that the team has lifted the trophy in all four major tournaments (President’s Cup, Phonghwanggi, Cheongryonggi, and Golden Lion), and the first time in 37 years since 1986, when the team was anchored by left-handed ace Cho Kyu-je.
Incheon set the tone early on. In the top of the first inning, with runners on first and second after two walks, Incheon opened the scoring with an RBI single by Kim Ji-seok, followed by an RBI double by Kim Jun-won. They added another run in the top of the third on an RBI single by Lim Kyu-young following a triple by leadoff hitter Han Kyu-hyuk.
Incheon High’s Kim Ji-seok (R) celebrates after hitting a single in the first inning during the final game of the 57th Presidential High School Baseball Tournament against Gunsan Sangil High at Mokdong Baseball Stadium in Seoul on Thursday.
Gunsan Sangil-Go, which started the rally with a single by Kang Min-je in the bottom of the first inning, had the bases loaded in the third. They scored two runs on a wild pitch and an infield grounder to pull within one run. Tied at 5-5 in the bottom of the sixth, Gunsan Sangilgo regained the lead on an RBI single by Min Guk, and then took advantage of a pushing dune and a throwing error to take a 9-5 lead.
In the seventh inning, both teams scored a run apiece before Incheon finally tied the game. In the top of the eighth inning, with the bases loaded and nobody out, Incheon scored two runs on a sacrifice fly by Lee Woo-jun and a grounder to second by Park Jae-hyun, followed by a single to right by Lee Jae-hyo and a wild pitch by pitcher Kang Min-je to tie the game at 10-10.
Gunsan Sangil High School’s Park Chan-woo (far left) celebrates after scoring the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning during the final game of the 57th Presidential High School Baseball Tournament against Incheon High School at Mokdong Baseball Stadium in Seoul on Thursday.
But it was Gunsan Sangil-go who had the last laugh. With the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the ninth inning, Park Chan-woo hit a single that cleared the Incheon High outfield, ending a four-hour, 34-minute battle.
Sophomore pitcher Jung Min-seong was named the tournament MVP. He pitched in all three games of the tournament, earning three wins and the Most Valuable Pitcher award. The pitching award went to Incheon High ace Kim Taek-yeon, while the batting award went to Gyeongbuk High’s Jeon Mir (7-for-14).