Monday, August 8, 2016

98th Natsu Koushien - Day 2, Game 3 - Takagawa Gakuen (Yamaguchi) v Riseisha (Osaka)

Well, there's always going to be a clunker or two. Sadly, this might qualify as one as well.

Takagawa Gakuen (Yamaguchi)
CF Ooe Shunsuke (大江 駿介)
C Yamazaki Yuudai (山崎 悠大)
RF Aida Masato (相田 聖人)
2B Ishimaru Ryuuya (石丸 隆哉)
1B Mori Daisuke (森 大祐)
P Yamano Taichi (山野 太一)
SS Ichinari Keigo (市成 啓悟)
3B Asada Sou (朝田 走)
LF (14)Yoshimura Masato

Riseisha (Osaka)
CF Fukuda Kandai (福田 観大)
2B Kitano Shuu (北野 秀)
1B Yoshikawa Yuuto (四川 雄翔)
3B Yasuda Hisanori (安田 尚憲)
C Imachi Taisei (井町 大生)
P Terashima Naruki (寺島 成輝)
LF (13)Wakabayashi Shouhei (若林 将平)
RF Yamamoto Yuutaku (山本 侑度)
SS Wakabayashi Kenji (若林 健治)

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13:35 - First pitch

Top 1st
As expected perhaps, it's a pretty quiet 1st for Terashima retiring the side in order.

Bottom 1st
Meanwhile Fukuda gets a leadoff base hit playing cricket, hitting a ball near the ground and depositing it into left.

After a sac bunt, Yoshikawa gives the ball a ride, but right to the RF Aida.

Yasuda tries to make a bid for a abse hit, but Ishimaru makes a great diving stop and throws to 1st for the out.

Top 2nd
Terashima's control is pretty good to start, as he's working the edges of the strike zone. This as he's hitting 145 on the gun. Another K and 2 groundouts and he's clean through 2.

Bottom 2nd
Riseisha's timing seems a bit off right now as Imachi is way too early, but keeps the bat in the zone to bloop one to left.

Terashima having no such trouble, takes a ball the other way through the left side for a base hit.

Riseisha actually calling for the bunt, and Shouhei lays it down.

Yamano not afraid, pitching Yamamoto inside, but he leaves one middle-middle and Yamamoto knows what to do with it. Single past a diving Mori and it's 1-0.

2 down for the top of the lineup now, and Yamano makes another mistake letter-high. Fukuda takes it over Yoshimura's head for a bases clearing triple. 3-0.

Kitano makes it 4-0 on a hard hit single to center. The rout may be on even as Yoshikawa pops out to 2nd.

Top 3rd
Terashima is warming up it seems, as he is hitting his C's targets time and again. Ichinari tries to buy a walk, but instead is rung up looking. He racks up one more K in his 3rd clean frame of work.

Bottom 3rd
Riseisha looking for more as Yasuda doubles right on the right field line. Imachi is hit afterwards and things are spiraling away.

Yet, Yamano continues to try and pound inside, and what do you know he jams Terashima grounding into the 3-6 double play. Throw in a strikeout on the inside edge and Yamano gets his 0.

Top 4th
Of course I probably jinxed Terashima's grove a bit as he walks Ooe to lead off the 4th (there goes the perfect game). Ooe then takes the opportunity to steal 2nd as well.

Yamazaki makes great contact with the ball, and it would have gone down the line for extra bases, but Yasuda makes a leaping snag for the first out.

2 down, and Terashima's control issues come up again as he hits Ishimaru. But he comes right back to freeze Mori to end the inning.

Top 5th
After that blip in the 4th, Terashima sets down the side in order in just 9 pitches. He's given up a walk, but not a hit.

Bottom 5th
Meanwhile, I thought Yamano was going to be in trouble after the 2nd, but he's settling down into a groove. Though Imachi gets on after strike 3 gets away from Yamazaki, he otherwise puts up another donut as we head to the break. Riseisha still in control, but perhaps not the blowout we were expecting.

Top 6th
The no-no is gone! Ooe with a chopper up the middle, and Kenji has to make a lunge as the ball spins away, throw to 1st is wide and Ooe takes 2nd! The scorer awards the 1B & E6 and the no-no is gone.

2 down, Ooe still at 2nd, and Aida gets a clean single through the left side for a base hit! Ooe comes home and the throw isn't in time! Terashima loses the shutout as Takagawa Gakuen makes it 4-1!

Bottom 6th
Yamano has really settled down after that 2nd inning. Even though he finally retires the side for the first time here in the 6th, he's only given up one hit since the 2nd.

Top 7th
As for Terashima, perhaps he wasn't happy with losing the shutout? He goes back to back K on Mori and Yamano before getting an assist from Kenji, who makes a great play on a grounder from Ichinari.

Bottom 7th
I jinx players it seems. Yamano gives up a base hit to Fukuda to lead off the 7th. It looked like he was going to post another bagel after a sac bunt and a groundout, but on a pitch that seemingly was supposed to be a waste pitch, he misses back over the plate! Yasuda drives it to center, and Ooe crashes into the wall unable to make the catch. Fukuda scores and it's a 5-1 ballgame.

That pretty much settles proceedings. Takagawa Gakuen doesn't put up any further resistance as Terashima strikes out 11. Takagawa Gakuen and especially Yamano did well despite losing on the overall played a respectable game.

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