Thursday, March 26, 2015

Day 6, Game 2 - Hachinohe Gakuin Kousei (Aomori) vs. Osaka Touin (Osaka)

Seriously, how much would Kousei like to rid themselves of Osaka Touin. They've faced them twice in back-to-back Koushien finals and lost both times. You could even jokingly say they changed their official school name to get rid of the bad mojo.

And yet here we are again. Kousei, probable underdogs to the powerhouse Osaka Touin.

I'm sick of it too, so here we go.

Hachinohe Gakuin Kousei (Aomori)
CF Arai Katshuhiro
RF Kasumi Shouta
SS Adachi Yuuya
LF Sawada Shunichi
2B Nakazaki Jyukiya
3B Kobayashi Naoki
C Baba Ryuusei
1B Sawaya Kousuke
P Nakagawa Masashi

Osaka Touin (Osaka)
3B Nakayama Yuuto
2B Nagahiro Tomoki
RF Fujii Kenpei
CF Aoyagi Kouki
LF Harada Tomoki (#3)
C Taniguchi Kazuki
SS Fukuda Kouki
1B Yoshizawa Kazuto (#12)
P Tanaka Seiya

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11:25 - First Pitch!

Top 1st
Tanaka ready to rack up the Ks, fastball at the knees to Arai to start the game.

After a quick flyout by Kasumi, Tanaka tries to sell a 3-2 fastball on the outside corner by running off the mound, but the umpire doesn't buy it.

Unfortunately, Kousei commits their first unforced error. Adachi is caught wide of 1st and is picked off for the 3rd out.

Bottom 1st
One down for Osaka Touin and Nagahiro gets a hit to left.

Nishitani-kantoku starts the wheels early and sends Nagahiro. Throw is late and Osaka Touin is on the move.

Nakagawa almost throws behind Fujii, but perhaps fortunately, he ends up hitting him.

Well, that's not good. He may have not minded hitting Fujii, but then he throws at Aoyagi, and when he ducks it goes off his helmet. He's holding his head, and is led back for an injury runner. Manrui for Osaka Touin.

Harada hits a fly ball down the left side. Sawada decides to take the given out in foul territory, even if it means Nagahiro scores from 3rd. 1-0.

And it's another HBP! This time he hits Taniguchi in the back. Manrui once again.

The game sadly looks over before it's really begun. He walks Fukuda to force in a run, 2-0.

Yoshizawa strikes out to retire the side, but damage has already been done.

Top 2nd
Nakazaki with a clean hit to left gets Kousei a runner with 1 down.

But Kobayashi can't check his swing on a high fastball, and goes down for the 2nd out. Baba grounds to 2nd, and as Nagahiro tosses the short way, the side is retired.

Bottom 2nd
Nakagawa's 2nd inning goes much better than his first - though it would be really hard to get any worse.

3 pitches in and he's retired both Tanaka and Nakayama. Nagahiro is a bit more stubborn, but ends up grounding out harmlessly to short.

Top 3rd
With Tanaka striking out batters at a strong clip, it's not surprising he's recording them here.

Ogasawara behind 1-2, can't check his swing and goes down. Nakagawa goes down swinging on a forkball.

Arai hits a dying ball to center, but Aoyagi runs it down for the 3rd out.

Bottom 3rd
It may have been 1st inning jitters, but it may cost them in the end. Osaka Touin is going after pitches in the zone and helping him out to some extent. Facing the heart of the order, he gets Fujii on a pop out, Aoyagi hits a grounder to short, and Harada is too early on a slider and weakly grounds to 2nd.

Top 4th
Kousei gets a leadoff runner when Kasumi draws a walk. Adachi isn't bunting and gets a great pitch from Tanaka, but he grounds it right to Yoshizawa. Goes to 2nd for one, but Fukuda stops there as there is no one covering 1st.

Sawada ahead of a slider, grounds one right to Nakayama. Goes to 2nd for 1, throw to 1st... double play to end the inning.


Bottom 4th
Bottom of the order being more patient against Nakagawa, but he's staying low in the zone and making them reach down to make contact. As a result, Taniguchi and Fukuda both ground out.

Yoshizawa watches a fastball paint the outside corner for strike 3 and the side is retired.

Top 5th
Tanaka meanwhile is playing the outside/inside game, and avoiding the middle of the zone if possible. Kousei then is either jammed, trying to pull outside pitches, or is early to swing and winds up with a weak grounder. Nakayama and Kobayashi are 2 such batters.

Baba can't square up Tanaka's fastball and foul tips it back for strike 3. Side retired.

Bottom 5th
Ever since the 1st, Nakagawa has not allowed a runner on base. He gets two more weak grounders and a fly ball, and it's now 13 straight retired as we hit the break. Nakagawa looks good, but that abominable 1st is the difference in the game. Kousei will need to step up the offense to have any shot.

Top 6th
Kousei gets their 4th runner of the as a grounder by Nakagawa takes a high hop and eats up Nakayama. Arai hits a foul ball to right field, Fujii chases after it, and makes the sliding catch in foul territory right before the fence.

Kasumi grounds out to 2nd though and the inning is over.

Bottom 6th
Again against the heart of the Osaka Touin lineup and Nakagawa continues to dominate. Fujii swings over a changeup in the dirt for the first out. Aoyagi chases a slider low. And Harada grounds out to short. 16 straight retired by Nakagawa.

Top 7th
Kousei running out of time.

Adachi, looking for any way on base, hits the 3-2 pitch back up the middle for a base hit! Nakai-kantoku will not play for 1 and has Sawada hit.

But Kousei's batters can't recognize a ball out of the zone. Sawada is fooled on the curveball and goes down for the first out.

Nakazaki gets a fastball down the middle, but flies out to center.Kobayashi  succumbs to the forkball and it's 3 doun.

Bottom 7th
Taniguchi connects on a hanging slider and hits a HR to left. 3-0.

2 down, Tanaka hits a ball to short, but Adachi short hops the throw. He's safe at first.

Nakayama drives a ball to deep right center, and that goes fo a double to the wall. Tanaka scores and it's 4-0.

Nagahiro grounds out to end the inning.

Top 8th
#15 Himeno hits for Ogasawara and gets a one-out walk. #14 Endou hits for Nakagawa and hits a grounder to 2nd, Nagahiro flips to Fukuda but he's focused on going to 1 and drops the ball.

After a popup from Arai, Kasumi lines a ball just over Fukuda for a base hit. Himeno comes home uncontested to make it 4-1.

Adachi flies out to center, and Kousei at least prevents the shutout.


Bottom 8th

#13 Nakajima comes in for Himeno to play 1B. #11 Goya comes in for Endou to take the hill.

After yielding a leadoff walk, and 2 outs, Nakai-kantoku pulls him for Yagi to get some work.. He doesn't finish an AB as Fujji is caught stealing 2nd.

Top 9th
Kousei goes down in order with PH #12 Sueyoshi striking out to end the game.

Yep, I'll just leave this here before I flip a table.

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