Gunsan Sangilgo advances to the quarterfinals of the Presidential Baseball Tournament thanks to a perfect game by Jung Min-sung.
Gunsan Sangilgo won an 11-1 seventh inning cold game victory in the quarterfinals of the 57th Presidential Baseball Championship against Whimungo at Mokdong Baseball Stadium on April 8. As a result, Gunsan Sangil-Go will face Gyeonggi University on May 10 at the same venue for a ticket to the finals.
In the game, sophomore pitcher Jung Min-sung threw 53 pitches in 3⅔ innings in relief, allowing three hits, one home run, one walk, and seven strikeouts. He led Gunsan Sangsang Ilgo to victory. His fastball was clocked at 145 kilometers per hour. The bats responded to Jeong’s pitching with plenty of runs. They scored eight runs in the sixth inning to take a 3-0 lead and decide the game early.
Speaking to the media after the game, Jung said, “I didn’t do well by myself. The hitters scored a lot of runs for us, so we were able to win. The pitchers also tried not to give up any runs, so I think the result was good,” he said, giving credit to his teammates.
He was not satisfied with his own pitching. “I wasn’t satisfied with my performance today. My body was heavy and my balance wasn’t good, so I had to rely on my changeup to win the game.” 안전놀이터
He utilized his slider as his main weapon. Jung’s slider trajectory is somewhat unusual. It curves like a “sweeper,” a term popularized by LA Angels slugger Shohei Ohtani, who plays in the major leagues. “It’s not a sweeper, but it’s similar. If it’s a sweeper, it’s a sweeper,” he said.
When asked to introduce himself to the fans, he said, “I’m a pitcher who throws a heavy fastball. I try to win, not lose, no matter who the batter is. I would like to introduce myself as a pitcher with such a strong pitch.”
Jung Min-sung has been pitching perfectly ahead of the 2024 KBO Rookie Draft in September. He is counting down the days until the draft with anxiety and anticipation. “It would be great if I get selected, but it might not happen, so I’m worried. Still, my goal is to be selected within the fifth round,” he said, vowing to continue his performance.
“I want to go as high as I can in the President’s Cup, and if not, I want to play in the next tournament, the Phoenix Games. I want to try everything I can before I graduate from high school,” he concluded.