Day 10, Game 1 - Waseda Jitsugyou (Nishi Tokyo) v Toukaidai Koufu (Yamanashi)

Opening Round 3 should be an interesting matchup.

Both Waseda Jitsugyou and Toukaidai Koufu are playing on 1 full days rest and following up on divergent games.

Waseda Jitsugyou was almost out managed in their last game versus Hiroshima Shinjyou. Sakoda-kantoku substituted his players and pitchers such that he put them in a position to win the game. They only tied it though and went on to lose 7-6. That game reinforced the idea that the Soujitsu pitching staff is not strong at all and leaves the team vulnerable.

The good news is that the offense at least seems to hold up. They got 16 hits in the game with every position other than the P registering a hit.

For Toukaidai Koufu, Shimonoseki Shougyou couldn't hold a candle as they managed just 5 hits while Toukaidai wore down starter Morimoto and then feasted on the relief staff. They scored crooked numbers in multiple innings suggesting that they can maintain pressure rather than finding a big inning.

Waseda Jitsugyou (Nishi Tokyo)
3B Yamada Jyunpei
RF Tamagawa Ryou
1B Kiyomiya Koutarou
C Katou Masaki
SS Kaneko Kinsuke
2B Tomita Naoki
LF Miyazaki Renta (#11)
P Matsumoto Kou
CF Watanabe Daichi

Toukaidai Koufu (Yamanashi)
CF Takabe Eito
2B Fukutake Shuu
LF Kakuyama Hayate
RF Hirai Ren
3B Matsuoka Shunyuu
SS Igarashi Homare
1B Miyagawa Kazutaka
P Kikuchi Hiroki
C Iidzuka Ryuuya

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08:00 - First pitch!

Top 1st
Yamada with a slow chopper up the middle. Igarashi runs it down, but his throw is much too late. He's bunted over.

Kikuchi figures he doesn't want to face Kiyomiya and hits him in the rear end. I joke, but they're pitching him in, prolly just got away from him.

Katou pops out to 2nd, and Kikuchi might get out of the pinch.

But Kaneko won't let him! His grounder sneaks by Matsuoka and into left! Kakuyama's flub trying to pick up the ball means there won't be a throw home and it's 1-0 Soujitsu as Miyazaki flies out to left to end the inning.

Bottom 1st
One down, Matsumoto leaves one over for Fukutake and he drills it over Tamagawa and books it all the way to 3rd! Big douten chance for Tokaidai Koufu!

Kakuyama grounder to 2nd and Soujitsu will yield the run! Quickly we're back level at 1-1!

Hirai tries to continue the inning with a single past Kiyomiya, but Matsuoka grounds out to end the inning.

Top 2nd
Matsumoto gets a leadoff walk, but while a double clutch From Fukutake prevents an immediate double play, Yamada pops out on the next pitch anyways.

Bottom 2nd
Igarashi had a chance I think to walk on a 3-2 pitch, but swung and fouled it off. He eventually grounded to 2nd.

Meanwhile Matsumoto for Waseda not hitting any of his spots at all. Miyagawa more than happy to take the 4-pitch walk.

Kikuchi bunts the runner around, guaranteeing the top of the lineup next inning pending some timely hits her. Though with Matsumoto struggling as he is, I might have waited for the first strike instead.

Iidzuka hits it back to Matsumoto and he goes to 1st to close the inning.

Top 3rd
Tamagawa sinlges to left to start the inning.

あ。

Kiyomiya with a drive to right.. Hirai going after it... Pulls up at the wall!

HAITAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kiyomiya announces his presence finally. 3-1 WasedaAAAAAA!!!!!!!

Katou with a drive to right!!! Hirai isn't even going to bother!!!

HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's back-to-back for Waseda Jitsygyou and now a 4-1 lead!

Kikuchi finally gets his 3 outs, but 2 big blasts put his team in a deep hole.

Bottom 3rd
Takabe gets on with a clean single through the right side, but Fukutake has to hustle to avoid a double play, and Kakuama does ground into the double play. Matsumoto throwing a lot of balls, but Toukaidai Koufu has been unable to punish him for it.

Top 4th
Soujitsu adding to their lead.

Watanabe with a one-out single to right. Very first pitch he steals 2nd with Iidzuka's high throw.

Yamada singles to right, and that makes it 5-1.

Bottom 4th
Hirai with a leadoff single, that is wiped out on the very next pitch as Matsuoka grounds into a 6-4-3 double play.

Igarashi gets a base hit, but is stranded there.

Top 5th
This feels like Waseda's game now. Katou draws a 1-out walk, and then on a comebacker the ball goes off of Kikuchi's glove. That slows down the ball enough that Igarashi's throw is later to 1st.

Toukaidai gets a break when Tomita lines out to center and Katou doesn't realize he caught it and is doubled off.

Bottom 5th
#18 Ogawa hits for Kikuchi, so his day is done.

Iidzuka gets a 1-out single, but Takabe hits right to Tomita. He makes a great pick, and almost turns yet another double play.

Fukutake doubles softly to left center generating a chance to possibly cut the deficit in half.

Kakuyama bouncer to 2nd, Tomita with the WHAAAAAAAAAA???????????

The ball inexplicably gets by Tomita and into right! 2 runs will score on the error and it's 5-3!

Hirai can't pick up his 3rd hit of the game, and as we head to the break there's a flicker of life for Toukaidai Koufu as they only trail by 2.

Top 6th
#10 Matsuba now given the task of keeping Toukaidai Koufu in the game.

Matsumoto with a ball back up the middle. Igarashi runs it down, but his sping throw from the grass is not nearly in time.

Watanabe lays down the bunt, Matsuba gets to it, but he takes too long getting rid of it and Watanabe reaches 1st!

Yamada grounder to the left side, Miyagawa dives at it, and the ball deflects away from Igarashi who was backing him up! All safe and I think Miyagawa had the better play.

Tamagawa flies out to shallow right for the 2nd out, and that brings out Kiyomiya.

He drives a ball deep down the right field line and fair. All 3 runners score and it's 8-3.

Bottom 6th
Toukaidai Koufu has a long way to go, but they look like they're frantically trying to fix it.

Matsuoka singles to right, then Igarashi singles back up the middle. Miyagawa singles through the right side, and after a misplay by Tamagawa, Matsuoka scores to make it 8-4.

Matsuba strikes out, Iidzuka with some sort of safety bunt that doesn't work and there's quickly 2 down.

Takabe hits a slow grounder back up the middle which allows Kaneko to make the play. So after 3 base hits, a run due to an error is all they get.

And that's why my friends it's hard to come from behind.

Top 7th
Waseda continues to threaten more as a walk to PH Taguchi and a catcher's interference puts 2 runners on with 2 outs. Matsuba though gets Yamada to fly out.

Bottom 7th
#10 Kamijyou in for Matsumoto, not surprising given the last inning. He hits a batter, but I think Toukaidai Koufu has come to terms with the loss.

Top 8th
Not that they aren't playing defense though. Kaneko for instance makes a great diving catch on a hard liner by Kaneko to end the inning.

Rest of game
About the only thing worth noting is that Soujitsu was 2 batters away from Kiyomiya and a chance at the cycle.

And so the Kiyomiya hype engine continues for two more days as Waseda Jitsugyou is officially in the Best 8.