Monday, August 4, 2008

Day 3 - Game 1 - Jyoso Gakuin (Ibaraki) vs. Kanto Daiichi (Higashi Tokyo)

Day 3 begins with Jyoso Gakuin, making their 3rd straight appearance versus Kanto Daiichi, making only its 4th and first in 14 years.

While Jyoso has been here before, they have yet to advance past the first game the past two years. Will this be the time?

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Jyoso Gakuin (Ibaraki)
SS Suzuki (6)
2B Utsugi (4)
CF Nakamura (9)
C Iida (2)
P Shimada (1)
RF Doi (5)
LF Kawasaki (7)
1B Hirose (3)
3B Yamaoka (15)

Kanto Daiichi (Higashi Tokyo)
2B Tanabe (4)
LF Arai (7)
RF Hirose (9)
3B Egawa (5)
1B Tamai (3)
CF Izumizawa (8)
C Nakamura (2)
P Matsumoto (1)
SS Tsuchiya (6)
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8:31 AM
First pitch! The wind isn't as strong right now as it has been the last couple of days.

Top 1st
After retiring the first two batters, Matsumoto gives up to singles to Nakamura and Iida. But he induces Shimada to ground to 2nd.

Bottom 1st
Arai draws a one-out walk. Hirose looks like he's got a hold of a pitch down the RF line, but Doi runs it down! Arai was running on contact, so we have the 9-4-6-3 DP.

Top 2nd
Doi leads off with a walk, and Kawasaki sacrifices him along. But a strikeout from Matsumoto and a nice play turned in by Tsuchiya ends the inning.

Bottom 2nd
Kanto Daiichi goes quickly in order. Perhaps these teams are feeling each other out here. Meanwhile, the game moves onto the 3rd.

Top 3rd
Jyoso almost goes down in order, but Nakamura grounds one off the diving Egawa for an infield hit. But that's a small reprieve as Iida ground to 1st.

I like how Matsumoto is pitching thus far. Not really wasting any pitches outside, and has good control.

Bottom 3rd
Kanto Daiichi is still looking for it's first hit. And Nakamura obliges with a soft shot over Yamaoka's head. Matsumoto squares to bunt, and gets it down setting the table for Tsuchiya. But he doesn't get a chance as he's hit by the first pitch.

The lineup turns back over to Tanabe. But Shimada's still lacking control, falling behind 3-0. And then he walks him to load the bases for Arai!

Quickly they go and have a conference on the mound.

Game resets now, and while he gets the first strike call, he quickly falls behind 2-1. But a curve gets in there to even the count. Tries again, but he flies to center, good enough to get Nakamura home! 1-0 Kanto!

And after falling behind 2-0 to Hirose, the manager has seen enough! #11 Hasegawa (a first-year) comes in to pitch.

First pitch by Hasegawa is lined to center! Manrui for Egawa!

And Egawa drive the 0-1 pitch to deep right center. It's to the wall and everyone's going to score! Egawa with the bases clearing double! 4-0!

It doesn't end there! After working the count full to Tamai, he drives one to left center! That one is to the wall! Egawa scores, Tamai in with a triple! 5-0 for Kanto Daiiichi!

Hasegawa has been rudely gretted by the Kanto bats! But he managers to get Izumizawa to ground to 3rd to end the inning. But a pitching change to deal with control issues instead opens the flood gates for the bats!

Top 4th
Jyoso needs to get back in the game quick! Shimada flies lazily to right. But Doi hits a charge to left! Arai back to the wall, looks up, and Doi has gotten one run back with a home run to left! 5-1!

And then Kawasaki takes the first pitch to left! Hasegawa looks to put the bunt down, but Nakamura tries to go for 2, but his throw is wild. All safe!

Yamaoka then hits one just past a diving Tsuchiya! Kawasaki goes home, the throw not in time! 5-2!

Runners at the corners for Suzuki and he hits a fly to left, far enough for Hasegawa to tag up from 3rd! It's now 5-3!

Things are getting a little dicey now for Matsumoto! Utsugi with the single to left! Runners at 1st and 2nd! And Nakamura, who is 2-2 today steps up!

But he takes the first pitch to first to end the inning. However, Jyoso has struck back for 3 runs and the deficit is a manageable 2 runs!

Bottom 4th
Hasegawa is settling down a bit. Still with control issues, but looking better.

With 2 down, Tsuchiya singles through the right side turning the lineup over. Tanabe though weakly grounds to 2nd to end the inning.

Top 5th
Iida quickly leads off the inning with a single. Shimada looked to bunt him on the first pitch, but after that appears to be swinging away. But then he puts the bunt on the 1-2 pitch! Then on 2-2 they try to put the hit and run, but it's a pitchout! Shimada stops his swing, but Iida is left hanging at 2nd and is easily thrown out.

It's too bad as on the very next pitch Shimada singles up the middle putting a baserunner for Doi.

At 2-2, they put the hit-and-run on again! Doi swings and misses, but Shimada slides into 2nd safely! And a wild pitch allows Shimada to advance to 3rd! But behind 3-1, Matsumoto gets Kawasaki to fly out to center, stranding Shimada.

Bottom 5th
Hey, I saw those ice bags they sell! I remember those! They saved my bacon when I was sitting in the sun!

Wow, a drag bunt by Arai to the right side, and while everyone converges, no one gets it! And with Hirose behind 1-2, they put on the hit-and run! This time too it fails with a strikeout, throw 'em out DP.

And Egawa grounds to 1st to bring us to the break.

Top 6th
Wow, a Hawaii-shirt former Kanto player with an even more upbeat catchy versions of the traditional rally songs.

Anyways, back to the game #16 Shibasaki pinch hits for Hasegawa ending his day on the mound. He weakly grounds to 1st.

Yamaoka draws a walk after working the count full. Hit-and-run on the 1-0 count and it's fouled off.

And it appears that Kanto has their own 1st year pitcher, #11 Shirai warming up now.

But Matsumoto gets Suzuki to fly to deep left.

Utsugi up now, grounds one to right! High hop over the diving Tanabe! Yamaoka digs for 3rd! Hirose throws a bullet from right and nails him!

Bottom 6th
#10 Mashita enters the game now on the mound. A sidethrower with slow stuff. Almost immediately, Kanto takes advantage. Tamai up the middle almost taking out Mashita. Then Izumizawa with a bunt, but Iida goes to 2nd, and the throw pulls Suzuki off the bag! All safe! And after a sac bunt by Nakagawa, #13 Inomoto comes to pinch-hit Matsumoto. At the same time, Mashita is pulled! Shimada returns to the mound and #12 Hattori fills in at 3rd.

Shimada gets Inomoto to ground to 3rd and they catch Tamai going home! 2 out, runners at the corners!

Ah! first pitch to Tsuchiya is way high and all the way to the fence! Izumizawa scores! 6-3!

Tsuchiya walks! Tanabe singles up the middle! Shimada is really laboring on the mound, the face says it all.

Bases loaded for Arai, the count goes full and he walks him! Inomoto scores! 7-3!

Hirose also goes full, and he walks! 8-3! Where is the relief for Shimada?

Apparently nowhere to be found! 2-0 pitch to Egawa is drilled to left! That looks, and is, a no doubt about it manrui home run! What a painful inning for Shimada! 12-3.

Thankfully, Tamai grounds to 3rd, but the game is all but out of the reach of Jyoso.

Top 7th
1st year Shirai (#11) takes the mound in relief of Matsumoto.

Jyoso continues to fight though. With one down, Iida with a homerun of his own to left! That's 3 already so far this game! 12-4. It's just a run, but at least it's something.

Then with 2 down, Doi hits a liner down the right field line for a double. But Kawasaki strikes out looking to end the inning.

Bottom 7th
Kanto continues its press on Shimada. Izumizawa walks, then is followed by a single by Nakamura. And while Shimada gets Shirai to ground into the 5-4-3 DP, Izumizawa scores from 3rd to make the game 13-4.

Tatsuya draws his second walk of the day.

Whoa. There's something you don't see. Tanabe loses the bat on the 1-1 pitch! Everyone's ok, but that's the first time I've seen that here. Shimads continues to labor as the count runs full on Tanabe.

And Tanabe squeaks one through the right side! Tsuchiya heads for home, but the throw by Doi is easily in time for the out.

Top 8th
With 2 down, leadoff batter Suzuki doubles to right field. Utsugi then singles to left for runners at the corners.

But unexplicably, Utsugi tries to steal 2nd and fails!

Bottom 8th
Defensive change at 2nd. Utsugi is replaced by #14 Kakinuma. Wonder if that was for trying to steal the base on his own? (I wouldn't imagine the manager calling for a possible 3rd out by stealing 2nd)

Arai leads off the inning with a single to center. But he's thrown out stealing. Hirose and Egawa go down after than, so it's the last 3 outs for Jyoso.

Top 9th
Nakamura swings away on the first pitch and grounds to 2nd.

The big hitters aren't giving up. Iida with a sharp shot through the left side. And Shimada with the instant replay.

Doi swings hard, but hits a ball to short left. 2 down.

Kawasaki refuses to be the last out, lining the first pitch to right, scoring 1. 13-5.

#18 Terazawa pinch hits for Hattori, and flies to center to end the game.

2 big innings for Kantou was just too much for Jyousou as they exit in the first round once again.


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Jyoso Gakuin (Ibaraki)
SS Suzuki (6) - 1-4, 2B, RBI
2B Utsugi (4) - 3-5, K
CF Nakamura (9) - 2-5, K
C Iida (2) - 4-5, HR, 2R, RBI
P-1B-P Shimada (1) - 2-5
RF Doi (5) - 2-4, 2B, HR, R, RBI
LF Kawasaki (7) - 2-4, R, RBI, K
1B Hirose (3) - 0-1, K
P Hasegawa - 0-1, R
PH Shibasaki - 0-1
P Mashita - No PA
1B Hattori - 0-1
PH Terazawa - 0-1
3B Yamaoka (15) - 2-3, RBI, BB

Kanto Daiichi (Higashi Tokyo)
2B Tanabe (4) - 2-4, 2 R, BB
LF Arai (7) - 2-2, R, 2 RBI, 2 BB
RF Hirose (9) - 1-4, 2 R, RBI, 2K
3B Egawa (5) - 2-5, 2B, HR, 2 R, 7 RBI
1B Tamai (3) - 2-4, 3B, RBI
CF Izumizawa (8) - 0-3, 2 R
C Nakamura (2) - 2-3, R
P Matsumoto (1) - 0-1
PH Inomoto (13) - 0-1, R
P Shirai (11) - 0-1
SS Tsuchiya (6) - 1-1, 2 R, 3 BB

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