7/4 - Qualifier Update!! (Part 2)

Continuing the review in Okinawa we begin with a stunning upset as seeded Itoman, up 3-1 against Maehara, gives up 3 runs in the bottom of the 8th and falls 4-3! Then, in the 2nd game of the day, Motobu and Nanbu Nourin were scoreless through regulation. The innings continued to drag on with neither side able to get that one run across. But one inning away from a tie, Motobu manages to bring home the sayonara run.

At Itoman Nishizaki, Yaeyama Shoukou continues it's run as they breeze through 6-0. Seeded Okinawa SuiHaebarusan defeates Nishihara by the same score.

Meanwhile, Kumejima just seems to love the walkoff. Against Urasoe at Chatan Kouen, Kumejima held a 4-2 lead after 4. But the kids from Urasoe fought back with runs in the 6th and 7th and actually took the lead! Kumejima though would tie the game in the bottom of the 7th. Then against relief pitcher Atagi, Kumejima gets the walkoff run and advances to face Motobu.

Okinawa Suisan's opponent in the round of 16 will be former Koshien participant Ishikawa. Quickly down 2-0 to Kitanakagusuku, they tie the game with runs in the 7th and 8th. And in the 11th, they break it open with 2 runs to push past the squad from Kitanakagusuku.

And today will be the matchup between Urasoe Shougyou and Chubu Shougyou. Will we see another seeded team fall?

Moving to Kagoshima-ken, the opening round games begin. Reimei easily defeats Sueyoshi 4-0, but will have to turn around and face Kamimura Gakuen. Also at Kamoike Prefectural Stadium, the combined Nakatani・Taneshima Chuo squad mercy rule Ooshima Kougyou 10-0 in 5 and will play LaSalle next. And finally Taneshima scores 3 in the first on their way to a 6-2 victory against Kagoshima Dai-ichi. They'll get to play seeded Kagoshima.

At Kamoike Citizen's Ballpark, Izumi Kougyou has no trouble with Amami defeating them 5-1. Ichiki Nougei and Kokubun Chuo traded a run in the 1st and 2 in the 3rd before Ichiki scored in the 5th and 6th to take a 2 run lead. Down 5-4 in the top of the 9th, Ichiki Nougei's ace Ookubo gives up 3 runs. And while they mount a rally in the bottom of the 9th, they fall 7-6. And Kagoshima Suisan handles Ooshima Kita 5-0.

And play begins in the 133 team field in Fukuoka. Man, what the feeling would be to play a game at Yahoo! Dome. But that what's these teams did yesterday. Tobata Kougyou defeats Tokiwa 6-2, while Kurume Shougyou sends Fukuoka home early winning 11-0 in 5.

In late games back in Hokkaido, Asahigawa Jitsugyou does defeat Asahigawa Higashi 6-2. In Sorachi, Iwamizawa Higashi beats Takikawa Kougyou 9-2 in 7. In Tokachi, the game was called after 7 with Obihiro Ootani beating Hiro-o 9-1 earning the final bid from the region.