Day 7, Game 3 - Tsuruga Kehi (Fukui) vs. Moriokadai Fuzoku (Iwate)

Our final game of the day has a team looking for their 2nd win at Koushien versus one who already has 2 this Koushien and looking for more.

Moriokadai Fuzoku finally got their first win in their 10th appearance at Koushien (spring & summer) with a 4-3 win over first timers Yasuda Gakuen.  They were helped by some inexperience fielding at Koushien by Yasuda Gakuen (if you've ever been there during the day, the crosswinds can be hell for a defense not ready for it).

Even still they collected 11 hits, including a much needed HR by Mochidzuki.  The hits were spread out amongst the lineup though Miura had the most success going 3-3 with a walk.

Tsuruga Kehi's on the other hand has had to play 2 games and is currently on 1 days' rest.  First on their docket was an Okinawa Shougaku squad that didn't seem ready to play, then after trading punches with Kyoto Shouei, it was a manrui walk of all things that proved to be the difference.

The 2-3-4 battery of Yonemitsu, Yamada and Kita for Tsuruga Kehi were a combined 7-11 with a double, a triple and a homerun in that game - that after being 3-13 in their first game, so again, small sample size.


Tsuruga Kehi (Fukui) - Hokushinetsu Runner-up
CF Mine Kentarou
3B Yonemitsu Issei
1B Yamada Seiya
C Kita Ryouta
SS Asai Hiroya
LF Kobayashi Yuudai
RF Iwata Shinya
2B Yamane Takaki
P Kishimoto Jyunki

Moriokadai Fuzoku (Iwate) - Tohoku 3 seed
CF Nabana Hiroki (#15)
LF Yoshida Arashi (#14)
SS Mochidzuki Naoya
RF Matsumoto Yuuki (#8)
2B Miura Chisato
3B Sariishi Haruki
1B Fukuoka Kippei
C Nabekawa Kazuki
P Oikawa Gou

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14:23 - First Pitch!

Top 1st
Oikawa is a very quick worker on the mound and Mine grounds to 3rd.

He turns around though and hits Issei to give Tsuruga a runner.

Just as quickly though he gets Yamadato ground into the 1-6-3 double play to end the inning!

Bottom 1st
Nabana with a bloop single down the right field line!

Yoshida tries to bunt him along, but pops it up!  Yamada charges in and makes the catch for the first out!

Mochidzuki up and he quickly pops up to 2nd.  And Matsumoto chases a letter high fastball away for the 3rd out

Top 2nd
The action going fast as Kita quikly grounds to 3rd, Asai watches a slider hit the outside corner, and Kobayashi grounds to short.  Both pitchers seem to be on their game early, and there's really nothing to write!

Bottom 2nd
Miura lines a base hit down the left field line, but Kobyashi cuts it down quickly to limit him to a single.

Sariishi trying to bunt, but fails!  After taking a couple, Sekiguchi-kantoku goes for the hit-and-run!  But he pops it up!  Iwata with the catch for the first out.

And then on back to back pitches Fukuoka and Nabekawa just golf the ball into the air for two popups and Miura's can't advance from 1st!

Top 3rd
So according to the announcers, he has a cut ball, a fork and one more that I can't remember.

One down, and Yamane is able to work a walk against Oikawa.  Kishimoto looking to lay down the bunt down, and it takes a great stretch by Fukuoka to prevent the ball from going into right.

Single to right by Mine!  Matsumoto has to play it on an awkward hop as Yamane rounds for home!

Matsumoto fires a bullet home on the fly to Nabekawa... OUT!!!

Nabekawa makes a great catch and block and they get Yamane out at the plate!  Very nicely done!

Bottom 3rd
For Kishimoto they mention a splitter and I believe a forkball.

Oikawa with a ball to right, Iwata has to play it on a hop!  Moriokadai has their 3rd leadoff batter on base!

Nabana with a hard bunt up the 1st base side that Yamada quickly fields, tries to go to 2nd, but loses the ball and kicks it up the line!  He retrieves it and makes the play at 1st instead.

And now Yoshida holds off on a ball low for a walk!

Mochidzuki with a bomb to left!  Boy that sure sounded good, but Kobayashi in front of the warning track to make the catch.  Oikawa does advance to 3rd.

Matsumoto up to try and break the deadlock.

But Kishimoto gets him to swing on a curve for the 3rd out!

Top 4th
Issei with a base hit to center right!  Nabana overruns it, but Issei ends up at 2nd anyways!  Chance for Tsuruga!

Azuma-kantoku having Yamada swing away, and he grounds to 3rd!  Sariishi looks Issei back and makes the play at 1st.  One down.

Kita with a grounder into the gap in left.  Mochidzuki runs it down, turns, jumps and fires to 1st... OUT!

Fukuoka with another great stretch, but it's the great play by Mochidzuki that gets Moriokadai their 2nd out!

Asai with a hit to left!  Yoshida fires home, but he doesn't have Matsumoto's arm!  Issei slides in safely and Tsuruga Kehi has the 1-0 lead on Asai's timely hit!

Wasn't that bad of a pitch either, it was outside, he just turned on it and singled to left.

Kobayashi pops out to Nabekawa to end the inning, but Asai drives in the first run!

Bottom 4th
Miura with his 2nd base hit, a single through the left side.  That's 4 leadoff runners for Moriokadai.  Sariishi moves him over hoping someone gets a base hit.

Fukuoka advances him to 3rd with a grounder to 1st, but now there's 2 outs.

Hm... Kishimoto with a 4 pitch walk to Nabekawa and Kita goes out to talk to him.

Two more balls to Oikawa...  Another one inside and it's 3-0!  Fastball over for a strike.  Another one, and Oikawa fouls it off.  Full count and Nabekawa will be off to the races.

Fouled off again.

Oikawa is jammed!  Slow roller up the left side is gobbled by Issei who goes to 1st for the 3rd out!  Once again Morioka is unable to score after getting the leadoff runner on!  It's not as bad as Kanzei, but it starting to get there.

Top 5th
Now it's Tsuruga's turn to get consecutive leadoff batters on!  Oikawa walks Iwata to start the inning and is immediately bunted over by Yamane.

And Kishimoto gets a hold of one!  Yoshida immediately running back, but he was playing in and he has no chance!  It falls at the base of the wall and Iwata scores to make it 2-0!

Tsuruga's showing Moriokadai how it's done!  Mine with his 2nd hit to left and there's runner on 1st and 2nd.

Issei blasts a grounder that makes Oikawa hit the deck!  Kishimoto scores to make it 3-0, and that looks like that's going to be it for Oikawa.  Matsumoto comes in from RF to pitch while #13 Toyota replaces Oikawa and goes to RF.

Matsumoto gets Yamada to flyout to center, stopping the streak of consecutive hits.

Kita with a popup in foul territory.  Sariishi chasing it to the camera well, reaches up.  Falls in!

Umpire calls out!  Saiishi caught it!  Nice play to retire the side!

Bottom 5th
Nabana works hard to get the count full, only to swing at a shoulder-high fastball and go down.

Yoshida is frozen on a fastball that runs back over the plate for strike 3.

Mochiduzki gets ahead 3-0, but winds up with the count full, and chases a ball outside.  He makes contact, but pops it up to Yamada for the 3rd out.

So while Moriokadai Fuzoku has had more opportunities to score, it's been Tsuruga Kehi who has actually taken advantage of them.

Top 6th
Matsumoto doing well in relief, inducing 3 easy flyouts from the 5-6-7 batters and Moriokadai is back on the bats.

Bottom 6th
Matsumoto turns around and gets his first base hit, turning on a fastball and hitting a single to right. Miura with 2 base hits bunts him over instead of swinging away.

And when Sariishi flies out to center, there's 2 outs.  Will they leave yet another leadoff runner on base?

Sadly yes.  Fukuoka gets under yet another pitch and pops it up.  Yamane makes the catch and Moriokadai is still not on the board,

Top 7th
Matsumoto continues to hold the line.  Where he had three flyouts last inning, he gets 3 groundouts this inning all with very little stress.

Bottom 7th
But Moriokadai's had plenty of opportunities and have been unable to score.  Now time is running short on their Koushien run,

On a fastball that Kita stands up for, Nabekawa give it a flat swing and levels it into cener.

Toyota tries to lay down the bunt, but it's right at Kishimoto who goes to 2nd for the out.  #18 Tomori runs for Toyota.

Back to the top of the lineup and Nabana flies out to center.  Yoshida flies out to left, and yet another runner is left stranded.

Top 8th
Tomori stays in to play CF as Nabana moves to RF.

Matsumoto is making it look easy out there.  He goes 1-2-3 again to retire all 11 batters he has faced!

Bottom 8th
But Moriokadai can do no better.  In fact all Kishimoto needs is 6 pitches and the side is retired.

Top 9th
Guess I jinxed Matsumoto.  I mention he's retired all the batters he's faced and he gives up a hit to Asai.

Two outs later Azuma-kantoku sends Asai who bends out of the way of the tag and is safe.

No matter though as Yamane grounds to 1st for the out.   Great work by Matsumoto to only give up one hit, but his team still trails with just 3 outs to go..

Bottom 9th
Sariishi can't get the rally started, swinging on a slider in the left-handed batters' box.

Fukuoka bloops one in to shallow left center for his first hit of Koushien.  He'll get some pats on the back as #17 Akama comes in to run for him.

Meanwhile #9 Ooshiro comes in to hit for Nabekawa.

But Kishimoto swings and misses on a slider for the 2nd out.

Last chance as #7 Saitou comes in to hit for Tomori.  He's not just hacking though, he's trying to extend the game and runs the count full.

SANSHIN!!!!!!!

Kishimoto puts a slider right on the inside corner and that ends the ballgame!!

Kishimoto puts through a wonderful performance and shuts out Moriokadai Fuzoku to advance into the Best 8!  Despite giving up the lead runner in 6 of the first 7 innings, he does not let a runner advance past 2nd base!

Moriokadai Fuzoku probably has a lot of regrets in this game.  Leaving so many men on base and not scoring a run has to burn a little in that dugout.  But at the same time, the team did break their winless streak at Koushien, and that counts for something.  Now that the first win is out of the way, perhaps more will come from this team.

For Tsuruga Kehi a 3-0, rather stressless win is probably just what they needed as they'll get 2 day's rest before they face yet another strong team in Seikou Gakuin who has now gone the farthest they've ever gone - and no doubt will be looking for more.


Notable Players
Kishimoto Jyunki (Tsuruga Kehi) - W, CG, SHO, 7 H, 7 K, 2 BB
Yonemitsu Issei (Tsuruga Kehi) - 2-3, 2B, R, RBI, HBP
Asai Hiroya (Tsuruga Kehi) - 2-4, RBI
Matsumoto Yuuki (Moriokadai Fuzoku) - 4.2 IP, 0 ER, H, K
Miura Chisato (Moriokadai Fuzoku) - 2-3
Oikawa Gou (Moriokadai Fuzoku) - 1-2