Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Day 14, Semifinal 1 - Sendai Ikuei (Miyagi) v Waseda Jitsugyou (Nishi Tokyo)

If you follow my twitter feed, you'd think I was overdoing it withe Kiyomiya Koutarou blabber by the media. If anything, I think I'm understating it.

The only thing is, in his last 2 games, he's backing it up. Against Toukaidai Koufu he went 3-4 with 2 2B, a HR, and 5 RBIs. And in last game against Kyushu Kokusaidai Fuzoku, he went 2-4 with a 2B and another HR. So if you're going to be watching the broadcast, there will be a lot of Kiyomiya being said. If you want to make it a drinking game, be careful.

That said, there are other batters too. One of which is 2B Tomita. He hit a HR in 2 consecutive ABs in his last game, though went 0-5 against Toukaidai Koufu.

But for Waseda, their 6 runs last game were on just 8 hits. Sure they made the most of them, but what will happen against what in all likelihood be Satou Sena?

Sendai Ikuei's offensive output, when looked at in hits hasn't declined as they've progressed. There's also no one hitter to single out as everyone can check in with at least 1. That's good in that you won't ever feel like you won't be able to drive a run in, but also bad because you can't call on a hit when you need it.

As mentioned before, Satou Sena is the ace - but he's not alone. His partner of sorts Doumeki is certainly serviceable, though perhaps to be used in short stints as from his Hanamaki Higashi performance.

The crowd today will probably be pro-Waseda. The hype will have encompassed the stadium by now.

Sendai Ikuei (Miyagi)
3B Satou Shouta
CF Aoki Reima
SS Hirasawa Taiga
C Gunji Yuuya
1B Sasaki Ryousuke
LF Kii Kaishuu
RF Sasaki Tooya
2B Yatsu Koudai
P Satou Sena

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

____________________________________________________________

08:00 - First Pitch!

Top 1st
Shouta work the count deep, and gets a high fastball to drive, but it's right to Miyazaki.

Aoki also works the count full, and grounds out to short.

Hirasawa grounds to short, and Matsumoto has to work for it, but gets the clean inning.

Bottom 1st
Sena not necessarily sharp early, going behind 3-1 to Yamada before getting the out, then not geting what looked like a strike to walk Tamagawa.

The media gets the Kiyomiya hype machine on full bore, but then he grounds into the 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.

Top 2nd
Dunno what it is with the strike zone, but Matsumoto walks Gunji to start the inning. There will be no bunting though, as Ryousuke flies out to Miyazaki in shallow left center.

Kii though singles to left! That puts a runner in scoring position!

But Tooya grounds to Kiyomiya! He goes to 2nd for 1, but no throw back for the double play.

Which ends up not mattering because Yatsu grounds into a fielder's choice to end the inning.

Bottom 2nd
Sena doing well to keep the ball down. Gets 2 groundballs before hitting Tomita - undoubtedly trying to pitch him in, before getting a can of corn to end the inning.

Top 3rd
Sena of all people contacts a hanging slider down the left field line for a double.

Shouta with a drive to left! Miyazaki going back, going back... Off the padding! Sena held up in case it was caught, so he only makes it to 3rd.

Aoki hits the high fastball the other way! That's fair and will score both runs! 2-0 Sendai Ikuei!

Now Aoki takes off for 2nd! Throw from Katou, not in time! That allows him to get to 3rd when Hirasawa grounds out to the right side.

Gunji chopper to the left side! Yamada charging gets to it, but goes to 1st! Kiyomiya is spun around as his arm runs into a sprinting Gunji. Looks ok though.

Bottom 3rd
Matsumoto grounder to short, but Hirasawa loses the ball before the transfer, and it's an E6. He's bunted over.

Yamada now draws a walk at least creating a force, but if there's no double play Kiyomiya would be up.

And Tamagawa hits a liner, but right to center for the 2nd out.

So Kiyomiya does step in. He htis a chopper back up the middle! Yatsu gets to it, but no one's covering 2nd! Tries to get Matsumoto overrunning 3rd, but no deal! Manrui for Soujitsu!

AH! Sena spins around and he picks off Yamada at 2nd! Inning over!

Top 4th
After a one-out infield hit to Yatsu and a sac bunt, Izumi-kantoku switches out Matsumoto for #10 Kamijyou!

Grounder to 3rd! But the ball bounces off of Yamada!  Kaneko not in position anymore and Yatsu can score! 4-0 Sendai Ikuei!

And now a single by Aoki!

おおおおおおおおおおおおおおおおおおおおおおおおお!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hirasawa with a drive to right center!!! Watanabe and Tamagawa going to the fence! But Tamagawa breaks away!!!

HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

3-run HR from Hirasawa opens the floodgates!! It's 7-0 Sendai Ikuei!

Bottom 4th
Does the Waseda offense have an answer?

Not so far. Katou quickly flies to left, and Kaneko can only hit one back to Sena.

Tomita does get an infield single, but Miyazaki strikes out on a change inside to retire the side.

Top 5th
A HBP doesn't hurt Kamijyou as he gets a DP, but he still gives up a double to Tooya, showing the offense isn't going to let up.

Bottom 5th
Sena still giving up the occasional walk, this time to Kamijyou. But he's wiped out with a 6-4-3 double play of their own.

Yamada with a grounder up the middle, but Yatsu makes a great stop and throw for the 3rd out! We're already at the break and Sendai Ikuei is in full control!

Top 6th
#17 Yoshino in the game now for Waseda.

Gives up a walk to Shouta, but he's caught stealing to end the inning.

Bottom 6th
Up by so much, there's no need to attack Kiyomiya so he's given the unintentional intentional walk.

Kaneko makes things interesting with 2 outs as he singles to left, but Tomita swings on the first pitch and flies out to center. Inning over.

Rest of game
The game devolves wherein Waseda is getting it's bench players in and in a little way so is Sendai Ikuei. Even the commentators cut down on the Kiyomiya talk and accidentally refers to Waseda Jitsugyou as Waseda Daigaku.

Satou Sena does finish the game with a shutout as Sendai Ikuei advances to the finals 7-0.

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