Friday, July 22, 2011

93rd Koushien Qualifying - July 13th-21st (Chuugoku Region)

Well, I'm heading towards the middle, mostly because I know updating the Kinki and Chuubu regions will be a pain in the...

Yamaguchi
Day 1 of games at Yamaguchi featured Shimonoseki Nishi giving up the tying run in the bottom of the 9th against Ube Nishi, but winning 1 inning later and Houfu responding to Ooshima Shousen Tousen's 3 runs in the 6th with 3 of their own in the 7th and a sayonara run in the 9th.

Day 2 (17th) had Tokuyama Shoukou holding on against Iwakuni Kougyou 4-3. Saikyou and Keishin were tied at 3 after Keishin scored 2 in the bottom of the 9th. Saikyou though tripled their run total in the 11th scoring 6 out of nowhere to win 9-3. Top 4 seed Shimonoseki Shougyou got the short end of the seeded teams having to play an extra game, but breezed against Seiryou 14-4. And finally Tokuyama and Hikarigaoka were scoreless through 9, but the game wouldn't need to go further into extras. Tokuyama scores the sayonara run in the bottom of the 9th for the win, this despite Tawara and Yasuno combining for 9 free passes.

Day 3 rounded out 1st round play. 5-8 seed Yanai Gakuen advances easily over Shin-Nanyou and will play neighbor Yanai Shoukou. Fellow seed Onoda has no trouble with the transition team of Ootsu Ryokuyou/Yamaguchi Suisan. They'll play Nagato (no, not that Nagato - although I bet she could beat a team all by herself) who pulled it out in 11 against Yamaguchi-ken Koujyou.

We did have our first upset in day 3 when 5-8 seed Shimonoseki Chuo Kougyou was actually shutout by Hayatomo 5-0 (in fact they were 5-hit!). And in another minor upset, Karyou loses their 1st round game when Takamizu scores 3 in the bottom of the 8th to take a 3-2 lead.

Round 2 was slated to start on the 19th, but in a repeating story Typhoon Ma-on delayed things a bit. Games finally got underway 2 days later, and with the few teams that are participating the entire 2nd round was played on the 21st so all teams were in play.

Busicom Yanai
  • Top 4 seed Iwakuni started play but didn't pull away until late defeating Kumage Minami 10-6. Yanai will be their opponent as they beat Tokuyama Shoukou 9-4.
  • Yanai Gakuen gets its second shutout in as many games. Suou-Ooshima is next on the docket.
Ube Municipal
  • Top 4 seed Ube Koujyou finds themselves immediately in the trenches against Onoda Kougyou. Onoda ties the game at 3 in the 9th sending it into extras. Ube Koujyou survives scoring the sayonara run in the 11th. Saikyou steps up to take them on in the round of 16.
  • Onoda moves on defeating Nagato 6-1. Ube Kougyou, who scores its 2nd mercy win will be up next.
Shimonoseki
  • Shimonoseki Shougyou gets some trouble from Shimonoseki Nishi, winning only by the margin of 2-0. They must be feeling like this is preseason because they'll face another Shimonoseki school in Shimonoseki Kougyou, who kept up with Toyora and pulled ahead when it matted with a sayonara run in the 10th.
  • Hayatomo continues their run with another shutout, this time over Hagi Shoukou. Shimonoseki Kokusai, who edged Nishiichi will try to stop the Cinderella run.
Houfu Sports Center
  • Nanyou Kougyou gets through its first game, defeating Seikou 5-0. They play Takagawa Gakuen, who had to survive a late charge from Houfu.
  • 5-8 seed Sakuragaoka trailed Iwakuni Shougyou for much of the game. But again, it's not how you start, but how you finish. Sakuragaoka takes a 1-run lead in the top of the 9th with a pair of runs, and after Iwakuni tied it up, put them to the test again with a run in the 10th. Iwakuni had no response this time and Sakuragaoka survives. Takamizu and Tokuyama were involved in an offensive affair with Takamizu coming back and winning 9-8.
Hiroshima
Round 2 (16th-17th)
  • The 16th saw the first of the seeded teams take the field. Personal favorite Kouryou handled Shoubara Jitsugyou with ease 10-1. Hiroshima Sougou Gijyutsu, who made a decent showing at Koshien, and is seeded this year beats Numata 13-6. Sanjyou mercy ruled Yoshida in 5.
  • The biggest shock happened at Miyoshi Kinsai. Seeded Hiroshima Shougyou scored 2 in the 8th to take a 4-2 lead over Miyoshi. Then out of nowhere it appears Hiroshima Shougyou suddenly forgot how to play baseball. Despite relievers Tasaka and Shimotake giving up just 5 hits, the defense fails them as Miyoshi scores 8 in the top of the 9th! Hiroshima Shougyou shocked tries to rally, but down 6 can only muster 2.
  • In other games on the 16th, Funairi scores the go-ahead run in the 8th against Kannabe to win 2-1. Takeda manages just 6 hits but gets the only run in their game versus Kannabe Asahi. Fukuyama Myououdai blows a 3-0 lead to Sera but recovers to win the game 5-4 in the bottom of the 9th. Onomichi moves on with a 7-1 win over Fukuyama Kougyou. Kinkidai Fukuyama almost blows a 5-0 lead in the top of the 9th to Fukuyama Shougyou but win a nailbiter 5-4.
  • Moving along to the 17th and Onomichi Shougyou and Jyousuikan win their first game with little resistance while Hiroshima Kokusai Gakuin just gets a 5-2 win over Mihara.
  • Fukuyama Seishikan scores 7 unanswered runs late to defeat Hiroshima Kanon 8-7. Hasukaichi Nishi responds to Gokou's 3 runs early with 4 runs late for a 4-3 win.
Round 3
  • Hiroshima Sougyou Gijyutsu continues on its march of redemption defeating perennial power Onomichi 2-1. Sanyou has no problem with Saijyou Nougyou.
  • Miyoshi continues their run by defeating Hiroshima Kokutaiji 7-2.
  • Well, #^$*... Kouryou struggles against Kinkidai Fukuyama, and when Kinkidai scores 3 in the 7th, to take a 5-3 lead Kouryou has to scramble. Unfortunately for them, they can only manage 1 run and their summer end prematurely. At least I have Hiroshima Sougou Gijyutsu to root for.
  • Hatsukaichi Nishi makes a comeback to defeat Kamo 5-4 in 10.
  • Jyousuikan advances easily, but Soutoku is pushed into extras by Eishin before winning 5-2 in 10.
  • Shiritsu Kure defeats Kure Shougyou 2-1 in 10.
Shimane
Round 1 came and went, with little that was notable outside of Risshoudai Shounan winning their first game against Matsue Kougyou.

Round 2 got the majority of teams involved, including the favorites.
  • Top seed Iwamichisuikan shuts out Hamada 4-0 as Kawano throws a 4-hitter.
  • #2 seed Kaisei struggles against Izumo Koigyou but advances 4-3.
  • Masuda Higashi ekes out a 1-0 win over Matsue Higashi.
  • Goutsu uses a 6-run 5th to defeat Matsue Minami 9-7.
  • #4 seed Taisha mercy rules Hirata 8-0.
  • Jyouhou Kagaku, down 6-1 mounts a comeback capped by a 2-run bottom of the 9th to defeat Matsue Nourin 7-6.
  • Daitou scores 3 in the top of the 9th to reverse the game against Matsue Kita and win 6-5.
  • #3 seed Matsue Shougyou wins 5-2 over Ooda.
Luckily for Shimane, their days off coincided with the Typhoon so they didn't lose any days on the schedule.

Round 3
  • Iwamichisuikan gets back on track as a #1 seed defeating Masuda Shougyou 8-1 in 7.
  • Iinan gets the gyakuten victory as 4 in the 8th gives them the 7-6 victory over Izumo Shougyou.
  • Masuda Higashi matches Masuda run for run, but breaks free at the right time, scoring a run in the bottom of the 9th for the win.
  • Masuda Higashi will play Taisha who score 8 runs for the 2nd consecutive game in a 7-inning win over Goutsu.
  • Kaisei too gets on track with a 10-1 win over Meisei. They get Yasugi next.
  • Matsue Shougyou survives a 2-1 win over Daitou. They'll need to get their act together before playing Izumo.
Okayama
Hm. In the time range I'm recapping, Okayama has gone all the way from starting to the Best 8.

Oy. There's a lot to go through.
  • Oddly enough, B seed (5-8 seed) Kurashiki Kougyou plays on the first day. No matter as they beat Okayama Hakuryou 7-3.
  • Kanzei plays on day 2 (and isn't seeded), and defeats Okayama Daianji 10-0 in 6.
  • Okayama Rikaidai Fuzoku, who made some good runs recently starts off scoring in every inning aginast Tamano Shougyou en route to a 10-0 win in 5.
  • Tsuyama allows Tsuyama Higashi to tie the game in the top of the 9th but win in the bottom half.
  • Wakeshizutani get the one and only run in the bottom of the 9th over Meisei Gakuin.
  • Kurashiki Washuu scores all 5 runs in the last 4 innings to defeat Mimasaka 5-3.
Round 2
  • B seed Kurashiki Kougyou will be Rikaidai Fuzoku's next opponent, though they scored just one run in the bottom of the 9th to beat Kasaoka Kougyou.
  • Kurashiki Shougyou almost fell out right from the start. Kouyou's ace Takada held them scoreless for 10 innings. But there's only so far a pitcher can go sometimes, and Takada's limit was the 11th. 4 runs later and Kouyou was eliminated.
  • B seed Tamano Kounan has little trouble winning 9-0 in 7 over Tsuyama.
  • Kanzei moves on with a 1-hitter against Higashi-Okayama Kougyou.
  • Kasaoka Shougyou breaks a 3-all tie against Okayama Higashi Shougyou in the top of the 9th to win 4-3.
  • A seed Mizushima Kougyou responds after Okayama Jyoutou scores a run to tie it at 1 in the bottom of the 8th. Mizushima scores 2 in the top of the 9th for the win, but it's not comfortable at all of a start.
  • A seed Sakuyou has no problems with Soujya Minami, winning 7-1.
  • B seed Okayama Kyousei gives up 2 in the first to Kurashiki Washuu, but dominates thereafter winning 14-2 in 8.
  • Closing out round 2, A seed Soushi Gakuen rallies to go extra innings against Katsuyama, but it's Katsuyama who wins in the bottom of the 12th!
Round 3
  • The upsets continue as Kanzei upsets Kurashiki Shougyou, shutting them out 4-0 (though this isn't a real "upset" considering Kanzei's status in Okayama. They'll play Okayama Rikaidai Fuzoku who mercy ruled B seed Kurashiki Kougyou 7-0. (Not a good day for Kurashiki it seems)
  • The other quarterfinal will be the status quo as A seed Okayama Gakugeikan and B seed Tamano Kounan will square off.
  • On the other side of the bracket, Sakuyou beats out Okayama Minami late 3-1, and will play Okayama Kyousei, though they needed 3 in the top of the 9th just to tie before winning it in the 10th.
  • Katsuyama's high from beating Soushi Gakuen ends after Konkou Gakuen spoils the party with a 10-0 rout. They play Mizushima Kougyou who won 2-0 despite giving up 9 hits and walking 4.
Tottori
Tottori in just one week has already reached the quarterfinals. Such is the case with a rural prefecture where populations continue to migrate to cities.

Round 1
  • Sakai, after scoring 2 in the first to Yonago Higashi, give up 5 to fall behind. But they had the rest of the game to catch up and they did. They'd tie the game in the 6th and take the lead in the 7th winning 7-5.
  • Tottori Kouryou just beats out Yonago Kita 3-2.
  • Tottori Shougyou in a back and forth game versus Kurayoshi Kita, and score the go-ahead run in the 8th for a 6-5 win.
Round 2
  • Sakai continues to look strong as ace Inori throws a 3-hit shutout over Tottori Kougyou.
  • Tottori Higashi scores 3 in the bottom of the 8th to separate themselves from Tottori Nishi 5-2.
  • Tottori Shougyou 3-hits Kurayoshi Sougou in a 4-0 win.
  • Outside of these games, most were uncontested.
The trend seemed to continue in the quarterfinals (yes, 2 games and you're in the quarterfinals). Yasu mercy ruled Yonago Shouin, and Sakai defeated Tottori Higashi 6-1.

Then things finally got interesting...

Tottori Shougyou, who had just gone down 1-0 to Kurayoshi Higashi, scores 4. Kurayoshi Higashi immediately replies with 3 to tie the game. It stayed that way until the 8th when Tottori Shougyou got to the 3rd pitcher, Ishikawa for the winning run.

And in the last quarterfinal, Tottori Jyouhoku got a 3-2 lead in the 1st inning. They maintained it after trading a run in the 3rd. But Tottori Chuo Ikuei scored 2 in the 5th to take the lead. An insurance run in the 7th proved to be the difference as Tottori Jyouhoku scored a run in the 8th to pull within 1.

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