Sunday, February 22, 2015

Reviewing the field - Tohoku runner-up Oomagari Kougyou

And now our first surprise in Akita's Oomagari Kougyou. Akita in the Tohoku region is generally the weakest of the 6 prefectures. So to see a school - and not one necessarily top tier - get to Koushien is shocking.

It wasn't a fluke either. Early on, you might have thought it was as they struggled to win the Nanbu regionals beating teams like Oomagari, Yokote and Yokote Jyounan. They continued to struggle, but this time it was more understandable as they face the top teams, defeating Kakunodate, Akita Chuo, Akita Shougyou and Noshiro Shouyou to claim the title.

After a scare in the opening game of the super-regionals against Matsushima, they had to play 2 against Hanamaki Higashi. Fortunately for them, Hanamaki Higashi already had to do that the round before against Higashi-Nihondai Shouhei. Hanamaki Higashi couldn't play 2 extra games, and lost a slugfest. And while they defeated Tsuruoka Higashi the next day, they couldn't win 4 games in 4 days, getting drubbed by Sendai Ikuei in the final.

While the loss against Sendai Ikuei could be looked at as a negative, it was their 4th game in as many days. It might not be a positive for them if you were considering their title chances, but they seem to be solid otherwise.

The game starter for Oomagari Kougyou is not their ace number, but #7 Takeda Ryuusei (武田 龍成). I can't find much info on him other than the video though. But while he occupies the cleanup spot, it's the projected 5th batter Nakamura Kazuki(?) (中邑 一生). Against Hanamaki Higashi in the replay and Tsuruoka Higashi he delivered with 2 2-RBI triples in his first AB.

The lineup used against Hanamaki Higashi in the replay I will use as their starting 9 absent of a full roster

  1. CF Sasaki Shunichi (佐々木 駿一)
  2. SS Akagawa Shun (赤川 駿)
  3. 2B Nakano Seiya (中野 星夜)
  4. P Takeda Ryuusei (武田 龍成)
  5. RF Nakamura Kazuki (中邑 一生)
  6. 3B Sawatari Akito (佐渡 敬斗)
  7. 1B Okamoto Atsushi (岡本 昌真)
  8. LF Odajima Kouta (小田嶋 康太)
  9. C Suzuki Taira (鈴木 平)
Their chances at senbatsu are probably not good, but at the same time you cannot completely discount their run given playing Hanamaki Higashi twice and easily understandable excuses against Sendai Ikuei.

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