S. Korea Hammers Australia in Qualifier
By Kang Seung-woo
Staff Reporter
South Korea's national baseball team humiliated Australia 16-2 behind slugger Lee Seung-yeop's three-run home run Saturday at an Olympic qualifying tournament in Taichung, Taiwan.
In their second game of the tournament, the South Koreans produced 13 hits and drew eight walks in a game that was called after the seventh inning because of a 10-run mercy rule.
The 16 runs they scored are the most by any team in a game in the tournament.
Manager Kim Kyung-moon's Korean squad, which downed South Africa 5-0 in its opening game of the qualifier, was expected to have a tough challenge against Australia, a regional power that defeated a Korean team composed of top-tier players 5-3 in the 2000 Sydney Olympics on its way to winning a silver medal.
But instead, the outcome of Saturday's game was decided more quickly than expected.
After Korea's left-handed starting pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin surrendered an RBI single to Glenn Williams in the top of the first inning, Korea, which took the bronze medal at the Sydney Olympics, rebounded in the bottom of the inning to score four runs on three hits, including doubles by Lee Dae-ho and Lee Taek-keun, and two walks along with Australia starter Greg Wiltshire's wild pitch.
Their explosive bats did not stop in the next inning.
With runners on first and second, Yomiuri Giants power hitter Lee Seung-yeop blasted an RBI double, and two consecutive walks added another run to extend the lead to 6-1.
In the third with Korea 7-1 up and runners on first and second, Lee stepped to the plate again and drove the second pitch from reliever Chris Mowday over the right-field fence.
The despaired Australian team managed to score another run in the fifth when Ben Risinger doubled and scored off right-handed reliever Han Ki-joo.
Lee went 3-for-3 in the game with four RBIs, and Lee Dae-ho picked up two hits and three RBIs.
Ryu was the winning pitcher after allowing two runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings, while striking out four.