Tigers’ Pill treats his alma mater team to pizza, seats

On Thursday at Gwangju-KIA Champions Field, Kia Tigers’ first baseman Brett Pill stood at the stadium’s main gate even though the game against the Hanwha Eagles would start in an hour.

The 30-year-old American was waiting for baseball players from Cal State Fullerton, his alma mater. The school’s baseball team, the four-time national champion Titans, visited Korea for the Summer Universiade in Gwangju.

At first, it wasn’t clear whether the reunion between Pill and the Titans would happen because of scheduling conflicts. During the Universiade, the Tigers have to play away games because their home stadium is being used for the multi-sport event.

However, the Titans later changed their schedule to visit Gwangju-KIA Champions Field and Pill, who won the College World Series with the school in 2004, was ready to serve his former team.

The former San Francisco Giants player bought 27 pizzas to treat the 37 players and coaching staff, while the Tigers provided premium seats in a sky box for them to watch the game.

It was an interesting experience for the Titans’ players because both Pill and former Arizona Diamondbacks closer Kim Byung-hyun started in the game.

With his younger alumni watching, Pill was 1-for-2, hitting double in the fourth, but couldn’t stop his team from losing. The Tigers fell 7-14 against the Eagles.

BY JOO KYUNG-DON [joo.kyungdon@joongang.co.kr]