"It ain't over till it's over"… KU Baseball Fought Well Despite the Loss

From September 8th to 9th, the two-day 2023 regular Korea-Yonsei competition took place at Mokdong Baseball Stadium, Mokdong Ice Rink, Goyang Sports Center, and Goyang Sports Complex. Baseball and ice hockey games were held in Mokdong, while basketball, rugby, and soccer matches took place in Goyang. Despite being morning games, the seats at Korea University were filled to the brim with faculty, alumni, students, and supporters from the beginning. 

The baseball game, which took place as the opening game of the 2023 regular competition, the '23 rookie left-handed pitchers from Korea University faced off. Korea University's Won-jin Jung (Physical Education '23) took the mound as the starting pitcher and cleanly held the opponents at bay for the first inning. In the second inning, Korea University had a chance with a runner on first base after Geon-woo Park (Physical Education '21) hit a center field single, but unfortunately, they couldn't capitalize on it after a failed bunt attempt followed by a double play. 

Baseball often teaches that opportunities come after adversity, and this concept aligned perfectly with Yonsei University. In the bottom of the second inning, Yonsei University also had a chance with a runner on first base and faced a situation of one out and one runner on. However, after a persistent battle, they earned a walk and with runners on first and second base, a sweeping triple to left-center field took them ahead in the game. 

Korea University did not give up and managed to mount a comeback. In the 5th inning, with two outs and runners on first and second base, Do-eun Oh (Physical Education '20) hit a timely double, bringing in one run. The stands echoed with chants and hopes of turning the game around. However, they couldn't produce a timely hit in the subsequent opportunity with two outs and runners on second and third base. If they had, they could have turned the game around with a 3-2 lead. Yonsei University capitalized on Korea University's missed opportunities and added two more runs in the bottom of the 5th inning, leading 4-1 with a three-run advantage. Fortunately, Yonsei University couldn't score in their following chance either. 

The game continued in a pattern where Korea University scored, and then Yonsei University added more runs. In the 6th inning, Korea University managed to score one run with a sacrifice fly with one out and bases loaded, but Yonsei University added two more runs in the bottom of the 6th inning. While there were pitching issues, the inability to bring runners home in scoring positions was critical. By the 8th inning, Korea University had obtained seven hits and four base on balls but managed to score only two runs. 

Nevertheless, Korea University did not give up. In the last offensive opportunity in the 9th inning, they created a chance with one out and bases loaded through consecutive hits and a base on balls. Here, they scored one run with a ground ball to the infield, narrowing the gap to three runs, and then caught up to 6-4 with Geon-woo Park’s hit landing in front of the left fielder. Subsequently, if a home run had been hit, they could have turned the game around. Unfortunately, the game ended with a ground ball out to second base. 

The legendary baseball catcher Yogi Berra of Major League Baseball once said, "It ain't over till it's over," emphasizing that baseball has numerous variables until the game concludes. Watching the game with bated breath, the Korea University players persevered, trailing Yonsei University until the 9th inning. Ji-min Kim (Business '21), who watched this year's regular Korea-Yonsei competition, said, "I was worried that I might not enjoy the game because I didn’t know much about baseball rules. However, watching the game in such a passionate atmosphere with fellow students made it truly enjoyable and left unforgettable memories. I'm grateful to the players who gave their best in the game despite the circumstances, and I appreciate the fellow students who, although strangers, shared the experience of cheering together, allowing me to feel the strong bond of the Business School."