The Sejong City Youth Baseball Team (head coach Jang Jae-hyuk) won the 2nd Andong Hahoe Talbae National Children’s Baseball Tournament in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province. After a draw in the final, the team defeated the Asan Youth Baseball Team (head coach Hwang Min-ho) 11-7 in a double-elimination game to win the top spot in the strongest league, the U-13 Cheongryong (U-13) League, for the first time in its seven-year history.
The tournament, organized by the Andong City Baseball and Softball Association and hosted by the Korea Youth Baseball Federation (Chairman Lee Sang-geun), was held over six days from July 7 to 12 at seven venues, including the Andong Yongsang Sports Park baseball field. A total of 72 teams and more than 2,000 participants, including players and parents, participated. The tournament was sponsored by Andong City, Andong Sports Association, baseball equipment specialist Wipan (Gold Bat), Storm Baseball, Finsport, Waniel-Diamond, Dominion, and muscle ligament supplement Aminoligen. The tournament consisted of a preliminary group stage and a final tournament. Players from the Korea Youth Baseball Federation competed for the championship in seven categories, including the Sprout League (U-9), Dreamers League (U-11), Youth League (U-13), and Junior League (U-16).
The Sejong City Youth Baseball Team won the strongest league, the Youth League (U-13) Cheongnyong. The team showed its prowess by winning the tournament, following its runner-up finish at the U-12 National Youth Baseball Tournament, the largest tournament for elementary school baseball teams in the country, held in Uljin this year. In the first game of the preliminary round, the team got off to a fast start against the Busan MSG Youth Baseball Team (coached by Yoo Min-seok), winning 8-4 behind a 3-for-4 performance from Lee Yoo-chan (Da Jung-cho 6).
In the second game, they faced the Daejeon West District Youth Baseball Team, coached by former Hanwha Eagles player Yeon Kyung-hum, and were led by Kim Do-kyung (Sodam 6), nicknamed the “Ohtani of youth baseball,” who went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs, and Lee Min-jae (Duru 5), who pitched three scoreless innings to earn a 6-0 shutout victory. In the final game of the preliminary round, they defeated the defending champion Incheon Seogu Youth Baseball Team. Go Jun-seo (Boramcho 6) went 2-for-2 with a home run, RBI, and two runs scored, and Lee Yoo-chan pitched three innings of one-run ball to lead the team to a 5-1 victory and a direct ticket to the quarterfinals.
In the semifinals, the team faced off against Seoul’s emerging powerhouse Gangnam Dogok Youth Baseball Club (managed by Yoon Jung-ho). Kim Do-kyung’s leadoff home run in the top of the first inning gave them the lead, and Choi Si-woo (Dodamcho6) pitched three innings of six-hit ball to secure a 4-0 victory. In the final, they faced off against traditional powerhouse Asan Youth Baseball Club (Hwang Min-ho). The Asan Youth Baseball Team is a powerhouse that has produced KBO rookie designees for two consecutive years. The team produced Park Ji-ho of the Doosan Bears this year and Kwon Dong-hyuk of the LG Twins last year. 스포츠토토
Sejong City took the lead in the top of the first inning, scoring two runs on a leadoff double by Kim Do-kyung and a double to right-center field by Sun Ju-ha (Dodamcho 6). The game continued with a tense pitching battle between Kim Do-kyung of Sejong and Lee Ji-ho of Asan until the fourth inning. In the bottom of the fifth inning, the game went back to square one. Asan scored two runs on three consecutive hits by Min-san (Bulmu Cho 5), Lee Ye-joon (Tangjeong Cho 6), and Lee Ji-ho to take a 2-1 lead.