Hanwha Eagles unleashed a barrage of hits to overpower the defending champions. KIA Tigers' new foreign pitcher made a fiery debut.
Hanwha won 4-1 in a practice game against the KIA Tigers held on 25th at Kin Baseball Stadium in Okinawa Prefecture, delivering a total of 16 hits. Hanwha recorded its second practice game victory (1 loss), while KIA suffered its second consecutive defeat.
Hanwha started the game with a lineup of Lee Jin-young (left fielder), Lim Jong-chan (right fielder), Florial (center fielder), Noh Si-hwan (third baseman), Chae Eun-sung (first baseman), Ahn Chi-hong (second baseman), Kwon Kwang-min (designated hitter), Lee Jae-won (catcher), and Shim Woo-jun (shortstop).
KIA listed Hong Jong-pyo (second baseman), Choi Won-jun (designated hitter), Yoon Do-hyun (shortstop), Kim Seok-hwan (right fielder), Lee Woo-sung (left fielder), Han Jun-soo (catcher), Byun Woo-hyuk (first baseman), Park Min (third baseman), and Park Jung-woo (center fielder) on their roster.
Against KIA's key pitchers, Hanwha's batters set the stage ablaze. New foreign hitter Esteban Florial delivered a decisive two-run double in his first at-bat down the right-field line and hit a mid-field double in the fourth inning. He went 2 for 3 with 2 RBIs and 1 run scored, showcasing his impressive hitting skills. Ahn Chi-hong and Hwang Young-mook also recorded multi-hit games.
The new pitchers from both teams drew attention. Um Sang-baek, making his first appearance since transferring, faced 10 batters over 2 innings, recording 3 hits allowed, 2 walks, 1 strikeout, and 1 earned run. He threw a total of 40 pitches, including 23 fastballs, 3 curves, 8 changeups, and 6 cutters, reaching a top speed of 146 km/h and an average of 144 km/h. He increased his chances to play a part in the starting rotation.
After the game, manager Kim Kyung-moon noted, "Florial, who recorded the winning hit today, has shown consistent performance in both defense and hitting, and although it was only a practice game, our batters displayed a strong hitting sense against KIA's main starting pitchers."
He continued, "The pitchers showed stability from the starter Um Sang-baek to the closer Park Sang-won as planned, and we will continue to prepare well until the end."
KIA's James Neill, Yang Hyun-jong, and new foreign pitcher Adam Oller each pitched 2 innings to gain in-game experience. Neill allowed 5 hits over 2 innings but overcame challenges with 5 strikeouts and 1 earned run. Yang Hyun-jong also gave up 4 hits to 10 batters but added 5 strikeouts while recording 2 earned runs (1 earned).
Oller's pitching, which drew much anticipation, was remarkable. He faced 6 batters over 2 innings, throwing 21 pitches and achieving 2 strikeouts, completing perfect pitching. He mixed fastballs, curves, sliders, and slurves, recording a top speed of 153 km/h and an average of 151 km/h. The trajectory of his main pitches, the curve and slurve, was sharp. Although they lost the match, it was a gain for KIA.
Trade acquisition Jo Sang-woo also stepped onto the competitive stage for the first time, pitching 1 inning. He faced 5 batters, allowing 2 hits, recording 1 strikeout, and yielding 1 earned run. He threw 17 pitches using fastballs, sliders, and forks, recording a top speed of 144 km/h. As he is still in the process of building his form, it was a focused performance for his first outing.
The KIA lineup, featuring less-utilized batters, recorded 6 hits. Backup infielder Hong Jong-pyo, who batted lead-off, made 2 hits. On the previous 22nd against Hiroshima Toyo Carp, he also recorded 2 hits in 5 at-bats, showing impressive hitting form.