Friday, August 14, 2015

Day 9, Game 1 - Sendai Ikuei (Miyagi) v Takigawa Dai-ni (Hyogo)

The first game of the day sadly looks like a lopsided affair. Sendai Ikuei has watched as other title contenders have fallen by the wayside. Meanwhile, they annihilated Meihou in the 1st round 12-1 behind 20 hits. The pitching was not dominating behind ace Satou Sena, but could certainly be considered at least above average.

Takigawa Dai-ni on the other hand, struggled with Chuuetsu and was only able to win in the bottom of the 9th. The team did get 15 hits, but couldn't push the runs across. As for the pitching, Tomoi was far from dominating, yielding as many walks as Ks (4), and 11 hits in 8 innings.

With the draw falling the way it has though, there is a 2 in 3 chance they will have a tough matchup as either Kounan or Hanamaki Higashi may await. Otherwise, it's another soft matchup with Akita Shougyou.

Sendai Ikuei (Miyagi)
3B Satou Shouta
CF Aoki Reima
SS Hirasawa Taiga
C Gunji Yuuya
1B Sasaki Ryousuke
LF Kii Kaishuu
RF Sasaki Tooya
2B Yatsu Koudai
P Satou Sena

Takigawa Dai-ni (Hyogo)
CF Negoro Shouta
LF Ooshima Masato
3B Kawakita Akihiro
1B Tatehata Ryouta
SS Yuuki Takara
RF Aoki Eiji
2B Yamane Takahiro (#14)
C Shibamoto Yuuki
P Tomoi Hiroto

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09:30 - First Pitch!

Top 1st
One down and Aoki gets a bloop single just fair down the right field line.

Aoki then goes for 2nd during Hirasawa's AB and then he steals 3rd during Gunji's AB, however he can't get home as Gunji  grounds out to end the inning. Odd that they're more stealing bases than getting hits.

Bottom 1st
Negoro gets a leadoff hit against Sena, a hard hit ball to left for a single.

But they push it by having him steal 2nd, and Gunji guns him down.

Sena being worked early, with Takigawa working the count full twice. But it ends up a 1-2-3 inning as both Ooshima and Kawakami ground out to 2nd.

Top 2nd
Kii draws a leadoff walk and is bunted over.

Yatsu can't get the run in and so it'll be to the ace to help his own cause.

And he does! Tomoi misses high on his pitch and Sena softly singles to center scoring Kii! 1-0!

Bottom 2nd
Sena almost gets a quick 1-2-3 inning after retiring the first two in just 5 pitches. But he walks Aoki on 4 straight and has to throw extra pitches. Yamane fouls out to end the inning, but it could have been easier.

Top 3rd
Sendai Ikuei giving Tomoi an easy time of it it seems with swinging away early and often in counts.  9 pitches later, he has a 1-2-3 inning.

Bottom 3rd
Shibamoto leads off the 3rd directing a ball through the right side for a leadoff hit and is bunted over.

Negoto with a chipper up the middle. Sena leaps and the pal tips off the glove and higher into the air! Yatsu with it quickly and fires to 1st... just in time! Shibamoto advances to 3rd.

Ooshima comebacker right to Sena! Goes to 1st and the inning is over!

Top 4th
Ryousuke leads off the inning with a ball to left center! Ooshima and Negoro converge, but somehow it falls in! Both were not running as fast as I though they should and the ball falls in!

Now a wild pitch from Tomoi moves the runner to 3rd!

Kii scored the first run, now he drives in the run! It's a rip shot past the drawn in infield and Ryousuke scores! 2-0!

Tooya does his 2nd sac bunt, moving Kii to 2nd.

Yatsu with a screamer, but it's right to Kawakita for the 2nd out.

Tomoi could have gotten out of the inning, but instead he walks Sena on a pitch not even close and turns the lineup over!

And now Shouta singles through the left side! Kii goes to 3rd and holds up.  Aoki grounds out to short and 1 run is all they get.

Bottom 4th
Now Takigawa swinging at everything themselves. I can barely get ready for the inning when 5 pitches later, it's over!

Top 5th
Hirasawa with a drive to left! Aoki going back, going back... makes the catch with his back to the wall!

Gunji with a drive to left! Now it's Ooshima going back to the wall, but he pulls up!!

HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This time they don't miss! Gunji gives his team the 3-0 lead!

And now things start getting out of hand.

2 down, Kii singles through the left side. Another wild pitch from Tomoi moves him to 2nd. Then a walk.

Then Yatsu hits one hard off the wall for a double, and that scores both runners making it 6-0.

Sena gets a seeing eye single past Yamane, and Shouta rips one back past Tomoi.

And with that #18 Mori relieves Tomoi.

And then walks Aoki, meaning that Hirasawa gets to bat for a 2nd time.

He strikes out looking, but after holding on for 4 innings, Sendai Ikuei breaks through in big way.

Bottom 5th
Sena though not taking advantage of the lead, walks Aoki. And when he does his defense lets him down! Yamane hits a grounder to 1st, but Ryousuke boots the ball! All safe! And with Shibamoto moving the runners over they have a chance to cut the big deficit.

But they do a contact play! Mori hits it right to Shouta and he gets Aoki in a rundown! 2 out!

And Negoro flies out to center and the inning is over! A small scare for Sendai Ikuei, but at the break the game seems in hand.

Top 6th
It's a 1-2-3 inning for Mori, but Sendai Ikuei is more than happy to accelerate the game now.

Bottom 6th
Takigawa still hacking away, but its' an easy 3 outs for Sena.

Rest of game
I had/am having an emergency with my phone but in the meantime nothing really significant happens with the game. Takigawa Dai-ni avoids the shutout when Ooshims delivers a 2-out single to make it 7-1 and that's where the game ends. Nothing surprising other than it took a while for Sendai Ikuei to get started.

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