In his first appearance of the exhibition game, left-handed pitcher Baek Jeong-hyeon of the professional baseball team Samsung Lions showcased a scoreless performance.
On the 9th, Baek Jeong-hyeon made a starting appearance in the home game against SSG Landers at Daegu Samsung Lions Park, recording 3 innings with 1 hit, 3 walks, 1 strikeout, and no runs. Of the total 61 pitches, 38 were strikes. He reached a maximum speed of 141 km/h, mixing in curveballs, sliders, and forkballs.
In the 1st inning, with a walk from Park Ji-hwan and a stolen base to second, Baek Jeong-hyeon faced a no-out situation with a runner on second. He induced Park Seong-han into a foul fly ball to third base. However, he then allowed a walk to Choi Jeong, which increased the runners on base to two. After getting Guillermo Heredia out on a foul fly ball to first base, he struck out Ko Myeong-jun on three pitches.
In the 2nd inning, Baek Jeong-hyeon turned around lead-off hitter Han Yu-seom into a ground ball to second base. Although he allowed a walk to Oh Tae-gon, he handled Kim Seong-hyun and Jo Hyeong-woo with ground balls to the infield to finish the inning.
In the 3rd inning, after one out, Baek Jeong-hyeon allowed a double that went over the center fielder's head to Park Seong-han, but he retired Choi Jeong and Guillermo Heredia with pop flies to center field, completing his task for the day. Finishing his first appearance in the exhibition game with 3 scoreless innings, Baek noted, "There was no major issue with my physical condition, and compared to how I felt when I was good, I think I am at about 60 to 70% level."
While he seemed somewhat shaky in the early stages of the game, Baek Jeong-hyeon maintained his scoreless streak with experienced pitching, saying, "My control was a bit off at the start, but I tried to calm down and pitch carefully. I discussed areas for improvement with the coach and modified my approach."
Classified as a starting resource for this season, he said, "I will focus on the basics and do my best in the areas I can handle to prepare for this season."
Meanwhile, Samsung defeated SSG 7-0, registering their first win of the exhibition game. Starters Baek Jeong-hyeon, Kim Dae-ho, Song Eun-beom, Lee Seung-hyun (number 20), and Kim Jae-yoon combined for a scoreless game.
On offense, Park Byung-ho launched a two-run homer, and leadoff hitter Kim Ji-chan had a perfect performance with 2 hits, 2 RBIs, and 2 runs scored. Lee Jae-hyun completed the game with 3 hits, including a triple.
Manager Park Jin-man said after the game, "The pitchers went up and all did their jobs. The hitting also seems to be improving overall. This is something we need to keep elevating throughout the exhibition games."
He also praised, "Today, the second pitcher, Kim Dae-ho, did well blocking several innings, allowing for smooth mound management."
Manager Park Jin-man commented on Park Byung-ho, who hit the two-run homer, saying, "He hit the first home run of the exhibition game relatively early, and I think his game sense will gradually improve. Kim Ji-chan particularly seems to be in good condition. I hope he can maintain it well until the opening."
[OSEN]