Oumi had a bit of a false start against Takasaki on day 3 when it rained and cancelled the game. In the replay, Oumi would pull away from the cinderella team and win 7-2.
Kousei Gakuin had a bit of trouble against the neighbors to the north in Hokushou. Jyouma was on the mound for Kousei Gakuin and shutout Hokushou, yet the offense just managed 3 runs in the win. The lack of offense is concerning, especially from the Meiji Jingu champions.
The rain has come down again, perhaps it's Oumi's doing because they've had rain on the days they should be playing. And it may play a factor before the game is over. No predictions here.
Kousei Gakuin (Aomori)
RF Ameku ShoutoLF Murase Daijyu
C Tamura Tatsuhiro
SS Houjyou Fumiya
1B Takeda Toshiki
3B Oosugi Akinobu
2B Jyouma Ryuuhei
CF Kimura Takumi
P Kanazawa Yuuki
Oumi (Shiga)
RF Kume Masashi (#8)2B Fukui Shingo
LF Hashimoto Daiki
3B Fujiwara Ryuuji
CF Yamaguchi Kenta (#9)
1B Namazue Jyunki
SS Hayashida Yuusuke (#15)
C Tsusaka Jyun
P Murata Teito
__________________________________________________
13:48 - Rain Delay. The rain is falling down again at a hard enough rate that they're covering the mound and batters box. We're officially in a rain delay.
13:55 - This was the starting time of the game, and as quickly as the rain started pouring down, it has stopped, but the tarps have not been taken off just yet.
13:57 - They have announced that the game will begin at 14:10.
14:10 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
For it raining not too long ago, it looks too sunny. Almost like Seattle weather that is.
Ameku turns on a ball and shoots past Namazue into right! Leadoff batter on, and now moved to 2nd by Murase.
Tamura though takes 3 straight balls. And then one more inside and runners on 1st and 2nd for Houjyou.
Houjyou swings at the first pitch fastball and lifts it to left! Hashiimoto running back, running back... and makes the catch in front of the wall! Both runners tag up and advance!
Takeda looking for a one-timer. But he falls behind 1-2 and has to play defensive! And Murata induces a grounder to 2nd! Fukui makes the play at 1st and Oumi is out of the inning!
Bottom 1st
Kume goes down on a check swing for the first out.
Seeing Kanazawa live for the first time, (well, live in the sense of watching him live, not necessarily being there), I can see how Kanazawa was effective. His windup is close to the body and well hidden. He has a fastball so far that is in the high 130s touching 140 and has a slider, curve and shuuto.
Fukui and Hashimoto are retired with little trouble, and we're onto the 2nd inning.
Top 2nd
Oosugi falls for a low curveball for Murata's first K. Jyouma first pitch grounds to short. And Kimura blows a fastball inside Kimura for the 3rd out. An easy inning for Murata.
Bottom 2nd
Kanazawa looking really good on the mound, hitting the spots Tamura's putting out there.
Also getting help from his defense as Oosaugi makes a nice backhanded stop and throw to 1st in another 1-2-3 inning for the Kousei ace.
Top 3rd
One down, and Ameku collects his 2nd single, taking a high fastball past a diving Fukui to right.
Murase follows that up with a ball off the end of his bat, sending it to right-center! Men on for Tamura!
And Tamura is patient, getting ahead 3-1 in the count. He's green-lighted, but is a bit fast and pulls it foul. Full count now... fouls it off himself. Ow. And it's inside! Manrui for cleanup batter Houjyou!
Tsusaka comes up to talk to him quickly.
Two high curves that force Houjyou to duck, and a high fastball mean that Houjyou is up 3-1!
Murata gives in and Houjyou makes him pay! He drives a ball to deep left! Hashimoto running back sees it land at the base of the wall! Ameku scores with Murase right behind him! Tamura is being waved home and he scores! Throw to 3rd isn't in time and it's a bases clearing triple for Houjyou! 3-0 Kousei Gakuin!!
Taga-kantoku calls for time after Murata loses Takeda as well to put runners at the corners.
Squeeze! Nakai-kantoku calls for the squeeze, but Oosugi whiffs! Houjyou is left out to dry and is run down, though lasting long enough to allow Takeda to advance to 3rd.
And after an 9 pitch battle, Oosugi strikes out swinging to end the inning, but a mistake by Murata costs Oumi 3 runs!
Bottom 3rd
Tsusaka gives Oumi their first hit on a ball the opposite way. Murata showing bunt, takes 3 pitches and goes ahead 2-1... now 3-1. He tries to bunt 3-1, but misses! Full count and he lines back to Kanazawa! Tsusaka has no chance to return back to base and the inning is over!
Top 4th
Murata issues his 4th walk of the game in Jyouma to lead off the 4th. And on a ball in the dirt, he takes off for 2nd and reaches safely!
Meanwhile, the cameras show #10 Hirose warming up in the Oumi bullpen.
Kimura once again is caught looking, this time on a curve inside. Kanazawa advances the runner with a grounder to 2nd.
And Murata finally retires leadoff batter Ameku with a flyout to left!
Bottom 4th
The reporters from the Oumi stands say that it's not just Oumi band playing, it several chuugaku schools playing as well. No wonder it sounds very loud. That, and they have more than half the oen-dan filled with supporters in Oumi blue with thundersticks. HUGE THUNDERSTICKS.
Sadly, it's not helping the team any. Kanazawa rings up his 2nd and 3rd Ks while retiring the top of the order.
Top 5th
Tamura gets on base for the 3rd time today as he laces a ball to center for a one-out single.
Houjyou with a ball back up the middle just past a diving Hayashida puts runners on 1st and 2nd for Takeda.
I think I hear the trombones in Kousei's oen-dan...
Takeda reaches down and truly bloops one over Hayashida just onto the outfield grass! Manrui for Kousei!
Oosugi with a grounder to 2nd! Should be, NO!
The ball bounces off Fukui and goes into center! Tamura scores! Houjyou scores! It's 5-0 as Oosugi slides into 2nd!
Taga-kantoku calling time.
Jyouma first pitch drives it to to left! Hashimoto running back!
HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jyouma's ball his the left field foul pole and it's a 3-run HR! Kousei leads now 8-0!
Kimura and Kanazawa are both retired to end the inning, but the damage has been done as 5 runs come in to score.
Bottom 5th
One down for Oumi and Kanazawa gives up first walk to Yamaguchi. The offense shows a bit of life as Namazue turns on an inside pitch and lines it to right for a single. That brings up Hayashida.
But he hits a grounder to 3rd! Oosugi steps on 3rd for one, throw to 1st for the double play to end the inning. We hit the break with Kousei holding a commanding 8-0 lead.
Top 6th
Changes for Oumi. #10 Hirose comes in for Namazue and takes the hill. #13 Miyai comes in for Murata and takes over at 1B.
Hirose almost gets a 1-2-3 inning, but Tamura would like to get on base everytime he's up as he singles to center.
Houjyou with a blast to left center! Did he really? Hashimoto running back, watches it hit the top of the padded fence and bounce back into the field! Yamaguchi runs it down and throws it in, but not before Houjyou's in with a triple! 9-0 now for Kousei.
Make that 10-0. Takeda singles to center.
Oosugi has not joined in on the hit parade as he pops out to Tsusaka to end the inning.
Bottom 6th
Kume finally breaks out of his K funk with a single pas a diving Oosugi. Fukui follows that one up with a single back up the middle and Kume takes 3rd. Maybe they can avoid the shutout at least? That'd be a start.
Hashimoto grounds to 2nd though and they're turned away again.
Top 7th
Kimura gets in on the hit parade as he drives a ball to right! Kume turns to his left, then his right, and is all turned around as the ball falls in front of the wall! Kume is in with a triple!
Kanazawa is living up to the true hitting potential of a pitcher by striking out to go 0-4 on the day.
Hirose retires Ameku on a grounder to 1st and they're back on the bats to at least prevent a shutout.
Bottom 7th
Two down and #17 Miyakita hits for Hirose. He hits a sharp grounder to 3rd and it bounces off a diving Oosugi and takes a 90 turn into foul territory. He goes for two and slides in safely!
#16 Tsuji Kouhei comes to run for him, but he doesn't go far. Hayashida fouls out to Tamura to end the inning.
Top 8th
#11 Yamada comes in for Kouhei and takes the hill.
The subs are coming out now as #18 Furutera hits for Murase, and strikes out on 3 straight.
And it's Yamada who finally puts an end to Tamura's on base adventures! Yamada grounds out to short!
Houjyou with a high fly to left center. Hashimoto and Yamaguchi converge, Hashimoto goes for the ball... and misses! It falls in front of him and Houjyou's on with a 2 base error.
Takeda with a single to center and there's runners at the corners with 2 down.
Takeda tries his hand at a stolen base and just slides in safely.
Sadly for Yamada, he has to suffer like the pitchers before him. Oosugi finally gets his first hit, driving a ball to the left center wall for a triple. 12-0 Kousei.
That leaves only ace Kanazawa without a hit. He still has one AB left.
Jyouma grounds out to short and that's the inning.
Bottom 8th
#17 Sekiguchi comes in for PH Furutera and goes to left. #14 Kishigawa comes in for Oosugi and plays 3B.
Miyai gets a one out single to center. Kume follows suit to put runners on 1st and 2nd.
Fukui puts a good charge into one. Kimura running back, leaps and just catches the ball in the webbing!
Unfortunately Hashimoto kills the rally again by grounding out to 2nd.
Top 9th
Kimura goes down, and that brings up Kanazawa. Can he get a hit?
Oh. Instead he gets hit. And either on the hands or on the head or both. That's the only thing with leaving your ace in the game in a blowout.
And after Ameku is retired, Taga-kantoku sends in #6 Taga to take the hill to get the last out.
First pitch Kimura (running for Kanazawa) takes off for and steals 2nd.
Sekiguchi with a single to center. Kimura sprinting around 3rd and scores to make it 13-0.
Sekiguchi gets caught off 2nd and is run down to end the inning.
Bottom 9th
#16 Matsuura in for Kishigawa at 3B. #13 Nozaki in for Takeda at 1B.
Fujiwara with a blast to center! Kimura back to the wall! He looks up!
HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Fujiwara is not cheated on this one! He hits a home run to dead center! Oumi avoids the shutout, it's 13-1!
After a flyout by Yamaguchi, #18 Murase comes in to PH for Taga and grounds out.
And now with one out remaining, Nakai-kantoku pulls Kanazawa for #10 Itou.
#12 Umetani comes in to hit for Hayashida. Only #14 Tsuji Kento remains on the bench.
And unfortunately he will stay there as Umetani fouls out to Nozaki to end the game.
Unfortunately for Oumi, things just went awry in the 5th inning and they could never recover. They did however manage to avoid the shutout, and almost get everyone some playing time. It will remain to be seen if leaving Kanazawa in has any repercussions going forward.
2 comments:
To Goro Shigeno:
next week I will be going on a 3 week trip to Japan. My friend and I would very much like to experience a highschool baseball match.
However I did some resource but I cannot seem to find information regarding time and place.
I was hoping if you can contact me on mmisana87@gmail.com and perhaps provide some additional information. Thank you very much in advance!
If you let me know where you're going in Japan, I may be able to find spring tournament information for you. The spring tournament doesn't count towards Koushien, but it does allow teams to get more in-game practice in.
Post a Comment