We have our champion in the Shikoku super-region, and it went pretty much as expected.
Kawanoe wasn't able to do much against Meitoku Gijyuku as ace Oonishi gave up just 6 hits while striking out 9 in a complete game shutout.
Over at the other semi, scrappy Mishima dug in against Kagawa Nishi. After a scoreless first 5 innings, Mishima tried in the 6th and 7th to get ahead of Kagawa with a singleton in each frame. But each time, Kagawa fought right back to level the score. And so it was until the 9th frame tied at 2-2 when last batter Yano delivered the sayonara hit to set up a rematch of the fall final against Meitoku.
In that original matchup, Kagawa Nishi was steamrolled by Meitoku Gijyuku 15-1.
And when it comes to the 2nd time around, especially with established teams, it's never as easy. Meitoku Gijyuku also decided to send their relief pitcher Fukunaga instead of their ace Omatsu.
While he was effective for the first 4 innings, he struggled in the 5th allowing 2 runners to reach. That prompted Mabuchi-kantoku to send up their ace Omatsu to try and shut things down.
However, cleanup batter Kobayashi would have none of it, delivering a timely 2-RBI hit in a 3-run inning.
Kagawa Nishi ace Utsunomiya would not let the opportunity slip by them and while he surrendered a run in the 6th inning, that would be all that he would give up. This was Kagawa Nishi's first ever spring title!
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