Seoul: Before South Korea faced a do-or-die match against Australia at the World Baseball Classic (WBC) on Monday, team captain Lee Jung-hoo rallied his teammates with a motivational pregame speech, urging them to believe in their ability to succeed.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the stakes were high as South Korea sought a spot in the quarterfinals. A loss would have knocked them out of contention for the fourth consecutive WBC. To advance, South Korea needed to win by at least five runs while limiting Australia to two or fewer runs, a challenging task that required both skill and determination.

Lee Jung-hoo's confidence was evident as he encouraged his team, saying, "We can do this." The team responded by defeating Australia 7-2, with Lee playing a pivotal role. He delivered a crucial hit early in the game and later made a game-saving diving catch in the bottom of the ninth inning to maintain the necessary five-run lead.

Reflecting on the victory, Lee described the ninth inning as the most nerve-wracking moment of his career and credited the team's success to the collective effort. His teammates, however, recognized his significant contributions, including a third-inning double that put South Korea ahead 3-0 and his own run that extended the lead.

In the ninth inning, Lee faced a critical moment with a runner on first and one out. His groundball appeared destined for a double play, but a deflection off the pitcher's glove altered its path, allowing the runner to advance and setting up a crucial sacrifice fly by Ahn Hyun-min.

Lee expressed relief, acknowledging the stroke of luck that aided the play. Similarly, his game-saving catch minutes later, as he shifted to right field, preserved South Korea's lead. He attributed the successful catch to fortunate positioning.

Despite Australia's efforts to close the gap, Lee and his teammates remained resolute, believing they needed to score seven runs all along. Lee expressed gratitude to his teammates, particularly those who had experienced recent international disappointments, for their collective achievement in advancing to the quarterfinals.