Baseball National Team's Park Hae-min Sets Rare Record by Reaching Base as Leadoff Hitter in the 1st Inning of Every Game

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] Park Hae-min (Samsung Lions), the 'engine' of the national baseball team, continues to set remarkable records at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

He started as the leadoff hitter in all five Olympic games for the national team and successfully reached base in the first at-bat of every game.

On the 29th of last month, at Yokohama Stadium in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, he hit a center-field single in the first inning against Israel in the group stage. On the 31st, he reached base with an infielder single to shortstop in the first inning against the United States in the group stage, and on the 1st, he hit a left-field single in the first inning against the Dominican Republic in the knockout stage first round. On the 2nd, in the first inning of the knockout stage second round, he hit another center-field single, and on the 4th, in the semifinal against Japan, he drew a walk in the first inning to reach base.

Thanks to Park Hae-min's 'on-base show,' South Korea succeeded in scoring in the first inning in three out of the five games.

Park Hae-min performed brilliantly in the previous day's game against Japan, reaching base three times with one hit and two walks. He is very likely to bat leadoff again in the semifinal of the loser's bracket against the United States, held at the same venue on the 5th. He aims to reach base in six consecutive games as the leadoff hitter and help his team advance to the final.