(LEAD) (Asiad) S. Korea falls to Japan for 1st loss in baseball

NAGOYA, Japan - In a surprising turn of events, South Korea suffered its first defeat in the Asian Games baseball tournament, falling to Japan with a score of 5-0 on Friday. The South Korean team, comprised of elite players from the top domestic league, the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), managed only four hits against the amateur Japanese squad during the Super Round at Toyohashi Municipal Baseball Stadium.

Both teams had achieved an impressive record of three wins each in the preliminary stage, securing their spots in the Super Round alongside Chinese Taipei and China. With its victory over Chinese Taipei in the group phase, South Korea's Super Round record now stands at 1-1, while Japan, having previously beaten China in the group round, improved to a 2-0 mark.

On Friday, South Korea will face China, while Japan will battle against Chinese Taipei. Should both South Korea and Japan emerge victorious on Friday, they will compete for the gold medal on Sunday in Toyohashi. However, if South Korea triumphs while Japan loses to Chinese Taipei, the three teams will conclude their tournament with an identical 2-1 record, resulting in a potential tie.