Small jump ahead

So just do I don' fall completely behind, I'm going to quickly go over the Best 8 matchups:

Day 12, Game 1 - Touyoudai Himeji (Hyogo) vs. Kousei Gakuin (Aomori)
So these two teams probably came out of the weakest brackets in the field. With no Ryuukokudai Heian to challenge them, Himeji cleared the 4-team bracket, though Shin-Minato gave them fits for 8 innings.

Kousei Gakuin did struggle with Tokushima Shougyou who is an upper mid-range team.

Neither team really stood out to me in any way, though if I were to pick a winner I may go with Kousei Gakuin.

Day 12, Game 2 - Jyosuikan (Hiroshima) vs. Kanzei (Okayama)
Um, even though I irrationally root for Kanzei, can I raise my hand and say I never saw this coming?

First defeating Kyukoku, one of the favorites to win it all, then Meihou who isn't quite the same without Imamiya.

Jyosuikan basically outlasted all three of their opponents, which in a close game as this one may very well be, it could be to their advantage. The only thing is, it's arguable now that Kanzei is none of those teams.

I'd like Kanzei to win, but I wouldn't bet on it.

Day 13, Game 1 - Chiben Gakuen (Nara) vs. Sakushin Gakuin (Tochigi)
Yokohama was supposed to win Chiben Gakuen's bracket, but something funny happened on the way there. I did think Yokohama was beatable, but not in the manner they lost.

Also, it was supposed to be the familiar Chiben Wakayama that had a better chance of being here than their Nara counterpart, yet the reverse is true. If nothing else, Chiben Gakuen has the no-panic attitude of their well known sister school.

The same could be said for Sakushin Gakuin. Teikyou was by far the favorite, but their lack of a true ace cost them in the end. With them gone, the bracket opened up. Now Sakushin Gakuin did have good wins against Karatsu Shougyou and the surprise Hachiman Shougyou.

I remember telling someone that I'd not root for Chiben Gakuen, and I think I'll favor Sakushin Gakuin. Outside of the 9th inning against Yokohama, they have shown little.

Day 13, Game 2 - Narashino (Chiba) vs. Nichidai-san (Nishi Tokyo)
Deanna, I guess we're on different sides again.

I like what I've seen out of Naraahino, though the game yesterday vs. Kanazawa scared me to death.

Nichdai-san has been, well... Nichidai-san showing their scoring abilities against squads like Kaisei (Shimane) and Chiben Wakayama.

But, like Yokohama, I think there's a good sized weak spot that I think they recognize they'll significantly increase their chances.

I want to pick Narashino, but it's not a guarantee at all.