Gyeongnam High School reaches semifinals with stingy pitching; Lee Ho-min belts two doubles [2026 Elite High School Baseball Tournament]

[The Financial News] Gyeongnam High School showcased stingy pitching and, after a tight battle with Whimoon High School, finished in a 2–2 draw to secure one win and one draw and claim first place in its group, earning a ticket to the semifinals. Cleanup hitter Lee Ho-min, a third-year, stayed hot at the plate by smashing two big doubles.

At 10 a.m. on the 3rd, at Auxiliary Field B of Gijang Hyundai Motor Dream Ballpark, Gyeongnam High School played its second Group A preliminary game against Whimoon High School and came away with a 2–2 draw. With that result, Gyeongnam High School clinched first place in Group A and advanced to the final four.
The starting pitchers were third-year Cha Yu-ju for Gyeongnam High School and third-year Kim Jung-hyun for Whimoon High School. The game was a true seesaw battle, befitting two nationally renowned powerhouse programs.
In the top of the first, Gyeongnam High School’s Cha Yu-ju retired the Whimoon High School lineup in order, adding one strikeout for a clean inning. In the bottom half, Whimoon’s Kim Jung-hyun struck out all three batters he faced, completing a KKK inning.
Whimoon High School struck first. In the top of the second, No. 4 hitter Kim Yoon-gyu, a third-year, drew a walk, and No. 6 hitter Kim Do-hoon, a second-year, followed with a four-pitch walk to set the table. Then a ball off the bat of No. 8 hitter Ju Yoon-sung, a second-year, glanced off the first baseman’s glove for an error, allowing the first run to score.
The two teams then traded zeroes through the fifth inning. Gyeongnam starter Cha Yu-ju threw three scoreless innings of strong pitching, while Whimoon starter Kim Jung-hyun held the mound through the fourth, allowing one unearned run.
There was also a moment that highlighted the strong arm of Gyeongnam High School center fielder Park Bo-seung, a third-year. In the top of the third, with runners on first and third and no outs, No. 3 hitter Yoo Je-min, a third-year, drove a deep fly ball to center. Park made a running catch and then challenged the runner at home with a hard, accurate throw that turned what looked like an automatic tag-up into a double play.

In the bottom of the fourth, Gyeongnam High School’s offense threatened when No. 4 hitter Lee Ho-min ripped a towering double that one-hopped off the center-field wall. However, the following batters could not capitalize against Whimoon pitcher Kim Jung-hyun’s determined pitching, and the 1–1 tie remained intact.
Gyeongnam High School then broke the pure pitchers’ duel and mounted a counterattack. In the bottom of the sixth, No. 3 hitter Park Bo-seung drew a walk, and No. 4 hitter Lee Ho-min scorched a line drive down the third-base line that was ruled fair for a game-tying RBI double.
As the pitchers’ duel continued, Whimoon High School finally broke the 1–1 deadlock. In the top of the eighth, No. 4 hitter Kim Yoon-gyu singled deep to shortstop, and No. 5 hitter Seo Hyun-woo followed with another hit to create a scoring chance. After Kim Yoon-gyu stole second, No. 6 hitter Heo Jin-ho lifted a deep fly ball to center toward Park Bo-seung. Gyeongnam again challenged the runner at home, but this time the runner slid in safely to make it 2–1.
Gyeongnam High School answered immediately. In the bottom of the eighth, No. 3 hitter Park Bo-seung drew a walk and then stole second. With a full count, No. 5 hitter Lee Tae-su drove a triple over the right fielder’s head, tying the game at 2–2.
Freshman pitcher Kwon Ha-som came on as Gyeongnam High School’s final pitcher and faced a jam with a runner on third and one out. He escaped by inducing a grounder to second from leadoff hitter Kim Yong-hwi, a third-year, and a fly ball to center from No. 2 hitter Hong Chan-ui, a second-year, to end the game.
With the draw, Gyeongnam High School finished group play with one win and one draw, taking first place in its group and securing a spot in the semifinals. Its semifinal opponent will be Masan High School, which was the first to clinch a berth in the final four as the top team in Group B. The first semifinal will be played at 10 a.m. on the 4th at Gijang Natural Grass Baseball Stadium.
lich0929@fnnews.com Byun Ok-hwan Reporter