Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Day 4 - Game 2 - Inabe Sougou (Mie) vs. Fukui Shougyou (Fukui)

Inabe Sougou Gakuen is led by a tandem of pitchers. First is ace Kondou (Yoshifumi). He can hit the high 130's with his fastball and sports a 2-seamer, slider, curve, and change. In his 22 innings of work, he struck out 8.59 batters/9 and walked 1.64/9.

His partner is Okabe Naoto. He also worked 22 innings, also reaches into the high 130's with his fastball, and slightly strikes out and walks more batters (9.41 K/9, 2.45 BB/9).

For Fukui Shougyou, Hasegawa Yousuke is one of the hardest throwers at Koushien. He can hit 148 on the radar gun, and has a slider curve and shuuto. The speed definitely helps miss bats or induces bad contact (3.52 H/9 - 3rd lowest, 8.22 K/9). But apparently with the speed comes a bit of wildness as he walked 5.48 batters/9, 2nd only to Chiben Wakayama's Uenoyama. He'll want to keep the walks at a minimum to be successful.

While Fukusho is a regular at Koushien, and this is Inabe's first time, I don't think ISG is that much of an underdog here against Fukusho. What I mean by that is that they probably won't have to play a perfect game to beat them. They might be a slight underdog, but not by much.

Inabe Sougou Gakuen (Mie)
CF Deguchi (Hiroyuki)
SS Mizutani Hiroya
RF Okabe (Naoto)
C Nakazono (Yousuke)
LF Moriyama Shouta
1B Okada Jyun
3B Sakabe Shouhei
2B Sakao (Kazunori)
P Kondou (Yoshifumi)

Fukui Shougyou (Fukui)
CF Shioji Takuma
1B Miyoshi Takuma
RF Uchida Souichi
3B Yashiki Kenta
P Hasegawa Yousuke
LF Kondou Daichi
2B Uchiyama Akira
SS Korome Kazuo
C Kobo (Masato) (#12)

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11:07 - First Pitch!

Top 1st
After getting 2 quick outs, Okabe hits a grounder to 2nd, but Uchikawa whiffs and the ball goes under him! That gets between the outfielders and all the way to the wall!! Okabe makes it all the way to 3rd and there's an early chance for the team from Mie!

But there's no harm from the error as Nakazono grounds to 3rd to end the inning.

Bottom 1st
Kondou records 2 quick pop ups, although on the 2nd, there a collision between Mizutani and Moriyama, but both are fine. Uchida strikes out looking to end the inning.

Top 2nd
Moriyama with a blast to right! That falls in just short of the wall! Leadoff double for Moriyama. Immediately bunted over for Sakabe.

And Yousuke falls behind Sakabe 3-1! He throws a change! Sakabe fouls it off to right. But he hits a comebacker to Yousuke! He holds the runner and goes to 1st for the out.

2 down for Sakao.

But he flails on a slider way out of the zone and the side is retired leaving Moriyama stranded at 3rd.

Bottom 2nd
Kondou with a very quick inning, throwing just 7 pitches, and 4 of those were to strike out Kondou Daichi to end the inning.

Top 3rd
Yousuke gives up a 2 out bloop single to Hiroya, but Inabe isn't able to generate much else.

Bottom 3rd
Korome gives Fukusho their first hit as he singles to right with one down. Takahiro shows bunt, but takes for strike 1. It looks like he's just showing bunt but not actually going to...

...except when I type that he does.

And boy Shioji is just fooled on a change. He gives up and walks away as Kondou records his 3rd K.

Top 4th
Nakazono with a walk to start the 4th. That's his first walk this game.

Moriyama with a hard grounder to 2nd, and all Yashiki can get is the lead runner.

Oh? Ozaki-kantoku has a stopwatch! He' s timing Yousuke! Now there's a smart manager.

Okada on a hit-and-run grounds back to Yousuke for the 2nd out.

And now the wildness is showing. Yousuke walks the 2nd batter this inning in Sakabe on 4 straight. Small chance here for ISG!

Sakao with a liner to center! Shioji running back... leaps... AND MAKES THE CATCH!!!

He holds onto the ball as he hits the ground and the side is retired! That saves 2 runs and keeps the game scoreless!

Bottom 4th
Miyoshi with a dying liner to right. Okabe charging in and makes a diving catch! We're seeing good defense here!

Ah, but Uchida is plunked by Kondou! Man on!

No bunting for Yoshiki, but he flies out to right.

And Yousuke with a routine grounder to short to end the inning. Kondou pitching really well here against a good squad.

Top 5th
One down, and Deguchi grounds one to short. Korome stops it in the gap, but can't get the throw to 1st in time!

And then Deguchi takes off for 2nd! Throw from Takahiro is in time, but Korome turns to his right and is late! If he turns the other way, he might have him!

And Yousuke walks his 3rd batter in the last 2 innings! Hiroya goes to 1st and there's a developing situation!

AH!!! Yousuke hits Okabe in the butt! Manrui for ISG! Kitano-kantoku calls time and sends out Ogura. Looking at my scorebook, it looks like Yousuke has a bit of trouble when he's in a pinch situation. Can Nakazono take advantage of it?

Grounder up the middle! Korome with it! Steps on 2nd for one, throw to first... double play! Again, Yousuke and Fukusho get out of a pinch!

Bottom 5th
Kondou Daichi with a swinging bunt down the 3rd base line! Yoshifumi is late getting to the ball and Daichi's safe!

Uchiyama lays down a bunt, but it's right in front of home. Nakazono throws to 2nd, but it's lot and gets by Mizutani! Deguchi backs up the play and the runners hold.

Korome shows bunt but takes 2 strikes. He shows bunt, but pulls it back and swings! He takes it opposite field for a single! Okabe is up with it and the runners hold again.

Manrui for Fukusho and Ozaki-kantoku calls time.

Once again Takahiro takes a couple of pitches, and falls behind 1-2...

SANSHIN!

He chases a slider down for strike 3! One down!

Again Yoshifumi gets ahead of Shoji 1-2.

AHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yoshifumi leaves a two-seamer up and Shioki drives it to deep center! Deguchi chases it to the wall, but can't get to it! Everyone's going to score on that ball as Shioji has a bases-clearing triple! 3-0!

And Miyoshi with a shot past a drawn in infield! That scores Shioji, and it's 4-0!

Uchida with a hard grounder to left. Mizutani with the great stop and makes the throw to 2nd for the force.

But the hit parade continues for Fukusho. Yashiki with a chopper up the middle. Sakao cuts in front of Mizutani but his throw is offline and everyone's safe!

AH!!!!!!!

Yousuke with a drive to right center! That'll score at least 1! Uchida comes in, Yashiki rounds 3rd and he scores! It's 6-0 and Fukusho has blown this wide open.

Daiki is the 10th batter of the inning, and he strikes out to end the inning. ISG will have to regroup during the break now down 6-0.

Top 6th
They'll need to score a couple of runs to stay in it.

Okada gets a one out single that goes off the glove of Yashiki... But Sakabe grounds into the 4-6-3 double play.

Bottom 6th
Yoshifumi's day is done as Okabe comes in from right to take the hill. #10 Kosaka Ryouta comes in for him and takes over in right.

Okabe in relief retires Fukusho with ease here in the 6th, but it might be too little too late.

Top 7th
ISG goes quietly in the 7th. Their time at Koushien is quickly coming to an end.

Bottom 7th
Okabe exactly duplicates the 6th inning. Groundout to 2nd bookended by K's. He's retired all 6 he's faced and struck out 4.

Top 8th
Hiroya with a grounder to 2nd, but Uchiyama can't field it. E4 gives ISG a leadoff runner.

Okabe grounds to Uchiyama who gets the lead runner.

Nakazono is hit by Yousuke, but he didn't really make an attempt to get out of the way. Nonetheless, the umpire awards him 1st.

Moriyama gets on top of a ball, and grounds into the 6-4-3 double play to end the inning...


Bottom 8th
#16 Hotta Shinji comes in for Hiroya and takes over at SS.

Okabe finally gives up his first hit, a soft liner over Sakao's head. But #14 PH Yamagata Kouta grounds to 2nd. Sakao tags Yousuke for one and goes to 1st for the double play.

Top 9th
Last ups for ISG. PH Yamagata stays in to play left.

#13 Matsushima Hayato comes in to PH for Okada, but he goes down swinging.

#12 Inden (Kazuta) comes in to PH for Sakabe, and gets a walk. He's replaced by #18 Mizutani Keisuke.

And he takes off for 2nd! Takahiro up with the throw and they get Keisuke. I guess it may not have mattered anyways.

Sakao strikes out swinging to end the game.

While the game was never in doubt after the 5th, it was one half inning that made all the difference where the hits seem to rain down like... well... a summer rain. Inabe Sougou Gakuen, much like Tonami Kougyou, played well, but it just wasn't meant to be.

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