So before we start. YAY Iwakumi Hiashi! おめでとうございました!!!!!
Today is an interesting set of games and the weather, rainy though it was, means that it'll be extra humid and certainly will affect play - especially later on in the day when we have our headliner game of the day.
Our leader though will be Waseda Jitsugyou facing Hiroshima Shinjyou.
Neither team looked all that impressive in their opening round games. Yes, Soujitsu defeated Imabari Nishi 6-0, but Matsumoto and Hattori combined for just 2 Ks on the day. That is a huge red flag and would put a lot of pressure on the defense with so many balls in play.
Offensively, they look like an average team. The bottom third of the order - generally a good indicator about a team's offense was 1-12. In fact, the only player with more than 1 hit was leadoff batter Yamada. The top of the order might be able to produce, but you're either killing a rally or an entire inning once you hit the bottom of the lineup.
Hiroshima Shinjyou was much of the same as ace Hori struck out 3 while yielding 10 hits. Offensively, it was their 3-4-5 hitters that struggled also going 1-12. That is a big red flag if your best hitters are struggling.
Waseda Jitsugyou (Nishi Tokyo)
3B Yamada Jyunpei
RF Tamagawa Ryou
1B Kiyomiya Koutarou
C Katou Masaki
SS Kaneko Ginyu(?)
2B Tomita Naoki
LF Miyazaki Renta (#11)
P Matsumoto Kou
CF Watanabe Daichi
Hiroshima Shinjyou (Hiroshima)
2B Sugimura Hiroyoshi
LF Ogasawara Shin (#14)
RF Katou Masaya
CF Fujimoto Tatsuki
1B Sadanaga Masaaki
SS Iwamoto Takuya
3B Koizumi Tokio
C Toumetsuka Takashi
P Hori Mizuki
____________________________________________________________
08:00 - First pitch!
Top 1st
Hori off to work on the team from Tokyo. Gives up an infield hit to Tamagawa which was really close, and walks Katou, but a routine grounder to short from Kaneko ends the inning.
Bottom 1st
Hiroshima Shinjyou rightly working he count versus Matsumoto, gets a walk, but not much else other than increasing the pitch count.
Top 2nd
Tomita liner to left, but Koizumi makes a leaping catch for the out!
As expected, a lot of contact as Miyazaki foul out and Matsumoto grounds out to Iwamoto to end the inning.
Bottom 2nd
Iwamoto gets Hiroshima Shinjyou's first hit, a liner to right.
And he straight steals 2nd without a throw!
He moves to 3rd after a groundout, so they'll need a base hit from Toumetsuka. But instead it's a lazy fly to center.
Top 3rd
Watanabe, the only Waseda hitter in the bottom 3rd to get a hit, gets one here to lead the 3rd. Yamada bunts him over.
Tamagawa single to left! Watanabe puts on the brakes at 3rd as Kiyomiya comes up next.
And he comes though, guides a liner over Sugimura and Soujitsu has the first run! 1-0!
But he blunders on the basepath! Liner from Katou goes to short and Iwamoto goes to 1st to double him off to end the inning!
Bottom 3rd
New LF Harada gets a 2-out weak grounder base hit and steals 2nd, but is left stranded.
Top 4th
Soujitsu gets a big break when after a base hit from Kaneko and one down a wild pitch allows him to not only take 2nd, but 3rd!
Miyazaki makes it an easy walk home as he crushes a ball left over the plate to right and over Katou's head! That goes for a triple and Waseda now leads 2-0!
After a walk, Watababe does his duty again and hits a sac fly to left, making it 3-0.
Oddly, after giving up another base hit and then a 1st pitch strike to Tamagawa, #10 Sekitou comes in for RF Katou and takes the hill. Hori goes to 1B and Sadanaga to LF.
Very first pitch from Sekitou gets them out of the inning, but Waseda expands their lead.
Bottom 4th
Horishima Shinjyou playing the waiting game on Matsumoto.
With one down, both Sadanaga and Iwamoto play the waiting game and draw walks. Then #12 Matsui is sent in to hit for Koizumi, and he singles to left! Manrui for Hiroshima!
Izumi-kantoku calls time.
No help! Toumetsuka back up the middle under Matsumoto! Sadanaga and Iwamoto come home! It's 3-2!
Another PH from Sakoda-kantoku! #17 Kitadani for Hori as his day is officially done.
Ball to center! Watanabe going back, going back, GOING BACK!
It's over his head!! Matsui scores! Toumetsuka scores! Hiroshima Shinjyou has the lead at 4-3!!
That's it for Matsumoto as #10 Kamijyou comes in.
After a flyout, Harada grounds to 2nd but Tomita can't find the grip! E4 and the inning continues!
Ogasawara goes to steal 2nd! Katou goes to throw, but Kitadani is coming home! Katou tries to stop his throw, but spikes the ball instead! The run scores on a gutsy call and it's 5-3!
Sekitou grounds out to end the inning, but out of nowhere Hiroshima Shinjyou has taken the lead!
Top 5th
Waseda firing right back! Kiyomiya starts it off with a single to left. Katou follows that up with a single past Iwamoto into center! Kaneko bunts them along and now a base hit can tie the game right back up!
Tomita grounder and through to right! Kiyomiya scores! Katou waved around, gets no throw! Just like that we're tied at 5-5!
Tomita continues the pressure stealing 2nd to put the gyakuten runner in scoring position.
Miyazaki draws a walk and once again Izumi-kantoku uses the bunt to move the runners into scoring position.
But Watanabe can't get the base hit. He ground to 2nd and a tie is all Soujitsu can get for now.
Bottom 5th
One down and Sadanaga gets his 1st base hit of the game with a ball to left. And then he steals 2nd!
Iwamoto single to right, but Sadanaga has to hold at 3rd.
Contact play! But it's right to Kamijyou! He runs down Sadanaga for the 2nd out!
Izumi-kantoku frantically pointing his fingers as #17 Yoshida comes in to replace Kamijyou.
Toumetsuka first pitch swings and its a soft chopper up the middle! Kaneko has it and throws to 1st for the 3rd out!
And after all that we're tied at 5-5! I don't know who has the advantage though Waseda has been getting runners on base at a more even clip so there will probably be more opportunities now that they've gone to their bullpens.
Top 6th
Soujitsu's at it again. Tamagawa gets a fortunate high bounce that eats up Matsui. Then Sekitou hits Kiyomiya.
After that #11 Oofuka comes in.
But Katou with a chopper back up the middle, gets through! Tamagawa rounding 3rd, throw in cut off! Soujitsu retakes the lead at 6-5!
Kaneko grounds into a DP to end the inning, but Hiroshima Shinjyou will need to come back again.
Bottom 6th
Kitadani collects his 2nd hit of the game with a single back up the middle. However Kiyomiya alerly lets a popped bunt drop and throws to 1st. They get Sugimura first on the force and then have Kitadani in a pickle. He's run down and there's 2 out.
Harada continues his hot hitting with a single to right center.
What's this Oofuka with a drive to center!Watanabe back, Watanabe still back!! STILL BACK AGAIN!!
Collides with the wall! But he makes the catch!!! 3 out! That's a great catch by Watanabe!
Bottom 7th
With Yoshida being hit for, #18 Hattori comes in as the 4th P for Waseda.
Sadanaga with yet another hit, this one back up the middle.
He tries to steal 2nd, but is thrown out with a strike from Katou. 2 down and Iwamoto strikes out as perhaps Hiroshima Shinjyou is running on empty.
Top 8th
After giving up a 2-out walk, Sakoda-kantoku pulls his reliever card. He sends in #13 Sasaki for CF Fujimoto to take the hill. Oofuka goes to 1B and Sadanaga goes to CF.
LINER! Sasaki snags it from the air!! 3 out!!!
Bottom 8th
Everything Sakoda-kantoku has done I think has been done to setup the endgame. Putting in Matsui and Kitadani at the bottom of the order (they're 3-4) to moving around his fielders with the P changes. Leaving Oofuka who almost hit the HR to play 1B instead.
It's all for now!!!
Matsui starts with a walk. After a sac bunt, Kitadani gets his 3rd base hit! It's a single to the right side, but once again Matsui has to hold at 3rd.
NOT ANYMORE!!
Sugimura singles to left and he can trot home! 6-6!!!! And you have Harada coming up next!
But he goes after the first pitch and flies to center! It's not nearly deep enough to do anything with.
And Oofuka goes after the first pitch! But it's a slow chopper back up the middle Tomita has it, throws to 1st... 3 out!
ああああああ~~~~
It was all lined for Sakoda-kantoku, but sadly the pieces didn't quite fall into place.
Top 9th
Katou once again with pressure leading off with a single to left. But Kaneko pops up his bunt and there's 1 down!
Oofuka doesn't help his own cause now as he walks Tomita, moving the gyakuten runner to 2nd.
And with that Sakoda makes more changes. Oofuka and Sasaki switch positions (1B & P), and #16 Oohara comes in to play 3B.
Miyazaki reaches out and pops one up! Sugimura and Kitadani converge, converge...
They don't get there!! It falls in and that means Tomita scores! Miyazaki is being waved around! Throw home... OUT!!! They get the second runner, but the all important gyakuten run is home!
Bottom 9th
Does Sakoda-kantoku have one last trick up his sleeve?
Sasaki grounds out to short...
Sadanaga can't take the bat off his shoulder and goes down looking.
The last card is #15 Okuda.
Ah... but he strikes out swinging to end the game. Waseda moves on with a 7-6 win.
But I want to talk about what Hiroshima Shinjyou did. Right from the get-go Sakoda-kantoku went about inserting players into the lineup, starting with Harada in for Ogasawara. Then it was placing Matsuii and Kitadani in the 4th when they needed base hits. Then it was managing the pitching replacing the middle of the lineup with pitchers who could actually hit.
And it setup perfectly for the end of the game when they were searching for a run. And it almost worked.
Never have I seen a team implement their bench to the manner that Sakoda-kantoku did. Much like the game that never ended with Iwamichisuikan and switching pitchers back and forth, it was another fantasy idea of mine that if I were to manage a team, I would want to use the entire lineup like what he did.
I am so impressed with his job, I wish he could have won - forget the fact I hate Soujitsu.
2 managers who did 2 things I always wanted to do, and ALMOST won their games. They were innovative, thought out of the box, and goddammit they should have been rewarded.
Thursday, August 13, 2015
Wednesday, August 12, 2015
Day 7, Game 4 - Kagoshima Jitsugyou (Kagoshima) v Chuukyoudai Chuukyou (Aichi)
Our last game of the day pits Kagoshima Jitsugyou and Chuukyoudai Chuukyou for a spot in the 3rd round.
Kagoshima Jitsugyou demolished Hokkai so much that it's hard to determine how good the team really is. 18-4 usually means nothing other than a general likelihood of losing the next game.
Chuukyoudai Chuukyou was quite the opposite. Against Gifu Jyouhoku they had an easy win, but it was only by the margin of 4-1, and 3 of the runs were in the 1st. There's easily questions as to whether the offense can really produce at a clip to take them deep.
Kagoshima Jitsugyou (Kagoshima)
1B Arimura Kenta
CF Andou Masayuki
RF Muroya Tarou
3B Wataya Itsuki
C Tsukiji Rui
2B Itagoi Yuka
LF Mogami Atsuya
SS Hasebe Daiki
P Hashimoto Takumi
Chuukyoudai Chuukyou (Aichi)
LF Kawada Kouhei
2B Katou Daiki
CF Nakamura Kento
C Itou Hiroshi
1B Yatazaki Akedo
3B Sugimoto Isamu
SS Satou Yuuki
RF Naitou Ryousuke
P Ueno Shoutarou
____________________________________________________________
15:30 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
All's good for Ueno to start, a relatively uneventful 1-2-3 inning。
Bottom 1st
Same cannot be said for ace Hashimoto. He goes the distance against Kawada, issuing a walk. But when Katou tries to lay down the bunt, Hashimoto rifles it to 2nd and just gets the lead runner. No double play though.
Katou ends up doing it himself, stealing 2nd during Nakamura's AB.
He freezes cleanup batter Itou on a slider down the middle and the side is retired.
Top 2nd
More of the same for Ueno as he just needs 10 pitches to retire the side.
Bottom 2nd
Same goes for Chuukyoudai Chuukyou. Yatazaki hits a soft liner over Itagoi for a base hit. This time the bunt is successful.
Satou singles to left, and for a change, the runner is held up at 3rd. This time with the high hop the ball took, I think you could have sent him home.
Naitou does the job though hitting a single to left makes it 1-0 Chuukyoudai Chukyou.
Ueno flies to right, but his throw to prevent the runners from advancing short hops Wataya and bounces away allowing the runners to advance!
Kawada walks for the 2nd time and it's manrui.
Katou flies out to left, and Hashimoto gets away with just 1 point of damage.
Top 3rd
Itagoi base hit through the right side, bunted over to 2nd.
Hasebe grounder to short, Satou has Itagoi dead to rights, but throws it wide! All safe! Kajitsu has a chance to tie it up!
Arimura does it! Single though the right side and Itogoi crosses home to tie it at 1-1!!
They'll play for the one timer as Andou bunts the runners along.
Ueno though hits Muroya and it's manrui!
This time it's Ueno who gives the team the slip! Wataya grounds to 2nd and the inning is over!
Bottom 3rd
Nakamura safety bunt! Wataya coming in from way back, has no play!
And no bunt from Takahashi-kantoku! He sends Nakamura instead and he steals 2nd!
Itou strikes out and cannot advance the runner further.
Yatazaki can't either, grounding to short back up the middle.
And now they try to steal 3rd! Tsukiji makes the throw, and they get him at 3rd! Oh, you never want to do that...
Top 4th
Seems like there is a lot of added pressure to score a run. Mogami gets a one out single back up the middle, and then they try the hit-and-run. Except Itagoi misses and Mogami is thrown out. It's 3 up and 3 down as a result.
5th Inning
The 5th inning goes without much fanfare with both sides going down in order. That leaves us 1-1 at the break with neither side really gaining any momentum thanks to the aces on the mound.
Top 6th
Kajitsu trying to swing for the fences it seems. Muroya gets a single, but there are 2 loud outs to center by Andou and Wataya.
Bottom 6th
No bunting here it seems now, they're trying to take the bases outright. One down, Itou singles past a diving Hasebe. He takes off for and steals 2nd!
Yatazaki single to center will bring him in! Chuukyoudai Chuukyou takes the lead back at 2-1!
Sugimoto and Satou follow that up with base hits of their own and we're manrui!
Naitou drive to deep right! Muroya to the wall, slides... doesn't have it! 2 runners score on the deep double and Chuukyoudai Chuukyou has a 4-1 lead!
That'll be it for Hashimoto. Arimura moves from 1st to take the hill. He gets the final 2 outs, but the damage may have been irreparably done.
Top 7th
New 1B Shibata starts off with a single up the middle! Itagoi not bunting, but he gets a walk!
Hashimoto lays down a good bunt and now they can pull within 1 with a good base hit.
Hasebe can't do that, but he can get a sac fly to center! That scores Shibata to make it 4-2.
Not out of the woods yet though as Arimura is walked.
Andou singles to left! Itagoi scores and it's 4-3! Can Kajitsu tie the game?
Muroya deep ball down the RF line... FOUL! That had the distance, but pulled foul!
Instead, it's right back up Ueno to goes to 1st for the 3rd out!
Bottom 7th
Katou scorcher right to Muroya and it deflects off of him and into the dugout! Bad break for Kajitsu!
And it gets worse! Muroya is hobbling and after trying to work it out he can't. But being their power hitter they move him to 1st and sub in Moriguchi for Shibata to play 3B.
Nakamura lays down the bunt, Arimura there, goes to 3rd, NO!
Moriguchi is not covering the bag and he has to go to 1st! The defensive sub hurts them immediately!
And again! Itou singles past Moriguchi and that allows Katou to score! 5-3 on an unfortunate play!
That's all they get, but hat might be all they need.
Top 8th
Moriguchi tries to make up for it with a 2-out single, but there's little you can do with that. The side is retired soon thereafter and perhaps Kagoshima Jitsugyou has finally broke.
Bottom 8th
Kajitsu has broken down. New 3B Adachi doubles to right off the padding. After a failed bunt, Naitou doubles over Hashimoto to make it 6-3.
Ueno with a ball back up the middle that Itagoi runs down. However he makes an unwarranted throw that sails high and out of play. Naitou scores to make it 7-3.
Top 9th
Kajitsu goes quietly in order as Chuukyoudai Chuukyou pulls away in the final stages to move onto the Round of 16.
Kagoshima Jitsugyou demolished Hokkai so much that it's hard to determine how good the team really is. 18-4 usually means nothing other than a general likelihood of losing the next game.
Chuukyoudai Chuukyou was quite the opposite. Against Gifu Jyouhoku they had an easy win, but it was only by the margin of 4-1, and 3 of the runs were in the 1st. There's easily questions as to whether the offense can really produce at a clip to take them deep.
Kagoshima Jitsugyou (Kagoshima)
1B Arimura Kenta
CF Andou Masayuki
RF Muroya Tarou
3B Wataya Itsuki
C Tsukiji Rui
2B Itagoi Yuka
LF Mogami Atsuya
SS Hasebe Daiki
P Hashimoto Takumi
Chuukyoudai Chuukyou (Aichi)
LF Kawada Kouhei
2B Katou Daiki
CF Nakamura Kento
C Itou Hiroshi
1B Yatazaki Akedo
3B Sugimoto Isamu
SS Satou Yuuki
RF Naitou Ryousuke
P Ueno Shoutarou
____________________________________________________________
15:30 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
All's good for Ueno to start, a relatively uneventful 1-2-3 inning。
Bottom 1st
Same cannot be said for ace Hashimoto. He goes the distance against Kawada, issuing a walk. But when Katou tries to lay down the bunt, Hashimoto rifles it to 2nd and just gets the lead runner. No double play though.
Katou ends up doing it himself, stealing 2nd during Nakamura's AB.
He freezes cleanup batter Itou on a slider down the middle and the side is retired.
Top 2nd
More of the same for Ueno as he just needs 10 pitches to retire the side.
Bottom 2nd
Same goes for Chuukyoudai Chuukyou. Yatazaki hits a soft liner over Itagoi for a base hit. This time the bunt is successful.
Satou singles to left, and for a change, the runner is held up at 3rd. This time with the high hop the ball took, I think you could have sent him home.
Naitou does the job though hitting a single to left makes it 1-0 Chuukyoudai Chukyou.
Ueno flies to right, but his throw to prevent the runners from advancing short hops Wataya and bounces away allowing the runners to advance!
Kawada walks for the 2nd time and it's manrui.
Katou flies out to left, and Hashimoto gets away with just 1 point of damage.
Top 3rd
Itagoi base hit through the right side, bunted over to 2nd.
Hasebe grounder to short, Satou has Itagoi dead to rights, but throws it wide! All safe! Kajitsu has a chance to tie it up!
Arimura does it! Single though the right side and Itogoi crosses home to tie it at 1-1!!
They'll play for the one timer as Andou bunts the runners along.
Ueno though hits Muroya and it's manrui!
This time it's Ueno who gives the team the slip! Wataya grounds to 2nd and the inning is over!
Bottom 3rd
Nakamura safety bunt! Wataya coming in from way back, has no play!
And no bunt from Takahashi-kantoku! He sends Nakamura instead and he steals 2nd!
Itou strikes out and cannot advance the runner further.
Yatazaki can't either, grounding to short back up the middle.
And now they try to steal 3rd! Tsukiji makes the throw, and they get him at 3rd! Oh, you never want to do that...
Top 4th
Seems like there is a lot of added pressure to score a run. Mogami gets a one out single back up the middle, and then they try the hit-and-run. Except Itagoi misses and Mogami is thrown out. It's 3 up and 3 down as a result.
5th Inning
The 5th inning goes without much fanfare with both sides going down in order. That leaves us 1-1 at the break with neither side really gaining any momentum thanks to the aces on the mound.
Top 6th
Kajitsu trying to swing for the fences it seems. Muroya gets a single, but there are 2 loud outs to center by Andou and Wataya.
Bottom 6th
No bunting here it seems now, they're trying to take the bases outright. One down, Itou singles past a diving Hasebe. He takes off for and steals 2nd!
Yatazaki single to center will bring him in! Chuukyoudai Chuukyou takes the lead back at 2-1!
Sugimoto and Satou follow that up with base hits of their own and we're manrui!
Naitou drive to deep right! Muroya to the wall, slides... doesn't have it! 2 runners score on the deep double and Chuukyoudai Chuukyou has a 4-1 lead!
That'll be it for Hashimoto. Arimura moves from 1st to take the hill. He gets the final 2 outs, but the damage may have been irreparably done.
Top 7th
New 1B Shibata starts off with a single up the middle! Itagoi not bunting, but he gets a walk!
Hashimoto lays down a good bunt and now they can pull within 1 with a good base hit.
Hasebe can't do that, but he can get a sac fly to center! That scores Shibata to make it 4-2.
Not out of the woods yet though as Arimura is walked.
Andou singles to left! Itagoi scores and it's 4-3! Can Kajitsu tie the game?
Muroya deep ball down the RF line... FOUL! That had the distance, but pulled foul!
Instead, it's right back up Ueno to goes to 1st for the 3rd out!
Bottom 7th
Katou scorcher right to Muroya and it deflects off of him and into the dugout! Bad break for Kajitsu!
And it gets worse! Muroya is hobbling and after trying to work it out he can't. But being their power hitter they move him to 1st and sub in Moriguchi for Shibata to play 3B.
Nakamura lays down the bunt, Arimura there, goes to 3rd, NO!
Moriguchi is not covering the bag and he has to go to 1st! The defensive sub hurts them immediately!
And again! Itou singles past Moriguchi and that allows Katou to score! 5-3 on an unfortunate play!
That's all they get, but hat might be all they need.
Top 8th
Moriguchi tries to make up for it with a 2-out single, but there's little you can do with that. The side is retired soon thereafter and perhaps Kagoshima Jitsugyou has finally broke.
Bottom 8th
Kajitsu has broken down. New 3B Adachi doubles to right off the padding. After a failed bunt, Naitou doubles over Hashimoto to make it 6-3.
Ueno with a ball back up the middle that Itagoi runs down. However he makes an unwarranted throw that sails high and out of play. Naitou scores to make it 7-3.
Top 9th
Kajitsu goes quietly in order as Chuukyoudai Chuukyou pulls away in the final stages to move onto the Round of 16.
Day 7, Game 3 - Sakushin Gakuin (Tochigi) v Ueda Nishi (Nagano)
And now the final team to take the field, the ever present Sakushin Gakuin. Now, they weren't really tested in the prefecturals with their only key opponent being Bunsei Geidai Fuzoku (that of the gyakuten v Kanzei fame). Other than that, the team batted a crushing 0.372.
Ueda Nishi drawing this team was unfortunate. Despite the 3-0 win over Miyazaki Nichidai there was little in that game that suggested that they would be able to hang with Sakushin Gakuin.
I really like Ueda Nishi for some non-reasonable reason, but I cannot imagine them going any farther than here.
Sakushin Gakuin (Tochigi)
LF Akagi Rikuya
3B Fujino Yuusuke(#16)
SS Soeda Shinkai
1B Asayama Hirokazu
RF Kobayashi Koutarou
CF Oohashi Kazuki
2B Kurosaki Kento (#5)
C Yokoo Nobumoto
P Kurai Yuusuke
Ueda Nishi (Nagano)
SS Kouno Seiya
2B Saitou Takashi
1B Mitsui Shuuhei
3B Ooyabu Shouya
CF Matsumoto Daisuke
LF Nishizawa Daisuke(#16)
C Noguchi Masahi
P Kusagai Kouki
RF Sekiguchi Daisuke
____________________________________________________________
12:45 - First Pitch!
1st Inning
Well, Ueda Nishi ace Kusagai not intimidated early, does yield a 2-out single to Soeda, but nothing more.
Offensively, they get a walk from Saitou and he's able to steal 2nd, but neither Mitsui or Ooyabu can get a base hit.
Top 2nd
2 down and Kurosaki hits a ball to shallow left center, and drops in front of Matsumoto for a base hit!
Yokoo with a single to right! Kurosaki coming home and he will score! Sakushin Gakuin with the first strike at 1-0!
Top 3rd
More pressure from Sakushin Gakuin. Leadoff single from Araki eventually moves to 3rd at the cost of an out a base.
Doesn't matter though as after a walk Kobayashi singles to right easily scoring the run making it 2-0.
Bottom 4th
Mitsui with a leadoff single to right. Now one down, Matsumoto singles through the right side.
Wild pitch! Douten runner moves into scoring position!
Nishizawa fly to right, and that'll bring one run in. 2-1.
Noguchi singles to right! That brings in Matsumoto and we're tied at 2-2!
Top 5th
Sakushin Gakuin already on the counterattack!
Araki singles, Fujino's shot to the left side goes off Kouno and into foul territory! By the time they retrieve it it's runners at 2nd and 3rd!
Soeda pays it off! He singles to left and that'll score both runs! Sakushin Gakuin re-establishes the 2-run lead at 4-2.
Kusagai prevents any further damage, but they're back to where they started....
Eventually we hit the break with Sakushin holding the advantage. Ueda Nishi is digging in better than I thought, but they still seem behind the proverbial 8-ball.
Bottom 6th
Matsumoto tries to get his team back in the game with a 2-out double, but Nishizawa flies out to end the inning.
Top 7th
#17 Satou Takao comes in to hit for Kurai as his day is now officially done.
He joins the hit parade with a grounder to deep short, beating out the throw!
Now he takes out for 2nd! Throw in, not in time!
Araki makes it a no-doubter with a gapper to right center! It'll go for a triple and it's 5-2.
That'll be the end of the day too for Kusagai. #11 Yanagisawa comes in to pitch.
And promptly hits Fujino to start his stint.
Soeda gaps one to left center and that'll go for a triple and 2 more runs to make it 7-2.
Asayama singles to left and makes it 8-2, and this game is well and over with still no outs.
Final damage, 9-2.
Rest of game
Ueda Nishi works to make it respectable, scores a pair of runs in 8th to make it 9-4. Eventually the score settles to 10-6.
Ueda Nishi finds their bats much too late to make a comeback, but do show holes in Sakushin Gakuin's pitching depth.
Ueda Nishi drawing this team was unfortunate. Despite the 3-0 win over Miyazaki Nichidai there was little in that game that suggested that they would be able to hang with Sakushin Gakuin.
I really like Ueda Nishi for some non-reasonable reason, but I cannot imagine them going any farther than here.
Sakushin Gakuin (Tochigi)
LF Akagi Rikuya
3B Fujino Yuusuke(#16)
SS Soeda Shinkai
1B Asayama Hirokazu
RF Kobayashi Koutarou
CF Oohashi Kazuki
2B Kurosaki Kento (#5)
C Yokoo Nobumoto
P Kurai Yuusuke
Ueda Nishi (Nagano)
SS Kouno Seiya
2B Saitou Takashi
1B Mitsui Shuuhei
3B Ooyabu Shouya
CF Matsumoto Daisuke
LF Nishizawa Daisuke(#16)
C Noguchi Masahi
P Kusagai Kouki
RF Sekiguchi Daisuke
____________________________________________________________
12:45 - First Pitch!
1st Inning
Well, Ueda Nishi ace Kusagai not intimidated early, does yield a 2-out single to Soeda, but nothing more.
Offensively, they get a walk from Saitou and he's able to steal 2nd, but neither Mitsui or Ooyabu can get a base hit.
Top 2nd
2 down and Kurosaki hits a ball to shallow left center, and drops in front of Matsumoto for a base hit!
Yokoo with a single to right! Kurosaki coming home and he will score! Sakushin Gakuin with the first strike at 1-0!
Top 3rd
More pressure from Sakushin Gakuin. Leadoff single from Araki eventually moves to 3rd at the cost of an out a base.
Doesn't matter though as after a walk Kobayashi singles to right easily scoring the run making it 2-0.
Bottom 4th
Mitsui with a leadoff single to right. Now one down, Matsumoto singles through the right side.
Wild pitch! Douten runner moves into scoring position!
Nishizawa fly to right, and that'll bring one run in. 2-1.
Noguchi singles to right! That brings in Matsumoto and we're tied at 2-2!
Top 5th
Sakushin Gakuin already on the counterattack!
Araki singles, Fujino's shot to the left side goes off Kouno and into foul territory! By the time they retrieve it it's runners at 2nd and 3rd!
Soeda pays it off! He singles to left and that'll score both runs! Sakushin Gakuin re-establishes the 2-run lead at 4-2.
Kusagai prevents any further damage, but they're back to where they started....
Eventually we hit the break with Sakushin holding the advantage. Ueda Nishi is digging in better than I thought, but they still seem behind the proverbial 8-ball.
Bottom 6th
Matsumoto tries to get his team back in the game with a 2-out double, but Nishizawa flies out to end the inning.
Top 7th
#17 Satou Takao comes in to hit for Kurai as his day is now officially done.
He joins the hit parade with a grounder to deep short, beating out the throw!
Now he takes out for 2nd! Throw in, not in time!
Araki makes it a no-doubter with a gapper to right center! It'll go for a triple and it's 5-2.
That'll be the end of the day too for Kusagai. #11 Yanagisawa comes in to pitch.
And promptly hits Fujino to start his stint.
Soeda gaps one to left center and that'll go for a triple and 2 more runs to make it 7-2.
Asayama singles to left and makes it 8-2, and this game is well and over with still no outs.
Final damage, 9-2.
Rest of game
Ueda Nishi works to make it respectable, scores a pair of runs in 8th to make it 9-4. Eventually the score settles to 10-6.
Ueda Nishi finds their bats much too late to make a comeback, but do show holes in Sakushin Gakuin's pitching depth.
Day 7, Game 2 - Kyushu Gakuin (Kumamoto) v Yuugakukan (Ishikawa)
Our brunch-time game pits two teams familiar to Koushien against one another.
Yuugakukan got a pretty clear road to the final, avoiding the dangerous teams up until the final where they somehow made 1 run stick against Kanazawa. Despite the weak competition, the team batted a ghastly 0.255, and 0.236 in their final 3 games. That's terrible even by rural prefectual standards and if you adjust for competition, it is to put it nicely... awful.
That means ace Komago Ryuuji has to should almost all of the load. He's reported as hitting 146, but chances are it's more like around 140. So he's an above average pitcher velocity-wise. He does strike out >1 K/IP, and is supposedly very stingy with the walks. But you would be hard pressed to win 5 games without an offense to speak of.
Kyushu Gakuin also avoided most of the strong teams in prefecture until facing Buntoku in the finals. The team scored 6 or more runs in 5 of their 6 games and batted 0.340 for the tournament, and 0.340 in the final 3 games. They're consistent if nothing else, but the form suggests nothing special on either side of the ball.
Kyushu Gakuin (Kumamoto)
LF Wakahara Shouya
CF Hasegawa Hiromasa
2B Tomoda Akira
1B Murakami Munetaka
SS Yanai Kazuki
3B Motomura Yuugo
RF Matsushita Kazuki
P Ise Hiromu
C Nakahara Rikiya
Yuugakukan (Ishikawa)
CF Iida Koujirou
SS Nakamura Kouta (#4)
2B Tsuchikura Makoto (#5)
C Takamoto Kouhei
1B Hirobashi Keita
RF Uchigata Ryouta
LF Matsuda Kazuki
P Komago Ryuuji
3B Kuriyama Koutarou (#13)
____________________________________________________________
10:20 - First Pitch!
1st Inning
Well, pretty much what you expected. Komago shuts down Kyushu Gakuin's offense - getting a K, while Ise gives up a 2-out hit, but nothing else.
Top 2nd
For being stingy with walks, Yanai is able to draw one with one out and is bunted over.
Matsushita wih a ball to the gap in right center! Yanai will score easily and Kyushu Gakuin opens the scoring! 1-0!
Ise is jammed but bloops it over Tsuchikura! Matsushita rounds 3rd and he'll score! 2-0!
Bottom 2nd
Hirabashi fly to shallow center, Hasegawa dives, but can't get it! Hirabashi goes for 2, Hasegawa fires to 2nd... OUT! Hirabashi tries for the extra base, but was denied!
And that's a shame because Uchigata singles to right.
However Matsuda grounds into the 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.
Bottom 3rd
One out walk to last batter Kuriyama, and Iida not bunting.
Instead, he singles to left!
Now Nakamura singles back up the middle! Kurayama comes in and it's 2-1!
Tsuchikura grounder to short and AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The ball takes a high hop over Tsuchikura and into left! Iida will score and we're tied! That's a bad break.
Takamoto grounder to 1st.. Murakami boots it! Toss to first, it's high and wide! Nakamura can trot home and Yuugakukan has the 3-2 lead! Hirabashi grounds to 1st, but thanks to some breaks falling their way have the lead!
Bottom 4th
Yuugakukan showing offensive prowess they didn't during the prefecturals!
Matsuda with a single to right to start the inning. After a bunt, Kuriyama gets a single through the left side!
Now Iida with a base hit to right!! Matsuda comes around and he scores! 4-2!
Nakamura past the drawn in defense and that scores Kuriyama! Yuugakukan up 5-2 as Ise finally gets the last 2 outs.
5th Inning
Things quiet down before the break, but not before Yuugakukan threatened again after Uchigata tripled to right with one down. Ise got 2 groundouts and kept the deficit at 3.
It's surprising that Yuugakukan has this many hits given their prefectural batting average. Regardless it's probably a welcome sight.
Top 6th
Small chance as Yanai gets a 2-out blooper to center, but Motomura strikes out looking to end the inning.
Bottom 6th
Yuugakukan with 3 hits after 2 outs to load the bases and threatens to blow it open. Ise shimmies out of that jam getting Hirabashi to fly to right.
Rest of game
The game pretty much goes quiet until the 9th where Kyushu Gakuin gets a run back, but at the cost of 2 outs.
With no runners on and 2 outs, PF Fujishima grounds to 2nd to end the game. Yuugakukan shocking everyone with their hits wins 5-3!
Yuugakukan got a pretty clear road to the final, avoiding the dangerous teams up until the final where they somehow made 1 run stick against Kanazawa. Despite the weak competition, the team batted a ghastly 0.255, and 0.236 in their final 3 games. That's terrible even by rural prefectual standards and if you adjust for competition, it is to put it nicely... awful.
That means ace Komago Ryuuji has to should almost all of the load. He's reported as hitting 146, but chances are it's more like around 140. So he's an above average pitcher velocity-wise. He does strike out >1 K/IP, and is supposedly very stingy with the walks. But you would be hard pressed to win 5 games without an offense to speak of.
Kyushu Gakuin also avoided most of the strong teams in prefecture until facing Buntoku in the finals. The team scored 6 or more runs in 5 of their 6 games and batted 0.340 for the tournament, and 0.340 in the final 3 games. They're consistent if nothing else, but the form suggests nothing special on either side of the ball.
Kyushu Gakuin (Kumamoto)
LF Wakahara Shouya
CF Hasegawa Hiromasa
2B Tomoda Akira
1B Murakami Munetaka
SS Yanai Kazuki
3B Motomura Yuugo
RF Matsushita Kazuki
P Ise Hiromu
C Nakahara Rikiya
Yuugakukan (Ishikawa)
CF Iida Koujirou
SS Nakamura Kouta (#4)
2B Tsuchikura Makoto (#5)
C Takamoto Kouhei
1B Hirobashi Keita
RF Uchigata Ryouta
LF Matsuda Kazuki
P Komago Ryuuji
3B Kuriyama Koutarou (#13)
____________________________________________________________
10:20 - First Pitch!
1st Inning
Well, pretty much what you expected. Komago shuts down Kyushu Gakuin's offense - getting a K, while Ise gives up a 2-out hit, but nothing else.
Top 2nd
For being stingy with walks, Yanai is able to draw one with one out and is bunted over.
Matsushita wih a ball to the gap in right center! Yanai will score easily and Kyushu Gakuin opens the scoring! 1-0!
Ise is jammed but bloops it over Tsuchikura! Matsushita rounds 3rd and he'll score! 2-0!
Bottom 2nd
Hirabashi fly to shallow center, Hasegawa dives, but can't get it! Hirabashi goes for 2, Hasegawa fires to 2nd... OUT! Hirabashi tries for the extra base, but was denied!
And that's a shame because Uchigata singles to right.
However Matsuda grounds into the 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.
Bottom 3rd
One out walk to last batter Kuriyama, and Iida not bunting.
Instead, he singles to left!
Now Nakamura singles back up the middle! Kurayama comes in and it's 2-1!
Tsuchikura grounder to short and AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The ball takes a high hop over Tsuchikura and into left! Iida will score and we're tied! That's a bad break.
Takamoto grounder to 1st.. Murakami boots it! Toss to first, it's high and wide! Nakamura can trot home and Yuugakukan has the 3-2 lead! Hirabashi grounds to 1st, but thanks to some breaks falling their way have the lead!
Bottom 4th
Yuugakukan showing offensive prowess they didn't during the prefecturals!
Matsuda with a single to right to start the inning. After a bunt, Kuriyama gets a single through the left side!
Now Iida with a base hit to right!! Matsuda comes around and he scores! 4-2!
Nakamura past the drawn in defense and that scores Kuriyama! Yuugakukan up 5-2 as Ise finally gets the last 2 outs.
5th Inning
Things quiet down before the break, but not before Yuugakukan threatened again after Uchigata tripled to right with one down. Ise got 2 groundouts and kept the deficit at 3.
It's surprising that Yuugakukan has this many hits given their prefectural batting average. Regardless it's probably a welcome sight.
Top 6th
Small chance as Yanai gets a 2-out blooper to center, but Motomura strikes out looking to end the inning.
Bottom 6th
Yuugakukan with 3 hits after 2 outs to load the bases and threatens to blow it open. Ise shimmies out of that jam getting Hirabashi to fly to right.
Rest of game
The game pretty much goes quiet until the 9th where Kyushu Gakuin gets a run back, but at the cost of 2 outs.
With no runners on and 2 outs, PF Fujishima grounds to 2nd to end the game. Yuugakukan shocking everyone with their hits wins 5-3!
Day 7, Game 1 - Toukaidai Sagami (Kanagawa) v Seikou Gakuin (Fukushima)
Today we will have the last of the 49 teams to take the field, and the start of some team's 2nd games.
First, we need to get the last couple to make their debut for 2015.
Toukaidai Sagami forced the early retirement (as in not reaching Koushien, he apparently had planned on retiring this year regardless) of Yokohama's Watanabe-kantoku. They were dominant throughout, the closest game being a 4-0 win over unknown Souyou, while blowing out Tier 3 schools such as Hiratsuka Gakuen and Nichidai Fujisawa. The team batted a mind-boggling 0.381 and 0.396 in their final 3 games.
Seikou Gakuin is making their 9th straight appearance, but it's much like Chiben Wakayama dominating a prefecture perhaps minus the track record at Koushien given their best result is the quarterfinals (4 out of 11 appearances). The run looks good until the final where they barely beat Nichidai Tohoku 3-2. They only batted 0.355 in their last 3 games, which is concerning considering how they dominate the prefecture in general.
I think Toukaidai Sagami has their act together this time around, and it'll be an uphill battle for Seikou Gakuin to get past the first game.
Seikou Gakuin (Fukushima)
C Satou Toshiya
CF Murasaki Ryuuma
RF Asami Takeshi
1B Nishiyama Shinnosuke
3B Kasahara Akira
SS Fujita Satoshi
LF Kamakura Makoto (#17)
2B Katsuma Takumi
P Morikubo Shouya
Toukaidai Sagami (Kanagawa)
2B Chino Keijirou
CF Miyaji Kyouhei
SS Sugisaki Shigeki
RF Toyoda Hiroshi
1B Isoami Eito
C Nagakura Ren
3B Kawaji Seitarou
LF Takeuchi Daiki
P Yoshida Ryou(#11)
____________________________________________________________
08:00 - First Pitch!
1st Inning
Seikou tries to get off to a good start with a 1-out single by Murasaki. But Asami grounds into the 3-6-3 double play to end the inning.
Morikubo was about to get a 1-2-3 inning until Sugisaki doubles to left. Toyoda follows that up with a single back up the middle. He steals 2nd without a throw and Seikou Gakuin already in a bind, but just needs one out.
Isoami zoomer past Kasahara and down the 3rd base line! That easily scores 2 on the double and Toukaidai Sagami is off and running.
After a walk to Takeuchi, Nagakura with a booing ball of his own to left. That's off the wall and 2 more runs score to make it 4-0 already.
In the end it's 8 batters, 4 runs, and perhaps another one-sided game from start to finish.
Bottom 3rd
Once again Toukaidai starting something with 2 down. Isoami beats Kasahara down the 3rd base line for yet another double.
Takeuchi singles to center and that scores Kasahara to make it 5-0 with Takeuchi taking 2nd on throw.
Nagakura singles past Isoami into left and that scores Takeuchi, 6-0.
They try for 7 when Kawachi singles to right, but Asami's throw is on the mark and Nagakura is thrown out.
To break
Toukaisagami is happy to speed up the game up 6. Seikou Gakuin is getting more and more baserunenrs, for instance when they had 1st/2nd with 1 out. But you just don't get the feeling they're going to score. It's probably because they have more free passes (3) than actual hits (2).
To end
There just was nothing there for Seikou Gakuin against relief starter Yoshida.If not for back-to-back hits from Katsunuma and Morikubo in the 8th, they'd be shut out.
After the 1st out in the 9th, Toukaidai puts in their ace Oagasawara. And goes 148 back-to-back. Fast yes, control? We won't get a big indicator unless it's really bad.
He gets the final 2 outs to finish the game. I'd have to look through and see if I can find records of who pitched the majority of time, but if Yoshida was sent out to save the ace, it worked.
First, we need to get the last couple to make their debut for 2015.
Toukaidai Sagami forced the early retirement (as in not reaching Koushien, he apparently had planned on retiring this year regardless) of Yokohama's Watanabe-kantoku. They were dominant throughout, the closest game being a 4-0 win over unknown Souyou, while blowing out Tier 3 schools such as Hiratsuka Gakuen and Nichidai Fujisawa. The team batted a mind-boggling 0.381 and 0.396 in their final 3 games.
Seikou Gakuin is making their 9th straight appearance, but it's much like Chiben Wakayama dominating a prefecture perhaps minus the track record at Koushien given their best result is the quarterfinals (4 out of 11 appearances). The run looks good until the final where they barely beat Nichidai Tohoku 3-2. They only batted 0.355 in their last 3 games, which is concerning considering how they dominate the prefecture in general.
I think Toukaidai Sagami has their act together this time around, and it'll be an uphill battle for Seikou Gakuin to get past the first game.
Seikou Gakuin (Fukushima)
C Satou Toshiya
CF Murasaki Ryuuma
RF Asami Takeshi
1B Nishiyama Shinnosuke
3B Kasahara Akira
SS Fujita Satoshi
LF Kamakura Makoto (#17)
2B Katsuma Takumi
P Morikubo Shouya
Toukaidai Sagami (Kanagawa)
2B Chino Keijirou
CF Miyaji Kyouhei
SS Sugisaki Shigeki
RF Toyoda Hiroshi
1B Isoami Eito
C Nagakura Ren
3B Kawaji Seitarou
LF Takeuchi Daiki
P Yoshida Ryou(#11)
____________________________________________________________
08:00 - First Pitch!
1st Inning
Seikou tries to get off to a good start with a 1-out single by Murasaki. But Asami grounds into the 3-6-3 double play to end the inning.
Morikubo was about to get a 1-2-3 inning until Sugisaki doubles to left. Toyoda follows that up with a single back up the middle. He steals 2nd without a throw and Seikou Gakuin already in a bind, but just needs one out.
Isoami zoomer past Kasahara and down the 3rd base line! That easily scores 2 on the double and Toukaidai Sagami is off and running.
After a walk to Takeuchi, Nagakura with a booing ball of his own to left. That's off the wall and 2 more runs score to make it 4-0 already.
In the end it's 8 batters, 4 runs, and perhaps another one-sided game from start to finish.
Bottom 3rd
Once again Toukaidai starting something with 2 down. Isoami beats Kasahara down the 3rd base line for yet another double.
Takeuchi singles to center and that scores Kasahara to make it 5-0 with Takeuchi taking 2nd on throw.
Nagakura singles past Isoami into left and that scores Takeuchi, 6-0.
They try for 7 when Kawachi singles to right, but Asami's throw is on the mark and Nagakura is thrown out.
To break
Toukaisagami is happy to speed up the game up 6. Seikou Gakuin is getting more and more baserunenrs, for instance when they had 1st/2nd with 1 out. But you just don't get the feeling they're going to score. It's probably because they have more free passes (3) than actual hits (2).
To end
There just was nothing there for Seikou Gakuin against relief starter Yoshida.If not for back-to-back hits from Katsunuma and Morikubo in the 8th, they'd be shut out.
After the 1st out in the 9th, Toukaidai puts in their ace Oagasawara. And goes 148 back-to-back. Fast yes, control? We won't get a big indicator unless it's really bad.
He gets the final 2 outs to finish the game. I'd have to look through and see if I can find records of who pitched the majority of time, but if Yoshida was sent out to save the ace, it worked.
Tuesday, August 11, 2015
Day 6, Game 4 - Hanasaki Tokuharu (Saitama) v Misawa Shougyou (Aomori)
Seeing as though I'm only getting 2-2.5 hours of sleep because of last game, I need to conserve as much energy as I can - or if the game is out of hand just give up and get some rest. Hanasaki Tokuharu did not face anyone of note, while Misaawa Shougyou defeated both Hirosaki Gakuen Seiai, and Hachinohe Gakuin Kousei. It might give them a better chance against them, but not sure by how much. Also, Saitama, for being a metropolitan prefecture, isn't all that strong. So, there's that.
Apologies if this game is short on commentary. We should be in the middle of the final game right now and I'm really tired.
Hanasaki Tokuharu (Saitama)
LF Kuguu Ryuuya
2B Oota Kousei
SS Okazaki Daisuke
CF Ootaki Aito
RF Satomi Haruki
3B Kusumoto Kouki (#15)
C Sasaya Takumi
P Kamakura Tomoya
1B Uemura Kouta
Misawa Shougyou (Aomori)
2B Satou Takumi
RF Kamamoto Ken
SS Tomita Hinato
LF Morita Ryou
C Itsukaichi Kouta
1B Hatayama Satoshi
3B Ichinowatari Taiichi
CF Yonayama Shouki
P Noda Kaisei
____________________________________________________________
17:15 - First pitch!
Top 1st
Hoo boy.I tried to give Misawa Shougyou credit where credit might be due, but this is ugly early.
Kuguu starts with a double over Morita's head. After a sac bunt and HBP, Ootaki grounds to 2nd bringing in the first run. 1-0.
After yet another HBP, Kusamoto singles through the right side scoring Okazaki (HBP). When he steals 2nd without a throw Sasaya's single to right scores 2 to make it 4-0. Which is where the 1st inning ends.
Top 2nd
Back to the top of the lineup and Kuguu gets yet another double.and after another sac bunt Okazaki's single to right makes it 5-0.
Top 3rd
Noda was this *pinches fingers* close to getting a 1-2-3 inning.
But then Kamakura walked, Uemura lines one past Hatayama for a boudle. and then Kuguu got his 3rd hit in as many innings, driving in 2. 7-0.
Top 5th
By this time Noda had been replaced by #10 Tomita Tooi. After a base hit and a fielder's choice by Kuguu Oota hits a 2-out double to make it 9-0,
It's at this point at the break my body is telling me I'm done. So I'm abandoning this game calling it in Favor of Hanasaki Tokuharu.
Apologies if this game is short on commentary. We should be in the middle of the final game right now and I'm really tired.
Hanasaki Tokuharu (Saitama)
LF Kuguu Ryuuya
2B Oota Kousei
SS Okazaki Daisuke
CF Ootaki Aito
RF Satomi Haruki
3B Kusumoto Kouki (#15)
C Sasaya Takumi
P Kamakura Tomoya
1B Uemura Kouta
Misawa Shougyou (Aomori)
2B Satou Takumi
RF Kamamoto Ken
SS Tomita Hinato
LF Morita Ryou
C Itsukaichi Kouta
1B Hatayama Satoshi
3B Ichinowatari Taiichi
CF Yonayama Shouki
P Noda Kaisei
____________________________________________________________
17:15 - First pitch!
Top 1st
Hoo boy.I tried to give Misawa Shougyou credit where credit might be due, but this is ugly early.
Kuguu starts with a double over Morita's head. After a sac bunt and HBP, Ootaki grounds to 2nd bringing in the first run. 1-0.
After yet another HBP, Kusamoto singles through the right side scoring Okazaki (HBP). When he steals 2nd without a throw Sasaya's single to right scores 2 to make it 4-0. Which is where the 1st inning ends.
Top 2nd
Back to the top of the lineup and Kuguu gets yet another double.and after another sac bunt Okazaki's single to right makes it 5-0.
Top 3rd
Noda was this *pinches fingers* close to getting a 1-2-3 inning.
But then Kamakura walked, Uemura lines one past Hatayama for a boudle. and then Kuguu got his 3rd hit in as many innings, driving in 2. 7-0.
Top 5th
By this time Noda had been replaced by #10 Tomita Tooi. After a base hit and a fielder's choice by Kuguu Oota hits a 2-out double to make it 9-0,
It's at this point at the break my body is telling me I'm done. So I'm abandoning this game calling it in Favor of Hanasaki Tokuharu.
Day 6, Game 3 - Iwamichisuikan (Shimane) v Kounan (Okinawa)
This should be another game where a team is up against it. Kounan returns to Koushien having defeated Itoman and Okinawa Shougaku. They're not an offensively powered squad, so it'll be up to the pitching to hold serve. We've heard that story before.
Iwamichisuikan returns after defeating Risshoudai Shounan and Unfortunately no Kaisei to supllant the form.
Also both teams are batting rather poorly compared to other schools. This has the looks of a 1-0 game
Iwamichisuikan (Shimane)
LF Tanaka Masaki
2B Araki Yuusaku
3B Abe Kazuma
1B Izumi Yuutarou
RF Murakami Kouki
SS Kamino Daisuke
CF Suyama Eishi
C Fujiwara Ryouta
P Andou Ibuki (#18)
Kounan (Okinawa)
SS Higa Tatsutoshi
2B Naka Hibiki
LF Gushiken Taiki
1B Kina Chouki
RF Ishikawa Ryou
C Sakumoto Kazuki
CF Sunagawa Kento
3B Ganaha Makoto
P Hiyane Masaya
____________________________________________________________
14:05 - First pitch!
Top 1st
Leadoff runner on for Iwamichisuikan as Tanka singles to center. But Araki almsot grounds into a double play, and Ab actually does.
Bottom 1st
Shaky for Andou as Higa draws a walk. After a bunt, he walks Gushiken.
2 down for Ishikawa and he hits a slow chopper to the right side. Andou misses it and no one is in position to back it up! Higa scores on the defensive gaffe and Kounan leads 1-0!
Bottom 2nd
Sunagawa puts Kounan in position for another run when he bombs a ball off the fence in right for a triple.
Ganaha not squeezing, but strikes out.
SQUEEZE!!! Hiyane tries to lay down the squeeze but misses! Sunagawa is hung out to dry and there's 2 outs! Hiyane Ks and the great chance for Kounan is frittered away!
Bottom 3rd
After 3 straight walks with 2 outs, Tanaka comes in from LF to take the hill. Andou goes to CF, and Suyama to LF. And gets a flyout to right.
Bottom 4th
uh, everyone returns back to their positions. I think I've figured out the pitching changes. Tanaka comes in from LF when there's a pinch.
So when Sunagawa singles, and advances to 3rd on a hit-and-run with Higa, he enters the game, and get a foul fly to Abe.
Top 5th
Murakami with a ball to deep right. Off the wall! He's booking it around 2nd, and just gets into 3rd. Big chance to tie the game.
Kamino does it! Ball to left center and Sunagawa can't get to it!
Murakami scores and it's 1-1!
Unfortunately, Iwamichisuikan can't muster more than that as Fujiwara and Matsumoto fly out.
Bottom 5th
Once again Andou returns to the mound, and gives up 2 singles. And that is the official end of Andou. Tanaka takes over at P while #15 Matsumoto replaces Andou.
Ishikawa flies out to center, and that's deep enough to score Gushiken. Kounan retakes lead at 2-1 as we head to the break.
Rest of game
This game is literally taking forever because there is a pitching change every inning. Tanaka comes in from LF to take the mound, then returns to LF at the start of the next inning.
It works to some extent. Of the 11 inherited runners he has, 2 have scored.
In the top of the 8th, Tanaka is harmlessly hit with 2 out.
Araki follows that up with a single through the left side. Still 2 outs though.
And then out of nowhere. Abe drives a ball off the wall in left center, and what seemed like a game out of reach was not anymore because it is 4-3 with the douten runner in scoring position..
Then a wild pitch puts that run 90 feet away. Then Hiyane walk Izumi.
Then Hiyane releases another wild pitch and Abe walks home to tie the game?! It's 4-4?!
And now Murakami walks. And Ueno walks? Somehow we're manrui??
And #13 Hashi to hit for Suyama.
And he singles to right? One run scores, the second run is cut down at the plate.
So when this game seemed well in hand, it's completely reversed and now Iwamichisuikan leads 5-4?
Bottom 8th
New 3B Seo has the ball find him first up, from PH #16 Ninomiya no less, and it goes off of him for an error. He's natually bunted over.
And then after being warned sever times, Tanaka balks moving the douten runner 90 feet away.
Naka fly to center. Abe, having moved from 3B charges at the ball. PR Toguchi tags up! Throw home... Relay from Araki...
OUT!!! Somehow that throw gets there in time and Kounan is denied the douten run!
Bottom 9th
So will this strategy of Iwamichisuikan's actually work? They just have 3 outs left to go, but with the 3-4-5 batters up.
Gushiken's hard grounder eats up Kamino alive. Leadoff batter on as they're looking to bunt. #14 Takana comes to run for him. And the bunt is completed.
Ishikawa comes through! Base hit to right! Takana coming home... throw in.. SAFE!!! Kounan has tied the game!
And now Sakumoto bunts the sayonara runner into scoring position as #18 Shiroma come in to hit.
SINGLE TO LEFT! Throw home... LATE!!! Kounan has come back to win 6-5 at the very last!
I really don't know what to make of this game. Iwamichisuikan implemented a strategy I had considered if I ever became a kantoku myself (which is in la la land). And it almost worked. But I think they leaned on Tanaka too much and he fell apart at the end.
Which is a shame. It takes some mental fortitude to continuously be put into high leverage situations and get out of them. Tanaka did that when coming in "relief" during an inning. But pressed into full service it might have been too much.
Hey, I give credit to Suemitsu-kantoku to thinking out of the box. Not often you would see something like that where old traditions are hard to break. Just fell short here.
Iwamichisuikan returns after defeating Risshoudai Shounan and Unfortunately no Kaisei to supllant the form.
Also both teams are batting rather poorly compared to other schools. This has the looks of a 1-0 game
Iwamichisuikan (Shimane)
LF Tanaka Masaki
2B Araki Yuusaku
3B Abe Kazuma
1B Izumi Yuutarou
RF Murakami Kouki
SS Kamino Daisuke
CF Suyama Eishi
C Fujiwara Ryouta
P Andou Ibuki (#18)
Kounan (Okinawa)
SS Higa Tatsutoshi
2B Naka Hibiki
LF Gushiken Taiki
1B Kina Chouki
RF Ishikawa Ryou
C Sakumoto Kazuki
CF Sunagawa Kento
3B Ganaha Makoto
P Hiyane Masaya
____________________________________________________________
14:05 - First pitch!
Top 1st
Leadoff runner on for Iwamichisuikan as Tanka singles to center. But Araki almsot grounds into a double play, and Ab actually does.
Bottom 1st
Shaky for Andou as Higa draws a walk. After a bunt, he walks Gushiken.
2 down for Ishikawa and he hits a slow chopper to the right side. Andou misses it and no one is in position to back it up! Higa scores on the defensive gaffe and Kounan leads 1-0!
Bottom 2nd
Sunagawa puts Kounan in position for another run when he bombs a ball off the fence in right for a triple.
Ganaha not squeezing, but strikes out.
SQUEEZE!!! Hiyane tries to lay down the squeeze but misses! Sunagawa is hung out to dry and there's 2 outs! Hiyane Ks and the great chance for Kounan is frittered away!
Bottom 3rd
After 3 straight walks with 2 outs, Tanaka comes in from LF to take the hill. Andou goes to CF, and Suyama to LF. And gets a flyout to right.
Bottom 4th
uh, everyone returns back to their positions. I think I've figured out the pitching changes. Tanaka comes in from LF when there's a pinch.
So when Sunagawa singles, and advances to 3rd on a hit-and-run with Higa, he enters the game, and get a foul fly to Abe.
Top 5th
Murakami with a ball to deep right. Off the wall! He's booking it around 2nd, and just gets into 3rd. Big chance to tie the game.
Kamino does it! Ball to left center and Sunagawa can't get to it!
Murakami scores and it's 1-1!
Unfortunately, Iwamichisuikan can't muster more than that as Fujiwara and Matsumoto fly out.
Bottom 5th
Once again Andou returns to the mound, and gives up 2 singles. And that is the official end of Andou. Tanaka takes over at P while #15 Matsumoto replaces Andou.
Ishikawa flies out to center, and that's deep enough to score Gushiken. Kounan retakes lead at 2-1 as we head to the break.
Rest of game
This game is literally taking forever because there is a pitching change every inning. Tanaka comes in from LF to take the mound, then returns to LF at the start of the next inning.
It works to some extent. Of the 11 inherited runners he has, 2 have scored.
In the top of the 8th, Tanaka is harmlessly hit with 2 out.
Araki follows that up with a single through the left side. Still 2 outs though.
And then out of nowhere. Abe drives a ball off the wall in left center, and what seemed like a game out of reach was not anymore because it is 4-3 with the douten runner in scoring position..
Then a wild pitch puts that run 90 feet away. Then Hiyane walk Izumi.
Then Hiyane releases another wild pitch and Abe walks home to tie the game?! It's 4-4?!
And now Murakami walks. And Ueno walks? Somehow we're manrui??
And #13 Hashi to hit for Suyama.
And he singles to right? One run scores, the second run is cut down at the plate.
So when this game seemed well in hand, it's completely reversed and now Iwamichisuikan leads 5-4?
Bottom 8th
New 3B Seo has the ball find him first up, from PH #16 Ninomiya no less, and it goes off of him for an error. He's natually bunted over.
And then after being warned sever times, Tanaka balks moving the douten runner 90 feet away.
Naka fly to center. Abe, having moved from 3B charges at the ball. PR Toguchi tags up! Throw home... Relay from Araki...
OUT!!! Somehow that throw gets there in time and Kounan is denied the douten run!
Bottom 9th
So will this strategy of Iwamichisuikan's actually work? They just have 3 outs left to go, but with the 3-4-5 batters up.
Gushiken's hard grounder eats up Kamino alive. Leadoff batter on as they're looking to bunt. #14 Takana comes to run for him. And the bunt is completed.
Ishikawa comes through! Base hit to right! Takana coming home... throw in.. SAFE!!! Kounan has tied the game!
And now Sakumoto bunts the sayonara runner into scoring position as #18 Shiroma come in to hit.
SINGLE TO LEFT! Throw home... LATE!!! Kounan has come back to win 6-5 at the very last!
I really don't know what to make of this game. Iwamichisuikan implemented a strategy I had considered if I ever became a kantoku myself (which is in la la land). And it almost worked. But I think they leaned on Tanaka too much and he fell apart at the end.
Which is a shame. It takes some mental fortitude to continuously be put into high leverage situations and get out of them. Tanaka did that when coming in "relief" during an inning. But pressed into full service it might have been too much.
Hey, I give credit to Suemitsu-kantoku to thinking out of the box. Not often you would see something like that where old traditions are hard to break. Just fell short here.
Day 6, Game 2 - Kanto Dai-ichi (Higashi Tokyo) v Takaoka Shougyou (Toyama)
This matchup on paper looks like a one-sided affair. About the only saving grace for Takaoka Shougyou is that Kanto Dai-ichi's only key win was an 8-3 over a Teikyou team that has not been able to get back to the days of the 2000s. Still, it is Tokyo, so there's not much you can discount.
Takaoka Shougyou did defeat Toyama Shougyou and Shin0minato, so at least they were tested coming into this Koushien. An average of 0.301 though is not a good sign.
Takaoka Shougyou (Toyama)
RF Ishiguro Taku
SS Komagata Kouki
3B Tagoshi Yoshifumi
C Horiuchi Takuya
1B Yoshikuni Makoto
2B Nakagawa Makoto
LF Kitada Ryuuji
P Hayashi Youta
CF Takahashi Kazuma
Kanto Dai-ichi (Higashi Tokyo)
CF Okoye Rui
3B Ihashi Toshiki
SS Itou Masato
1B Igarashi Yuuki
RF Nagashima Ryouma
C Suzuki Daichi
2B Kuroda Shunta
LF Moriyama Shou
P Abe Takeshi (#10)
____________________________________________________________
10:50 - First pitch!
Top 1st
Abe not off to a great start, walks Ishiguro to start the game, but is bailed out when Komagata lines out to 2nd, doubling off Ishiguro.
But then he comes back and walks Tagoshi. Gets Horiuchi to fly out. but not exactly a clean start for the Higashi Tokyo champs.
Bottom 1st
Okoye with a shot off of Yohsikuni! The ball goes into foul territory and Okoye just motors to 2nd! Throw in, not in time! Wow.
And now Hayashi throws to 2nd with no one covering! Okoye advances to 3rd!
Hayashi saves one out as He gets Ihashi to swing and miss on a ball inside.
But he can't stop Itou! Clean single through the left side and it's 1-0!
And it's a very awkward caught stealing when the throw from Horiuchi is wide, but Nakagawa lunges and supposedly makes the tag!
Hayashi limits the damage after that, but they'll have to play from behind now.
Top 3rd
Takaoka Shougyou still without a hit, but Ishiguro draws his 2nd walk and the team's 3rd. But without a hit, there's little they can do.
Bottom 3rd
Okoye up to lead an inning and he booms one to right for a leadoff triple! Igarashi walks, oh dear...
Well, that got out of hand in a hurry...
Itou with a no doubt HR to left. It's now 4-0 and now things seem to be unraveling.
Igarashi double to center. After a bunt, a wild pitch scores that run, 5-0.
Single by Suzuki and Kuroda. After a strikeout, Hayashi does the one thing he shouldn't - walk Abe.
Why? Because Okoye is up again. And Hayashi falls behind 2-0. And Yoshida-kantoku calls for time.
...and it doesn't matter. Okoye hits his 3rd hit to where he hit his 2nd. And with yet another triple, it makes it 8-0.
...and Hayashi's day is done as #10 Kitamura comes in to get the final out.
Top 4th
Hey! It's Takaoka Shougyou's first hit! Tagoshi pokes one to left center for a base hit.And now Horiuchi lines a single to right! There's progress as Tagoshi goes to 3rd.
And at least they prevent the shutout! Sac fly to center scores 1.
Huh, Nakagawa scorcher past a diving Ihashi down the line for a double.
And now Yonezawa-kantoku sends in #11 Komatsubara.
Liner to center and they're about ready to mitigate the threat.
Except Kitamura singles to left! That scores 1 to make it 8-2.
AHHH!!
Komtasubara throws it awawa on ball 4! Nakagawa scores and it's 8-3!
Ishiguro hit on the first pitch! What in the world is happening??
Komagata single to center! Throw goes to 3rd and AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!
Okoye throws it away! It goes to the dugout and now 2 more runs are in! It's 8-5!
TAGOSHI WITH A GAPPER TO LEFT CENTER!! NO WAY!
2 more runners score and we're at 8-7 with a chance to tie the game!!
But they don't get it! Horiuchi fouls out and we are right back where we started!
To the break
After all that nonsense, it returns back to a normal game. #16 Kaneko comes in relief for Kanto Dai-ichi and gets 3 Ks in 5th.
I really don't know who is supposed to win this now.
Top 6th
Takahashi with a safety bunt! Ihashi's throw to 1st... SAFE!
Ah.. but he tries to steal 2nd and is thrown out.
And that's a shame as Ishiguro singles through the right side.
And now it's a hit and run! Komagata strikes out, but Ishiguro reaches 2nd safely!
TAGOSHI DOES IT AGAIN!
He singles to left! Ishiguro coming home, no throw!! Douten! We're actually douten!! 8-8!!
Horikoshi can't bring in the gyakuten run (again). But holy cow would you have thought we would go from 8-0 to 8-8?
Bottom 6th
Ihashi goes for the bunt single himself. And Tagoshi throws it away! Ihashi goes to 2nd and Kanto Dai-ichi can re-take the lead!
But Kitamura strikes out Itou for the 1st out.
And now he strikes out Igarashi on a fastball painting the outside corner! 2 out!
Nagashima single through the right side! Ihashi rounding 3rd, but Ishiguro's throw home keeps him at 3rd. So it'll be up to Suzuki.
SANSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Suzuki is caught looking and somehow Takaoka Dai-ichi is out of the inning!!
Bottom 7th
One down and Moriyama singles to right. Yonezawa-kantoku making some changes. #15 Kuwana comes to run and #18 Hihara hits for Kaneko.
And Hihara singles to left! Kanto Dai-ichi with a chance here again!
OH NO! Kitamura throws it away on a pickoff throw to 1st! Kuwana rounding 3rd, coming home! No throw as both runners take 2 bases! Kanto Dai-ichi has the lead back at 9-8!
AndAnd Okoye hits a ball to deep center! That'll get the other runner home! It's 10-8 now and perhaps this will be enough?
Top 8th
One down and Takahashi gets a single. Ishiguro gets a walk. But Komagata flies out and there's 2 down. Do they really have another run in them?
WHAT???!!! WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
TAGOSHI! NO WAY! NOT YOU AGAIN???!!!!!!
He lines a ball down the right field line! That goes to the wall! Takahashi scores! Ishiguro comes around.. HE SCORES! WE'RE REALLY TIED AGAIN AT 10-10!!
But Ishiguro is hurt. The slide did something and he has to be carried off by piggy back.
Sadly, for what Tagoshi has done, Horiuchi hasn't. He flies out to right and the inning is over. But somehow we're back level again!
Bottom 8th
But Kitamura can't even hold a tie it seems. He walks Itou on 4 straight. Igarashi bunts, Kitamura goes to 2nd.. and throws it away... They dont' aadvance but there's no outs.
Nagashima bunts the runners over.
And Suzuki singles through the right side scoring 1. 11-10 Kanto Dai-ichi.
And with 2 down, Kitamura spikes the ball and it goes 5-hole on Horiuchi. Igarashi scores to make it 12-10.
Top 9th
Man, this feels like a letdown.
Yoshikuni walks to lead off the inning, but a bunt to move the runner over fails, and is almost a double play. Kitada though does end the game as he lines out to ace Tanabe and he doubles off Nakagawa.
Man, what a crummy ending. No final rally, no last AB with a chance to tie. Just over.
Bah.
Takaoka Shougyou did defeat Toyama Shougyou and Shin0minato, so at least they were tested coming into this Koushien. An average of 0.301 though is not a good sign.
Takaoka Shougyou (Toyama)
RF Ishiguro Taku
SS Komagata Kouki
3B Tagoshi Yoshifumi
C Horiuchi Takuya
1B Yoshikuni Makoto
2B Nakagawa Makoto
LF Kitada Ryuuji
P Hayashi Youta
CF Takahashi Kazuma
Kanto Dai-ichi (Higashi Tokyo)
CF Okoye Rui
3B Ihashi Toshiki
SS Itou Masato
1B Igarashi Yuuki
RF Nagashima Ryouma
C Suzuki Daichi
2B Kuroda Shunta
LF Moriyama Shou
P Abe Takeshi (#10)
____________________________________________________________
10:50 - First pitch!
Top 1st
Abe not off to a great start, walks Ishiguro to start the game, but is bailed out when Komagata lines out to 2nd, doubling off Ishiguro.
But then he comes back and walks Tagoshi. Gets Horiuchi to fly out. but not exactly a clean start for the Higashi Tokyo champs.
Bottom 1st
Okoye with a shot off of Yohsikuni! The ball goes into foul territory and Okoye just motors to 2nd! Throw in, not in time! Wow.
And now Hayashi throws to 2nd with no one covering! Okoye advances to 3rd!
Hayashi saves one out as He gets Ihashi to swing and miss on a ball inside.
But he can't stop Itou! Clean single through the left side and it's 1-0!
And it's a very awkward caught stealing when the throw from Horiuchi is wide, but Nakagawa lunges and supposedly makes the tag!
Hayashi limits the damage after that, but they'll have to play from behind now.
Top 3rd
Takaoka Shougyou still without a hit, but Ishiguro draws his 2nd walk and the team's 3rd. But without a hit, there's little they can do.
Bottom 3rd
Okoye up to lead an inning and he booms one to right for a leadoff triple! Igarashi walks, oh dear...
Well, that got out of hand in a hurry...
Itou with a no doubt HR to left. It's now 4-0 and now things seem to be unraveling.
Igarashi double to center. After a bunt, a wild pitch scores that run, 5-0.
Single by Suzuki and Kuroda. After a strikeout, Hayashi does the one thing he shouldn't - walk Abe.
Why? Because Okoye is up again. And Hayashi falls behind 2-0. And Yoshida-kantoku calls for time.
...and it doesn't matter. Okoye hits his 3rd hit to where he hit his 2nd. And with yet another triple, it makes it 8-0.
...and Hayashi's day is done as #10 Kitamura comes in to get the final out.
Top 4th
Hey! It's Takaoka Shougyou's first hit! Tagoshi pokes one to left center for a base hit.And now Horiuchi lines a single to right! There's progress as Tagoshi goes to 3rd.
And at least they prevent the shutout! Sac fly to center scores 1.
Huh, Nakagawa scorcher past a diving Ihashi down the line for a double.
And now Yonezawa-kantoku sends in #11 Komatsubara.
Liner to center and they're about ready to mitigate the threat.
Except Kitamura singles to left! That scores 1 to make it 8-2.
AHHH!!
Komtasubara throws it awawa on ball 4! Nakagawa scores and it's 8-3!
Ishiguro hit on the first pitch! What in the world is happening??
Komagata single to center! Throw goes to 3rd and AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!
Okoye throws it away! It goes to the dugout and now 2 more runs are in! It's 8-5!
TAGOSHI WITH A GAPPER TO LEFT CENTER!! NO WAY!
2 more runners score and we're at 8-7 with a chance to tie the game!!
But they don't get it! Horiuchi fouls out and we are right back where we started!
To the break
After all that nonsense, it returns back to a normal game. #16 Kaneko comes in relief for Kanto Dai-ichi and gets 3 Ks in 5th.
I really don't know who is supposed to win this now.
Top 6th
Takahashi with a safety bunt! Ihashi's throw to 1st... SAFE!
Ah.. but he tries to steal 2nd and is thrown out.
And that's a shame as Ishiguro singles through the right side.
And now it's a hit and run! Komagata strikes out, but Ishiguro reaches 2nd safely!
TAGOSHI DOES IT AGAIN!
He singles to left! Ishiguro coming home, no throw!! Douten! We're actually douten!! 8-8!!
Horikoshi can't bring in the gyakuten run (again). But holy cow would you have thought we would go from 8-0 to 8-8?
Bottom 6th
Ihashi goes for the bunt single himself. And Tagoshi throws it away! Ihashi goes to 2nd and Kanto Dai-ichi can re-take the lead!
But Kitamura strikes out Itou for the 1st out.
And now he strikes out Igarashi on a fastball painting the outside corner! 2 out!
Nagashima single through the right side! Ihashi rounding 3rd, but Ishiguro's throw home keeps him at 3rd. So it'll be up to Suzuki.
SANSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Suzuki is caught looking and somehow Takaoka Dai-ichi is out of the inning!!
Bottom 7th
One down and Moriyama singles to right. Yonezawa-kantoku making some changes. #15 Kuwana comes to run and #18 Hihara hits for Kaneko.
And Hihara singles to left! Kanto Dai-ichi with a chance here again!
OH NO! Kitamura throws it away on a pickoff throw to 1st! Kuwana rounding 3rd, coming home! No throw as both runners take 2 bases! Kanto Dai-ichi has the lead back at 9-8!
AndAnd Okoye hits a ball to deep center! That'll get the other runner home! It's 10-8 now and perhaps this will be enough?
Top 8th
One down and Takahashi gets a single. Ishiguro gets a walk. But Komagata flies out and there's 2 down. Do they really have another run in them?
WHAT???!!! WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
TAGOSHI! NO WAY! NOT YOU AGAIN???!!!!!!
He lines a ball down the right field line! That goes to the wall! Takahashi scores! Ishiguro comes around.. HE SCORES! WE'RE REALLY TIED AGAIN AT 10-10!!
But Ishiguro is hurt. The slide did something and he has to be carried off by piggy back.
Sadly, for what Tagoshi has done, Horiuchi hasn't. He flies out to right and the inning is over. But somehow we're back level again!
Bottom 8th
But Kitamura can't even hold a tie it seems. He walks Itou on 4 straight. Igarashi bunts, Kitamura goes to 2nd.. and throws it away... They dont' aadvance but there's no outs.
Nagashima bunts the runners over.
And Suzuki singles through the right side scoring 1. 11-10 Kanto Dai-ichi.
And with 2 down, Kitamura spikes the ball and it goes 5-hole on Horiuchi. Igarashi scores to make it 12-10.
Top 9th
Man, this feels like a letdown.
Yoshikuni walks to lead off the inning, but a bunt to move the runner over fails, and is almost a double play. Kitada though does end the game as he lines out to ace Tanabe and he doubles off Nakagawa.
Man, what a crummy ending. No final rally, no last AB with a chance to tie. Just over.
Bah.
Day 6, Game 1 - Tsuruoka Higashi (Yamagata) v Tottori Jyouhoku (Tottori) v Tottori Jyouhoku (Tottori)
We're now getting into the meat of the schedule as Round 2 is underway. The games have certainly gotten better in recent days, so let's hope that carries over to today.
Tottori Jyouhoku started strong, but then were tasked in their final 2 games versus Yonago Nishi and Tottori Nishi. 0.345 is not a great batting average with respect to the competition.
Sadly, Tsuruoka Higashi's form doesn't read much better. They almost lost to Yonezawa Chuo if not for a 5-run 9th and barely edged by Yamagata Chuo. They didn't have to play either Sakata Minami or Nichidai Yamagata, which is a big minus.
Tsuruoka Higashi (Yamagata)
2B Tanabe Kazu
1B Fujii Shunsuke
CF Kakizaki Kou
LF Abe Hiroshi
SS Ajiki Kanta
RF Maruyama Hiroshi
3B Kurokawa Hiroto
C Takemoto Daiki
P Fukutani Yuuya
Tottori Jyouhoku (Tottori)
LF Terasaka Rei
3B Kanagawa Satoshi
2B Fujiwara Takehiro
CF Hotei Shouta
P Tsujii Yuuya
SS Nishimura Kenta
RF Enoki Katsuya (#15)
1B Okada Kensei (#9)
C Takami Yukiha
____________________________________________________________
08:00 - First pitch!
Top 1st
Tanabe with a slice shot past a diving Nishimura for a base hit. Fujii bunts him over as usual.
And now Tsujii walks Kakizaki. There's already activity in the bullpen with #10 Nishisaka.
2 down though as Abe is ahead of a slider and lunges a ball out to center.
Ajiki lines up a ball outside, but lines it right to Hotei for the 3rd out.
Bottom 1st
Wow, Fukutani doesn't throw that hard at all. Mid 120s for the fastball? But he can locate it seems, pitching all low to Kanagawa before getting to chase a letter high fastball and ground to 1st.
1-2-3 inning. Good start for him too. Would like to see if he can continue locating.
Top 2nd
With the dead wind, Maruyama goes deep to right. Not deep enough though and Enoki has it in front of the wall.
2 outs and Tsuruoka Higashi continuing to put on the hits! Last batter Fukutani singles, and so does Tanabe with a soft liner to right. That gets a time out from Yamaki-kantoku.
Fujii grounds out to end the inning, but The Yamagata representatives draw first blood!
Bottom 2nd
Well, I see what Fukutani is trying to do, he hides the ball behind him to gain some extra time that he loses with his lower pitches.
And while he walks Nishimura after 2 quick outs, he strays too far from the bag and is picked off by Takemoto.
Top 3rd
Kakizaki going for the fences! Enoki going back.. leaps.. off the wall! He hustles and is all the way at 3rd!
One down and they put on the contact play! But it's right to Okada who rifles home and gets Kakizaki by a good margin.
That kills the chance for Tsuruoka Higashi, but there's some power to be had.
Bottom 3rd
Enoki with a ball to the right center field gap for a double! He's bunted over.
But there's no need! Takami blasts it to the other gap and that scores Enoki to tie the game at 1-1!
Top 4th
2 down and what is Fukutani doing at the bottom of the lineup! He hits one deep to right center for a double and he's 2-2 on the day!
Tanabe comebacker! Off the rubber! It pops up and out of the reach of the middle infield! That'll score Fukutani and a bad break gives Tsuruoka Higashi the lead back at 2-1!
Bottom 4th
Wow, that control that was there early in the game seems gone.
Fukutani walks Fujiwara, but after he's bailed out with a 4-6-3 double play, Tsujii singles to left, then he walks Nishimura and hits Enoki to load the bases!!
Okada grounds to short though and Fukutani slips out of that jam.
Top 5th
Change at P with #11 Nishisaka to relieve Tsujii. But he walks the first 2 batters and is immediately relieved by #11 Sawada.
Ajiki bunts, Kanagawa charging, throws.. SAFE! Ajiki beats it out! Manrui!
Maruyama chopper up the middle for a base hit! 1 run score and it's 3-1!
Kurokawa can't get the run in, grounds to short! They go home for 1 but can't get 2.
Takemoto also to the left side, but Kanagawa balks on where to go! He goes to 2nd, but it's way too late to get 2! Ajiki scores and it's 4-1!
Fukutani now 3-3 on the day! He singles to center and extends the lead to 5-1! as Tanabe grounds out to end the inning.
Bottom 5th
Takami with his 2nd hit of the day, a clean single through the right side. The #9 batters for both teams are 5-5 on the game!
After a sac bunt, Kanagawa singles through the left side and there's no throw home! Takami scores to make it 5-2.
And with 2 down Hotei drives one to the right center field gap! Kanagawa being waved around, scores all the way from 1st! Hotei slows into 2nd with an RBI double to make it 5-3 as we hit the break!
Top 7th
After a single by Maruyama and a failed bunt attempt, Tsuruoka Higashi gets 3 hits in a row, including another one from Fukutani.Those score 2 to make it 7-3. Toss in a sac fly and it's 9-3.
Bottom 7th
Only concern is for Fukutani, who is hit on the ankle by a comebacker for Takami. Tottori Jyouhoku does score a runwithout the benefit of a hit, but it's 9-4.
Bottom 8th
Hm. we might have a situation here. After a foulout, Fukutani walks Tsujii, hits Nishimura, and then gives up a double off the top of the fence to Enoki! One run in and 2 more waiting as #3 Kakiuchi hits for Sawada.
But he hits a fly to right. It gets one home, but they need more this late.
And turnabout is fair play! If Fukutani can't be perfect on the day, neither can Takami! He strikes him out looking to end the inning!
__________________________________________________
The game eventually ends with Tsuruoka Higashi winning 9-6. Once again a team's summer is over and it's players cry that their summer is over. But, they did fight for as long as they could, which given the score at one time is more than you could say for most teams. So a good job should be given to them for their work to get here.
As for Tsuruoka Higashi, I doubt the offensive outburst will continue, but even more importance is getting Fukutani right before the next game. That liner off his landing ankle definitely affected him near the end so it'll be important to get him comfortable on it without fear. Or else they may be in trouble.
Tottori Jyouhoku started strong, but then were tasked in their final 2 games versus Yonago Nishi and Tottori Nishi. 0.345 is not a great batting average with respect to the competition.
Sadly, Tsuruoka Higashi's form doesn't read much better. They almost lost to Yonezawa Chuo if not for a 5-run 9th and barely edged by Yamagata Chuo. They didn't have to play either Sakata Minami or Nichidai Yamagata, which is a big minus.
Tsuruoka Higashi (Yamagata)
2B Tanabe Kazu
1B Fujii Shunsuke
CF Kakizaki Kou
LF Abe Hiroshi
SS Ajiki Kanta
RF Maruyama Hiroshi
3B Kurokawa Hiroto
C Takemoto Daiki
P Fukutani Yuuya
Tottori Jyouhoku (Tottori)
LF Terasaka Rei
3B Kanagawa Satoshi
2B Fujiwara Takehiro
CF Hotei Shouta
P Tsujii Yuuya
SS Nishimura Kenta
RF Enoki Katsuya (#15)
1B Okada Kensei (#9)
C Takami Yukiha
____________________________________________________________
08:00 - First pitch!
Top 1st
Tanabe with a slice shot past a diving Nishimura for a base hit. Fujii bunts him over as usual.
And now Tsujii walks Kakizaki. There's already activity in the bullpen with #10 Nishisaka.
2 down though as Abe is ahead of a slider and lunges a ball out to center.
Ajiki lines up a ball outside, but lines it right to Hotei for the 3rd out.
Bottom 1st
Wow, Fukutani doesn't throw that hard at all. Mid 120s for the fastball? But he can locate it seems, pitching all low to Kanagawa before getting to chase a letter high fastball and ground to 1st.
1-2-3 inning. Good start for him too. Would like to see if he can continue locating.
Top 2nd
With the dead wind, Maruyama goes deep to right. Not deep enough though and Enoki has it in front of the wall.
2 outs and Tsuruoka Higashi continuing to put on the hits! Last batter Fukutani singles, and so does Tanabe with a soft liner to right. That gets a time out from Yamaki-kantoku.
Fujii grounds out to end the inning, but The Yamagata representatives draw first blood!
Bottom 2nd
Well, I see what Fukutani is trying to do, he hides the ball behind him to gain some extra time that he loses with his lower pitches.
And while he walks Nishimura after 2 quick outs, he strays too far from the bag and is picked off by Takemoto.
Top 3rd
Kakizaki going for the fences! Enoki going back.. leaps.. off the wall! He hustles and is all the way at 3rd!
One down and they put on the contact play! But it's right to Okada who rifles home and gets Kakizaki by a good margin.
That kills the chance for Tsuruoka Higashi, but there's some power to be had.
Bottom 3rd
Enoki with a ball to the right center field gap for a double! He's bunted over.
But there's no need! Takami blasts it to the other gap and that scores Enoki to tie the game at 1-1!
Top 4th
2 down and what is Fukutani doing at the bottom of the lineup! He hits one deep to right center for a double and he's 2-2 on the day!
Tanabe comebacker! Off the rubber! It pops up and out of the reach of the middle infield! That'll score Fukutani and a bad break gives Tsuruoka Higashi the lead back at 2-1!
Bottom 4th
Wow, that control that was there early in the game seems gone.
Fukutani walks Fujiwara, but after he's bailed out with a 4-6-3 double play, Tsujii singles to left, then he walks Nishimura and hits Enoki to load the bases!!
Okada grounds to short though and Fukutani slips out of that jam.
Top 5th
Change at P with #11 Nishisaka to relieve Tsujii. But he walks the first 2 batters and is immediately relieved by #11 Sawada.
Ajiki bunts, Kanagawa charging, throws.. SAFE! Ajiki beats it out! Manrui!
Maruyama chopper up the middle for a base hit! 1 run score and it's 3-1!
Kurokawa can't get the run in, grounds to short! They go home for 1 but can't get 2.
Takemoto also to the left side, but Kanagawa balks on where to go! He goes to 2nd, but it's way too late to get 2! Ajiki scores and it's 4-1!
Fukutani now 3-3 on the day! He singles to center and extends the lead to 5-1! as Tanabe grounds out to end the inning.
Bottom 5th
Takami with his 2nd hit of the day, a clean single through the right side. The #9 batters for both teams are 5-5 on the game!
After a sac bunt, Kanagawa singles through the left side and there's no throw home! Takami scores to make it 5-2.
And with 2 down Hotei drives one to the right center field gap! Kanagawa being waved around, scores all the way from 1st! Hotei slows into 2nd with an RBI double to make it 5-3 as we hit the break!
Top 7th
After a single by Maruyama and a failed bunt attempt, Tsuruoka Higashi gets 3 hits in a row, including another one from Fukutani.Those score 2 to make it 7-3. Toss in a sac fly and it's 9-3.
Bottom 7th
Only concern is for Fukutani, who is hit on the ankle by a comebacker for Takami. Tottori Jyouhoku does score a runwithout the benefit of a hit, but it's 9-4.
Bottom 8th
Hm. we might have a situation here. After a foulout, Fukutani walks Tsujii, hits Nishimura, and then gives up a double off the top of the fence to Enoki! One run in and 2 more waiting as #3 Kakiuchi hits for Sawada.
But he hits a fly to right. It gets one home, but they need more this late.
And turnabout is fair play! If Fukutani can't be perfect on the day, neither can Takami! He strikes him out looking to end the inning!
__________________________________________________
The game eventually ends with Tsuruoka Higashi winning 9-6. Once again a team's summer is over and it's players cry that their summer is over. But, they did fight for as long as they could, which given the score at one time is more than you could say for most teams. So a good job should be given to them for their work to get here.
As for Tsuruoka Higashi, I doubt the offensive outburst will continue, but even more importance is getting Fukutani right before the next game. That liner off his landing ankle definitely affected him near the end so it'll be important to get him comfortable on it without fear. Or else they may be in trouble.
Monday, August 10, 2015
Day 5, Game 3 - Ryuukoku (Saga) v Akita Shougyou (Akita)
Final game of the day puts one rural team up against another.
Akita Shougyou took their normal run through the relatively weak Akita prefecturals, yielding 6 of their 8 runs in the first game - perhaps when they were just getting some of their weaker players in. Even then they only batted 0.329.
Ryuukoku was challenged in the latter stages of the Saga taikai, having 3 1-run games in their last 4, including wins against Saga Shougyou and Karatsu Shougyou batting 0.335.
Akita Shougyou, having experience might be favored. But Akita's relative weakness may negate any advantage they have. Also, they had multiple good scoring opportunities in the game, but still only managed 3 runs.
Ryuukoku (Saga)
RF Ishibashi Yuuki
C Kawazoe Naoto
CF Koga Yuudai
1B Masuoka Hiroaki
SS Ejima Ryouta
3B Matsunaga Jyouji
LF Kitamura Sora
2B Hisano Jyunki
P Ikeda Tomohiro (#10)
Akita Shougyou (Akita)
CF Aida Kaito
SS Kusanagi Teruya
1B Takeda Yoshiki
3B Kominami Akira(?)
P Narita Tsubasa
2B Furuya Ryouhei
LF Narita Kazu
RF Konno Toui
C Kudou Kei
____________________________________________________________
14:35 - First pitch!
Top 1st
Huh, Narita is in the low 140s with the fastball. strikes out Ishibashi, strikes out Kawazoe.
Strikes out Koga, who couldn't check his swing. Strikes out the side...
Bottom 1st
Lots of K's.
Aida goes down swinging, so does Takeda after Kusanagi singles. Though Kusanagi steals 2nd on the K.
And that pays off! Kominami singles past Masuoka and that scores Kusanagi to make it 1-0!
Top 2nd
Finally something not a strikeout when Ejima draws a one-out walk. Even still he has 5 Ks through 2.
Top 3rd
Ryuukoku still can't get a hit, have now gotten baserunners via HBP now as well as a walk.
Bottom 3rd
Akita Shougyou isn't faring much better, though they are getting hits. Aida gets a 1-out single, but is picked off. And that kills any momentum.
Top 4th
Hard to get anything going when 9 of your 12 outs are Ks...
5th Inning
Hey, Ryuukoku got their first hit! Matsunaga puts one to the left side, Kusanagi runs it down, but can't get the throw over in time.
Wild pitch from Narita and that advances the runner!
Kitamura swings away! It's a single to right! Kono bobbles it! Matsunaga waved home, and he scores! Just that quickly we're all tied at 1-1!
2 down and Ishibashi with a ball to center! Aida charging in, dives... makes the catch!
Akita Shougyou's 5th goes quietly, and it's an interesting dynamic we have. Akita Shougyou can get hits, but Ikeda isn't breaking. Narita is striking out batters at a rate that is more than we've seen before, but Ryuukoku is making headway, making better and better contact.
Top 6th
One down and Koga gets jammed, but drops it into left for a base hit.
Masuoka is hitting, but right to Kominami, where it goes 5 hole! E5 and now Ryuukoku could take the lead!
Ejima can't do it, but does move the runners along with a grounder to 1st.
And Matsunaga chases a fastball away for the 3rd out!
Bottom 6th
Takeda gets a 1-out double just fair and out of Ishibashi's reach down the line.
But with 2 outs, Tokuyama-kantoku calls time.
Narita is walked. And Furuya is hit. It's manrui and the other Narita is up!
But after a swing and a miss #13 Takashima comes in to hit, and he's a righty! Was that Tokuyama-kantoku's plan all along? To face a lefty?
SANSHIN! Ikeda strikes him out anyways and the inning is over!
Top 7th
Kitamura with a leadoff walk. They bunt him over, and then try again, but Ikeda's bunt is popped up!
And with Ishibashi grounding to 1st, the leadoff walk is wasted!
Bottom 7th
Konno with a ball back up the middle! Ejima can't reach it! Gyakuten runner on base as Kudou bunts him over.
Aida chopper in front of the plate! Ikeda with it, throw to first, high! E1 and the inning continues!
And now he steals 2nd! Ryuukoku in trouble again!
Contact play! Kusanagi grounds to 2nd! Hisano goes home and the runner is out! 2 down!
But now Ikeda hits Takeda and it's manrui yet again for Kominami!
SANSHIN!!!!!!
Ikeda gets Kominami to swing over a slider and he can just stand there smarting as the game remains tied!
Top 8th
Ryuukoku may be losing momentum fast. 2 Ks to start the inning.
Masaoka grounds to short, double clutches, and the ball is way high off his hand! It goes out of play and the runner goes to 2nd! Is this the break they needed?
Nope! Ejima grounds to 2nd and the side is retired.
Bottom 8th
Ace Narita with a single up the middle! Furuya' bunt is popped up! Kawazoe chases after it, dives... and the contact with the ground pops the ball out!
And Furuya wastes no time! He lines one down the right field one for a double and once again Ryuuoku in a heap of trouble!
Sanshin! Shibata stumbles and he swings and misses!
SQUEEZE!!!! But Koyanagi can't get it! Narita is run down and there is 2 outs! Can IKKeda give Akita Shougyou the slip again?
NO! Kudou singles back up the middle! Furuya scores and it's 2-1!
Aida with a single past a diving Hisano and that'll score another. 3-1.
That's it for Ikeda. ace Yakabe comes in and he closes out the frame. But Ryuukoku tempted fate one too many times and now must find 2 runs in 3 outs.
Top 9th
Sadly, Ryuukoku goes down with 3 Ks to end the game. Can't really blame them after trying to hang on as long as they did.
Akita Shougyou advances, and the storyline will be Narita's 16Ks. But here's where I will write a bit about Ryuukoku.
Despite all the strikeouts early, they never gave up. They tried to find ways to get to Narita. And they were making progress. They tied up the game in the 5th even and created scoring opportunities thereafter.
Ikeda was certainly struggling in the 2nd half of the game.Akita Shougyou was creating real scoring opportunities and could easily have broken the game open. But each time in the 6th and 7th, he shut the door. But 3 times was one too many and the defense finally broke.
It's not a failure by any means. Ikeda left everything out there until he was finally relieved. There is no need to be disappointed. Sad? Sure, and that what we saw from Ikeda who was really inconsolable. But he should be proud of how he fought today. He went on when I bet a lot of pitchers would have folded.
He should be proud of how he performed today, but unfortunately that's how Koushien works. Hopefully he'll get to know that his efforts won't have gone unappreciated, even in loss.
Akita Shougyou took their normal run through the relatively weak Akita prefecturals, yielding 6 of their 8 runs in the first game - perhaps when they were just getting some of their weaker players in. Even then they only batted 0.329.
Ryuukoku was challenged in the latter stages of the Saga taikai, having 3 1-run games in their last 4, including wins against Saga Shougyou and Karatsu Shougyou batting 0.335.
Akita Shougyou, having experience might be favored. But Akita's relative weakness may negate any advantage they have. Also, they had multiple good scoring opportunities in the game, but still only managed 3 runs.
Ryuukoku (Saga)
RF Ishibashi Yuuki
C Kawazoe Naoto
CF Koga Yuudai
1B Masuoka Hiroaki
SS Ejima Ryouta
3B Matsunaga Jyouji
LF Kitamura Sora
2B Hisano Jyunki
P Ikeda Tomohiro (#10)
Akita Shougyou (Akita)
CF Aida Kaito
SS Kusanagi Teruya
1B Takeda Yoshiki
3B Kominami Akira(?)
P Narita Tsubasa
2B Furuya Ryouhei
LF Narita Kazu
RF Konno Toui
C Kudou Kei
____________________________________________________________
14:35 - First pitch!
Top 1st
Huh, Narita is in the low 140s with the fastball. strikes out Ishibashi, strikes out Kawazoe.
Strikes out Koga, who couldn't check his swing. Strikes out the side...
Bottom 1st
Lots of K's.
Aida goes down swinging, so does Takeda after Kusanagi singles. Though Kusanagi steals 2nd on the K.
And that pays off! Kominami singles past Masuoka and that scores Kusanagi to make it 1-0!
Top 2nd
Finally something not a strikeout when Ejima draws a one-out walk. Even still he has 5 Ks through 2.
Top 3rd
Ryuukoku still can't get a hit, have now gotten baserunners via HBP now as well as a walk.
Bottom 3rd
Akita Shougyou isn't faring much better, though they are getting hits. Aida gets a 1-out single, but is picked off. And that kills any momentum.
Top 4th
Hard to get anything going when 9 of your 12 outs are Ks...
5th Inning
Hey, Ryuukoku got their first hit! Matsunaga puts one to the left side, Kusanagi runs it down, but can't get the throw over in time.
Wild pitch from Narita and that advances the runner!
Kitamura swings away! It's a single to right! Kono bobbles it! Matsunaga waved home, and he scores! Just that quickly we're all tied at 1-1!
2 down and Ishibashi with a ball to center! Aida charging in, dives... makes the catch!
Akita Shougyou's 5th goes quietly, and it's an interesting dynamic we have. Akita Shougyou can get hits, but Ikeda isn't breaking. Narita is striking out batters at a rate that is more than we've seen before, but Ryuukoku is making headway, making better and better contact.
Top 6th
One down and Koga gets jammed, but drops it into left for a base hit.
Masuoka is hitting, but right to Kominami, where it goes 5 hole! E5 and now Ryuukoku could take the lead!
Ejima can't do it, but does move the runners along with a grounder to 1st.
And Matsunaga chases a fastball away for the 3rd out!
Bottom 6th
Takeda gets a 1-out double just fair and out of Ishibashi's reach down the line.
But with 2 outs, Tokuyama-kantoku calls time.
Narita is walked. And Furuya is hit. It's manrui and the other Narita is up!
But after a swing and a miss #13 Takashima comes in to hit, and he's a righty! Was that Tokuyama-kantoku's plan all along? To face a lefty?
SANSHIN! Ikeda strikes him out anyways and the inning is over!
Top 7th
Kitamura with a leadoff walk. They bunt him over, and then try again, but Ikeda's bunt is popped up!
And with Ishibashi grounding to 1st, the leadoff walk is wasted!
Bottom 7th
Konno with a ball back up the middle! Ejima can't reach it! Gyakuten runner on base as Kudou bunts him over.
Aida chopper in front of the plate! Ikeda with it, throw to first, high! E1 and the inning continues!
And now he steals 2nd! Ryuukoku in trouble again!
Contact play! Kusanagi grounds to 2nd! Hisano goes home and the runner is out! 2 down!
But now Ikeda hits Takeda and it's manrui yet again for Kominami!
SANSHIN!!!!!!
Ikeda gets Kominami to swing over a slider and he can just stand there smarting as the game remains tied!
Top 8th
Ryuukoku may be losing momentum fast. 2 Ks to start the inning.
Masaoka grounds to short, double clutches, and the ball is way high off his hand! It goes out of play and the runner goes to 2nd! Is this the break they needed?
Nope! Ejima grounds to 2nd and the side is retired.
Bottom 8th
Ace Narita with a single up the middle! Furuya' bunt is popped up! Kawazoe chases after it, dives... and the contact with the ground pops the ball out!
And Furuya wastes no time! He lines one down the right field one for a double and once again Ryuuoku in a heap of trouble!
Sanshin! Shibata stumbles and he swings and misses!
SQUEEZE!!!! But Koyanagi can't get it! Narita is run down and there is 2 outs! Can IKKeda give Akita Shougyou the slip again?
NO! Kudou singles back up the middle! Furuya scores and it's 2-1!
Aida with a single past a diving Hisano and that'll score another. 3-1.
That's it for Ikeda. ace Yakabe comes in and he closes out the frame. But Ryuukoku tempted fate one too many times and now must find 2 runs in 3 outs.
Top 9th
Sadly, Ryuukoku goes down with 3 Ks to end the game. Can't really blame them after trying to hang on as long as they did.
Akita Shougyou advances, and the storyline will be Narita's 16Ks. But here's where I will write a bit about Ryuukoku.
Despite all the strikeouts early, they never gave up. They tried to find ways to get to Narita. And they were making progress. They tied up the game in the 5th even and created scoring opportunities thereafter.
Ikeda was certainly struggling in the 2nd half of the game.Akita Shougyou was creating real scoring opportunities and could easily have broken the game open. But each time in the 6th and 7th, he shut the door. But 3 times was one too many and the defense finally broke.
It's not a failure by any means. Ikeda left everything out there until he was finally relieved. There is no need to be disappointed. Sad? Sure, and that what we saw from Ikeda who was really inconsolable. But he should be proud of how he fought today. He went on when I bet a lot of pitchers would have folded.
He should be proud of how he performed today, but unfortunately that's how Koushien works. Hopefully he'll get to know that his efforts won't have gone unappreciated, even in loss.
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