Day 4 - Game 2 - Nihon Koku (Yamanashi) vs. Aomori Yamada

I kind of dreaded this game. I like both teams. I wanted to see them both go far. But today one has to go home.

In all probability, it'll be Aomori Yamada advancing. They always come with a strong team, and are always a good bet to reach the Best 8.

I guess I just want to see a good, entertaining game here.

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Nihon Koku (Yamanashi)
SS Shimoyama (6)
2B Fujii (4)
LF Abe (7)
1B Funai (3)
3B Chimura (3)
P Kitano (1)
C Itou (2)
RF Miyazaki (9)
CF Takami (8)

Aomori Yamada
CF Abe (8)
2B Hasegawa (4)
LF Magario (7)
1B Saitou Tatsunobu (3)
RF Arahari (9)
3B Toyoda (5)
C Yano (2)
SS Miyamori (6)
P Kinoshita (1)
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11:24 AM
First pitch!

Top 1st
Abe gets a base hit off of Kinoshita, but not much else.

Bottom 1st
Aoyama's Abe also gets a base hit. Per the script, Hasegawa bunts him along for Brazilian-Japanese Magario.

But Magario strikes out, and Saitou Tatsunobu grounds to 1st.

Top 2nd
Nihon Koku goes quickly in order.

Bottom 2nd
Aomori Yamada does likewise. Nice pitching battle we're seeing early.

Top 3rd
Last batter Takami hits a one out single through the left side, but Nihon Koku can't advance the runner any further.

Bottom 3rd
Kitano gives up his first "walk" by hitting leadoff batter Miyamori.

Kinoshita tries to bunt him along, and keeps trying until he strikes out.

Abe grounds into the 6-4-3... No, the ball never gets there.

Ah! The ball hit Miyamori! And the umpires call him out for runner interference!

Top 4th
Nihon Koku stages a 2-out rally. Chimura singles through the right side. Kitano reaches out on an away pitch and does the same!

But almost immediately Itou kills it by popping up to 2nd.

Bottom 4th
Kitano yields a leadoff 4-pitch walk. Then Magario singles through the right side.

Saitou puts the bunt down, and Kitano makes a bad throw! Hasegawa scores! 1-0 Aomori Yamada!

Arahari with the fly to center. Should get Magario in. But he doesn't go! Wasn't that deep enough?

Doesn't matter! Toyoda with the reach out squeeze! He gets it down! Magario scores! 2-0 Aomori!

Top 5th
Nihon Koku goes down in order. (Please, please get something going!)

Bottom 5th
Miyamori draws a leadoff walk, but Aomori Yamada can't capitalize. As we head into the break it's a pitcher's duel with Aomori up 2-0 thanks to an error by Nihon Koku's ace.

Top 6th
Funai gets a 2 out single, but again that's all Nihon Koku can get. And oddly enough, Kinoshita for Aomori has no strikeouts after 6!

Bottom 6th
Kitano settles down into his pace again, retiring the side. He's keeping the team in the game. Can they respond?

Top 7th
Miyamori with a 2-out double to right center! Can they at least get one run back here?

Meanwhile, Aomori has a conference on the mound.

Last batter Takami steps up. First pitch swinging, fouls it off. Falls behind 2-0. Try to fake an outside pitch, but can't get it in the zone. Back inside, and is jammed. He's retired 1-3, and Nihon Koku is turned away again.

Bottom 7th
Aomori Yamada gets their 5th leadoff batter on as Toyoda is hit by Kitano. As expected, Yano bunts him along. And then gives up another 4-pitch walk to Miyamori. Another pinch for Nihon Koku as ace Kinoshita steps up to bat.

And he reaches out with an bloop single to left! Toyoda has to hold up, but manrui for Abe! Big pinch for Nihon Koku!

Abe with the grounder to 1st! Funai goes home for the force, but that's all they can get.

Hasegawa now with the chance to break it open. No! He hits it to 3rd, Chimura with the stop and goes to 3rd for the force to end the inning! Still 2-0 Aomori Yamada!

Top 8th
Shimomura with the leadoff chopper up the middle! Nihon Koku elects to bunt the runner along looking for the 1st run. Trading outs for advancing runners is risky at this late stage.

Abe grounds to short, and Shimoyama can't advance! Now, they need a base hit!

Funai delivers! He grounds one back up the middle and Shimomura scores! Only down 1!! 2-1!!

But Chimura kills it once again, swinging on the first pitch and flying out to left. Still, Nihon Koku has a run, and only trails by one going to the bottom of the 8th.

Bottom 8th
Kitano gives up another walk with one down, but then Aomori tries the hit-and-run! But Arahari can't hit it! And if he can't hit it, the runner is probably dead meat. A nice throw from Itou does the trick, and Aomori is denied here in the 8th. But Nihon Koku is down to their last 3 outs.

Top 9th
The 6-7-8 batters are due up. Kitano leads it off, hits one to Saitou at first, but it gets by him! Kitano safe on the error! After the first pitch where Itou squares to bunt, Aomori's manager calls a conference on the mound. Will Itou still bunt?

Yes, but the pitch is low, and Itou is ahead 2-0! The next pitch is high! 3-0! Kinoshita fires one in there for the strike. But then loses him! Kinoshita's first walk of the game and it forces the tying run into scoring position!

Miyazaki looks to bunt, but the first pitch is low! 2nd pitch is accidentally (?) bunted foul. 1-1 now. Still looking to bunt. Gets it down! Yano goes to first and the winning run is in scoring position for last batter Takami!

Ball 1. Hits it to short, Miyamori with the stop and throw to 1st! 2 down for Shimoyama. Last chance for Nihon Koku!

Ball 1. Ball 2, outside! Ball 3, outside! Ball 4! Manrui now for Fujii, and nowhere to put him!

Fouls the first pitch off! Wouldn't it be nice to get his first hit now! Swing and a miss. 0-2. Down to their final strike. Just outside! Very close! 1-2. Pitch outside, check swing, he went! He went! Kinoshita's first strikeout is the last out of the game, and Nihon Koku leaves the tying run 90 feet away.

While I'm disappointed they couldn't get that timely hit, I'm happy that they put up a game they could be proud of - even in defeat.


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Nihon Koku (Yamanashi)
SS Shimoyama (6) - 1-4, R, W
2B Fujii (4) - 0-4, K
LF Abe (7) - 2-4
1B Funai (3) - 2-4, RBI
3B Chimura (3) - 1-4
P Kitano (1) - 1-4
C Itou (2) - 0-3, W
RF Miyazaki (9) - 1-3, 2B
CF Takami (8) - 1-4

Aomori Yamada
CF Abe (8) - 1-4, K
2B Hasegawa (4) - 0-2, R, BB
LF Magario (7) - 1-4, R, K
1B Saitou Tatsunobu (3) - 0-3, K, BB
RF Arahari (9) - 0-4
3B Toyoda (5) - 0-1, RBI, BB
C Yano (2) - 0-2
SS Miyamori (6) - 0-0, 3 BB
P Kinoshita (1) - 1-2, K