Aki Taikai Reacp-to-date - Tokai

Tokai is just about completed, with the urban Aichi to have their final games this weekend. All prefectures qualify 3 teams to the Super-Regional.

Shizuoka
Shizuoka wound up being fairly scratch - at least up until the semifinals.

Tokoha Tachibana had two straight scares in the prefecutrals beating Kakegawa Nishi in 10 innings, then needing 12 to defeat Iwata Higashi.  There was the possibility that they'd face their sister school Tokoha Kikugawa in the semfinals, but Gotenba Nishi actually quashed that in their first game.

In the end it wound up not being Gotenba Nishi, but Shizuoka Shougyou who also won 2 close affairs with a 6-5 win over Hamamatsu Shougyou then a 13-inning marathon over the aforementioned Gotenba Nishi.  And in that semifinal, Shizuoka Shougyou actually had a relative easier time winning 8-4 to secure a spot in the Super-Regional.

It actually wound up not being easy for any of the powerhouses early as on the other half Seisei and Shizuoka almost stumbled in their first game but made their way to the semifinals.  In that matchup Shizuoka would triumph with a 4-2 win, sending Seisei into a winner to Super-Regional game.  Sadly for Seisei, they would fall once again to Tokoha Tachibana 3-2 and be eliminated from contention.

And for the title and a bye, Shizuoka would win another extra inning affair with a 3-2 win in 11 innings.

Aichi
I won't even begin to say I understand how Aichi's Aki Taikai works.  52 teams qualified for the prefecturals.

There would be no repeat for Aikoudai Meiden though as they fell hard in the round of 16 to Touhou getting mercy ruled 12-3.  In fact, Touhou marched their way all to the final uncontested with their narrowest loss in the first round 5-0 to Komaki Minami!

As for the other half, Chuukyoudai Chuukyou seemed to be back on the rebound as they defeated Shigakukan and Aichi Keisei.  However, they were steamrolled in the semifinals by unknown Toyokawa 10-0 in just 6 innings!!  So they're sent to the 3rd place game to face Homare for the last bid.  Should be no trouble, but you never know...

Gifu
Oh man, I thought Aichi's qualification process was convoluted... Gifu's makes even less sense! Some regions have a semi-round robin where you don't face everyone, instead of separating groups into their own - appearing to make it even less equitable.

Despite all that, Oogaki Nichidai gained momentum in the prefecturals, culminating in a 4-0 win over unknown Gifu Seitoku Gakuen to claim their 6th title.

Shiritsu Gifu Shougyou didn't even make it to the prefecturals, and Kenritsu Gifu Shougyou narrowly lost to Seki Shoukou, who went on the 3rd place game defeating Gifu Kougyou 6-0.

Mie
Mie was totally controlled by Mie, with the only challenge in a win over Inabe Sougou Gakuen in the semifinals (they made a first inning run stick for the entire game).  Joining them in an automatic bid is Ise, who had some solid wins against Matsuzaka and Ise Kougyou, but like many couldn't keep up with Mie.

Not surprisingly, Inabe Sougou Gakuen took the 3rd place game easily against Tsuda Gakuen 9-1.