Thursday, August 18, 2016

98th Natsu Koushien - Day 12, Game 2 - Naruto (Tokushima) v Meitoku Gijyuku (Kochi)

Next up is an-all Shikoku matchup. Meitoku Gijyuku and Naruto faced off in the spring taikai where Meitoku Gijuku won 3-2. Of course that game doesn't have the importance this one does - a spot in the Best 4 two days from now.

Meitoku Gijyuku (Kochi)
  • def Sakai 7-2
  • def Kadena 13-5
CF Tachibana Kotarou (立花 虎太郎)
LF Nishimura Shun (西村 舜)
1B Nishiura Souta (西浦 颯大)
C Koga Yuudai (古賀 優大)
RF (18)Taniai Yuuto (谷合 悠斗)
3B Ookita Kaito (大北 海斗)
SS Takamura Kazushi (高村 和志)
2B Imai Ryousuke (今井 涼介)
P Nakano Yasutoshi (中野 恭聖)

Naruto (Tokushima)
  • def Saku Chousei 3-2
  • def Chiben Gakuen 5-2
  • def Moriokadai Fuzoku 11-9
SS Hino Koutarou (日野 洸太郎)
2B Kamata Kouhei (鎌田 航平)
1B Fuji Yoshimoto (冨士 佳資)
CF Tezuka Kaito (手束 海斗)
C Sahara Yuudai (佐原 雄大)
RF Yatake Masaya (矢竹 将弥)
P Kawano Ryuusei (河野 竜生)
LF Watanabe Yuuya (渡辺 裕哉)
3B Takeishi Ren (武石 蓮)

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10:40 - First Pitch!

Tachibana getting Meitoku Gijyuku off to a roaring start as he triples to left center. However, none of the next 3 batters can bring him home! Nishimura pops out, Nishiura watches a fastball on the outer edge, and Koga chases a slider for the 3rd out!

Meitoku does get on the board one inning later though. Ookita would hit a one-out single up the middle. Two batters late, Imai would hit a two-seamer left over the plate by Kawano and line it to left. Watanabe's throw is high and that allows Ookita to slide under the tag. 1-0.

Unfortunately I nodded off, and in the meantime Meitoku got hits from Taniai, Takamura and Imai to make the score 2-0. Nakano's grounder to short would have ended the inning but Hino bobbles it and everyone's safe.  They get to tack on one more when Kawano walks a run and Naruto is in a bit of a bother down 3-0.

While I nodded in and out, in reality there just wasn't much else to the game. Naruto got just 3 hits and 7 base runners on the day, but at no point did you think Meitoku Gijyuku was in danger. And they had many other opportunities to score though they didn't in the end and it wasn't necessary.

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