Day 6 - Game 3 - Koryo (Hiroshima) vs. Kochi

Game 3 highlights last year's runner-ups Koryo. They return this year to reach the championship, and this time be victorious.

Their opponents are Kochi, no slouch when it comes to Koshien.

These teams are veterans to Koshien. It'll be a battle to say the least.

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Koryo (Hiroshima)
SS Uemoto (6)
RF Shimokawa (9)
2B Hayashi (4)
CF Arimizu (8)
C Ishihata (2)
P Nakata (3)
3B Funaki (15)
LF Hashimoto (14)
1B Hasebe (5)

Kochi
CF Miyamoto (8)
SS Ooishi (6)
2B Takagi (4)
C Kinoshita (2)
1B Kitayama (3)
RF Maeguchi (9)
LF Shiota (7)
P Matsui (1)
3B Sakai (5)
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1:10 PM
First pitch! But the clouds are looming again...

Top 1
Uemoto has a fighting AB, continuing to foul off pitches. Then he finally singles to center!

And the skies start opening up. ...

Then with the count 1-2 to Shimokawa, the umpires call the teams in...

-----------------------------------1:13PM RAIN DELAY-----------------------------------

1:33 PM - The grounds crew start putting out the quick dry powder as they look to resume play.

1:38 PM - The tarp is put on the mound again as the rain once again picks up. They still have not put out the full field tarp.

1:54 PM - The teams are warming up, more quick dry is down. The rain has subsided and the teams are ready to play again.

---------------------------------1:58PM Game Resumption---------------------------------

Top 1st (cont.)
Shimokawa puts down the sac bunt, but Koryo can't bring him home.

Bottom 1st
With one down, Ooishi singles through the left side. Then Takagi hits a liner back at Nakata. He slows it down with his glove, but one the wet ground, it dies! All safe!

But Kinoshita grounds to short! 6-4-3 DP!

Top 2nd
Koryo goes down in order.

Bottom 2nd
Kitayama starts the inning out with a liner to left. Maeguchi then worked himself a walk.

Shiota looked to bunt the runners over, but Nakata fields his position well and makes the play at 3rd!

He follows that up with a strikeout to Matsui! 2 down!

Then, Sakai works himself a walk to load the bases! Big trouble for Nakata and Koryo!

Miyamoto stands in now, and is very patient. Count goes to 2-2, and then...

...sanshin!! Nakata with the 146 kph fastball to freeze Miyamoto!

Top 3rd
Uemoto gets himself a 2-out hit, but then is caught stealing 2nd soon after.

Bottom 3rd
Nakata has his first problem-free inning. Retiring the side, including 2 strikeouts.

Top 4th
Shimokawa starts the inning with a single to center. Hayashi then singles to right! Arimizu then bunts the runners along, and big chance for Koryo!

But Matsuo fights on, getting Iihata to pop to 3rd. 2 down.

But Nakata hits a drive to deep right center!!! At the wall! Shimokawa scores! Hayashi scores! Nakata with the 2 run triple!! 2-0!!

Funaki follows that up with a single to right! Nakata scores, 3-0!!

Hashimoto then hits a ball deep to right center! That's at the wall! Funaki scores! 4-0!

Hasebe with the drive to left center! That's to the wall! Hasebe with a triple! 5-0 Koryo!!

Bottom 4th
A leadoff single by Kitayama is wiped out by a 6-4-3 DP by Shiota...

Top 5th
Matsui gets his pitches in control and retires the side including 2 K's.

Bottom 5th
Again, a mere single for Kochi as they head into the break. Nakata has settled down with his pitching nicely. #12 Taniguchi pinch hits for Matsui signaling his day is done.

Top 6th
#11 Kumon Katsuhito comes in to pitch. He makes short work of the Koryo batters.

Bottom 6th
Just when I think Nakata's settled down, he walks Takagi. Then his pickoff throw is wild! By the time the fielders get it, he's already at 3rd!

That error proves costly as Kinoshita singles through the left side! Takagi scores and Kochi is on the board! 5-1!

Then Kitayama works a walk! Runners at 1st and 2nd, no down!

#15 Nishoka comes in to pinch-hit for Shiota, the manager sensing this may be their best opportunity.

And down 1-2, he reaches out and just gets the bat on the ball. It a blooper! It's over Hayashi's head! Kinoshita scores from 2nd, and now it's 5-2!

They're slowly working their way back into it! And only 1 down!

But Katsuhito gets fooled on an offspeed pitch and can't hold his swing. 2 down.

It's up to Sakai. And he pops one into short right! Kitayama scores! 5-3!!!

Miyamoto steps up, looking to continue the rally. But he flies to right. Still, Kochi has narrowed the margin to 2! There's still a lot of game to be played now!

Top 7th
Nishioka stays in to play 1st as Kitayama moves to LF.

Two out, Koryo starts the offense going again. Uemoto singles to right. The very next pitch, Shimokawa singles to left! Runners at 1st and 2nd for Hayashi.

But Katsuhiko gets him to ground to 2nd.

Bottom 8th
#7 Matsumoto comes into play left.

First pitch from Nakata is all the way to the backstop. His next 3 pitches aren't even close!! What's going on?

And now Koryo's manager has called for ace Maeda to enter the game. Nakata moves to 1st and Hasebe moves to 3rd.

First pitch to Takagi is drive to center! Arimizu at the wall, looking up! It's off the wall! But Ooishi is only at 3rd!

So runners at first and 3rd for cleanup batter Kinoshita.

And he takes the ball to deep left center! That one bounces to the wall! Ooishi scores! Takagi scores! Kochi has tied the game!!! 5-5!!!!!

Kitayama hits a sharp grounder! Hayashi makes the stop! Nice play! But Kinoshita advances to 3rd. The go-ahead run is now 90 feet away!!

SQUEEZE!! But the ball is low!! Maeguchi can't get it! Kinoshita's left hanging! He's run down! What a break!

Maeguchi K's, but the damage is done! We have a new ballgame now!

Top 8th
Koryo needs to find a way to get after Kumon.

And that's a start. Arimizu starts off with the leadoff walk. Ishihata bunts him along. Opportunity now for Nakata to give Koryo back the lead.

Single to right! Arimizu rounds 3rd! He scores! Nakata with the timely hit and Koryo retakes the lead 6-5!!

Behind 2-0 to Maeda, the Kochi's manager calls for a conference. Can Kumon get settled down?

One bounder to the plate! 3-0! Finally gets one down the middle, 3-1. But the next pitch is low and he loses him!

Matsumoto now up to extend the lead. But Katsuhito can't find the strike zone!

Dead ball! Manrui for Hasebe!

Katsuhiko is laboring up there! He slowly work the count to 2-2. Fouled off... Still 2-2... Popped up! Takagi with the catch. 2 down!

Uemoto with the first pitch hit! Nakata scores! Maeda scores!! Uemoto with his 4th hit and that may break Kochi's back! 8-5!!!!

Shimokawa grounds out, but just when Kochi gets back in the game, Koryo pushes them back!

Bottom 8th
How Kochi reacts here will probably decide how this game ends.

Nishoka strikes out... Katsuhito strikes out... Sakai with the rocket to 3rd! Hasebe can't handle it! Base hit!

Miyamoto pops to 3rd... Kochi may be done.

Top 9th
The lights turn on at Koshien. And they will play the 4th game under the lights.

Koryo manages one hit, but nothing else. Kochi will be down to their final 3 outs.

Bottom 9th
It's off to a good start! Ooishi with the single through the right side! Takagi steps up and the C Ishihata pushes the outfield back.

Fouls a pitch deep into their oen-dan. Then gets too eager swinging at a ball in the dirt. Sharp grounder to 2nd! Hayashi with the stumbling stop. Goes to 2nd... OUT!

Kinoshita up now, asked to deliver another big hit. Wild pitch! Takagi advances to 2nd! Maeda then falls behind 3-1! Fouled straight back! Count full! Fouled off again. Lifted to left! But right to Matsumoto. 2 down!

It's all down to Kitayama. Grounder to short, and he's got him! Koryo gives up a 5 run lead, but comes back with 3 runs in the 8th to advance to the next round!