We reach the penultimate game of the 2nd round. We knew that the winner of the Waseda Jitsugyou - Tenri match would have a relatively easy 2nd round onto facing Narashino. No offense to Toyama Shougyou, but it is what it is.
Waseda made it through by the skin of its teeth against Tenri (grrr.....), while Toyama depite striking out 19 times aginst Shimabukuro, defeated Kounan in 12 innings. It's hard not to pick against Toyama, but hopefully they can make a game of it.
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1:39 PM - First Pitch
Top 1st
Oddly enough, even though it's Toyama Shougyou the band is playing Dash Keio... Against Waseda, that has to be funny. It is a little faster than I think the Keio band would play it, but it's still funny.
With 2 down in the 1st, Miyai lines one to right for a base hit.
Kido though, grounds to 2nd and the inning is over.
Bottom 1st
Oono quickly takes the first pitch and pokes it through the middle for a leadoff hit. Ooya looks to bunt, but Minabe isn't pitching anything close... and walks him on 4 straight...
Against a team such as Waseda, I'm not sure the logic in starting your backup pitcher. Come to think of it, Minabe didn't even pitch in the fall tournament!
Tsuchiya bunts the runners along into scoring position, and things are not looking good for Toyama early. And as if scripted, Mori takes the first pitch to left for a sac fly. 1-0 Waseda.
And Konpeki no sora starts playing in the Waseda oen-dan...
Minabe does retire Onoda with a fly to center, but Waseda is already on the baord.
Top 2nd
Hm... Perhaps the Toyama band is permanently in speed up mode. All their songs are just a little too fast...
Onoda gives up his 2nd 2-out runner, but once again it leads to nothing as Yokota grounds to 2nd
Bottom 2nd
Minabe after the shaky 1st, retires the first two batters before Kakinuma laces one into the left center field gap for a double.
And Rukazawa hits a bloop to center! Yokota and Morimoto converge but Yokota can't get it! It falls in and Kakinuma scores! 2-0 Waseda!
Oono with a drive to right! That's by Mabuchi and to the wall! Rukazawa comes in all the way from 1st to score, and Oono's triple gives Waseda a 3-0 lead! The wheels are starting to come off quickly here with 2 down in the 2nd!
And now Ooya with a liner over Yokoyama's head! Oono scores, and for the 3rd time this inning Konpeki no sora plays. It's a 4-0 lead!
That's it for Minabe. Sawada-kantoku calls in ace Murakami.
Murakami does retire Tsuchiya with a liner to center. But it seems way too late...
Top 3rd
Toyama goes down in order. Sad to say, but already the game seems to be over.
Bottom 3rd
Cleanup hitter (and I do mean cleanup) Mori works a 9 pitch walk to start the inning. Izumi-kantoku calls for Onoda to bunt him over and does. Then Nakano grounds one to right, and Mabuchi overruns the ball! He has to run back and Mori scores! 5-0 Waseda.
Murakami retires the next 2 batters, but Waseda continues to pile on the runs.
Top 4th
Onoda seems to have a little loss of control here as he throws 2 way off pitches on his way to walking Kido with one down. With that, Izumi-kantoku calls #9 Suzuki to the bullpen.
And Onoda starts off Yamamoto with 3 straight balls! Yamamoto square to bunt, but pulls it back for strike 1. He gets the green light at 3-1, but grounds to Mori who goes to 2nd for the force.
Three more balls to Kumazen and Onoda can't seem to find the plate! And he walks Kumazen on 4 straight! Uncharacteristic pitching from Onoda here in the 4th!
Single up the midddle by Murakami! Yamamoto has to hold up at 3rd, but Toyama Shougyou has the bases loaded with 2 down! Onoda has put himself in quite a pinch!
#8 batter Yokota comes to bat. And Onoda falls behind again 2-0!!! Finally he throws a strike.
And Yokota slices one down the left field line!! Yamamoto scores! Kumazen being sent home!!
But it's a shallow hit, and the relay in from Sarukawa is in time and a great block by Tsuchiya denies Toyama a 2nd run! They get one back, but could have had more! 5-1.
Bottom 4th
Sarukawa with a grounder to 1st, but a bad hop eats up Miyai and goes to right! Settling for small ball with a good lead, Izumi-kantoku calls for the bunt and Sarukawa moves to 2nd.
But Murakami strikes out Tsuchiya and finally Toyama Shougyou leaves Waseda scoreless for an inning.
Top 5th
I swear, the Toyama band needs to slow down... Or maybe just the conductor, either way it's like they're on 2x speed ALL THE TIME.
Unfortunately for Toyama, Onoda has settled down himself and he retires the side in order.
Bottom 5th
Murakami continues to pitch well in relief, retiring the Waseda batters in order here in the 5th, but it seems all in a lost cause.
Top 6th
Miyai collects his 2nd hit of the day with a grounder back up the middle. Kido bunts him to 2nd. Small opportunity building for Toyama.
But it's short lived. Yamamoto is caught looking, and Kumazen lines to left.
Bottom 6th
Isoami lines the first back to center for a leadoff hit.
Kakinuma with the bunt, but he pops it up! Kawamura comes it, but just misses the catch! He gets it, throws to 2nd and its high!! It goes into center and everyone's safe!!
Sawada-kantoku calls for a conference. Meanwhile #14 Mutou comes in to PR for Kakinuma.
Izumi-kantoku calls for the bunt and Sarukawa puts it down nicely. It's back to the top of the order and Oono. And Murakami hits him!! Manrui for Waseda!!
Ooya steps in. Murakami makes a move to third, the a quick throw to 2nd. But it's wide and goes into center! Isoami scores and the other runners advance a base on the error!! 6-1!
Ooya with a grounder to 1st. Miyai up with it, throws home! Mutou was heading home, but now is caught in between! And Oono is already at 3rd! Mutou gets run back to 3rd, as Kido tags both runners and Oono is called out.
Tsuchiya with a drive deep to left center!! Yamamoto and Morimoto converge on the ball, but it falls just in front! Mutou and Ooya score on the play and it's now 8-1 in favor of Waseda.
And Mori walks on 4 straight! Once again, Toyama seems to be falling apart.
But Onoda does fly out to right. However, a pair of errors by Murakami lead to 3 more runs for Waseda.
Top 7th
With the game in hand, #9 Suzuki comes in relief for Onoda.
Murakami greets him with a single back up the middle. Yokota follow that up with a liner to left! Runners at 1st and 2nd for Toyama with no down!
Suzuki though, strikes out Mabuchi for the first out.
And then Suzuki picks off Yokota at 1st! The inning is falling apart for Toyama! And as if in resignation, Yokoyama jams a grounder to 1st to end the inning...
Bottom 7th
Nakano leads off the inning with a double to the wall in left center. Isoami bunts him to 3rd.
Waseda looks to be on the verge of scoring yet another run, but Suzuki grounds back to Murakami and Sarukawa flies to right.
Top 8th
Morimoto walks to start the inning. But he's gunned down trying to steal 2nd.
Miyai then grounds to short, but Oono can't field the ball!
Kido then singles through the left side and Toyama has a scoring opportunity.
#7 Yatabe comes in to PH for Yamamoto. And he singles back up the middle! That into center and Miyai comes in to score! 8-2!!
Kumazen nubs one up the 3rd base line, but Tsuchiya comes up with the ball for the play at 1st.
Suzuki about out of the mess, but he falls behind Murakami 3-0! He comes back to fill the count, and strikes him out swining!
Bottom 8th
Murakami hits Oono to start the inning, and promptly is moved to 2nd.
He strikes out Tsuchiya for the 2nd out, and he might just get out of the inning. But for the 3rd time this game, Mori earns a walk.
And a pickoff throw by Kido goes into center and the runners advance!
Onoda then walks and it's manrui for Nakano...
He lines the first pitch to left! Oono scores and the lead goes back to 7. 9-2.
Isoami hits a comebacker past Murakami! Kumazen backs up the play and tosses to 2nd for the 3rd out.
Top 9th
Last ups for Toyama Shougyou. And they quickly go down in order.
As expected, Waseda Jitsugyou has no trouble with Toyama Shougyou. They move on to face the winner of the Narashino-Rifu matchup.
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