Ha Ju-suk, who diligently prepared without giving up in the second team, saved the Hanwha Eagles at a critical moment while waiting for opportunities, even when unsure of when they might arise.

Professional baseball team Hanwha maintained its solo second place with a 7-1 victory over NC in Changwon on the 30th. Starting pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin pitched six innings, allowing three hits, two walks, five strikeouts, and one earned run, earning his fifth win of the season, while Chae Eun-seong contributed to the offensive with a total of 11 hits, including the decisive home run in the fourth inning, showcasing a harmonious combination of pitching and batting.

The player who changed the momentum of the game was the second baseman and shortstop, Ha Ju-suk. In the third inning, with one out and the bases loaded, he hit a timely single to center field off NC starter Riley Thompson to tie the game at 1-1. He missed the fastballs on the first two pitches, but after fouling off a bouncing forkball on the third pitch, he connected with a 153 km/h fastball that came in high and inside. Despite the slight mis-hit, it was a strong hit that dropped in front of the center fielder.

In the fifth inning, with no outs and a runner on second, he produced additional points with a remarkable bunt hit. He unexpectedly laid down a bunt toward third base on the first pitch from Riley. Both the placement and intensity made it difficult for the defense, and NC third baseman Kim Hwi-jip, rushing to make the throw, committed an error that sailed over the first baseman's head. Meanwhile, Estevan Florial, who advanced from second to third, charged home, allowing Hanwha to pull ahead 3-1.

Even if Kim Hwi-jip's throw had been accurate, Ha Ju-suk was in time to reach first base, so it was recorded as a bunt hit. Shaken by the situation, NC pitcher Riley made an errant pickoff throw to first base while Moon Hyun-bin was at bat, allowing Ha Ju-suk to advance to second. In a situation with one out and a runner on third after Moon Hyun-bin's sacrifice bunt, Ha Ju-suk scored on a wild pitch from Riley.

Ha Ju-suk's bunting skills came into play again in the seventh inning. With no outs and runners on first and second, he immediately executed a bunt against the new pitcher Kim Jae-yeol on the first pitch. He expertly rolled the bunt toward third base once more. This time, it was a sacrifice bunt that advanced the runners by one base each. The next batter, Moon Hyun-bin, exploded with a two-run double, solidifying Hanwha's momentum.

After the game, regarding Ha Ju-suk's two remarkable bunts, he said, "All teams practice bunting a lot since the camp. We practiced a lot of bunting in the second team camp as well. Even after coming to the first team, we continued practicing indoors during home games, and it went well."

Ha Ju-suk also stood out not just in batting but in his defensive play as a shortstop. After two outs in the sixth inning, a hit from Park Min-woo seemed destined to become a base hit, but Ha Ju-suk's focus shone through. He took off quickly from the start and made a spectacular jumping catch, assisting Ryu Hyun-jin. He commented, "The ball hit the inside of the bat and went further than I thought. I jumped and caught it well."

On the 27th, Ha Ju-suk surprised everyone with a sliding catch on a ball hit by Park Dong-won that he chased down in shallow center field. He is displaying movements reminiscent of his prime even in defense, which is a result of his diligent effort in the second team. He recalled, "Since the second team camp, I practiced defense focusing on the basics with Coach Choi Yoon-seok. (Being a senior) they don't give extra training in the Futures League, but I asked to participate and trained with the juniors."

Ha Ju-suk, who faced a harsh reality during the previous winter's free agency, started in the second team camp rather than the first team. Hanwha brought in free agent shortstop Sim Woo-jun, pushing Ha Ju-suk down the priority list. Despite experiencing trials in this harsh reality, he did not crumble. He stayed focused on baseball and increased his training volume, preparing diligently. Even during the exhibition games and the situation of bouncing between the first and second teams, he remained steadfast.

An opportunity arose for Ha Ju-suk when Sim Woo-jun was sidelined due to a fibula fracture caused by a hit-by-pitch during the game against Kiwoom on the 10th. After returning to the first team on the 13th, he has performed well in 15 games with a batting average of .319 (15 hits in 47 at-bats), 7 RBIs, and an OPS of .758. Since the game against Lotte on the 24th, he has advanced to the second batting order for six consecutive games, maintaining a batting average of .333 (9 hits in 27 at-bats), 6 RBIs, and an OPS of .789 while finding success offensively. During this period, he has also drawn three walks, focusing on getting on base.

Ha Ju-suk stated, "I don’t particularly pay attention to the batting order. I may not be a player with many walks or a good on-base percentage, but I’m trying to create opportunities for the second, third, and fifth spots as much as possible. I feel good that that part seems to be going well." Without Ha Ju-suk's performance, Hanwha may not have navigated the challenges so well since mid-May.

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