Day 11 - Game 4 - Miyakonojyou Shougyou (Miyazaki) vs. Chiben Wakayama (Wakayama)

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Miyakonojyou Shougyou (Miyazaki)
RF Yoshihara
LF Oosako
CF Fujimoto
SS Uchida
3B Matsubara
1B Tominaga
C Mera
P Shinnishi
2B Yamashita

Chiben Wakayama (Wakayama)
RF Oohata
2B Iwasato
CF Nishigawa
1B Sotohama (#13)
P Okada
C Hirano
SS Kitabatake
LF Miyake (#15)
3B Kita (#17)

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5:15 PM - First pitch!

Top 1st
Yoshihara gets Miyakonojyou a base runner quickly as he hits a chopper up the middle. Iwasato comes in to field it, but his throw is late!

Oosako tries to bunt him along, but ends up just popping up back to Okada.

Fujimoto works Okada, but eventually strikes out. 2 down for Miyakonojyou.

But Uchida works a walk! Runners at 1st and 2nd for Matsubara.
And he singles through the left side! Yoshihara rounds 3rd and Miyakonojyou takes the 1-0 lead!

And then Tominaga drives one to deep right center! That goes all the way to the base of the wall! Uchida scores! Matsubara, all the way from 1st, comes in to score! It's 3-0 Miyakonojyou! in the first inning!!

Takashima-kantoku calls a conference on the mound.

But Mera draws a walk! Runners on 1st and 2nd for Miyakonojyou again!

Fortunately for Okada, he gets Shinnishi to ground to short to end the inning. But Miyakonojyou jumps out to a 3-0 lead! (It isn't nearly enough against Chiben though.)


Bottom 1st
Oohata works a walk against Shinnishi.

AH! A wild pitch sends him to 2nd!

Iwasato tries to bunt him along, but can't even make contact and strikes out!

One down for Nishigawa and he hits a grounder to 1st.

AHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's yet another ball between the legs! That goes into right and Oohata scores! 3-1! Could Shinnishi be in trouble already?

Not right now! He gets Sotohama to ground into a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning!! Still Chiben gets back a run.


Top 2nd
Okada looked to be on his way to a worry free inning after retiring the first two batters. But then Oosako lines a pitch to center. That's followed by a single through the right side by Fujimoto. Oosako goes for 3rd, but Oohata makes a strong throw to 3rd. Kita has to leap to prevent it from going out of play, but man what an throw there!

Runners now onf 1st and 3rd, but Uchida strikes out on a pitch low to end the inning. They can't tack on an extra run.


Bottom 2nd
Shinnishi is looking better today. He's hitting the glove fairly well and hitting the edges.

He strikes out the first 2 batters, but then Kitabatake grounds one past a diving Matusbara and into left! And while Oosako misplays it, Kitabatake would have had 2nd anyways.

Small chance here for Chiben, but Miyake lines out to short to retire the side.


Top 3rd
Once again troubles start brewing with 2 down. Mera hits a high popup to left. Miyake comes in, then dashes in as the wind knocks down the ball! And he can't make the catch! Mera is in with a double!

Shinnishi though can't deliver once again, striking out to end the treat.


Bottom 3rd
The lights are on at Koshien as well as the extra umpires. The games today have certainly run long. Shinnishi continues to shine here early and he has his first 1-2-3 inning of the day.


Top 4th
Last batter Yamashita singles back up the middle for a leadoff single.

Yoshihara looks to bunt him over, but pops it up! Sotohama makes the catch!

Can anyone on this team bunt?

Well, at least Oosako proves that he can. He lays the bunt down as Kita and Okada almost collide! Okada throws to 1st for the out, but Yamashita breaks for 3rd! No one's covering the bag so he makes it easily! A defensive lapse by the Chiben squad!

Fujimoto up, looking for the timely hit. He works he count full, and then swings at a pitch letter high! But he manages to shoot it though to right! Yamashita scores, and it's Miyakonojyou retakes the 3-run lead! 4-1!!

Oohata with a heater right past a lunging Kita down the left field line! Fujimoto holds at 3rd, but Okada continues to be in a big pinch here in the 4th!

But Okada strikes out Matsubara to end the inning. Miyakonojyou tacks on a run, but no lead is safe!


Bottom 4th
Nishigawa earns a walk to start the inning off.

With Sotohama up, Takashima-kantoku sends Nishigawa to 2nd, and he's in safely!

Now a base hit from Sotohama could bring the back within 2. Instead, he swings at a slider away for strike 3!

Okada and Hirano make decent contact, but it an easy play for the outfielders. Side retired!



Top 5th
Tominaga leads off the 5th with a single to left. Mera looking to bunt... but it's right back to Okada who goes to 2nd to cut the lead runner.

Shinnishi still has yet to get a hit as he flies out to left. And Okada retires the side, getting Yamashita to ground out to 3rd.


Bottom 5th
Shinnishi is showing exemplary control here. He gets Kitabatke to look at strike 3 as his pitch comes back over the outside corner. Then Miyake also follows on a slider outside!

And he completes the trifecta with a pitch once again on the outside corner! As we head to the break, it's Miyakonojyou that's up 3!


Top 6th
Okada finally gets his first 1-2-3 inning of the game after the mid-game break striking out Yoshihara and Fujimoto looking! Could the break have helped Chiben out?


Bottom 6th
Oohata wir a grounder to 3rd. Matsubara one hops the throw and Tominaga bobbles it! Oohata's safe at first on the error!

Takashima-kantoku puts on the hit and run! Iwasato singles back up the middle! Oohata advances to 3rd and here's runners at the corners with one down!

But Nishigawa pops it up! Uchida heads just outside of the infield to make the catch! One down!

Sotohama up now looking for the timely. But Shinnishi pounds the ball away, away, away and they get him to check swing for strike 3!

Up to Okada now.

Chopper over Shinnishi's head! But Yamashita's there to get the ball and he touches 2nd to end the inning! Miyakonojyou avoids a possible big inning!


Top 7th
Defensive changes for Chiben. #8 Shiroyama takes Miyake's spot in the order and goes to center. Nishigawa goes to right, and Oohata goes to left.

Uchida opens the inning with a single to left. Matsubara-kantoku isn't bunting, but instead sends Uchida! Throw from Hirano... safe! But boy, I'm not sure about that call...

But Miyakonojyou with a chance here in the 7th to add to it's lead!

And Matsubara works a walk! Runners on 1st and 2nd with no down! It still doesn't look like Kawano-kantoku's asking for the bunt!

Tominaga gets ahead of Okada 3-1! And he works a walk!! Manrui for Miyakonojyou!

Takashima-kantoku calls for a conference on the mound. Can Okada avert disaster? Mera steps in, 1-2 on the day with a double.

And Okada strikes him out! One down!

Shinnishi with a hard hit. But it's right at Sotohama! He goes home and there's 2 outs!

#13 Nagatomo in to pinch hit for Yamashita. Okada gets ahead 0-2.

SANSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okada strikes out Nagatomo looking on a pitch on the outside corner! He gets out of a bases loaded jam!


Bottom 7th
Hirano with a drive to deep left! Oosako right there in deep left to make the catch!

Kitabatake again with a drive to deep left! And once again Oosako is right there to make the catch!

And Shiroyama stikes out looking on a pitch on the outside corner!! Chiben's down to their last 6 outs!!


Top 8th
One down for Miyakonojyou, and Oosako lines one back to center for a single.

Fujimoto swinging away, swings at a pitch in the dirt. There's 2 outs, but it allows Oosako to advance to 2nd.

And Uchida swings at a pitch in the dirt for out #3!


Bottom 8th
Kita with a drive to center, but Fujimoto is there to make the catch! One down.

But Oohata singles through to left! And then Iwasato singles throught to right! Runners on 1st and 2nd with only 1 down!

Kawano-kantoku quickly calls for a conference on the mound.

And it works! Shinnishi strikes out Nishigawa for the 2nd out!

Takashima-kantoku pinch hits #3 Yamamoto for Sotohama... can he get it done?

Shinnishi gets ahead 1-2, but then Yamamoto works the count full! Fouls it off, stays alive!

8th pitch, hit hard! But it's a high fly to right! Yoshibara with the catch and Shinnishi gets out the manrui jam!!!!!


Top 9th
Yamamoto stays in to play 1st, while #5 Seto comes in for Kita to play 3rd.

Okada seems to be pushing at his limit, but he retires Miyakonojyou in order! So we head to the bottom of the 9th.


Bottom 9th
So cdoes Chiben have a rally left?

Okada with a drive to center! But Fujimoto is there for the catch! One down!

#14 Sakou comes in for Hirano. Grounder to the left side! Uchida cuts it off in the gap! Throw to 1st... in time! 2 down!

Last chance for Chiben in Kitabatake. Blooper to right! Yoshihara coming in, dives, but can't get it! Base hit! Chiben's dream stays alive!

#18 Michihata in for Shiroyama.

Liner! But right at Matsubara! Game set!!


Miyakonojyou Shougyou does it! They defeat Chiben Wakayama and advance to the Best 8!! And it seems that Takashima-kantoku is taking it about as hard as his players. But he is after all one of the most winningest coaches in Koshien history.

(ugh... off to bed...)