And given the fact that in the replay they went with ace Yamada again - it lends itself to not if, but when his arm will finally collapse. With the team's offensive struggles to boot their prospects don't look too good, not that they were anyways but at least got an extra game in.
Heian has looked rather impressive, dispatching the Tohoku champs in their most recent game (though Kousei didn't look like they showed up to play). What is also noteworthy is that they have used a different pitcher for each of the first two games, allowing his staff to pretty much get rest - especially since it's 3 games in 3 days for the title now.
There's nothing that would indicate that Heian won't advance to Best 4 today.
Kiryuu Dai-ichi (Gunma)
LF Yoshida Ryuuto
2B Ishii Shouta
RF Yanagiya Sansuke
1B Yamada Tomoki (#1)
C Onoda Toki
CF Kubo Shunsuke
3B Kubota Shinji
SS Takahashi Shoukei
P Toumiya Mao (#11)
Ryuukokudai Heian (Kyoto)
CF Tokumoto Kentarou
RF Ootani Tsukasa
2B Himeno Taisei
1B Kawai Taisei
LF Nakaguchi Daichi
3B Tsune Hitoshi
SS Ishikawa Takuya
C Takahashi Yuuya
P Motouji Reiji (#18)
____________________________________________________________Ryuukokudai Heian (Kyoto)
CF Tokumoto Kentarou
RF Ootani Tsukasa
2B Himeno Taisei
1B Kawai Taisei
LF Nakaguchi Daichi
3B Tsune Hitoshi
SS Ishikawa Takuya
C Takahashi Yuuya
P Motouji Reiji (#18)
15:19 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Motouji on the mound again for Heian and he's off and running. Strikes out Yoshida looking on a slider.
Ishii with a ball to the gap in short, Tsune ranges to field it, but it bounces off his glove and into the air! It goes behind Ishikawa for a base hit!
But Yanagiya hits a grounder to short! Ishikawa starts the 6-4-3 double play to end the inning!
Bottom 1st
Going to Toumiya for Fukuda-kantoku probably can't be helped with Yamada going 24 innings in 2 days. He's at first, so if Toumiya struggles (which his peripherals suggest), he might yet still enter.
And it indeed is a shaky start as Toumiya walks Tokumoto to start his campaign.
But Tokumoto has the twichy foot and takes off for 2nd too early! Toumiya starts the rundown and there's 1 out!
Again a deep count to Ootani, but he flies out to left.
Looks like it's going to be a lot of near walks as Himeno goes to 2-2. But Toumiya puts over the slider for strike 3!!
One down, 8 to go...
Top 2nd
Yamada leads off with a clean single through the left side! Onoda puts down the bunt, but Kawai elects to go to 2nd!! His throw is high and Ishikawa can't secure it! All safe!
Kubo now looking to bunt as well, but winds up fouling a couple off. 2 strikes, and he's still bunting! He lays it down and successfully advances the runners!
Kubota with the first pitch single to center! Yamada scores and it's Kiryuu Dai-ichi that takes the early lead! 1-0!
Shoukei up now to perhaps extend the lead with a sac fly or base hit.
Chopper to 3rd! Onoda has to scramble back, and Tsune goes to 2nd! They get the runner there and keep the force at either 1st or 2nd.
Toumiya to try and help his own cause with a base hit.
Drive to left!! Nakaguchi going back, going back!! Makes the, NO!!
Nakaguchi tries to make the basket catch, but can't finish it! Onoda scores! Shoukei running all the way from 1st, he scores!! Kiryuu Dai-ichi is up 3-0!!
Yoshida grounder to 1st. Kawai makes the tag, AHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The ball somehow gets knocked out of Kawai's glove and that means Yoshida is safe! Even more important, Toumiya scores from 2nd and it's 4-0 Kiryuu Dai-ichi!
Ishii flies out to right, but this is certainly a surprise!
Bottom 2nd
Of course, it's back to the nail-biting game that is Toumiya.
He walks Kawai to lead off the inning, and is bunted over.
Tsune with a single to left! Yoshida tries to go home with the throw, but it's not in time and it allows Tsune to take 2nd! 4-1 Kiryuu.
(Hint to Yoshida - keep the force on. You know Toumiya isn't that great, but you're putting him an bad position)
Case in point, Ishikawa grounder to short would have been an inning ending double play. Instead, it's 2 outs, runner on 3rd for Yuuya.
No harm this time though as Yuuya flies out to right. But Heian is taking the slow road back to douten.
Top 3rd
Yanagiya becomes the 2nd K victim as he goes after Motouji's slider.
Meanwhile, Yamada has Kawai on his backside as he scorches a grounder to right.
But Onoda too chases the slider, and Kubo grounds to 2nd to end the inning.
Bottom 3rd
Toumiya going after Motouji, despite him being a hitting pitcher. But he gets him all twisted on a fastball inside for the 1st out.
After getting ahead of Tokumoto 1-2, the count runs full, and he misses inside for his 3rd walk.
And it gets even more hairy when Toumiya plunks Ootani on the back. Fukuda-kantoke calls time as #18 Takano warms up in the bullpen.
Toumiya still can't find the zone, falling behind 2-0 to Himeno as well...
DOUBLE STEAL!!! Onoda fires to 3rd, but not in time! And it's 3-0 to Himeno!
Toumiya puts one over, Himeno takes. And another!!
Himeno with a ball to deep right! Yanagiya near the foul pole makes the catch, and Tokumoto can walk home to make it a 4-2 ballgame! Ootani advances to 3rd on the play.
Kawai up, and Toumiya falls behind him 3-1... Gives up yet another walk...
Finally, Toumiya gets ahead for a change, 1-2 on Nakaguchi...
Liner down 1st base line, foul, but he's perhaps timing things up now.
Kawai takes off for 2nd, but it's a slow curve from Toumiya and Onoda has no throw. Now a base hit can tie the game!
Toumiya wins! He gets Nakaguchi to fly out to center and he yields only the 1 yet again. He can't keep doing that though...
Top 4th
Tsune makes a great stretching catch on a liner from Shoukei on what looked like a clean inning. But a small hiccup as Motouji walks Toumiya.
Yoshida though makes that hiccup look a bit bigger after Yoshida singles to right, putting runners at the corners!
But Ishii gets under one and flies out to center. Tokumoto secures it for the the 3rd out.
Bottom 4th
Fukuda-kantoku will try to piece together this game on the mound. #15 Itoi comes in to pitch and occupies Toumiya's spot in the lineup.
Good start as Tsune swings and misses on the slider for the first out.
Ishikawa with a ball back up the middle, Ishii tries to make the sliding catch, but it gets through.
Now Ishikawa getting in on stealing act! He takes off on the 1-1 count and beats the throw!
Once again though, Itoi pulls the string on the slider, striking out Yuuya for the second out.
Itou successfully puts up the bagel as Motouji grounds to 3rd to end the inning.
Top 5th
One down and Yamada booms a ball to dead center! Tokumoto sprinting back, makes the catch near the fence for the 2nd out.
The clean inning is ruined when Motouji walks Onoda, but that's the extent of the things as Kubo strikes out looking to end the inning.
Bottom 5th
Tokumoto finally gets to put the ball in play, but flies out to right. Instead it's Ootani who gest a single back up the middle.
But Itou gets ahead of Himeno 0-2... and then throws the ball away on a throw to 1st! Now Himeno has a chance to get back yet another run.
Himeno gets more life afer Kubota can't catch a foul fly! Will that come back to haunt them?
NO! Himeno swings and misses on the slider and there's 2 outs!
Onoda goes out to have a word with Itoi before pitching to Kawai. Once again, Itou is ahead of Kawai 1-2 before the pseudo-pitchout. And another ball wide fills up the count.
Ball 4! They elect to go outside, but he doesn't do anything. Douten runner on base for Nakaguchi.
But Nakaguchi hits one off the end of the bat! Kubo in cengter to field it and the inning is over! We hit the break with Kiryuu Dai-ichi nursing a 2-run lead over Ryuukokudai Heian!
Top 6th
Harada-kantoku makes a change before the 6th. Motouji leaves the mound and in steps ace number Nakata.
And he's working quickly on the mound. Against the bottom of Kiryuu's lineup, he gets Kubo to foul out to Kawai and Shoukei to ground to 2nd. He then emphatically heads to the dugout as he rings up Itou on the slider.
Bottom 6th
? Itou walks Tsune, but that pitch even though it didn't hit the framed glove still came over for what I thought was a strike.
Tsune takes off! Onoda fies to 2nd... OUT!!
Onoda finally wins the battle as he guns down Tsune!
But Itoi puts the runner back on 1st as he hits Ishikawa.
Ishikawa takes off for 2nd, but Onoda can't secure the ball to make the throw! Heian is running roughshot on the basepaths!
Whatever was working for Itoi isn't as he falls behind Yuuya 3-1 before finally getting a swing.
SANSHIN!!!!! Yuuya strikes out looking on a fastball inside!
Well, Nakata was in for his 1 inning as #17 Iwashita comes in to hit for him. And now Fukuda-kantoku sends in sidearmer #18 Takano to counter!
And Iwashita is all crossed up! He falls behind 0-2, but manages to take a couple to level the count.
SANSHIN!!!!!!
Iwashita feebly swings at the curve and Heian is held off the board!
Top 7th
#10 Takahashi Keiji enters the game now presumably to finish the game. This as ace Yamada warms up in the bullpen!
As for Keiji, his inning is rather short. Just a grand total of 7 pitches and he retires the top of the Kiryuu lineup.
Bottom 7th
Fukuda-kantoku things he's gone far enough. Ace Yamada takes the hill as #3 Hayamizu enters the last spot in the lineup and takes over at 1B.
Tokumoto greets him with a single to right. And then he takes off for 2nd! Onoda double-clutches and this throw is way late!
Ootani grounder to short, AHHHH!!!!
Shoukei can't field the ball and everyone's safe!!! Fukuda-kantoku quickly calls for time...
Himeno up, looking to bunt the runners along.
AHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! Yamada throws to 2nd, but no one's covering! Shoukei is late and it goes into center! everyone advances a base on the error!
Yamada makes that error effectively a bunt as Himeno strikes out on a slider outside.
Kawai up to try and possibly tie the game. Gives the ball a rip, but foul.
Grounder to 3rd! Kubota bounces the ball home! Onoda's tag is late as a result and it's 4-3!
Nakaguchi with a liner to right! Yanagiya makes the catch, Ootani tagging up! Yanagiya's throw home... not in time!! Heian has jumped on Kiryuu's miscues and has tied the game in their lucky 7!
Top 8th
Now how will Kiryuu respond now that their lead is gone?
After such a good start at the plate, Yamada is retired for the 2nd time chasing the slider outside.
2 down for Kiryuu, Kubo gets Kiryuu's first hit since the 4th with a single to right.
Kubo takes off for 2nd! No throw from Yuuya! Kiryuu with a mini-chance as they walk Kubota on 4 straight. Harada-kantoku calls for time.
Keiji gets ahead of Shoukei 0-2, but Shoukei levels the count.
Shoukei gets one off the handle and towards 3rd! Tsune makes the throw to 1st, 3 out!
Bottom 8th
Is this the final stanza for Kiryuu Dai-ichi? Yamada hits Tsune to start off the inning. Ishikawa bunts him along.
Yuuya with ball to deep center! Kubo makes the catch, but Tsune advances another 90 feet. It'll be up to Keiji to try and drive the run in.
Rip down the 1st base line.. Foul!!!!!
Now with 2 strikes, he starts fouling off anything close. 1, 2, 3 foul balls. Yet another foul... Ball 2... Ball 3! The top of the lineup looms large!
Grounder to short! Shoukei up with it! Throw to 1st.. 3 out! Yamada sneaks out of one as we head to the final inning of regulation!
Top 9th
Hayamizu in for his first AB. Winds up flying to center for the 1st out.
Yoshioka with a liner to right, but it's right to Otani for the 2nd out.
And Kiryuu will have to play for enchousen as Ishii lines to 2nd for the 3rd out!
Bottom 9th
Chopper to short by Tokumoto, quick throw to 1st... in time! But not by much!
Full count to Ootani, but he flies out to right.
Himeno pops it up! Onoda secures it for the 3rd out. We're headed to enchousen again!
Top 10th
Yanagiya singles to left for a base hit! Yamada in to bunt, lays it down.
Onoda can't drive him in! Popup to center too shallow to even advance the runner.
SANSHIN! Kubo can only turn and head back to the dugout after being rung up!
Bottom 10th
Comebacker from Kawai hits Yamada in foot and deflects toward the right side!
Wild pitch! Kawai advances to 2nd! And now 3rd as Nakaguchi bunts him along.
Time from Fukuda-kantoku as the sayonara run is 90 feet away!
They will not walk Tsune and Yuuya to load the bases. Or so I thought. Depsite getting 2 strikes, they wind up waking Tsune, and then walk Yuuya to indeed load the bases.
Wild pitch!!!! Kawai sprints home and Heian comes back to win 5-4 in 10 innings!
(Final writeup tomorrow as I am falling asleep)
1 comment:
In my opinion, Heian's brass band seems to perform one of the finest music I have ever experienced in Koushien. Kudos to the students!
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