 |
| Yoon Do-hyun / Photo=DB |
KIA and KT finished deadlocked 10-10 in a 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League exhibition game at Gwangju KIA Champions Field on March 14.
The result leaves KIA 2-1 in exhibition play. KT is now 0-1-2 (two ties, one loss).
KIA starter Nail struggled, lasting 3.2 innings while allowing five hits, issuing three walks, striking out four and surrendering four runs.
At the plate, Yoon Do-hyun went 2-for-5 with a two-run homer, two RBIs, two runs scored and two strikeouts. Park Min contributed a 3-for-5 performance with two RBIs and two runs.
KT starter Moon Yong-ik had a tough outing as well, working three innings and yielding four hits (one home run), four walks, three strikeouts and four runs.
Offensively for the Wiz, Bae Jeong-dae launched a two-run homer, while Kim Hyun-soo, Oh Yun-seok and Jang Jin-hyuk each recorded multiple hits.
KIA got off to a strong start. In the bottom of the first, leadoff hitter Dale singled to left. Kim Ho-ryung followed with a four-pitch walk and Castro reached on a hit-by-pitch, loading the bases with no outs. Na Sung-bum took Moon Yong-ik’s third pitch — a 147 km/h fastball — and delivered an RBI single to give KIA a 2-0 lead. A wild pitch later put runners at second and third with one out, but KIA couldn’t add to the total.
KT answered immediately. In the top of the second, Ryu Hyun-in drew a four-pitch walk and Hur Kyung-min reached after being hit by a pitch. Lee Kang-min’s single to center loaded the bases with no outs. Jang Jin-hyuk’s infield single to the pitcher brought Ryu Hyun-in home. Kim Min-seok then hit into a double play, but Hur crossed the plate on the play. Choi Won-jun’s RBI single to left and Kim Hyun-soo’s run-scoring single to left added two more, and KT plated four in the second to take a 4-2 lead.
KIA struck back with the long ball. In the bottom of the third, Na Sung-bum opened with a first-pitch single to center. Yoon Do-hyun met Moon’s second pitch — a 144 km/h fastball — and launched a two-run shot that cleared the center-left fence with an estimated distance of 125 meters, knotting the game at 4-4.
KT regained the lead in the fifth. With two outs and no one on, Jang Sung-woo and Ryu Hyun-in walked back-to-back. Hur ripped a two-run double to bring both runners home, pushing KT back in front, 6-4. KT added another run in the top of the sixth when Oh Yun-seok drove in a run with two outs and a runner on third.
KIA wouldn’t go quietly. In the bottom of the sixth, leadoff man Han Jun-soo drew a walk and Park Min’s single to left put runners at second and third. After one out, a shortstop throwing error during Jung Hyun-chang’s at-bat allowed Han to score. With one out and runners at first and third, Kim Ho-ryung and Castro followed with run-scoring hits to tie the game at 7-7.
KIA kept up the pressure. In the bottom of the seventh, Kim Seok-hwan walked and Yoon Do-hyun laced a double to create a no-out, 2-3 opportunity. Grounders from Kim Gyu-seong and Joo Hyo-sang left KIA looming, but Park Min delivered a two-run single to clear the bases. A walk to Jeong Hae-won and an error by Jung Hyun-chang loaded the bases with two outs, and Park Jae-hyun’s RBI single to right pushed KIA ahead 10-7.
KT battled back. In the top of the eighth, Bae Jeong-dae crushed a two-run shot to left with two outs and a runner on second, cutting the gap to 10-9. Then in the top of the ninth, with two outs and runners at first and third, An Chi-young delivered an RBI single to tie the game at 10.
After KT evened the score, the Wiz turned to closer Jeon Yong-ju to pitch the bottom of the ninth. Jeon allowed a leadoff hit to Park Min but retired Jeong Hae-won, Jung Hyun-chang and Park Jae-hyun in order to close out the inning and preserve the 10-10 draw.
[Sports Today reporter Shin Seo-young sports@stoo.com]
「The closest, most FunFun news ⓒ Sports Today」
