98th Natsu Koushien - Day 11, Game 1 - Seikou Gakuin (Fukushima) v Touhou (Aichi)

Opening up our last day of Round of 16 action are the "comeback" kids of Touhou vs the Koushien mainstays in Seikou Gakuin. If Touhou can put up any type of decent performance I think they can advance

Seikou Gakuin (Fukushima)

3B Matsumoto Kouki (松本 康希)

2B Koizumi Teppei (小泉 徹平)

CF (9)Kanou Satsuki (加納 皐)

P (8)Suzuki Takuto (鈴木 拓人)

LF Kamakura Takashi(鎌倉 誠)

CF (16)Nakaya Daisuke(中屋 大輔)

1B (13)Nishikawa Shouya (西川 将也)

C Kadoi Taijyu (門井 泰寿)

SS Segawa Kouki (瀬川 航騎)

Touhou (Aichi)
LF Suzuki Mizuki (鈴木 光稀)
SS Hamajima Yoshiaki (浜嶋 良明)
RF Matsuyama Masahiko (松山 仁彦)
P Fujishima Kento (藤嶋 健人)
3B Konishi Keiji (小西 慶治)
1B Matsumoto Ryouya (松本 凌弥)
C Takagi Akira (高木 舜)
2B Suzuki Rio (鈴木 理央)
CF (10)Tanaka Raiki (田中 来起)

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08:00 - First pitch!

While I continue to maintain that Seikou Gakuin is one of the weaker teams here, and that they were almost beaten by Clark Kokusai, they're in the Round of 16 with a decent chance of reaching Best 8.

And they're trying to get on the board early in the 1st. Matsumoto hits a single to right, He steals 2nd, then takes 3rd on a wild pitch. No wonder then that Kanou hits a single through the right side and it's 1-0 Seikou just like that.

In addition, remember that until Kousei put in Sakurai, they were doing pretty much nothing. so seeing Suzuki collect a single through the 6-hole makes you wonder if they'll have anything for this game.

Touhou's 1st inning is rather uninspiring as they're routinely retired. But it's still early.

Fuijishima almost gets a clean inning, but walks Segawa on 4 straight, flipping the lineup over. After a wild pickoff move, and a wild pitch, Matsumoto is walked. Clearly Fujishima is laboring on the mound.

Koizumi blasts one to right, but perhaps the hamakaze knocks it down as Matsuyama makes the catch with room to spare.

Bottom 2nd, Touhou finally gets something brewing. Fujishima gets an infield hit that deflects off of Matsumoto. After another single and bunt, Suzuki decides to delve deeper into the lineup and walks Takagi with a base open.

But Rio instead makes him pay with a liner to right. The relay throw is not nearly in time and we're all tied at 1-1!

Seikou quick to reply as Takuto scorches a ball past a diving Konishi down the 3rd base line for a double. Kamakura then singles to center and Takuto is waved home. But Tanaka's throw and Rio's relay is just enough to get the out!  That kills the rally and leaves the game tied.

Touhou for their part is making better progress. Hamajima gets a one out single, and while he advances by stealing 2nd, He's stranded there.

However, Seikou is the one who strikes the scoreboard again, this in the 5th. Matsumoto reaches base for the 3rd time in as many ABs with a ball all the way to the padding in left. Suzuki has to chase it down after it ricochets, and Matsumoto is in with a triple. Koizumi hits a deep liner to right, Matsuyama makes the great catch, but Suzuki can walk home to make it 2-1.

They tack on another in the 6th when Kamakura's fly ball meekly drops in between Tanaka and Matsuyama. He reaches 2nd on the miscommunication. Nakaya lays down the bunt and beats out the throw to 1st.

When Nishikawa drives a double to right making it 3-1, that's it for Fujishima. He and Matsuyama switch places. He gives up one more run on Segawa's base hit, so Touhou is now chasing 3 at 4-1. It could have been more as Matsumto hit a hard grounder up the 3rd base side, but Konishi - already playing in - makes a great diving stop and catches Nishikawa in a rundown at home.

The complete lack of sleep last night is getting to me early, but in watching the game Touhou made one last good attempt in the 8th where they quickly scored a run, but couldn't go any further with runners at the corners and 1 out. But the margin of loss stays the same at 5-2.