Day 9 - Game 2 - Miyakonojyou Shougyou (Miyazaki) vs. Mie (Mie)

Our lunchtime game features Miyakonojyou Shougyou and Mie.

Miyakonojyou didn't give Seibou Gakuen a chance in the first round game. They scored 4 off ace Satou early and cruised to a 5-0 win. Shinnishi pitched a wonderful game giving up just one hit in 7 innings. And offensively it was 3B Matsubara who was the hitter of the game, going 3-5 and scoring 2 of the 5 runs.

Mie avenged their loss to Kumamoto Kougyou in the first round, going toe-to-toe. After tying the game in the 4th they went scoreless until the 9th when Kumamoto Kougyou took the lead with a run in the 9th. With two down, Mie's Hashimoto singled through the right side to tie the game. One inning later, last batter Doi would single in the winning run. Miyatake has continues his hitting at Koshien as well.

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

Mie (Mie)
CF Hayashi
2B Shigeyama
C Noro
LF Miyatake
3B Hashimoto
1B Baba
P Matsuda
RF Nakamura
SS Doi

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12:10 PM - First pitch!

Top 1st
The winds have changed at Koshien as the flags in cetner point to a wind blowing out to right.

After striking out the leadoff batter to start, Oosako drives one to right center! And he's in with a double. Matsuda then walks Fujimoto to put runners at 1st and 2nd for cleanup batter Uchida!

Pinch early for Mie!

The count goes even at 2-2, and Uchida starts fouling off pitches. He hits a fly to right that Nakamura runs down, but the lead runner is able to advance to 3rd.

But Matsubara hits a fly to left! It sounded good, but he gets under it and Miyatake is there for out number 3!


Bottom 1st
Whoo! Keio rally music, well at least to start...

Shinnishi is on early, throwing both his straight and offspeed pitches for strikes. Mie's batters are swining away, and mostly missing. He strikes out 2 in a 1-2-3 inning.


Top 2nd
Tominaga hits one to center to get the leadoff runner on for Miyakonojyou. Mera bunts him over to 2nd for Shinnishi.

AH!! But Mastuda picks off Tominaga at 2nd! 2 outs!

And with that Shinnishi strikes out to end the inning.


Bottom 2nd
More Big 6 music from the Mie oen-dan!

Miyatake give Mie a leadoff runner with a single through the right side! Hashimoto bunts him along for Baba.

Baba with a grounder to short, but Miyatake was taking off on contact! Uchida with the ball goes to 3rd for the easy out! 2 down!

But ace Matsuda drives one to deep left center! Fujimoto running after it, looks to have a beat, but can't place the ball in time! Baba being sent home and Mie takes the lead on Matsuda's RBI triple!!! 1-0!!

Chance for Nakamura to add to the lead here, but he pops it up at home! Mera with the grab and they limit Mie to the one run.


Top 3rd
Last batter Yamashita gives Matsuda a bit of a workout to start the inning, but then is had on a pitch inside.

Yoshihara hits a high fly to left that Miyatake fields, and Oosako follows thereafter after working the count full.


Bottom 3rd
Lots of high fly balls at batters are lifting them with their swings. Shinnishi records a K and two flyouts to left center in his 1-2-3 inning.


Top 4th
Fujimoto draws his 2nd walk to lead off the inning for Miyakonojyou. Kawano is electing not to bunt with cleanup batter Uchida at the plate.

He works the count full, and he draws a walk! Growing situation for Mie here as Okita-kantoku calls a conference on the mound.

Matsubara with the bunt! But Matsuda charges it and throws out the lead runner at 3rd! One down!

But Tominaga makes sure Miyakonojyou isn't denied! He hits a scorcher down the 1st base line into right! Uchida scores! Matsubara holds up at 3rd as Tominaga comes through with the douten timely hit! 1-1!!

And Mera takes the first pitch to center! That's deep enough to get Matsubara in! Miyakonojyou takes the lead! 2-1!!!

Shinnishi flies out to center, but Miyakonojyou has taken the lead!


Bottom 4th
AH!!!!!

NORO WITH A DRIVE TO RIGHT!! Yoshihara to the wall!!

HAITA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Noro comes right back with a douten homerun off of Shinnishi!!! 2-2!!!!!

And with one down, Hashimoto singles through to right!

But Baba grounds to 3rd! Matsubara goes to 2nd for one, throw by Yamashita, wild! Baba heads for 2nd, but Mera is backing up the play! He fires to 2nd and they get him! 3 out!

But thanks to Noro, we're back at level!


Top 5th
Yamashita singles to right to start the inning! Yoshihara tries to bunt, but pops it up to short!

Kawano-kantoku asks Oosako to bunt too... NO!

He pulls it back and slaps it past a diving Hashimoto down the left field line! Yamashita holds up at 3rd, but Miyakonojyou with a great scoring opportunity!

Fujimoto with the drag bunt! Baba charges, throws to 1st! Not in time! The others weren't going and it's manrui for cleanup batter Uchida!

And he reaches down and pokes one into center! Yamashita scores and Miyakonojyou retakes the lead, 3-2! The bases are still loaded for Matsubara!

Okita-kantoku has seen enough. He pulls Yamada and moves him to right. #18 Makita comes in for Nakamura and takes the hill.

But Matsubara drills one to right! Nakamura running to the line, makes the catch! Oosako takes up and it's 4-2 Miyakonojyou!

Yabai! Makita walks Tominaga and it's manrui again as Mera steps up!

And Makita hits Mera! Oshidashi dead ball! Fujimoto scores and it's 5-2!

Shinnishi now the 9th batter for Miyakonojyou. But Makita gets him to ground to 2nd to end the inning.

But Miyakonokyou scores 3 here in the 5th and retakes the lead!


Bottom 5th
New P Makita takes a Shinnishi offering to deep center, but Fujimoto goes to the warning track and makes the catch!

Shinnishi goes on to retire the side in order as we head to the break with his team up by 3!


Top 6th
The struggles continue for Mie's pitching as Makita walks leadoff batter Yamashita on 4 straight. The lineup turns over to Yoshihara, who bunts him along.

#10 Masuda warms up in Mie's bullpen as Makita falls behind Oosako 2-0.

And while he gets him to ground to 2nd. Okita-kantoku pulls Makita for #10 Masuda.

AH!! First pitch is wild and gets away from Noro! Yamashita scores and it's 6-2!!

AH!!! And after Masuda falls behind 3-0, he hits Fujimoto on the back of his left leg! Fujimoto is on his knees in pain! But he gets up and works his way to 1st.

Uchida follows that up by hitting a pitch almost in the dirt through the right side! Runners at 1st and 2nd with 2 down!

Matsubara up and Masuda falls behind 2-0 before finally throwing a strike! The count goes full and Matsubara hits another very low pitch to short! Doi makes a diving stop, but his throw just pulls off Baba!! Manrui for Miyakonojyou again as Tomingaga steps up!

Count goes to 2-2... and Masuda gets him to pop up to shallow center! Inning over!

Mie escapes with only 1 run, but now find themselves 6-2!


Bottom 6th
Mie isn't going to call it quits just yet! One down, Shigeyama drives one right over Yoshihara's head! He slides in with a triple!

Noro now up. Can he score the run?

He hits a fly to center, and it's just deep enough to score Shigeyama, 6-3!

Miyatage ground to 3rd, but Mie has taken a run back!


Top 7th
Mera singles through to left to start the 7th. Shinnishi looking to bunt, hits it too hard and Masuda makes the play at 2nd for the lead runner.

Yamashita also looking to bunt? He does for leadoff runner Yoshihara.

But Masuda gets Yoshihara to ground out to short to end the inning.


Bottom 7th
Mie gets the lead runner on again as Hashimoto singles to right!

Baba isn't bunting and swings away! But Shinnishi strikes him out! 1 down!

Masuda with a ball to the right side, but Yamashita runs it down! 2 down!

#14 Matsuo to pinch hit for Masuda. Works the count to 3-1. But swings away! Chopper to 3rd! Matsubara with it and throws him out at 1st! Inning over! Chance lost for Mie


Top 8th
#11 Tamura now in on the mound.

Oosako hits a fly to right. Nakamura backs up, but makes the catch. Fujimoto hits a ball to left center, Fujimoto dashes over, slides... and makes the catch! And Uchida flies out to center to end the inning.


Bottom 8th
One down for Mie and Hayashi singles to right! Shigeyama up! If he can get on base, Mori will step up to the plate!

But he lines out to 3rd! Hayashi is esily doubled off and the chance is lost for Mie! They'll have only 3 outs now!


Top 9th
Matsubara singles to left to start the 9th for Miyakonojyou. After a bunt, Mera steps up and hits a high chopper! And it's just over Hashimoto's head! Matsubara advances to 3rd and Miyakonojyou with a chance to really put it away here.

Shinnishi with a hard grounder to 3rd! Hashimoto with the stop, but loses the ball! Throw to 1st, not in time! Matsubara scores and it's now 7-3!

#13 Nagatomo in to pinch hit for Yamashita. He hits a hard ball to 3rd! Hashimoto with the ball, but loses his balance! He can't make the throw and it's manrui for Miyakonojyou with one down!

And Yoshihara lift a ball to left! That's deep enough to score the run and it's now 8-3.

#15 Beppu comes in to pinch hit for Oosako.

And he hits one to center! Shinnishi being sent home! Hayashi up with the throw and it's on the mark! They nail Shinnishi at home to end the inning.

But they're up by 5 and it's all but over for the squad for Mie...


Bottom 9th
#10 Miyanaga comes in for Beppu and takes left. #14 Miyamoto comes in for Nagatomo and takes 2nd.

Noro grounds out to 2nd... one down.

Miyatake with a grounder to the right side. Both Tominaga and Miyamoto go to the ball, but Miyamoto fields it! Tominaga scurries back but can't find the bag! Tomingaga and Miyatake collide! Miyatake is safe, but is slow getting up!

After some work though, and a lot of the spray, he gets up and runs it off.

Runner on for Mie though here in the 9th. But Hashimoto grounds out to Shinnishi! 2 down!

#16 Okude in as a last gasp for Mie. But he falls in 3 pitches and the game is over.


Mie played well against Miyakonojyou, but unforunately was outdone by the squad from Miyazaki. They showed a lot of grittiness throughout their run here at Koshien, and they should be proud of their efforts, even though they exit here in the 2nd round.

For Miyakonojyou Shougyou, their next opponent will be between the winner of the next game.


Notable Players
Oosako (Miyakonojyou Shougyou) - 2-5, 2 2B, R
Tominaga (Miyakonojyou Shougyou) - 2-3, 2B, RBI
Noro (Mie) - 1-3, HR, R, 2 RBI
Baba (Mie) - 1-3, 3B, RBI