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Everything had to go just right for Korea to advance to WBC knockout stage. Amazingly, it did.

Published: 10 Mar. 2026, 17:12 Updated: 10 Mar. 2026, 17:23

Korean players celebrate after beating Australia in a Pool C game at the 2026 World Baseball Classic at Tokyo Dome in Japan on March 9. [NEWS1]

TOKYO — Korea needed a victory by at least five runs while allowing no more than two. Anything less would have ended its tournament in Japan.

Instead, the lineup produced early runs, the bullpen stabilized a sudden pitching problem and the defense delivered the final moment that preserved the exact margin Korea needed.

And with that, seventeen years later, Korea is back in the World Baseball Classic (WBC) quarterfinals.

Korea defeated Australia 7-2 on Monday at Tokyo Dome in its final Pool C game of the tournament’s first round, advancing on a tiebreaker after finishing in a three-way tie with Chinese Taipei and Australia at 2-2.

Monday's win sends Korea to the knockout stage for the first time since 2009 after three straight first-round exits in 2013, 2017 and 2023. Korea previously reached the semifinals in 2006 and finished runner-up in 2009.

Korean players celebrate after beating Australia in a Pool C game at the World Baseball Classic at Tokyo Dome in Japan on March 9. [YONHAP]

Moon Bo-gyeong supplied the early swing that changed the game.

Batting fifth as the designated hitter, the LG Twins slugger broke a scoreless tie in the second inning. With a runner on first and no outs, Moon pulled a low inside slider from Australia starter Lachlan Wells into the right-field stands for a two-run homer.

The matchup came with a twist: Wells recently joined the Twins, last year’s KBO champions, as an Asian quota signing. Moon’s home run came against a new teammate.

Moon Bo-gyeong rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run in the top of the second inning during a Pool C game between Korea and Australia at the World Baseball Classic at Tokyo Dome in Japan on March 9. [NEWS1]

Korea kept the pressure on in the third.

Jahmai Jones opened the inning with a double over the center fielder’s head. Lee Jung-hoo followed with an RBI double to right-center to make it 3-0. Later in the inning, Moon delivered again, driving a deep double off the wall in center field that pushed the lead to four runs.

But the game nearly shifted on the mound.

Left-handed starter Son Ju-young exited unexpectedly after one inning. Although he threw just 27 pitches — well below the 65-pitch limit for first-round games — Son felt discomfort in his elbow while preparing for the second inning and could not continue. Manager Ryu Ji-hyun went to the mound to check on him before making the pitching change.

Korea turned to 41-year-old veteran Noh Kyung-eun to bridge the sudden gap. The SSG Landers reliever responded with two scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and striking out one to steady the game.

Noh Kyung-eun celebrates after catching a line drive hit by Australia’s Robbie Perkins for the final out in the bottom of the second inning during a Pool C game at the World Baseball Classic at Tokyo Dome in Japan on March 9. [YONHAP]

The offense soon extended the lead again.

In the fourth inning, Ahn Hyun-min singled and stole second before Moon drove another deep ball off the left-field wall with two outs. The drive narrowly missed clearing the fence but easily scored Ahn, pushing Korea ahead 5-0.

However, Australia slowly chipped away.

Robbie Glendinning cut the deficit to 5-1 with a solo home run in the fifth. Korea responded in the sixth when Kim Do-yeong delivered an RBI single to right with two outs and a runner on second, restoring a five-run cushion.

But pressure again returned late.

Australia added another run in the eighth inning, trimming the margin to the exact threshold Korea needed to maintain to survive the group stage.

Ahn Hyun-min celebrates after hitting a sacrifice fly in the top of the ninth inning that allowed Park Hae-min to score during the final Pool C game between Korea and Australia at the World Baseball Classic at Tokyo Dome in Japan on March 9. [YONHAP]

Korea created breathing room in the ninth.

Kim drew a walk and advanced on a defensive error before Ahn lifted a sacrifice fly to center. Park Hae-min scored from third to make it 7-2.

One last defensive play sealed it.

With one out and a runner on first in the ninth inning, Rixon Wingrove drove a ball toward right-center field. Lee slid across the grass and secured the catch, stopping the rally. Reliever Jo Byeong-hyeon recorded the final out moments later, sending Korean players rushing onto the field in celebration.

Korea will face the winner of Pool D in the quarterfinal round on Saturday at LoanDepot Park in Miami. As of Monday, the Dominican Republic and Venezuela — both 2-0 — stood as the most likely opponents.

Japan, which won its first three games, had already secured first place in Pool C regardless of the result of its final game against the Czech Republic on Tuesday.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY BAE YOUNG-EUN [[email protected]]