"I'm so proud of you, A.C.E"

The national team, led by head coach Lee Young-bok, beat the U.S. 4-0 in the bronze medal match of the 2023 World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-18 Baseball World Cup at Tienmu Stadium in Taipei, Taiwan, on the 10th (Korea Standard Time).

South Korea, which tried to win the championship for the first time in 15 years since 2008, but failed to advance to the finals by losing to Japan and the U.S. in a row in the super round, achieved a bronze medal. Korea's fourth bronze medal in history. South Korea has won five times and won one runner-up in the tournament.

It was a bronze medal made by right-handed ace Kim Taek-yeon. He overwhelmed the U.S. batters with two hits, one walk, nine strikeouts and no runs in seven innings. He showed off his power with powerful fastballs and sharp sliders measured up to 151 kilometers even after 90 pitches.

What's more surprising is that Kim Taek-yeon took the mound for five consecutive days. In the group stage match against Puerto Rico on the 6th and 7th, when it became a suspended game due to rain, it started with a relief victory with a total of 40 balls in 3 innings with 21 balls and 19 balls in 1⅓3 innings, respectively. He then threw 16 pitches in 1⅓3 innings against the U.S. on the 8th and 24 pitches in 1243 innings against the Netherlands on the 9th, and started on the 10th and shut out 98 pitches in 7 innings.

Kim Taek-yeon pitched overwhelmingly with two hits, two walks, 20 strikeouts, one run, and a 0.73 ERA, throwing 178 pitches in 12⅓3 innings for five days. In the tournament, which began on the 2nd, he threw a total of 7 days for 9 days, recording 2 wins, 1 save, and 1.13 ERA with 245 pitches, 5 hits, 4 walks, 29 strikeouts and 2 runs in 16 innings. He was the most pitcher in the tournament and topped the strikeout list.

Maeda started in all three games after Japan's Yuji Maeda (16⅔⅔ innings), which was relatively managed by the U.S. on the 3rd (8484 innings), the Korean match (47 innings) on the 7th, and the Taiwan match (92 innings) on the 10th. In the final match against Taiwan, Maeda led Japan to a 2-1 victory and victory with four hits, two walks, five strikeouts and one run in seven innings.

Kim Taek-yeon burned his fighting spirit in a given situation, but controversy over overwork became inevitable. According to the rules of the tournament, four consecutive pitches are impossible, and three consecutive pitches are only available to pitchers under 40 pitches for the previous two days. Kim Taek-yeon, who "officially" avoided four consecutive pitches in the game against Puerto Rico on the 7th, threw 40 pitches in two days with 16 pitches against the U.S. on the 8th and 24 pitches against the Netherlands on the 9th to avoid the limit of three consecutive pitches. In the match against the Netherlands, he started the bronze medal match as he was replaced by Jeon Mir on a full count during the at-bat with two outs and runners on second base in the seventh inning.

Kim Taek-yeon, who showed off his strength with a shutout in seven innings despite an unreasonable schedule, said in an interview with WBSC after the game, "I thought I had to deal with batters aggressively because I was in good condition. You can't win unless you're backed up by defense. "I was able to pitch more aggressively because I trusted my teammates," he said. "I'm proud to represent Korea." I am also grateful to my colleagues and officials who have been with me," he said.

Director Lee Young-bok also gave an interview. Coach Lee said, "Kim Taek-yeon is our ace." He threw 16 pitches against the U.S. on the 9th and 24 pitches against the Netherlands yesterday (10th). Today, we needed his power pitch, and Kim Taek-yeon showed everything he had. I'm proud," he praised. Coach Lee, who has been leading Chungam High School for 20 years, also achieved bronze medals as a coach of the youth national team, but Kim Taek-yeon's five consecutive pitches will not be easily forgotten.

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