Day 2 - Game 4 - Kanto Dai-ichi (Higashi Tokyo) vs. Sano Nichidai (Tochigi)

We end the day moving on to a team who can make a deep run in Kanto Dai-ichi. They won Higashi Tokyo as an unseeded team, defeating Yukigaya, Seiritsu Gakuen, and came back to beat Shuutoku for the title.

As for Sano Nichidai, they did have to face two of the seeded teams in Utsunomiya Kougyou and Sakushin Gakuin, but they were certainly not easy wins by any sort.

Once again, this will be dependent on how effective the pitchers can be. Neither side has a flame thrower (just like all the other teams today), so whomever can confuse the opposing batters will prevail.

I really don't have key players for this matchup. Just sit back and enjoy!

Kanto Dai-ichi (Higashi Tokyo)
2B Yamashita Kouki
RF Shibusawa Maiya
SS Itou Shinji
3B Miyashita Akihiro
C Honma Ryou
CF Haketa Hiroki
1B Koyama Kouhei
LF Saitou Yutaka
P Shirai Keiichi

Sano Nichidai (Tochigi)
C Katano Masahiro
2B Saitou Yuuta
LF Genda Kazuki
1B Sakata Ryou
3B Hosaka Ryousuke
CF Niinomi Shinya
RF Akizawa Yuuto
P Seki Yuuta
SS Nakamura Motohiro

～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～

16:00 - First Pitch!

Top 1st
Yamashita with a nice single to right to start the game.

...and gets picked off.

Seki retires the next two batters, and it's a 3-up 3-down inning. Kinda.

Bottom 1st
Katano with a liner to right. Shibusawa charging in, dives... makes the catch! Nice play!

And while Shirai walks Saitou, he gets Genda to foul out and strikes out Sakata to end the inning.

Top 2nd
Miyashita with a drive to deep center. But again, the wind knocks it down. Niinomi is there to make the catch in front of the wall.

Seki is doing a good job of mixing up his pitches, and strikes out the next two batters to end the inning.

Bottom 2nd
Shirai also has an interesting selection with a mid 130's fastball, a 110 change, and a high 90's slow curve.

He gives up a one out single to Niinomi, but when Niinomi tries to take 2nd on a ball that gets away from Katano, he gets thrown out.

Shirai puts the runner back on first when he walks Akizawa. And then Matsumoto-kantoku puts on the hit and run! It's over Yamashita's head into right! Akizawa heading for 3rd, and Shibusawa with a strong throw to 3rd gets there before the runner, but Miyashita is out of position and can't make the tag!

Chance for Sanichi, but Nakamura hits a nubber in front of the plate and Katano throws him out to end the inning.

(Oh, and Shirai might have a mid-high 120's slider too).

Top 3rd
Seki retires the side in order with 2 groundouts and a K. Seems to have the same speed fastball and change that I've noticed so far.

Bottom 3rd
Katano with another liner to right, and Shibusawa charges to his right and makes and other diving catch!! He robs Katano twice!!

And after a weak comebacker, he plays unfair with Genda going 97, 116, and 135 looking for the 3rd out.

Top 4th
Yamashita leads off with a ball into the right center field gap that end up reaching the wall for a double. Then Shibusawa shows the bat work, laying down the bunt! He books it to 1st and beats out Seki's throw!

Runners at the corners for Itou, and Seki falls behind 3-1. Manages to run it full, and strikes him out on a change down and in.

Seki still needs two more outs.

And cleanup batter Miyashita pops it up! Sakata in foul territory and he makes the catch! 2 down!

Hm... interesting. Now Matsumoto-kantoku decides to call a conference. Wonder why...

Seki falls behind Honma 3-1, and again fills up the count.

And a slider outside misses for ball 4. Manrui!

And Haketa pops it up! Katano in foul territory behind home, makes the catch and Seki is out of the jam!

Bottom 4th
Shirai continues to deal, retiring the side in order without much issue.

Top 5th
Not nice! Koyama just puts the head down and walks back to the dugout after getting frozen on a change.

But Saitou lines one past a diving Hosaka down the left field line for a double!

Shirai with a grounder to the left side. Nakamura runs it down, stops and makes a great throw back across to 1st easily getting Shirai out. Now that's an arm!

Yamashita gets on for the 3rd time, this time on a walk. Runner at the corners with 2 down.

AH!!!!

Seki throws a ball short and it gets past Katano! It goes to the backstop and Saitou scores! 1-0 Kanto!

And Shibusawa with a slow grounder back up the middle! Saitou with the stop, but Shibusawa beats out the throw! And Yamashita was being waved home!! Throw home, late!!!

Smart running from Yamashita gives Kanto Dai-ichi the 2-0 lead!!

And now Shibusawa takes 2nd without a throw! Man that guy can fly!

Seki though gets Itou to pop up to 1st to end the inning, but timely hitting, fast running and smart thinking gets Kanto a 2-run lead!

Bottom 5th
And as quickly as the Sanichi batters got up, they were retired. They head to the break down 2-0 and without a decent opportunity since the 2nd inning.

Top 6th
One down, grounder by Honma to 1st gets by Sakita. The error doesn't hurt Seki though as he gets 2 infield outs to end the inning.

Bottom 6th
Another 1-2-3 inning for Shirai. The Sanichi batters cannot get any traction at all.

Top 7th
Shirai earns a one out walk, but gets doubled up when Yamashita hits a soft liner to 1st.

Bottom 7th
Desperate for a hit, Niinomi puts down the safety bunt and reaches with 2 down.

Oooooo......

Full count on Akizawa and he's called out on a pitch inside that is borderline at best. 3 outs.

Top 8th
Shibusawa works a walk and reaches base for the 3rd time, and promptly bunted to 2nd.

And Miyashita is hit on a 3-2 pitch. Trouble again for Seki.

Honma with the comebacker! That's through to center! Shibusawa rounding 3rd and he scores! 3-0, and Honma advances to 2nd on the throw!!

And after a quick conversation on the chat room, I realize my volume is not at full, I couldn't hear the Waseda song for Kanto Dai-ichi. *sighs* I am such an idiot.

Haketa with a line shot to left center! That will score 2! Haketa in with a 2-run double! It's 5-0 Kanto!

And a passed ball advances Haketa to 3rd.

Koyama with a fly to left, but it's not far enough to score the runner. 2 down.

Seki finally retires Saitou looking to end the inning, but 3 runs across for Kanto Dai-ichi probably puts this game out of reach.

Bottom 8th
Two quick outs for Sanichi, and it looks like they're going quietly.

Not so fast though. Katano works a walk. Then Saitou scorches a ball past a diving Miyashita down the left field line for a double!

The first pitch to Genda gets away from Honma, but Katano doesn't go home!! And Saitou has to scurry back to 2nd and is barely safe!

While it's only one run, Sanichi remains scoreless after Genda grounds out to 1st.

Top 9th
Oh boy... Easy grounder by Shirai goes under Saitou's legs into center... And Shirai busts it to 2nd safely! Not a good sign.

Yamashita with a single to center. Akizawa throws home, but Shirai has stopped at 3rd. Akizawa though hustles on the throw home and reaches 2nd!

SQUEEZE!!!

Shibusawa tries to lay down the squeeze, but fails! Shirai is caught in no-mans land and is run down.

Shibusawa though hits a ball back up the middle! It takes a high hop and all the fielders can do is eat it! Yamashita comes in to score and it's 6-0.

Itou with a drive to left!! Genda running to the wall, looks up...

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

Itou with a 2-run homerun and it's now 8-0!

That's it for Seki. Matsumoto-kantoku pulls him for #11 Hobo (Yoshihitorou?). Seki threw 160 pitches and was just out of gas.

AH!!!!!!!!!

Miyashita with a drive to center!!! Niinomi to the wall....

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

Back-to-back homeruns for Kanto Dai-ichi and it's now 9-0!

Hobo retires the next two batters to end the inning, but it now down to a matter of pride for Sanichi...

Bottom 9th
Sakada starts it off with a grounder to 2nd, and this time Yamashita makes an error!

And then Hosaka walks on 4 straight! Perhaps they can avoid the shutout!

Niinomi with a grounder to 2nd though. But the throw is a bit off. They get the force at 2nd, but that's it.

#17 Ishikawa Masaki in to PH for Akizawa. He hits one to left center. Haketa running in on the dying ball, but his dive just misses the ball! Sakata comes around to score and Sanichi is on the board at 9-1!

#13 Shouji Tatsuya comes in to PH for Hobo. He hits a grounder to 1st. Koyama makes the play at first and tries to throw home for the double play, but Niinomi slides in safe. 9-2!

With 2 down, Matsumoto-kantoku sends in captain #15 Iijima (Hiroki)... but in the end he strikes out looking to end the game.

Sanichi leaves with a bit of pride having avoided the shutout, but it will be Kanto Dai-ichi advancing to the next round and a date with Yuugakukan.