“I think I’m having a fun day.”
Chun Sung-ho (26, KT Wiz) laughed after the game against the Suwon Hanwha Eagles on the 24th, saying, “I should write a diary.”안전놀이터
He targeted Ryu Hyun-jin (37, Hanwha), the best pitcher in the KBO League. His joy doubled as he even hit the target he thought of.
In his first at-bat, he grounded out to the second base while watching six balls, but in the third inning, when he was at bat, he hit a fastball that fell low with one out and runners on the first and second bases to make a hit. As the second base runner came into the home, the score was tied 0-1 to 1-1. Since then, Cheonseong-ho also scored a point as subsequent hit and extra base hit continued.
In the fourth inning, he sent a ball to shortstop from the runner’s second base. The shortstop threw the ball quickly, but he became safe at first base. Hanwha’s defense threw the ball to the catcher to catch second baseman Kim Sang-soo, who is running home. In the process, the defense was empty near the second base, and Chun Sung-ho settled on the second base with a quick judgment. Infield hits and opponent errors were recorded. KT scored seven points only against Ryu Hyun-jin, and eventually won the game 7-1. The winning series was also secured by three consecutive games during the week against Hanwha.
“I was right to get my first hit. Honestly, I think I was lucky for my second hit,” Cheung said after the game. “I dealt with Ryu Hyun-jin’s ball for the second time, and it’s definitely different. Since I had two hits against such a pitcher today, I think I’ll have to write it in my diary.”
Regarding the situation of extra base in the fourth inning, he said, “There were two players on third base. I was a little confused at first because the referee was on second base, but I knew it was empty and ran right away.”
Chun Sung-ho, a graduate of Jinheung High School and Dankook University, was drafted by KT in the second round of the rookie draft in 2020 (ranking 12th overall). Playing as the cleanup hitter at Dankook University, he posted a batting average of .23 and an RBI in 66 games in his first year since his debut. The following year, he posted a batting average of .286 in 41 games, and completed his mandatory military service in 2022. Notably, he appeared in 79 games in the Futures League last year, recording a batting average of .35 percent, and became the batting champion of the Southern League.
In his first season back after finishing his military service, he posted a batting average of .372 in 28 games, ranking fourth in the batting average. “I feel good, and I gained a lot of confidence. I’m having a lot of fun every day,” Chun said. “I feel more comfortable in my defense than I did the first time. I am nervous and alert. I am playing defense thinking that the ball is always coming to me.”
The moment when the performance of the first team that I dreamed of while serving in the military is becoming a reality. “I think it’s going to be done little by little. I think it’s still in the beginning and I have a lot of things to improve, so I’ll work harder to show a better performance,” Cheung-ho said, vowing to continue his performance.