Kia Tigers' second team showcased explosive hitting.
Kia defeated the KT Wiz in the 2025 Futures League with a score of 7-0, recording 14 hits at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field on the 20th. Hwang Dae-in, batting in the fourth position, delivered the decisive hit. On the mound, rookies Lee Ho-min, Yoo Ji-seong, Lee Hyung-beom, and Choi Ji-min pitched scoreless innings.
They succeeded in taking the lead in the bottom of the first inning. With one out and one on base, Kim Seok-hwan drew a walk and created a scoring opportunity on first and second base, where Hwang Dae-in hit a clutch single to right field to score the first run. Following that, Choi Jung-yong also delivered a clutch single to right field, putting them ahead 2-0.
They seized the momentum in the fourth inning. After one out, Yoon Do-hyun reached base with a single to left field, and Park Jae-hyun blasted a double to the right of first base. Following Jeong Hae-won's sacrifice fly to right field, Kim Seok-hwan hit a double to left-center. Hwang Dae-in also responded with a clutch single to right field, extending the lead to 5-0.
In the seventh inning, Choi Jung-yong had a single to right field, and with one out, Yea Jin-won hit a double to center field, leading to Han Seung-taek's clutch single to right field, stretching the score to 7-0.
Kia rookie pitcher Lee Ho-min took the mound for his first start, pitching 3⅔ innings with 53 pitches, allowing 3 hits, striking out 2 batters, and recording no earned runs. He displayed impressive pitch changes and stable mound management, preventing runs even with no outs on first and second base in the second inning.
Choi Ji-min, who was sent down to the second team for adjustment after struggling with control in the first team, had a perfect inning with one strikeout.
Hwang Dae-in, who had been limited to just 3 games in the first team last year due to hamstring and elbow injuries, swung for 2 hits, 1 walk, and 2 RBIs. He has been exhibiting a hot bat with hits in 9 consecutive games this year, boasting a batting average of .462.
Yoon Do-hyun recorded 3 hits including a double, while Kim Seok-hwan led the batting lineup with 2 doubles to left-center and 3 walks. Park Jae-hyun, who played as the lead-off, recorded 2 hits including a double, 1 walk, and 1 run.
KT's Heo Kyung-min, who made his return after overcoming a hamstring injury, batted second as the designated hitter and recorded 1 hit in 3 at-bats, signaling his comeback. KT's starting pitcher Kang Geon faced defeat with 4 innings pitched, allowing 9 hits, 4 walks, 2 strikeouts, and 5 earned runs. The KT lineup managed only 4 hits.
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