Korea to Play Cuba in Premier 12 Baseball Quarterfinal

Korea faces Cuba on Monday in the quarterfinals of the Premier 12, a tournament organized by the World Baseball Softball Confederation involving 12 top-ranked nations, after the group stage ended over the weekend.

Korea finished third in its group following a 3-2 defeat to the U.S. on Sunday. Kim Kwang-hyun started for Korea, giving up three hits and two runs in the fifth inning. Right fielder Min Byung-hun tied the game with a two-run single in the seventh inning with one out and runners on second and third.

Under the Premier 12's rules -- with the exceptions of the semifinals and final -- from the 10th inning on a team can place any two consecutive players in the lineup as runners on first and second bases. Korea allowed Brett Eibner a hit at the top of the 10th, giving up the game-deciding run.

Korea had already secured a place in the quarterfinals a day earlier by beating Mexico 4-3. That win followed a loss to Japan and victories over Dominican Republic and Venezuela.

For the quarterfinal against Cuba on Monday evening, Doosan Bears left-handed pitcher Chang Won-jun will start.