Yesterday was a mixed bag of games. You had a team finally complete a comeback win in Sakushin Gakuin, a closely contested match between Risshoudai Shounan and Moriokadai Fuzoku, records set by Toukou Gakuen's ace Matsui Yuuki, and the guilty blowout (sorry Kitsuki, I really wanted you to put up a good performance).
Today, we open the action with 2 teams who could be contenders to the title, and if nothing else are favorites to advance out of Block B - Urasoe Shougyou and Aikoudai Meiden.
Urasoe Shougyou is definitely more of the unknown quantity here in the matchup. Looking at their historical performance, they don't make it to Koushien as often as other schools, but they make their appearances count.
This year, they had 4 hotly contested games against Kounan, Kadena, a game Maehara squad, and finally Okinawa Shougaku to win their 4th ever summer title. In fact the total run differential between all 4 games was a mere 7 runs.
So carrying a 0.307 team batting average isn't necessarily as bad as it might seem. I don't have information on individual games, so I can't really key in on certain players to watch. As for the pitcher(s) on the mound, Miyara-kantoku uses a combination of ace Miyazato (who features a good curveball) and #10 Teruya (who can supposedly hit 150 kph) in all their games. It didn't work for Kitsuki, but no offense to Kitsuki, Urasoe Shougyou is no Kitsuki.
That's not to say the tandem doesn't have issues. Against Futenma, they gave up 7 runs. And in the final against Okinawa Shougaku they conceded 5 more runs. So it's certainly far from perfect.
And they'll be tested early as they face an Aikoudai Meiden squad looking to improve on the quarterfinal appearance in the spring when they faded late against runner-up Kousei Gakuin.
Meiden early on wound up drawing last year's Aichi representative, Shigakukan, and scored all their runs in the middle innings for an 8-5 win. After yet another scare against relative unknown Aichi Sangyoudai Kougyou, they eventually made it to the finals where they were 3 outs away from being eliminated by Touhou. That's when Touhou experienced an almost fatal self-destruction as they gave up both runs. The damage suffered would prove to be fatal 2 innings later, and thus Aikoudai Meiden finds themselves back at Koushien.
The offensive issues Meiden had in the spring still persist as they hit a sub-average 0.316. They'll need their 2-3-4 batters to step up and carry the squad as Hamada, though strong, may have issues with fatigue should they make a deep run.
Aikoudai Meiden (Aichi)
2B Kimura
3B Nakano
SS Satou
1B Torii
RF Matsuoka (#15)
LF Matsui
CF Araki
P Hamada
C Nakamura
Urasoe Shougyou (Okinawa)
1B Agarie
CH Ooshiro Rishuu
2B Touma
P Miyazato
C Iraha
LF Goya
RF Teruya (#10)
3B Kise
SS Uchima
__________________________________________________
9:01 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Meiden's batters are making contact on Miyazato's pitches, but aren't making solid hits. Kimura and Nakano both softly fly out to center, and Satou grounds out to 1st.
Bottom 1st
Hamada with a quick inning. First pitch groundout to Agarie, Rishuu goes down swinging on 4 pitches, and Touma hits a routine grounder back to Hamada.
Top 2nd
Much of the same for Miyazato. Torii, Matsuoka and Matsui all ground out to the left side of the infield.
Bottom 2nd
Miyazato with a drive to right center. Araki running back to the wall!!!
HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ace Miyazato gets a hold of a hanger and drives it opposite field for a home run! Urasoe Shougyou takes the 1-0 lead!
Now with one down Goya hits a hard single back up the middle. Hamada getting hit hard here in the 2nd.
Teruya with a swinging bunt up the 3rd base line, Nakano takes his time to get to the ball, and his throw is late... and high! It gets past Torii and now Goya takes 3rd!
Kise with the squeeze bunt! It's perfectly placed and Torii can only go to 1st! Goya scores to make it 2-0 Urashou!
Uchima fouls out to right field and the inning is over, but not before Urasoe Shougyou gets to Hamada for a pair of runs!
Top 3rd
After 2 more routine outs, last batter Nakamura gets Meiden's first hit on a ball back up the middle past Uchima into center.
Kimura though flies out to right as Teruya makes a leaping catch while jogging for the 3rd out. Meiden missing on making good contact with the ball.
Bottom 3rd
Agarie leads off the 3rd with a roller that shoots through the infield into right. Rishuu bunts him along for Touma.
Hamada's numbers haven't changed really - fastball in the mid-upper 130s, slider in the high 120s and a curve in the high 100-low 110s.
Touma with a routine grounder to short, but Satou misses the ball! Everyone's safe, and Miyazato's coming to bat!
He hits a slow chopper back to Hamada, and now Hamada misses fielding it! It deflects to the left side and by the time he can get to it everyone's safe!!
Iraha tries the squeeze on the 1-1 count, but pops it foul. He'll have to swing away... and goes down swinging on a high fastball for the 2nd out.
Goya with a drive to right center! Araki and Matsuoka running back to the wall, still running!!
It's off the fence and bounces back to the infield! Matsuoka gets the ball in, but not before Goya clears the bases on a triple, giving Urashou the 5-0 lead!!
Hamada finally ends the inning by jamming Teruya, but Hamada is getting killed on the mound. A 5-0 deficit for Meiden will be hard to make up, but they do have time.
Top 4th
Nakano with a bid for a base hit to the right side, but Touma makes the great diving stop and throws him out!
Satou manages to scoot one past Touma this time and into center for a hit.
Torii connects hard, but hits a liner right at Rishuu for the 2nd out.
Matsuoka bloops one to right allowing Satou to advance to 3rd. Miyara-kantoku calls for time.
Matsui with a hard grounder to short. Uchima makes a diving stop, but can't find the ball! He finds it, makes a snap throw to 1st... but it's over everyone!! Satou scores! Matsuoka scores on the play and Meiden's on the board at 5-2!
There's time on the field as Uchima got dirt in his eye and had to get it cleaned out. He sprints out squinting a bit, but otherwise fine.
Araki with a grounder to 1st, Agarie gathers it on a tricky hop and goes to the bag for the 3rd out. Meiden cuts into the deficit, but there's still work to do!
Bottom 4th
Hamada settles down, at least against the bottom of the order, quickly retiring the 8-9-1 batters in order which included 2 K's. Now if only he can do that against the heart of the order.
Top 5th
Hamada leads off with a solid single back up the middle. Miyara-kantoku decides this is a good time and switches pitchers sending Teruya to the mound and Miyazato to right.
Nakamura despite getting a hit in his last AB bunts, but Teruya fields it quickly and guns down Hamada at 2nd!
Kimura hits a ball back up the middle, but right at Uchima! He underhands to Touma who fires to 1st for the double play!
Bottom 5th
Well, that's a first. 2 down, Miyazato up, he swings and loses the bat! It flies and lands in front of the Meiden dugout. Miyazato goes to gather it , then goes back to his dugout and changes gloves.
And then goes down swinging on the next pitch... Hamada has 6 K's, but more importantly has given up 5 runs and his team trails heading into the break,
Top 6th
One down and Satou draws a walk. Then Torii drives one deep in the left center field gap! Goya and Rishuu converge on the ball , but it falls in behind them right in front of the wall! Satou scores all the way from first and Meiden gets another run back! It's 5-3!
Teruya's problems continue as he walks Matsuoka, putting the douten runner on base! Miyara-kantoku calls for time, as the momentum is starting to swing to Meiden.
Matsuoka takes off on the first pitch and Iraha's throw is late! Now a base hit could tie the game!
And it's a wild pitch! No! The umpire (rightly) claims a dead ball! While it's manrui, the wild pitch would have scored a run! Will it be a good break for Urashou?
Araki hits a fly to center, but it's too shallow and Torii can't tag up! Teruya about to get out of the jam!
But he hits Hamada on the first pitch! Oshidashi dead ball as Torii finally comes home to make it 5-4!
Last batter Nakamura up to try and get the douten and perhaps gyakuten runner in.
SANSHIN!!! Teruya blows a high 147 kph fastball by him for the 3rd out! Meiden gets another pair of runs, but still finds themselves behind Urashou!
Bottom 6th
Well that was an uneventful half inning. Hamada still isn't looking sharp, but at least he's missing in the right places. He gets an easy popup (as long as Araki and Matsuoka don't collide), and 2 routine grounders.
Top 7th
So Hamada has settled down, and Meiden has scored 2 pairs of runs. Do they at least have one more run left in them?
One down and Nakano singles just in front of Goya. Satou showing bunt, but not offering so far....
Instead he swings away and is jammed! He flies out to left for the 2nd out.
Torii gets way under one and pops it up! Touma has plenty of time and secure the ball for the 3rd out.
Bottom 7th
After a long AB that saw C Nakamura get hit by another foul ball, Kise draws a walk.
Uchima lays a hard drag bunt to 2nd, and no one is there! By the time Kimura is there to field it, everyone's safe! Big pinch for Hamada!
But Nakamura catches Kise way off base on a bunt play, throws to 2nd and Satou makes a great diving tag to get Kise out.
Agarie, behind 2-2, thows his bat at the ball and it manages to hit it towards 1st! Torii makes the tag, but it advances the runner.
Rishuu gets around on a ball and hits a ball to shallow right! Matsuoka charges in but can't get to it! Uchima comes home as the throw is cutoff and Urashou leads 6-4!
Rishuu is subsequently picked off, but they get the insurance run!
Top 8th
Teruya's control problems persist as he walks Matsuoka on 4 straight. Miyara-kantoku elects to bring Miyazato back onto the mound to get the final 6 outs.
Matsui showing bunt down 2 this late? He lays it down, but it dies right in front of the plate! Iraha is able to fire to 2nd and cut down Matsuoka!
Now Oofuji-kantoku sends in #9 Touda in to hit for Araki. But he grounds to 2nd. Touma makes a great flip to 2nd for the 2nd out.
It's up to Hamada who drives one to deep center! Rishuu running back, still running back... stops in front of the wall and makes the catch for the 3rd out! Hamada hits it to the deepest part of the park and it just falls short. Miyazato breathes a sigh of relief as the side is retired.
Bottom 8th
Touda stays in the game in center.
Iraha draws a 2-out walk, but that's inconsequential Hamada get the final out.
Top 9th
#9 Tamaki comes in for Teruya and takes over in RF as a defensive replacement.
Meiden finds themselves down to their last 3 outs again down 2 runs, much like the Aichi final.
Nakamura first pitch grounds to 3rd. Back to the top of the order and Kimura.
And on a full count, he drives the ball into the right center field gap for a double!
Nakano with a hard hit to right, but Tamaki is there for the catch. Kimura advances to 3rd, but what matters is the run at the plate as that is the douten run.
It's up to Satou to keep the game alive.
But two swings and he falls behind 1-2! Down to their last strike!
Ball in the dirt for ball 2... Satou hits one to left center, but it hangs up! Goya running over makes the sliding catch and that's the ballgame! Urasoe Shougyou does indeed show their strength here in the first game defeating ace Hamada and Aikoudai Meiden! They stand poised now to be the favorite to advance out of Block B.
As for Aikoudai Meiden they only have to look at themselves for this one. There were mental erros made early on that cost the team several runs. Because of that, Hamada's final summer ends as quickly as it started here at Koushien.
Notable Players
Miyazato Taiyuu (Urasoe Shougyou) - SV, 6 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 0 K, 0 BB
Goya Yoshihiro (Urasoe Shougyou) - 2-4, 3B, R, 3 RBI
Matsuoka Daisuke (Aikoudai Meiden) - 1-2, R, 2 BB, SB
Friday, August 10, 2012
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Day 2, Game 4 - Kitsuki (Oita) vs. Jyousou Gakuin (Ibaraki)
I don't know how the last game of the day will live up to the previous game. Though I suppose they'll try.
Kitsuki had a favorable draw in the Oita prefecturals, avoiding most of the tougher competition, and pulling ahead of Touin with 2 in the bottom of the 8th for their 1st ever title.
The team batted a neat 0.362 during the prefecturals while Abe Tomomi-kantoku used a combination of reliever Nagano and ace Shiotani to get the job done. Only Saga Kita has been successful in recent years using a pitching tandem, so it'll be interesting to see how they fare.
Jyousou Gakuin had two scares in their road to the title, both against former Koushien participants. They were down 3-0 to Fujishiro in the quarterfinals before scoring 6 unanswered in the final 3 innings to win 6-3. Then in the finals, they limited Suijyou to 3 hits en route to a 3-0 win. As a team, they batted 0.372 - but watch out for the 2-3-4 batters for Jyousou Gakuin. As for the pitching staff, Sasaki used a triumvirate of pitchers throughout the Ibaraki taikai, all of whom he was comfortable with.
As much as I like Kitsuki making it to Koushien, it'll be tough even to defeat Jyousou Gakuin.
Kitsuki (Oita)
LF Iwao
3B Satou
SS Kai
CF Shirai
1B Tanaka (#2)
2B Yano
C Kimoto (#12)
P Nagano (#3)
RF Sugiura
Jyousou Gakuin (Ibaraki)
CF Oozaki
RF Takashima
3B Uchida
C Sugimoto
LF Sakai
SS Yoshizawa
P Sugawara (#3)
2B Tayama
1B Ishii (#13)
__________________________________________________
16:26 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Iwao with a routine grounder to short, but Yoshizawa throws it wide and Iwao reaches safely! After a sac bunt, Kai is called out on a check swing the home plate umpire.
But then Sugawara creates his own jam by issuing Shirai and Tanaka back-to-back walks.
However, the patience they showed is wasted when Yano swings on the first pitch and grounds out to short to end the inning.
Bottom 1st
Oozaki hits a blooper down the left field line. Kai gives chase, but it's just out of his reach and Oozaki is in with a leadoff double!
Takashima lays the bunt down, and Nagano throws it back all the way to Hiroshima! Oozaki scores and Abe-kantoku's hope of being down 1 or 2 runs at the break looks shaky at best here in the 1st.
Uchida follow that up taking the ball the other way through into right.
And now a throwing error by Kimoto to 2nd allows both runners to advance.
Sugimoto follows Uchida's lead, singles to right and plates another run to make it a quick 2-0 lead. He then takes off for 2nd and on a slow curve makes it easily.
Nagano finally records his first out as he freezes Sakai on a curveball on the outside corner.
But the respite is short lived. Yoshizawa pokes one down the left field line for a double, plating 2 and making it 4-0.
Nagano makes a good play on the comebacker by Sugawara as he runs down Yoshizawa for the 2nd out.
Tayama grounds out to 2nd to end the inning, but it's about as bad as an opening inning could go for the first timers.
Top 2nd
Sugawara settles down after the shaky 1st inning and quickly retires the bottom of the Kitsuki lineup in order.
Bottom 2nd
Ishii hits a slow curve off Nagano's left ankle and into the gap at short for a base hit. He's bunted to 2nd.
Looking at today's starter Nagano, he doesn't throw particularly fast (mid-120s), and throws a <100 curve="curve" p="p" reguarly.="reguarly." slow="slow">
Anyways, he gets a harmless pop fly from Takashima and Uchida grounds to 3rd where Satou tags Ishii for the 3rd out.
Top 3rd
After Sugawara quickly retires Iwao, he struggles to find the zone and walks Satou. He still hasn't given up a hit yet.
Sugawara throws in the low 130's with a slider in the high 120s, a change in the high 110s and a curve in the low 110s.
He then proceeds to get Kai to hit into an inning ending 6-4-3 double play.
Bottom 3rd
Nagano plunks Sugimoto to start the inning and then when Kimoto tries to make a pickoff throw hits batter Sakai.
Ouch.
Sakai lays down the bunt and Kimoto's throw one hops 2nd, Kai can't handle it and everyone's safe.
Then Yoshizawa lays down bunt down the 1st base line, and a charging Tanaka whiffs on the ball! Nagano runs over, glove tosses the ball right over Yano who was covering 1st! Sugimoto scores to make it 5-0 on the error.
Abe-kantoku makes a pitching change sending ace Shioya Yuusuke to the mound to replace Nagano, whiles Tanaka and Kimoto switch positions.
It doesn't help as Sugawara drives a ball to the right center field gap for a bases-clearing triple. 7-0 now for Jyousou.
Tayama follows that up taking a ball the opposite way making it 8-0.
Ishii lasers one down the right field line all the way to the wall for a triple, 9-0.
Oozaki with a triple over Sugiura's head, 10-0.
Kitsuki gets its first out as Takashimag grounds out to short. Barring a DP, Jyousou will bat around here in the 3rd.
Uchida singles to right, 11-0.
And now Sugimoto is up again here in the 3rd. Wild pitch sends Uchida to 2nd. Sugimoto flies out to left for the 2nd out.
Sakai doubles into the right center gap to make it 12-0.
Yoshizawa singles past a diving Kai, 13-0.
And Abe-kantoku finally puts Shioya out of his misery. #10 Aoi Yuuta comes in to pitch.
No help. Sugawara hits one off the base of the right-center field wall, stops at 2nd. 14-0 and finally some mercy.
Tayama gets plunked. Oy.
Ishii flies out to left, and the inning is finally over. 15 batters and 10 runs later, the crushing 3rd inning is over...
Top 4th
If Jyousou knows what's good for them, they'll go station to station to save energy. Generally teams that put up large numbers tend to struggle in the next game. That doesn't mean swing badly, because that can equally hurt by creating bad habits.
Kitsuki goes down with 3 straight groundouts.
Bottom 4th
After Aoi records his first K, Takashima tries a safety bunt. Satou charges but bobbles the ball. Takashima then advances to 2nd on a subsequent wild pitch.
Uchida pops out to short, and Sugimoto fouls out. Aoi records a 1-2-3 inning, though perhaps Jyousou will try to control cruise the rest of the way.
Top 5th
Before the TV goes to break, it sounds like the Kitsuki oen-dan is playing Komdai Tomakomai's rally song from back in their title runs.
Wouldn't you know it, Aoi gives his team their first base hit with a grounder past Uchida into left.
Sugiura with a base hit to right! Aoi stops at 2nd as Takashima apparently has the ball slip from his hands and flies into left!
Now Iwao with a single over Yoshizawa into left! Aoi is going home! But Sakai's throw home gets Aoi by a good margin. Aw.
Satou grounds out to 3rd and the run of good feelings is over.
Bottom 5th
Aoi gets his first 1-2-3 inning and as they head to the break it looks like we'll be cruising to the end. Hopefully Kitsuki can avoid the shutout.
Top 6th
After a one out HBP on Shirai, he takes 2nd on a wild pitch from Sugawara.
However, neither Tanaka or Yano can drive in the run, and they remain shutout.
Bottom 6th
Not surprising, Aoi gets another 1-2-3 inning.
Top 7th
After Sugawara retires PH #13 Ogawa via the K, Sasaki-kantoku sends in #11 Iida for 1B Ishii and takes the hill with Sugawara heading to his numbered position at 1B.
And while Aoi is in mop-up duty, he does record his second hit, a comebacker past a diving Tayama.
Sugiura beats out the DP attempt after he grounds to 2nd. Iwao pops out to 2nd and there goes the lucky 7 for Kitsuki,
Bottom 7th
#14 Etou comes in for PH Ogawa and takes over at 1st.
Outside of an error by Satou, Aoi gets another scoreless inning on the board.
Top 8th
Defensive changes for Jyousou as #15 Shindou comes in for Uchida at 3B, and #11 Iida takes the hill.
But his stint isn't long as after he K's Satou, #10 Takimoto comes in to retire the next two hitters.
Bottom 8th
Aoi finishes his 5.2 innings of scoreless relief by facing 3 more than the minimum as he records his 3rd 1-2-3 inning.
Top 9th
Last chance for Kitsuki to prevent the shutout as ace number Itou takes the hill.
But after an error by Tayama allowing Yano to reach, Etou leaves Aoi on deck as he grounds into the game-ending 5-4-3 double play.
And so the last game of the day finished. Kitsuki should be praised for reaching Koushien, but sadly ran into a buzzsaw against Jyousou Gakuin. Still, they can at least say that for one year, they were the best team in Oita - and that can never be taken from them.
For Jyousou Gakuin, it was an easy game, but they must not get too lazy or else they could find themselves on the losing end sooner rather than later.
Kitsuki had a favorable draw in the Oita prefecturals, avoiding most of the tougher competition, and pulling ahead of Touin with 2 in the bottom of the 8th for their 1st ever title.
The team batted a neat 0.362 during the prefecturals while Abe Tomomi-kantoku used a combination of reliever Nagano and ace Shiotani to get the job done. Only Saga Kita has been successful in recent years using a pitching tandem, so it'll be interesting to see how they fare.
Jyousou Gakuin had two scares in their road to the title, both against former Koushien participants. They were down 3-0 to Fujishiro in the quarterfinals before scoring 6 unanswered in the final 3 innings to win 6-3. Then in the finals, they limited Suijyou to 3 hits en route to a 3-0 win. As a team, they batted 0.372 - but watch out for the 2-3-4 batters for Jyousou Gakuin. As for the pitching staff, Sasaki used a triumvirate of pitchers throughout the Ibaraki taikai, all of whom he was comfortable with.
As much as I like Kitsuki making it to Koushien, it'll be tough even to defeat Jyousou Gakuin.
Kitsuki (Oita)
LF Iwao
3B Satou
SS Kai
CF Shirai
1B Tanaka (#2)
2B Yano
C Kimoto (#12)
P Nagano (#3)
RF Sugiura
Jyousou Gakuin (Ibaraki)
CF Oozaki
RF Takashima
3B Uchida
C Sugimoto
LF Sakai
SS Yoshizawa
P Sugawara (#3)
2B Tayama
1B Ishii (#13)
__________________________________________________
16:26 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Iwao with a routine grounder to short, but Yoshizawa throws it wide and Iwao reaches safely! After a sac bunt, Kai is called out on a check swing the home plate umpire.
But then Sugawara creates his own jam by issuing Shirai and Tanaka back-to-back walks.
However, the patience they showed is wasted when Yano swings on the first pitch and grounds out to short to end the inning.
Bottom 1st
Oozaki hits a blooper down the left field line. Kai gives chase, but it's just out of his reach and Oozaki is in with a leadoff double!
Takashima lays the bunt down, and Nagano throws it back all the way to Hiroshima! Oozaki scores and Abe-kantoku's hope of being down 1 or 2 runs at the break looks shaky at best here in the 1st.
Uchida follow that up taking the ball the other way through into right.
And now a throwing error by Kimoto to 2nd allows both runners to advance.
Sugimoto follows Uchida's lead, singles to right and plates another run to make it a quick 2-0 lead. He then takes off for 2nd and on a slow curve makes it easily.
Nagano finally records his first out as he freezes Sakai on a curveball on the outside corner.
But the respite is short lived. Yoshizawa pokes one down the left field line for a double, plating 2 and making it 4-0.
Nagano makes a good play on the comebacker by Sugawara as he runs down Yoshizawa for the 2nd out.
Tayama grounds out to 2nd to end the inning, but it's about as bad as an opening inning could go for the first timers.
Top 2nd
Sugawara settles down after the shaky 1st inning and quickly retires the bottom of the Kitsuki lineup in order.
Bottom 2nd
Ishii hits a slow curve off Nagano's left ankle and into the gap at short for a base hit. He's bunted to 2nd.
Looking at today's starter Nagano, he doesn't throw particularly fast (mid-120s), and throws a <100 curve="curve" p="p" reguarly.="reguarly." slow="slow">
Anyways, he gets a harmless pop fly from Takashima and Uchida grounds to 3rd where Satou tags Ishii for the 3rd out.
Top 3rd
After Sugawara quickly retires Iwao, he struggles to find the zone and walks Satou. He still hasn't given up a hit yet.
Sugawara throws in the low 130's with a slider in the high 120s, a change in the high 110s and a curve in the low 110s.
He then proceeds to get Kai to hit into an inning ending 6-4-3 double play.
Bottom 3rd
Nagano plunks Sugimoto to start the inning and then when Kimoto tries to make a pickoff throw hits batter Sakai.
Ouch.
Sakai lays down the bunt and Kimoto's throw one hops 2nd, Kai can't handle it and everyone's safe.
Then Yoshizawa lays down bunt down the 1st base line, and a charging Tanaka whiffs on the ball! Nagano runs over, glove tosses the ball right over Yano who was covering 1st! Sugimoto scores to make it 5-0 on the error.
Abe-kantoku makes a pitching change sending ace Shioya Yuusuke to the mound to replace Nagano, whiles Tanaka and Kimoto switch positions.
It doesn't help as Sugawara drives a ball to the right center field gap for a bases-clearing triple. 7-0 now for Jyousou.
Tayama follows that up taking a ball the opposite way making it 8-0.
Ishii lasers one down the right field line all the way to the wall for a triple, 9-0.
Oozaki with a triple over Sugiura's head, 10-0.
Kitsuki gets its first out as Takashimag grounds out to short. Barring a DP, Jyousou will bat around here in the 3rd.
Uchida singles to right, 11-0.
And now Sugimoto is up again here in the 3rd. Wild pitch sends Uchida to 2nd. Sugimoto flies out to left for the 2nd out.
Sakai doubles into the right center gap to make it 12-0.
Yoshizawa singles past a diving Kai, 13-0.
And Abe-kantoku finally puts Shioya out of his misery. #10 Aoi Yuuta comes in to pitch.
No help. Sugawara hits one off the base of the right-center field wall, stops at 2nd. 14-0 and finally some mercy.
Tayama gets plunked. Oy.
Ishii flies out to left, and the inning is finally over. 15 batters and 10 runs later, the crushing 3rd inning is over...
Top 4th
If Jyousou knows what's good for them, they'll go station to station to save energy. Generally teams that put up large numbers tend to struggle in the next game. That doesn't mean swing badly, because that can equally hurt by creating bad habits.
Kitsuki goes down with 3 straight groundouts.
Bottom 4th
After Aoi records his first K, Takashima tries a safety bunt. Satou charges but bobbles the ball. Takashima then advances to 2nd on a subsequent wild pitch.
Uchida pops out to short, and Sugimoto fouls out. Aoi records a 1-2-3 inning, though perhaps Jyousou will try to control cruise the rest of the way.
Top 5th
Before the TV goes to break, it sounds like the Kitsuki oen-dan is playing Komdai Tomakomai's rally song from back in their title runs.
Wouldn't you know it, Aoi gives his team their first base hit with a grounder past Uchida into left.
Sugiura with a base hit to right! Aoi stops at 2nd as Takashima apparently has the ball slip from his hands and flies into left!
Now Iwao with a single over Yoshizawa into left! Aoi is going home! But Sakai's throw home gets Aoi by a good margin. Aw.
Satou grounds out to 3rd and the run of good feelings is over.
Bottom 5th
Aoi gets his first 1-2-3 inning and as they head to the break it looks like we'll be cruising to the end. Hopefully Kitsuki can avoid the shutout.
Top 6th
After a one out HBP on Shirai, he takes 2nd on a wild pitch from Sugawara.
However, neither Tanaka or Yano can drive in the run, and they remain shutout.
Bottom 6th
Not surprising, Aoi gets another 1-2-3 inning.
Top 7th
After Sugawara retires PH #13 Ogawa via the K, Sasaki-kantoku sends in #11 Iida for 1B Ishii and takes the hill with Sugawara heading to his numbered position at 1B.
And while Aoi is in mop-up duty, he does record his second hit, a comebacker past a diving Tayama.
Sugiura beats out the DP attempt after he grounds to 2nd. Iwao pops out to 2nd and there goes the lucky 7 for Kitsuki,
Bottom 7th
#14 Etou comes in for PH Ogawa and takes over at 1st.
Outside of an error by Satou, Aoi gets another scoreless inning on the board.
Top 8th
Defensive changes for Jyousou as #15 Shindou comes in for Uchida at 3B, and #11 Iida takes the hill.
But his stint isn't long as after he K's Satou, #10 Takimoto comes in to retire the next two hitters.
Bottom 8th
Aoi finishes his 5.2 innings of scoreless relief by facing 3 more than the minimum as he records his 3rd 1-2-3 inning.
Top 9th
Last chance for Kitsuki to prevent the shutout as ace number Itou takes the hill.
But after an error by Tayama allowing Yano to reach, Etou leaves Aoi on deck as he grounds into the game-ending 5-4-3 double play.
And so the last game of the day finished. Kitsuki should be praised for reaching Koushien, but sadly ran into a buzzsaw against Jyousou Gakuin. Still, they can at least say that for one year, they were the best team in Oita - and that can never be taken from them.
For Jyousou Gakuin, it was an easy game, but they must not get too lazy or else they could find themselves on the losing end sooner rather than later.
Day 2, Game 3 - Imabari Nishi (Ehime) vs. Toukou Gakuen (Kanagawa)
Our matinee game puts a team who has a lot of recent experience at Koushien versus one who has finally returned after several years off.
For Toukou Gakuen, they had a stretch of games where it looked like they may not advance. They barely got by Yokohama, then almost had a letdown against Hiratsuka Gakuen before putting away Touin Gakuen for the Kanagawa title.
Despite the tough competition, they batted 0.361 as a team. But the hits were spread out between the batters and so it's hard to say who to key on. On the mound, Noro-kantoku depends on ace Matsui to carry the team - and why not when he averages just about 13.5 K/9!!
As for Imabari Nishi, as a no-seed they were challenged all tournament but defeated both Saijyou and Saibi en route to the Ehime title. In addition, the team batted a paltry 0.249, pretty much poor on any standard. That means that Oono-kantoku will have to depend on ace Itou, though he did turn to Nakauchi in the final against Kawanoe.
To be honest, this doesn't look good for Imabari Nishi.
Imabari Nishi (Ehime)
2B Ikeuchi
RF Nakanishi
LF Kasazaki
3B Suehiro
SS Nakauchi
1B Tofuku
C Sogabe
P Itou Yuusaku
CF Watanabe Kenta
Toukou Gakuen (Kanagawa)
2B Suzuki Takumu
C Ukawa
RF Mizukai (#8)
LF Uekusa (#9)
CF Sakamoto (#15)
1B Tanaka
P Matsui
SS Take
3B Nakano
__________________________________________________
13:42 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Matsui not wasting any time, striking out Ikeuchi looking on 3 straight.
Nakanishi works the count full, but he too is frozen by a slider for Matsui's 2nd K in as many batters.
Kasazaki on the other hand, earns the first walk from Matsui, then advances on a passed ball from Ukawa.
However, Matsui rings up Suehiro on a 2-2 fastball and we have our first real ace on the mound.
Bottom 1st
After retiring the first 2 batters, Itou plunks Mikukai. Then Sogabe can't block a wild pitch and Mizukai advances to 2nd.
And another hit batter on a full count has Oono Yasuya-kantoku calling for time.
That brings up 1st year Sakamoto.
Eh??? Another dead ball and it's manrui for Toukou Gakuen!
Can Tanaka capitalize?
Well, first of all he at least takes the first pitch for a strike, but swings at the 2nd and lines out to left to get Itou out of the 1st inning jam!
Top 2nd
Oh wow. 4th K for Matsui as he gets Nakauchi on a change.
Oh, not fair. Another change freezes Toufuku and that's 5 K's! And Sogabe goes down on 3 straight...
Bottom 2nd
Hah, Toukou's oen-dan playing Keio Chance!
And after a struggle in the 1st, Itou retires the side in order, racking up 2 K's of his own - though certainly not as easy.
Top 3rd
Itou, leading off the inning, fights hard against Matsui, working the count full, but too strikes out swinging on a high fastball.
But then Matsui walks Kenta on 4 straight. All 9 batters have either walked or struck out.
Ikeuchi finally puts the ball into play with a ball to shallow center. Mizukai charges in, but can't make the sliding grab! But Kenta had to wait to the see what the ball did, and is forced out at 2nd.
Then Matsui catches Ikeuchi off 1st and he's run down 1-3-6 to end the inning. Still, it is impressive the run Matsui had to start the game.
Bottom 3rd
Takumu draws a 4-pitch walk to start the inning.
Now that the amazing start for Matsui is done, let's take a look at the aces, starting with Itou. He's your normal lefty who throws a fastball in the upper 120s-lower 130's with a slider in the low-mid 110's and maybe a change in the 100's.
The Toukou batters can't figure it out quite yet as Mizukai grounds to 2nd - though he does advance the runner.
Amazingly, Uekusa delivers Toukou's (and the game's!!) first hit as he lines one back up the middle, scoring Takumu to make it 1-0 Toukou!
The announcers say that Itou has a curve and forkball as well, but all slow.
Seems to work since Sakamoto waves and misses on a curve for the 3rd out. But in a bizarre game, we finally get our first hit and first run.
Top 4th
After falling behind Nakanishi 3-1, he comes back on a fastball outside to record his 8th K.
Matsui is achieving all this with a fastball in the mid-upper 140's, a slider in the 120s and curveball in the 110s
Kasazaki avoids being K #9 by grounding out to 2nd. At least he's making contact.
But Suehiro goes down swinging for the 2nd time on a curveball and that's 9 K's already...
Bottom 4th
Tanaka with a ball back up the middle, deflected off of Itou and to Ikeuchi, but he can't find the ball and Tanaka reaches safely. He advanced on two consecutive outs to 3rd leaving it to #9 batter Nakano to drive him in.
He won't get a chance to though as Itou walks him on 4 straight, flipping the lineup back to Takumu. Oono-kantoku calls for time.
Both pitchers are having trouble with control either missing the zone or perhaps getting squeezed by the umpire.
Takumu hits a blooper to center! Ikeuchi running out while Kenta and Nakanishi are charging in, but Ikeuchi overruns the ball and it falls in! Tanaka scores on the play and Toukou leads 2-0!
Oono-kantoku goes for a pitching change (and fielding changes).
Anyways, Ukawa hits a comebacker to new P Nakauchi to retire the side.
Top 5th
Imabari's bad offense is magnified against Matsui. He strikes out both Nakauchi and Toufuku for the 2nd time, while Sogabe avoids the same fate, but only by grounding out to 2nd.
Bottom 5th
Mizukai hits a slicing fly ball that's running away from new 2B Hiigaki, but he makes a great sliding grab.
Nakauchi appers to have a fastball in the upper 130s and a slider in the 120s. Uekusa grounds out to short, and Sakamoto would have ground out to 3rd if not for Suehiro missing on the pickup.
Tanaka hits what proabably could be called the 2nd well hit ball of the game, sending one back up the middle for a single.
Matsui with a well hit ball to right. Itou chasing the ball back towards the wall. Still going!!!
HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Matsui with yet another home run to right! That's more today than I've seen in the entirety of previous tournaments!!
Nevertheless Matsui's 3-run HR makes it a 5-0 ballgame!
And now Take is hit on a change from Nakauchi. The game has gotten away from Imabari Nishi in a heartbeat here in the bottom of the 5th.
Nakano goes down swinging to mercifully end the inning, but not before Toukou Gakuen takes a commanding 5-0 lead.
Up until the bottom of the 5th we had seen one pitcher with no hits and 11 K's, and the other with just 3 hits and 2 runs given up, yet was relieved. Now the leading pitcher delivers a 3-run homerun to RF - which is notorious for being hard to do.
It's been a rather weird game...
Top 6th
Itou, leading off the 6th, is doing what he did in his 1st AB, working the count and fouling off pitches. This time he's rewarded with a walk.
After 2 straight balls, Ukawa goes out to talk with Matsui. If there's one thing that can certainly short-circut Matsui, it's his apparent lack of control.
And now the no-hitter is gone! New 2B Hiigaki lines a ball back up past Takumu into center!
Ikeuchi with a grounder to short, Take tries to start the 6-4-3 double play, but Ikeuchi beats out the throw.
Nakanishi though still can't figure out Matsui as he goes down swinging on a slider for his 3rd K of the game (and Matsui's 12th).
But Kasazaki can't deliver the run-scoring hit, instead he becomes Matsui's baker's dozen. Whoo boy.
Bottom 6th
Nakauchi looked to have a 1-2-3 inning ready, but Mizukai wrecks that notion with a groundball under the diving glove of Suehiro.
Mizukai then steals 2nd on a 1-2 curve as Uekusa works the count full and draws the walk. 1st year Sakamoto steps in still hitless on the day.
And he still hitless as he grounds out to short to end the inning.
Top 7th
Suehiro becomes the 2nd player to K 3 times so far as he chases a high fastball.
Nakauchi becomes the 3rd as he helplessly watches a slider cross the plate for Matsui's 15 K.
Toufuku has a carbon copy of Suehiro's AB, ending with waving at a high fastball... and that's 16 K's...
Bottom 7th
#10 Ishigaki Atsuyuki comes in to pitch with a curve, slider and knuckleball. He enters in Toufuku's slot and takes the mound, Nakauchi goes to 1st, and #12 Ochi replaces Sogabe behind the plate.
Sadly, Ishigaki's first pitch hits Tanaka, though it probably was the knuckle.
Matsui hits a ball to short, but it's too slow to start the double play and so Ikeuchi goes to 1st.
Take then hits a ball back to Ishigaki and it's off his foot! It takes a bounce over Ikeuchi and into center! Tanaka scores to make it 6-0 as Take takes 2nd on the throw.
Nakano goes down swinging on the knuckleball and probably has the unfortunate honor of being the only player on Toukou's side to K 3 times.
Takumu flies out to center and outside of a bad luck play, Ishigaki would have had a scoreless inning.
Top 8th
Meanwhile, the K parade continues for Matsui. New C Ochi goes down swinging, Itou goes down for his 2nd K, adn Hiigaki can't avoid the mark as he watches a slider for strike 3.
Matsui has racked up 19 K's in 8 innings, which ties the record for most K's in a 9-innning regulation game at Koushien! (The record is 25, but was an enchousen game).
And he still has one inning to go!
Bottom 8th
Ukawa gets plunked by Ishigaki and is bunted over. Might as well practice I guess.
Uekusa with a grounder through the right side, and Ukawa is waved home. But Itou throws a strike home and guns down Ukawa for the 2nd out!
Sakamoto finally gets his first hit as he singles back up the middle.
Tanaka singles to left, Uekusa scores, they send Sakamoto (probably for practice) and he's thrown out easily 7-6-2 to end the inning.
Top 9th
The game is in hand, but the question is - will Matsui hit 20 K's and hold the 9-inning regulation record all alone?
Top of the order and captain Ikeuchi. He falls behind 1-2... ball outside.
He does it! Matsui Yuuki hits 20 K's and holds the record for most K's at Natsu Koushien for a 9-inning game!
#17 Yoshimoto comes in to PH, and he goes down on 3 straight watching a slider for the 3rd strike. 21 K's!
Kasazaki denies another 1-2-3 K inning by hitting a single to right.
But Suehiro earns the golden sombrero (or what do they call it in Japan??!!) as he K's for the 4th time to end the game.
It was a complete and utter domination of Imabari Nishi by Matsui Yuuki of Toukou Gakuen. About the only good thing you can say is that you were part of history - even if it was the wrong end.
But just think about it. 22 of the possible 27 outs were recorded via the K. 22!!
AND HE'S A 2ND YEAR!!
Even I can't fathom that.
Sure, his control could be his undoing - though at least when he missed, he missed big and in the right places.
For now though, he has his moment. It will certainly be in all the news broadcasts and in the newspapers. But enjoy it today, then focus on the next game tomorrow.
Imabari Nishi were certainly underdogs coming into this game, but I don't think they were expecting this. I wasn't. Hopefully this doesn't crush them but instead motivates them to work harder.
For Toukou Gakuen, they had a stretch of games where it looked like they may not advance. They barely got by Yokohama, then almost had a letdown against Hiratsuka Gakuen before putting away Touin Gakuen for the Kanagawa title.
Despite the tough competition, they batted 0.361 as a team. But the hits were spread out between the batters and so it's hard to say who to key on. On the mound, Noro-kantoku depends on ace Matsui to carry the team - and why not when he averages just about 13.5 K/9!!
As for Imabari Nishi, as a no-seed they were challenged all tournament but defeated both Saijyou and Saibi en route to the Ehime title. In addition, the team batted a paltry 0.249, pretty much poor on any standard. That means that Oono-kantoku will have to depend on ace Itou, though he did turn to Nakauchi in the final against Kawanoe.
To be honest, this doesn't look good for Imabari Nishi.
Imabari Nishi (Ehime)
2B Ikeuchi
RF Nakanishi
LF Kasazaki
3B Suehiro
SS Nakauchi
1B Tofuku
C Sogabe
P Itou Yuusaku
CF Watanabe Kenta
Toukou Gakuen (Kanagawa)
2B Suzuki Takumu
C Ukawa
RF Mizukai (#8)
LF Uekusa (#9)
CF Sakamoto (#15)
1B Tanaka
P Matsui
SS Take
3B Nakano
__________________________________________________
13:42 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Matsui not wasting any time, striking out Ikeuchi looking on 3 straight.
Nakanishi works the count full, but he too is frozen by a slider for Matsui's 2nd K in as many batters.
Kasazaki on the other hand, earns the first walk from Matsui, then advances on a passed ball from Ukawa.
However, Matsui rings up Suehiro on a 2-2 fastball and we have our first real ace on the mound.
Bottom 1st
After retiring the first 2 batters, Itou plunks Mikukai. Then Sogabe can't block a wild pitch and Mizukai advances to 2nd.
And another hit batter on a full count has Oono Yasuya-kantoku calling for time.
That brings up 1st year Sakamoto.
Eh??? Another dead ball and it's manrui for Toukou Gakuen!
Can Tanaka capitalize?
Well, first of all he at least takes the first pitch for a strike, but swings at the 2nd and lines out to left to get Itou out of the 1st inning jam!
Top 2nd
Oh wow. 4th K for Matsui as he gets Nakauchi on a change.
Oh, not fair. Another change freezes Toufuku and that's 5 K's! And Sogabe goes down on 3 straight...
That's 6 K's in 6 possible outs!!!
Bottom 2nd
Hah, Toukou's oen-dan playing Keio Chance!
And after a struggle in the 1st, Itou retires the side in order, racking up 2 K's of his own - though certainly not as easy.
Top 3rd
Itou, leading off the inning, fights hard against Matsui, working the count full, but too strikes out swinging on a high fastball.
But then Matsui walks Kenta on 4 straight. All 9 batters have either walked or struck out.
Ikeuchi finally puts the ball into play with a ball to shallow center. Mizukai charges in, but can't make the sliding grab! But Kenta had to wait to the see what the ball did, and is forced out at 2nd.
Then Matsui catches Ikeuchi off 1st and he's run down 1-3-6 to end the inning. Still, it is impressive the run Matsui had to start the game.
Bottom 3rd
Takumu draws a 4-pitch walk to start the inning.
Now that the amazing start for Matsui is done, let's take a look at the aces, starting with Itou. He's your normal lefty who throws a fastball in the upper 120s-lower 130's with a slider in the low-mid 110's and maybe a change in the 100's.
The Toukou batters can't figure it out quite yet as Mizukai grounds to 2nd - though he does advance the runner.
Amazingly, Uekusa delivers Toukou's (and the game's!!) first hit as he lines one back up the middle, scoring Takumu to make it 1-0 Toukou!
The announcers say that Itou has a curve and forkball as well, but all slow.
Seems to work since Sakamoto waves and misses on a curve for the 3rd out. But in a bizarre game, we finally get our first hit and first run.
Top 4th
After falling behind Nakanishi 3-1, he comes back on a fastball outside to record his 8th K.
Matsui is achieving all this with a fastball in the mid-upper 140's, a slider in the 120s and curveball in the 110s
Kasazaki avoids being K #9 by grounding out to 2nd. At least he's making contact.
But Suehiro goes down swinging for the 2nd time on a curveball and that's 9 K's already...
Bottom 4th
Tanaka with a ball back up the middle, deflected off of Itou and to Ikeuchi, but he can't find the ball and Tanaka reaches safely. He advanced on two consecutive outs to 3rd leaving it to #9 batter Nakano to drive him in.
He won't get a chance to though as Itou walks him on 4 straight, flipping the lineup back to Takumu. Oono-kantoku calls for time.
Both pitchers are having trouble with control either missing the zone or perhaps getting squeezed by the umpire.
Takumu hits a blooper to center! Ikeuchi running out while Kenta and Nakanishi are charging in, but Ikeuchi overruns the ball and it falls in! Tanaka scores on the play and Toukou leads 2-0!
Oono-kantoku goes for a pitching change (and fielding changes).
- Nakauchi goes from SS to P
- Itou goes from P to RF
- Nakanishi goes from RF to CF
- Takahashi Kenta leaves and is replaced by #14 Hiigaki and goes to 2B
- Ikeuchi goes from 2B to SS
Anyways, Ukawa hits a comebacker to new P Nakauchi to retire the side.
Top 5th
Imabari's bad offense is magnified against Matsui. He strikes out both Nakauchi and Toufuku for the 2nd time, while Sogabe avoids the same fate, but only by grounding out to 2nd.
Bottom 5th
Mizukai hits a slicing fly ball that's running away from new 2B Hiigaki, but he makes a great sliding grab.
Nakauchi appers to have a fastball in the upper 130s and a slider in the 120s. Uekusa grounds out to short, and Sakamoto would have ground out to 3rd if not for Suehiro missing on the pickup.
Tanaka hits what proabably could be called the 2nd well hit ball of the game, sending one back up the middle for a single.
Matsui with a well hit ball to right. Itou chasing the ball back towards the wall. Still going!!!
HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Matsui with yet another home run to right! That's more today than I've seen in the entirety of previous tournaments!!
Nevertheless Matsui's 3-run HR makes it a 5-0 ballgame!
And now Take is hit on a change from Nakauchi. The game has gotten away from Imabari Nishi in a heartbeat here in the bottom of the 5th.
Nakano goes down swinging to mercifully end the inning, but not before Toukou Gakuen takes a commanding 5-0 lead.
Up until the bottom of the 5th we had seen one pitcher with no hits and 11 K's, and the other with just 3 hits and 2 runs given up, yet was relieved. Now the leading pitcher delivers a 3-run homerun to RF - which is notorious for being hard to do.
It's been a rather weird game...
Top 6th
Itou, leading off the 6th, is doing what he did in his 1st AB, working the count and fouling off pitches. This time he's rewarded with a walk.
After 2 straight balls, Ukawa goes out to talk with Matsui. If there's one thing that can certainly short-circut Matsui, it's his apparent lack of control.
And now the no-hitter is gone! New 2B Hiigaki lines a ball back up past Takumu into center!
Ikeuchi with a grounder to short, Take tries to start the 6-4-3 double play, but Ikeuchi beats out the throw.
Nakanishi though still can't figure out Matsui as he goes down swinging on a slider for his 3rd K of the game (and Matsui's 12th).
But Kasazaki can't deliver the run-scoring hit, instead he becomes Matsui's baker's dozen. Whoo boy.
Bottom 6th
Nakauchi looked to have a 1-2-3 inning ready, but Mizukai wrecks that notion with a groundball under the diving glove of Suehiro.
Mizukai then steals 2nd on a 1-2 curve as Uekusa works the count full and draws the walk. 1st year Sakamoto steps in still hitless on the day.
And he still hitless as he grounds out to short to end the inning.
Top 7th
Suehiro becomes the 2nd player to K 3 times so far as he chases a high fastball.
Nakauchi becomes the 3rd as he helplessly watches a slider cross the plate for Matsui's 15 K.
Toufuku has a carbon copy of Suehiro's AB, ending with waving at a high fastball... and that's 16 K's...
Bottom 7th
#10 Ishigaki Atsuyuki comes in to pitch with a curve, slider and knuckleball. He enters in Toufuku's slot and takes the mound, Nakauchi goes to 1st, and #12 Ochi replaces Sogabe behind the plate.
Sadly, Ishigaki's first pitch hits Tanaka, though it probably was the knuckle.
Matsui hits a ball to short, but it's too slow to start the double play and so Ikeuchi goes to 1st.
Take then hits a ball back to Ishigaki and it's off his foot! It takes a bounce over Ikeuchi and into center! Tanaka scores to make it 6-0 as Take takes 2nd on the throw.
Nakano goes down swinging on the knuckleball and probably has the unfortunate honor of being the only player on Toukou's side to K 3 times.
Takumu flies out to center and outside of a bad luck play, Ishigaki would have had a scoreless inning.
Top 8th
Meanwhile, the K parade continues for Matsui. New C Ochi goes down swinging, Itou goes down for his 2nd K, adn Hiigaki can't avoid the mark as he watches a slider for strike 3.
Matsui has racked up 19 K's in 8 innings, which ties the record for most K's in a 9-innning regulation game at Koushien! (The record is 25, but was an enchousen game).
And he still has one inning to go!
Bottom 8th
Ukawa gets plunked by Ishigaki and is bunted over. Might as well practice I guess.
Uekusa with a grounder through the right side, and Ukawa is waved home. But Itou throws a strike home and guns down Ukawa for the 2nd out!
Sakamoto finally gets his first hit as he singles back up the middle.
Tanaka singles to left, Uekusa scores, they send Sakamoto (probably for practice) and he's thrown out easily 7-6-2 to end the inning.
Top 9th
The game is in hand, but the question is - will Matsui hit 20 K's and hold the 9-inning regulation record all alone?
Top of the order and captain Ikeuchi. He falls behind 1-2... ball outside.
He does it! Matsui Yuuki hits 20 K's and holds the record for most K's at Natsu Koushien for a 9-inning game!
#17 Yoshimoto comes in to PH, and he goes down on 3 straight watching a slider for the 3rd strike. 21 K's!
Kasazaki denies another 1-2-3 K inning by hitting a single to right.
But Suehiro earns the golden sombrero (or what do they call it in Japan??!!) as he K's for the 4th time to end the game.
It was a complete and utter domination of Imabari Nishi by Matsui Yuuki of Toukou Gakuen. About the only good thing you can say is that you were part of history - even if it was the wrong end.
But just think about it. 22 of the possible 27 outs were recorded via the K. 22!!
AND HE'S A 2ND YEAR!!
Even I can't fathom that.
Sure, his control could be his undoing - though at least when he missed, he missed big and in the right places.
For now though, he has his moment. It will certainly be in all the news broadcasts and in the newspapers. But enjoy it today, then focus on the next game tomorrow.
Imabari Nishi were certainly underdogs coming into this game, but I don't think they were expecting this. I wasn't. Hopefully this doesn't crush them but instead motivates them to work harder.
Day 2, Game 2 - Risshoudai Shounan (Shimane) vs. Moriokadai Fuzoku (Iwate)
Our brunch-time game features a school who had one of the more sadder, yet inspirational story and a school that denied many the ability to see arguably one of the better pitchers in action.
It seemed like it would be a given that Hanamaki Higashi would qualify out of Iwate and get back to Koushien, perhaps setting up a rematch of the two tall aces in Ootani and Fujinami. However, that was not to be as Moriokadai Fuzoku jumped all over Ootani in the final and held on for the 5-3 win.
The numbers look great - a 0.413 batting average and a pitching staff that allowed just 5 runs, but again it was predominantly against the weaker teams of the prefecture. Neverthelesss, look for Mochizuki and Satou to set the table for the offense, while ace Deguchi will probably be tasked with holding the opposition down for as long as he can.
The last time (and the only other time) Risshoudai Shounan was here, their kantoku had passed away in an accident and they had played that year for him. To compound things, several players got sick right before Koushien, forcing them to play with reserves and a shorter bench. Despite all that, they won two games and was a step away from the semifinals before running out of gas against Nihon Bunri.
This year, their run was no cheapie as they defeated Taisha, Kaisei and Iwamichisuikan in order for their 2nd Shimane title. Offensively, they batted a mere 0.306 with the bottom of the order producing more for the team, while ace Yamashita fatigued late - which doesn't bode well considering he doesn't strike out many batters to begin with (6 K/9) and Oota-kantoku did not go to anyone else for help.
The matchup appears to be a push as Risshoudai Shounan did defeat the tougher teams of their prefecture, while Moriokadai Fuzoku upset the heavy favorite in their prefecture for the title. Prefectural strength is also a push. So going to press, I have no favorite in this game.
Risshoudai Shounan (Shimane)
SS Ogawa
2B Kawasaki
C Shiromoto
LF Wanda
3B Watanabe
1B Yokoyama
RF Miyata
P Yamashita
CF Uda
Moriokadai Fuzoku (Iwate)
2B Chida
SS Mochizuki
CF Satou
3B Nihashi
RF Yagi
LF Fujita
1B Kobune
C Chiba
P Deguchi Shinkai
____________________________________________________________
10:29 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
After a lengthy AB, Ogawa draws the leadoff walk and is bunted along to 2nd for Shiromoto, and he further advances the runner with a grounder to 2nd leaving it to Wanda to drive him in.
But Deguchi jams him and he pops out to 2nd.
Bottom 1st
One down and Mochizuki singles to center. After a
Top 2nd
After two ground outs Miyata singles to left. However, he tries to steal 2nd during Yamashita's AB and is thrown out to end the inning.
Bottom 2nd
Fujita with a grounder to short see the throw get away from Ogawa! But Shiromoto is backing up the play and fires to 2nd where they get Fujita! Kobune is able to single to right, but despite stealing 2nd, Chiba flies to center to end the inning.
Top 3rd
Deguchi is settling down here in the 3rd, racking up 2 K's in a quick 1-2-3 inning
Bottom 3rd
Nothing doing here for Morioka as Mochizuki gets his 2nd hit, a 2-out single through the left side. That's all they'd get this inning.
Top 4th
Kawasaki starts off the inning with a leadoff walk, but jumps for 2nd too early and is run down.
2 down now for Risshoudai Shounan and Wanda drives a ball over Yagi's head! It one-hops to the padded wall and he's in with a double!
Watanabe with a drive to left! Fujita running back towards the foul pole...
HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The balls are leaving the park in droves here as Watanabe hits a gyakuten 2-run HR! Risshoudai Shounan leads 2-1!!
Yokoyama lines out to center to end the inning, but Watanabe HR put his team ahead!
Bottom 4th
One down for Moriokadai Fuzoku and Yagi reaches after a wild pitch on a strikeout. The control issues for Yamashita continue as he walks Fujita.
Kobune makes him pay! He slices one down the left field line scoring Yagi and tying the game at 2-2!!
Yamashita is able to retire the next two batters, but the control problems cost Risshoudai Shounan the lead!
Top 5th
Miyata with a routine grounder to 3rd, but Nihashi whiffs with the glove and the leadoff runner is on!
Yamashita with the bunt and Miyata tries to gun down the lead runner, but is late! All safe! Miyata makes 2 critical errors and the go-ahead run is in scoring position with no down!
Miyata returns the favor! He is caught leaping away from 2nd and Deguchi picks him off! One down!
Uda flies out to center and now there's 2 out for Risshoudai Shounan.
Ogawa grounds out to short. Mochizuki takes it to the bag at 2nd and they get out of the self-imposed jam.
Bottom 5th
Top of the order and Chida collects his first hit, a single through the right side. Mochizuki, despite being 2-2, lays down the sac bunt.
Satou advances the runner to 3rd, but at the expense of grounding out to 2nd. Nihashi will have to get the one-timer to give his team the lead.
He doesn't need to! Yamashita throws a wild pitch allowing Chida to score from 3rd! Another control problem costs Yamashita once again! It's 3-2 Morioka!
Nihashi pops out to Yokoyama in foul territory for the 3rd out, but self-inflicted mistakes are costing Risshoudai Shounan here in the 1st half of the game.
Top 6th
Now that I'm caught up after my computer inconveniently updated itself during the game, Deguchi features a slider, curve and forkball to go along with his mid-130's fastball.
Kawasaki starts the post-break action with a single to left. Deguchi is paying Kawasaki a lot of attention, and deservedly so as with Wanda up, he successfully takes 2nd.
But Wanda chases a high fastball and pops out to 2nd. That brings up Watanabe who hit the HR his last AB.
And now Deguchi throws the ball away on a pickoff throw to 2nd! The douten run is now 90 feet away!
But Deguchi gets Watanabe to chase a fastball away! He goes down swinging and leaves the tying run on base!
Bottom 6th
As for Yamashita, he has the same arsenal as Deguchi, just about 5-10 kph slower.
One down for Morioka and Ogawa lets a Fujita grounder go right through the wickets for an error.
Yamashita gets Kobune to ground to 2nd. And despite a double clutch from Ogawa, he completes the double play to end the inning.
Top 7th
The deficit is only 1, can Risshoudai Shounan find the douten run here in their half of the Lucky 7?
Yokoyama with a ball to 3rd, and Nihashi is caught between hops and is all turned around! The ball deflects off his glove as Yokoyama reaches on the error. On the sac bunt by Miyata, Deguchi things about 2nd, but goes for the sure out at 1st.
But he puts another runner on immediately on a dead ball to Yamashita.
Uda with a single to left! Yokoyama goes for home and Fujita's throw is up the 1st base line! We're tied at 3-3!! Runners are at the corners with just one down.
Ogawa goes for the squeeze, but he pops it up! Chiba easily fields it and the runners hold their positions. Safetly squeeze is that it appeared to be.
Kawasaki goes down swinging, but the ball gets by Chiba! He fumbles with the ball, but his throw to 1st is just in time to retire the side! But the Lucky 7 is indeed lucky for Risshoudai Shounan as they tie the game up!
Bottom 7th
But there's the home half of the 7th to deal with...
Chiba manages to work the count full, but has to defend the plate and grounds out to 2nd.
Deguchi is jammed, but manages to fist one over Ogawa for a base hit. Back to the top of the order and Chida. Yamashita leaves one a bit over the plate and Chida pulls it through the infield to right.
2 on now for Mochizuki - he won't be bunting here...
They getting a reliever warmed up, but Yamashita pumps 2 strikes to get ahead of Mochizuki. Yamashita finally retires him on a chopper to 1st. But now there's 2 runners in scoring position.
Good news is that Satou is up, and he's been 0-fer so far today.
And Satou hits a chopper to 3rd. Watanabe picks it up on the hop and makes the throw to 1st for the 3rd out! Yamashita keeps the game level with just 2 innings to go!
Top 8th
Oh boy.
Deguchi leaves a ball over the plate and Wanda just crushed it. I mean Yagi tried at the wall, but really he had no chance. It goes several rows deep into the seats despite a strong headwind! Rishhoudai Shounan takes a 4-3 lead late here in the 8th inning!
Deguchi manages to get the next couple of batters out, but his team will have to fight from behind yet again.
Bottom 8th
Nihashi gets things started with a single through the left side.
But Sekiguchi-kantoku elects not to bunt, and Yagi grounds into the 6-4-3 double play! Fujita flies out to right to end the inning and they'll be down to their final 3 outs to score 1 run.
Top 9th
If Deguchi can hold things here in the top half of the 9th.
Yamashita gets on base as his ball sneaks by Mochizuki's glove and into center. Uda grounds to 1st, advancing the insurance run to 2nd. If Ogawa can get a timely hit here, it might put the game out of reach.
Instead he lines out to right, and it's hold on time for Yamashita and the boys from Shimane.
Bottom 9th
It'll be up to the bottom third of the order to try and deliver for Moriokadai Fuzoku.
Fortunately, Kobune is 2-3 on the day, and as I write that, singles back up the middle. Chiba stands in, will they bunt?
Well, first of all, #18 Ishida comes in to run for Kobune. Chiba then lays down the bunt to advance Ishida to 2nd.
Deguchi grounds out to 2nd, but it's slow enought to bring the douten runner to 3rd.
It's all up to Chida, who has collected his 2 hits in his last 2 AB's.
HE DOES IT!!!
Chida takes a hanger from Yamashita and laces it to right, scoring Ishida and tying the game at 4-4!
Now Moriokadai Fuzoku can go for the sayonara run!
But Mochizuki can't deliver as he flies out to right and we have our first enchousen game of the tournament!
Top 10th
#15 Takahashi comes in for PR Ishida and takes over at 1st.
Kawasaki with a chopper to the left side, takes a high hop over Nihashi. Mochizuki snags it from the air and while the throw is high, Takahashi's height allows him to stretch up for the out!
After a quick out by Shiromoto, Wanda steps in.
And almost gives Risshoudai Shounan back the lead! Deguchi hangs another one, but this time Wanda pulls it just foul!
But Deguchi comes back to freeze Wanda for the 3rd out, and Morioka dodges a big scare.
Bottom 10th
3-4-5 batters for Moriokadai Fuzoku, but combined they've collected just 2 hits, and they both belong to Nihashi.
Satou remains without a hit as he grounds out to 3rd.
Nihashi is working it at the plate, fouling off several pitches before taking a close one to fill up the count. However, Yamashita gets him to ground out to short.
Yagi gets a hold of one, but Uda is able to run it down for the 3rd out. To the 11th we go.
Top 11th
Two quick outs for Deguchi, but Miyata is stubborn at the plate and after 9 pitches takes a borderline pitch for a ball and a walk.
However, Yamashita hits a swinging bunt right in front of the plate and Chiba throws him out to end the inning.
Bottom 11th
Deguchi seems to have found his second wind. What about Yamashita?
Well, the Morioka batters are making it easy as they are swinging early. Fujita first pitch grounds to 2nd. #13 Takada comes in to hit for Takahashi, but flies out to center.
And when Chiba grounds out to short on the 1st pitch, it's a 4 pitch inning for Yamashita - a great help here in extras.
Top 12th
Takada stays in the game in right, pushing Yagi to 1st.
Uda represents the go-ahead run as he takes one back up the middle. Ogawa immediately bunts him along into scoring position.
It's a race against time now with Wanda just 2 batters away.
But Kawasaki refuses to wait that long! He drives a ball down the right field line all the way to the wall! Takada runs it down, but not before Kawasaki has a triple! More importantly, Risshoudai Shounan has the lead here in the 12th!
Shiromoto with a hot shot to the left side! Nihashi catches the ball and beats Kawasaki to the bag for the double play!
BUT! Risshoudai Shounan is just 3 outs away from advancing!
Bottom 12th
Does Moriokadai Fuzoku have another rally left in them?
Deguchi first pitch grounds out to 2nd.
Chida gets his 4th hit with a grounder through to right. And Chida presses for 2! Throw in from Miyata... not in time! He just dives in there before the ball and now Morioka is threatening once again!
Can Mochizuki find the stroke from the beginning of the game?
NO!
Mochizuki lines out to 2nd and Chida is doubled off to end the game!
Moriokadai Fuzoku comes back twice, but can't muster a third rally in the 12th. Risshoudai Shounan survives the ordeal and advances to face Sakushin Gakuin!
The game was about as level as you could expect. The momentum constantly swung back and forth, and while it wasn't a clean game, it was an entertaining one nonetheless. Moriokadai Fuzoku has nothing to be ashamed about in their performance, while Risshoudai Shounan will have to rest up a bit before their next game as their spirit 3 years ago surfaces yet again in another hard fought contest.
It seemed like it would be a given that Hanamaki Higashi would qualify out of Iwate and get back to Koushien, perhaps setting up a rematch of the two tall aces in Ootani and Fujinami. However, that was not to be as Moriokadai Fuzoku jumped all over Ootani in the final and held on for the 5-3 win.
The numbers look great - a 0.413 batting average and a pitching staff that allowed just 5 runs, but again it was predominantly against the weaker teams of the prefecture. Neverthelesss, look for Mochizuki and Satou to set the table for the offense, while ace Deguchi will probably be tasked with holding the opposition down for as long as he can.
The last time (and the only other time) Risshoudai Shounan was here, their kantoku had passed away in an accident and they had played that year for him. To compound things, several players got sick right before Koushien, forcing them to play with reserves and a shorter bench. Despite all that, they won two games and was a step away from the semifinals before running out of gas against Nihon Bunri.
This year, their run was no cheapie as they defeated Taisha, Kaisei and Iwamichisuikan in order for their 2nd Shimane title. Offensively, they batted a mere 0.306 with the bottom of the order producing more for the team, while ace Yamashita fatigued late - which doesn't bode well considering he doesn't strike out many batters to begin with (6 K/9) and Oota-kantoku did not go to anyone else for help.
The matchup appears to be a push as Risshoudai Shounan did defeat the tougher teams of their prefecture, while Moriokadai Fuzoku upset the heavy favorite in their prefecture for the title. Prefectural strength is also a push. So going to press, I have no favorite in this game.
Risshoudai Shounan (Shimane)
SS Ogawa
2B Kawasaki
C Shiromoto
LF Wanda
3B Watanabe
1B Yokoyama
RF Miyata
P Yamashita
CF Uda
Moriokadai Fuzoku (Iwate)
2B Chida
SS Mochizuki
CF Satou
3B Nihashi
RF Yagi
LF Fujita
1B Kobune
C Chiba
P Deguchi Shinkai
____________________________________________________________
10:29 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
After a lengthy AB, Ogawa draws the leadoff walk and is bunted along to 2nd for Shiromoto, and he further advances the runner with a grounder to 2nd leaving it to Wanda to drive him in.
But Deguchi jams him and he pops out to 2nd.
Bottom 1st
One down and Mochizuki singles to center. After a
Top 2nd
After two ground outs Miyata singles to left. However, he tries to steal 2nd during Yamashita's AB and is thrown out to end the inning.
Bottom 2nd
Fujita with a grounder to short see the throw get away from Ogawa! But Shiromoto is backing up the play and fires to 2nd where they get Fujita! Kobune is able to single to right, but despite stealing 2nd, Chiba flies to center to end the inning.
Top 3rd
Deguchi is settling down here in the 3rd, racking up 2 K's in a quick 1-2-3 inning
Bottom 3rd
Nothing doing here for Morioka as Mochizuki gets his 2nd hit, a 2-out single through the left side. That's all they'd get this inning.
Top 4th
Kawasaki starts off the inning with a leadoff walk, but jumps for 2nd too early and is run down.
2 down now for Risshoudai Shounan and Wanda drives a ball over Yagi's head! It one-hops to the padded wall and he's in with a double!
Watanabe with a drive to left! Fujita running back towards the foul pole...
HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The balls are leaving the park in droves here as Watanabe hits a gyakuten 2-run HR! Risshoudai Shounan leads 2-1!!
Yokoyama lines out to center to end the inning, but Watanabe HR put his team ahead!
Bottom 4th
One down for Moriokadai Fuzoku and Yagi reaches after a wild pitch on a strikeout. The control issues for Yamashita continue as he walks Fujita.
Kobune makes him pay! He slices one down the left field line scoring Yagi and tying the game at 2-2!!
Yamashita is able to retire the next two batters, but the control problems cost Risshoudai Shounan the lead!
Top 5th
Miyata with a routine grounder to 3rd, but Nihashi whiffs with the glove and the leadoff runner is on!
Yamashita with the bunt and Miyata tries to gun down the lead runner, but is late! All safe! Miyata makes 2 critical errors and the go-ahead run is in scoring position with no down!
Miyata returns the favor! He is caught leaping away from 2nd and Deguchi picks him off! One down!
Uda flies out to center and now there's 2 out for Risshoudai Shounan.
Ogawa grounds out to short. Mochizuki takes it to the bag at 2nd and they get out of the self-imposed jam.
Bottom 5th
Top of the order and Chida collects his first hit, a single through the right side. Mochizuki, despite being 2-2, lays down the sac bunt.
Satou advances the runner to 3rd, but at the expense of grounding out to 2nd. Nihashi will have to get the one-timer to give his team the lead.
He doesn't need to! Yamashita throws a wild pitch allowing Chida to score from 3rd! Another control problem costs Yamashita once again! It's 3-2 Morioka!
Nihashi pops out to Yokoyama in foul territory for the 3rd out, but self-inflicted mistakes are costing Risshoudai Shounan here in the 1st half of the game.
Top 6th
Now that I'm caught up after my computer inconveniently updated itself during the game, Deguchi features a slider, curve and forkball to go along with his mid-130's fastball.
Kawasaki starts the post-break action with a single to left. Deguchi is paying Kawasaki a lot of attention, and deservedly so as with Wanda up, he successfully takes 2nd.
But Wanda chases a high fastball and pops out to 2nd. That brings up Watanabe who hit the HR his last AB.
And now Deguchi throws the ball away on a pickoff throw to 2nd! The douten run is now 90 feet away!
But Deguchi gets Watanabe to chase a fastball away! He goes down swinging and leaves the tying run on base!
Bottom 6th
As for Yamashita, he has the same arsenal as Deguchi, just about 5-10 kph slower.
One down for Morioka and Ogawa lets a Fujita grounder go right through the wickets for an error.
Yamashita gets Kobune to ground to 2nd. And despite a double clutch from Ogawa, he completes the double play to end the inning.
Top 7th
The deficit is only 1, can Risshoudai Shounan find the douten run here in their half of the Lucky 7?
Yokoyama with a ball to 3rd, and Nihashi is caught between hops and is all turned around! The ball deflects off his glove as Yokoyama reaches on the error. On the sac bunt by Miyata, Deguchi things about 2nd, but goes for the sure out at 1st.
But he puts another runner on immediately on a dead ball to Yamashita.
Uda with a single to left! Yokoyama goes for home and Fujita's throw is up the 1st base line! We're tied at 3-3!! Runners are at the corners with just one down.
Ogawa goes for the squeeze, but he pops it up! Chiba easily fields it and the runners hold their positions. Safetly squeeze is that it appeared to be.
Kawasaki goes down swinging, but the ball gets by Chiba! He fumbles with the ball, but his throw to 1st is just in time to retire the side! But the Lucky 7 is indeed lucky for Risshoudai Shounan as they tie the game up!
Bottom 7th
But there's the home half of the 7th to deal with...
Chiba manages to work the count full, but has to defend the plate and grounds out to 2nd.
Deguchi is jammed, but manages to fist one over Ogawa for a base hit. Back to the top of the order and Chida. Yamashita leaves one a bit over the plate and Chida pulls it through the infield to right.
2 on now for Mochizuki - he won't be bunting here...
They getting a reliever warmed up, but Yamashita pumps 2 strikes to get ahead of Mochizuki. Yamashita finally retires him on a chopper to 1st. But now there's 2 runners in scoring position.
Good news is that Satou is up, and he's been 0-fer so far today.
And Satou hits a chopper to 3rd. Watanabe picks it up on the hop and makes the throw to 1st for the 3rd out! Yamashita keeps the game level with just 2 innings to go!
Top 8th
Oh boy.
Deguchi leaves a ball over the plate and Wanda just crushed it. I mean Yagi tried at the wall, but really he had no chance. It goes several rows deep into the seats despite a strong headwind! Rishhoudai Shounan takes a 4-3 lead late here in the 8th inning!
Deguchi manages to get the next couple of batters out, but his team will have to fight from behind yet again.
Bottom 8th
Nihashi gets things started with a single through the left side.
But Sekiguchi-kantoku elects not to bunt, and Yagi grounds into the 6-4-3 double play! Fujita flies out to right to end the inning and they'll be down to their final 3 outs to score 1 run.
Top 9th
If Deguchi can hold things here in the top half of the 9th.
Yamashita gets on base as his ball sneaks by Mochizuki's glove and into center. Uda grounds to 1st, advancing the insurance run to 2nd. If Ogawa can get a timely hit here, it might put the game out of reach.
Instead he lines out to right, and it's hold on time for Yamashita and the boys from Shimane.
Bottom 9th
It'll be up to the bottom third of the order to try and deliver for Moriokadai Fuzoku.
Fortunately, Kobune is 2-3 on the day, and as I write that, singles back up the middle. Chiba stands in, will they bunt?
Well, first of all, #18 Ishida comes in to run for Kobune. Chiba then lays down the bunt to advance Ishida to 2nd.
Deguchi grounds out to 2nd, but it's slow enought to bring the douten runner to 3rd.
It's all up to Chida, who has collected his 2 hits in his last 2 AB's.
HE DOES IT!!!
Chida takes a hanger from Yamashita and laces it to right, scoring Ishida and tying the game at 4-4!
Now Moriokadai Fuzoku can go for the sayonara run!
But Mochizuki can't deliver as he flies out to right and we have our first enchousen game of the tournament!
Top 10th
#15 Takahashi comes in for PR Ishida and takes over at 1st.
Kawasaki with a chopper to the left side, takes a high hop over Nihashi. Mochizuki snags it from the air and while the throw is high, Takahashi's height allows him to stretch up for the out!
After a quick out by Shiromoto, Wanda steps in.
And almost gives Risshoudai Shounan back the lead! Deguchi hangs another one, but this time Wanda pulls it just foul!
But Deguchi comes back to freeze Wanda for the 3rd out, and Morioka dodges a big scare.
Bottom 10th
3-4-5 batters for Moriokadai Fuzoku, but combined they've collected just 2 hits, and they both belong to Nihashi.
Satou remains without a hit as he grounds out to 3rd.
Nihashi is working it at the plate, fouling off several pitches before taking a close one to fill up the count. However, Yamashita gets him to ground out to short.
Yagi gets a hold of one, but Uda is able to run it down for the 3rd out. To the 11th we go.
Top 11th
Two quick outs for Deguchi, but Miyata is stubborn at the plate and after 9 pitches takes a borderline pitch for a ball and a walk.
However, Yamashita hits a swinging bunt right in front of the plate and Chiba throws him out to end the inning.
Bottom 11th
Deguchi seems to have found his second wind. What about Yamashita?
Well, the Morioka batters are making it easy as they are swinging early. Fujita first pitch grounds to 2nd. #13 Takada comes in to hit for Takahashi, but flies out to center.
And when Chiba grounds out to short on the 1st pitch, it's a 4 pitch inning for Yamashita - a great help here in extras.
Top 12th
Takada stays in the game in right, pushing Yagi to 1st.
Uda represents the go-ahead run as he takes one back up the middle. Ogawa immediately bunts him along into scoring position.
It's a race against time now with Wanda just 2 batters away.
But Kawasaki refuses to wait that long! He drives a ball down the right field line all the way to the wall! Takada runs it down, but not before Kawasaki has a triple! More importantly, Risshoudai Shounan has the lead here in the 12th!
Shiromoto with a hot shot to the left side! Nihashi catches the ball and beats Kawasaki to the bag for the double play!
BUT! Risshoudai Shounan is just 3 outs away from advancing!
Bottom 12th
Does Moriokadai Fuzoku have another rally left in them?
Deguchi first pitch grounds out to 2nd.
Chida gets his 4th hit with a grounder through to right. And Chida presses for 2! Throw in from Miyata... not in time! He just dives in there before the ball and now Morioka is threatening once again!
Can Mochizuki find the stroke from the beginning of the game?
NO!
Mochizuki lines out to 2nd and Chida is doubled off to end the game!
Moriokadai Fuzoku comes back twice, but can't muster a third rally in the 12th. Risshoudai Shounan survives the ordeal and advances to face Sakushin Gakuin!
The game was about as level as you could expect. The momentum constantly swung back and forth, and while it wasn't a clean game, it was an entertaining one nonetheless. Moriokadai Fuzoku has nothing to be ashamed about in their performance, while Risshoudai Shounan will have to rest up a bit before their next game as their spirit 3 years ago surfaces yet again in another hard fought contest.
Day 2, Game 1 - Sakushin Gakuin (Tochigi) vs. Saku Chousei (Nagano)
Day 1 was filled with games that I had kind of expected - nothing spectacular (especially on the mound), and somewhat competitive. With so few very experienced teams in the field, there will be a lot of unknown matchups. If I had actually handicapped the first 3 games so far, I'd be 2-1 (correct on Sendai Ikuei and Iidzuka and wrong on Tokoha Tachibana).
Starting off Day 2 may be a bit more of a lopsided matchup as Best 4 finalist Sakushin Gakuin will face Nagano representative Saku Chousei.
Now, Sakushin Gakuin isn't like other national powerhouses in that they can't reload as quickly as say Nichidai-san. However, they were able to turn around and not only reach senbatsu the following year, but Natsu Koushien as well. This is in part thanks to a weaker prefecture than others, as well as only facing one notable team in Bunsei Geidai Fuzoku. The offense recorded a remarkable 0.398 batting average spread across a good part of the team. Perhaps one person to key on will be leadoff batter Ishii.
Interestingly, Sakushin did not primarily use their ace number Ootani. Instead, they went to #10 Tsutsui and #18 Mizunuma. I don't know if Ootani is injured, but it seems rather curious.
Saku Chousei was no slouch in their prefecturals either as they were not challenged at all on their way to the Nagano title posting an equally impressive 0.383 batting average while defeating such teams as Tokyo Shidai Shiojiri, Maruko Shigakukan and Matsumoto Dai-ichi. The key will be the top of the order and batters Minamisawa and Morii.
On the mound, Fujiwara-kantoku used ace Gomi when it really mattered, though he wasn't afraid to use his bullpen for the early round games. #10 Shiogawa was trusted the most in later games, while #11 Hosoya was used in earlier rounds.
Taking results and prefectural strength into consideration, this should give Sakushin Gakuin an advantage in the match-up. However, the fact that the ace isn't available for some reason is cause for concern. The only other time I remember that being the case, the ace was either injured or wasn't very good...
Sakushin Gakuin (Tochigi)
SS Ishii
LF Tsuruta
RF Shinohara
C Takayama
1B Yamashita (#13)
CF Fuse
3B Takashima
2B Yamanashi
P Tsutsui (#10)
Saku Chousei (Nagano)
SS Kamishima
CF Minamisawa
RF Morii
3B Terao
1B Itagaki
LF Ogawa (#17)
2B Yanagizawa
C Shishido
P Gomi
__________________________________________________
09:01 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Trying to catch up on the game so far, Shinohara does get a 2-out single for Sakushin but is quickly left on base when cleanup batter Takayama grounds to short.
Bottom 1st
Tsutsui gets Kamishima swinging to lead off the inning, but the ball gets away from Takayama and Kamishima reaches safely! He's bunted to 2nd and moves to 3rd on a grounder to 1st.
And for Saku Chousei, their cleanup batter delivers! Terao gets around on one and singles to left, scoring Kamishima! Saku Chousei leads 1-0!
Itagaki with a drive to right! Shinohara sprinting back, but it's over his leaping attempt! The throw home is weak and now Saku Chousei quickly gets ahead 2-0!!
Ogawa delivers the 3rd straight solid hit as he lines one down the left field line! That's for another double and it's now 3-0!
Yanagizawa lines out to right to end the inning, but like the first two games yesterday, a team gets out to a quick lead! Can Sakushin come back when the others failed?
Top 2nd
Nothing so far, as once again Sakushin gets a 2-out single - this time from Takashima. But again, the next batter is retired and the story continues.
Bottom 2nd
After retiring the first 2 batters easily, Tsutsui struggles with the top of the lineup, yielding back-to-back hits to left.
Fortuntely, Tsutsui gets a dribbler back to him from Morii to end the inning without any damage.
Top 3rd
According to the announcers, Gomi carries a splitter, slider, curve and slow curve to match his mid 130's fastball.
After getting ahead of ace Tsutsui 1-2, he winds up walking him. But top of the order and Ishii watches a curve fall over the plate for strike 3.
Two down and Shinohara delivers a base hit that trickles into right! Tsutsui tries to press for 3rd, but Morii makes a good throw and easily nails him for the 3rd out.
Bottom 3rd
Grounder to 3rd by Terao is bobbled by Takashima and then he loops the throw to 1st which gets by Yamashita allowing Ogawa to get to 2nd. After a fly moves him to 3rd, Ogawa delivers a single to center to give Saku Chousei a 4-0 lead!
Now they press as Ogawa steals 2nd! Takayama's throw is short and goes into center! The game appears to be quickly getting away from Sakushin Gakuin in the early going.
But Ogawa goes on contact and Yanagizawa's ball to short means that Ogawa is thrown out at home. They try to regain momentum by stealing 2nd again, but Shishido grounds to 1st to end the inning.
Top 4th
Takayama is trying to get the Sakushin offense going as he takes one the other way down the right field line for a double.
And now Takayama makes a running mistake going on contact! Yamashita grounds back to Kamishima who starts the rundown! But in a lucky break, Terao's throw back to 2nd is low and it gets by Yanagizawa!
Fuse with a slicer to right center! Minamizawa trying to run it down, can't make the catch! The runners had to hold up and they can only advance one base! But it's now manrui now for Takashima as time is called.
Takashima hits a soft grounder to 2nd, but Yanagizawa for some reason can't field it cleanly! They're only able to get Fuse at 2nd as Sakushin gets on the board at 4-1.
Yamanashi with a liner into the right center field gap splits the outfielders! The ball goes all the way to the wall as Yamanashi 2-RBI triple pulls Sakuishin within 1 at 4-3!!
And it looks like they'll go to the bullpen as #3 Wakui hits for Tsutsui. Unfortunately the gamble doesn't pay off as he bunts one back to Gomi.
Ishii fouls out to end the inning, but an offensive outburst puts Sakushin within striking distance!
Bottom 4th
As expected, #18 Mizunuma comes in to pitch.
It appears that Mizunuma can throw in the low-mid 130's with a slider about 6-7 kph slower, a curve and a slow curve.
And he immediately shuts down the Saku Chousei offense, retiring the side quickly in order, putting his team back on the sticks to find the douten run.
Top 5th
One down, Shinohara collects his 3rd hit of the game, lacing a ball to right.
However, he's quickly wiped out as Takayama grounds into the inning ending 4-6-3 double play.
Bottom 5th
Takashima having issues with throwing the ball as he puts one high to 1st. Yamashita snags it and makes the swipe tag on Morii for the first out.
Mizunuma is looking really good on the mound, hitting the spots called for as Terao is finall retired on a shuuto just on the outside corner.
A slow roller to short would have ended the inning, but Ishii whiffs on the ball and the inning continues.
Now another grounder should end the inning, but Takashima's throw is right into the ground and it goes past Yamashita. Now there's runners on 2nd and 3rd when Mizunuma should have been out of the inning.
Yanagizawa tests Yamanashi at 2nd, but he makes the play for the 3rd out. Sakushin Gakuin gets out of their own jam with no damage and as they head to the break they trail by 1... though it could have been much, much worse...
And if they want to make a comeback, the defense will have to shape up quite a bit.
Top 6th
It can't be the infield that's causing the errors as Kamishima can't field a routine grounder by Yamashita!
And instead of a bunt, they're going for the hit-and-run as the pitch is fouled off by Fuse.
Now they try the bunt, but it hits Fuse for the 2nd strike. He has to swing away and hits a hard ball to Yanagizawa. He blocks the ball and gets the lead runner.
Looks like Kobari-kantoku has had enough of Takashima at 3rd and puts in #16 Yoshida Koudai to hit for him.
And he hits a high ball to right. Morii is running back, still running back. Pulls up!
HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yoshida with the daida gyakuten 2-run HR and the Kobari-kantoku's move pays off! Sakushin Gakuin takes their first lead here right after the break 6-5! They're the first team to actually take the lead after falling behind!!
Gomi retires the next two batters, but the damage is done. He has relinquished the lead here in the 6th.
Bottom 6th
#14 Asano comes in for PH Yoshida and takes over at 3rd.
One down and #13 Terunuma comes in to hit for Gomi so his day is done.
And now Teranuma drives one to deep right center! Fuse runs back to the wall as the ball bounces off the padding! He's in with a double!
However on two straight pitches Mizunuma retires Kamishima and Minamizawa to end the threat.
Top 7th
#10 Shiokawa is in to relieve Gomi and promptly walks Ishii on 4 straight. No bunting for Kobari-kantoku and Tsuruta singles through the right side. That puts runners at 1st and 2nd for Shinohara who already has 3 hits on the day. This with Shiokawa in, who seems to be struggling a bit here to start.
OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Shinohara crushes a ball to right! Morii runs back, but quickly gives up as the ball leaves the yard! He collects his 4th hit with a bang! His 3-run HR gives Sakushin Gakuin a 8-4 lead!
Now Takayama drives one to right center! That's all the way to the wall and Takayama makes 3rd easily!
#11 Hosoya is warming up as Yamashita drives one to center! Minamizawa gets under it, but it's deep enough to score Takayama to make it 9-4!
Shiokawa manages to retire the next two batters, but the gamble by Fujiwara-kantoku does not pay off as Sakushin jumps all over the reliever to make it a 5-run ballgame.
Bottom 7th
What's this??!! Morii swings on a Mizunuma slow curve and drives it to left! Tsuruta at the wall...
HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now it's Mizunuma's turn to give one up as Morii connects for a solo HR to make it 9-5!
Terao then attacks the first pitch and lines it to right for another hit! Is Mizunuma tiring already?? Not yet it seems as he jams Itagaki induing a fly to center.
Ogawa hits a foul fly and new 3B Asano makes a nice catch at the bullpen for the 2nd out. And a groundout by Yanagizawa ends the Lucky 7 for Saku Chousei, leaving them still trailing by 4.
Top 8th
#7 Oohara comes in to play LF for Ogawa.
Shiokawa has settled down nicely, and strikes out the side, but I bet Fujiwara-kantoku is wondering where that was in the 7th...
Bottom 8th
After a K to Shishido, #16 Yokoyama hits for Shiokawa meaning that Hosoya will pitch the 9th. But Yokoyama strikes out too.
Kamishima with a hot liner back to Mizunuma and he knocks it up in the air. He calmly fields it and makes the 3rd out.
Top 9th
#11 Hosoya does come in the game to pitch the 9th.
One down, and Hosoya hits Shinohara who was 4-4 on the day. But the inning ends when Takayama grounds into his 2nd DP of the day.
Bottom 9th
No harm though as Sakushin Gakuin is 3 outs away from advancing.
Minamizawa with a chopper to 3rd, but Asano in there this time makes the play. Morii quickly swings and pops out to Takayama.
Terao swings on the first pitch and grounds out to short to end the game! Sakushin Gakuin is the first team this tournament to come back from behind to win the game! Thanks to some timely hitting and rare HR's to right field, they take the lead and pull away for a 9-5 win.
It was definitely scary for last year's best 4 team, but they managed to pull it off here on day 2. The defense, especially on the left side is suspect, and will need to be shored up before next game if they want to increase their chances of advancing further.
As for Saku Chousei, they were able to get out to an early lead, but the pitching couldn't hold it for the rest of the game, and the pitching depth just wasn't there to match Sakushin Gakuin. As a result their summer ends early here on day 2.
Starting off Day 2 may be a bit more of a lopsided matchup as Best 4 finalist Sakushin Gakuin will face Nagano representative Saku Chousei.
Now, Sakushin Gakuin isn't like other national powerhouses in that they can't reload as quickly as say Nichidai-san. However, they were able to turn around and not only reach senbatsu the following year, but Natsu Koushien as well. This is in part thanks to a weaker prefecture than others, as well as only facing one notable team in Bunsei Geidai Fuzoku. The offense recorded a remarkable 0.398 batting average spread across a good part of the team. Perhaps one person to key on will be leadoff batter Ishii.
Interestingly, Sakushin did not primarily use their ace number Ootani. Instead, they went to #10 Tsutsui and #18 Mizunuma. I don't know if Ootani is injured, but it seems rather curious.
Saku Chousei was no slouch in their prefecturals either as they were not challenged at all on their way to the Nagano title posting an equally impressive 0.383 batting average while defeating such teams as Tokyo Shidai Shiojiri, Maruko Shigakukan and Matsumoto Dai-ichi. The key will be the top of the order and batters Minamisawa and Morii.
On the mound, Fujiwara-kantoku used ace Gomi when it really mattered, though he wasn't afraid to use his bullpen for the early round games. #10 Shiogawa was trusted the most in later games, while #11 Hosoya was used in earlier rounds.
Taking results and prefectural strength into consideration, this should give Sakushin Gakuin an advantage in the match-up. However, the fact that the ace isn't available for some reason is cause for concern. The only other time I remember that being the case, the ace was either injured or wasn't very good...
Sakushin Gakuin (Tochigi)
SS Ishii
LF Tsuruta
RF Shinohara
C Takayama
1B Yamashita (#13)
CF Fuse
3B Takashima
2B Yamanashi
P Tsutsui (#10)
Saku Chousei (Nagano)
SS Kamishima
CF Minamisawa
RF Morii
3B Terao
1B Itagaki
LF Ogawa (#17)
2B Yanagizawa
C Shishido
P Gomi
__________________________________________________
09:01 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Trying to catch up on the game so far, Shinohara does get a 2-out single for Sakushin but is quickly left on base when cleanup batter Takayama grounds to short.
Bottom 1st
Tsutsui gets Kamishima swinging to lead off the inning, but the ball gets away from Takayama and Kamishima reaches safely! He's bunted to 2nd and moves to 3rd on a grounder to 1st.
And for Saku Chousei, their cleanup batter delivers! Terao gets around on one and singles to left, scoring Kamishima! Saku Chousei leads 1-0!
Itagaki with a drive to right! Shinohara sprinting back, but it's over his leaping attempt! The throw home is weak and now Saku Chousei quickly gets ahead 2-0!!
Ogawa delivers the 3rd straight solid hit as he lines one down the left field line! That's for another double and it's now 3-0!
Yanagizawa lines out to right to end the inning, but like the first two games yesterday, a team gets out to a quick lead! Can Sakushin come back when the others failed?
Top 2nd
Nothing so far, as once again Sakushin gets a 2-out single - this time from Takashima. But again, the next batter is retired and the story continues.
Bottom 2nd
After retiring the first 2 batters easily, Tsutsui struggles with the top of the lineup, yielding back-to-back hits to left.
Fortuntely, Tsutsui gets a dribbler back to him from Morii to end the inning without any damage.
Top 3rd
According to the announcers, Gomi carries a splitter, slider, curve and slow curve to match his mid 130's fastball.
After getting ahead of ace Tsutsui 1-2, he winds up walking him. But top of the order and Ishii watches a curve fall over the plate for strike 3.
Two down and Shinohara delivers a base hit that trickles into right! Tsutsui tries to press for 3rd, but Morii makes a good throw and easily nails him for the 3rd out.
Bottom 3rd
Grounder to 3rd by Terao is bobbled by Takashima and then he loops the throw to 1st which gets by Yamashita allowing Ogawa to get to 2nd. After a fly moves him to 3rd, Ogawa delivers a single to center to give Saku Chousei a 4-0 lead!
Now they press as Ogawa steals 2nd! Takayama's throw is short and goes into center! The game appears to be quickly getting away from Sakushin Gakuin in the early going.
But Ogawa goes on contact and Yanagizawa's ball to short means that Ogawa is thrown out at home. They try to regain momentum by stealing 2nd again, but Shishido grounds to 1st to end the inning.
Top 4th
Takayama is trying to get the Sakushin offense going as he takes one the other way down the right field line for a double.
And now Takayama makes a running mistake going on contact! Yamashita grounds back to Kamishima who starts the rundown! But in a lucky break, Terao's throw back to 2nd is low and it gets by Yanagizawa!
Fuse with a slicer to right center! Minamizawa trying to run it down, can't make the catch! The runners had to hold up and they can only advance one base! But it's now manrui now for Takashima as time is called.
Takashima hits a soft grounder to 2nd, but Yanagizawa for some reason can't field it cleanly! They're only able to get Fuse at 2nd as Sakushin gets on the board at 4-1.
Yamanashi with a liner into the right center field gap splits the outfielders! The ball goes all the way to the wall as Yamanashi 2-RBI triple pulls Sakuishin within 1 at 4-3!!
And it looks like they'll go to the bullpen as #3 Wakui hits for Tsutsui. Unfortunately the gamble doesn't pay off as he bunts one back to Gomi.
Ishii fouls out to end the inning, but an offensive outburst puts Sakushin within striking distance!
Bottom 4th
As expected, #18 Mizunuma comes in to pitch.
It appears that Mizunuma can throw in the low-mid 130's with a slider about 6-7 kph slower, a curve and a slow curve.
And he immediately shuts down the Saku Chousei offense, retiring the side quickly in order, putting his team back on the sticks to find the douten run.
Top 5th
One down, Shinohara collects his 3rd hit of the game, lacing a ball to right.
However, he's quickly wiped out as Takayama grounds into the inning ending 4-6-3 double play.
Bottom 5th
Takashima having issues with throwing the ball as he puts one high to 1st. Yamashita snags it and makes the swipe tag on Morii for the first out.
Mizunuma is looking really good on the mound, hitting the spots called for as Terao is finall retired on a shuuto just on the outside corner.
A slow roller to short would have ended the inning, but Ishii whiffs on the ball and the inning continues.
Now another grounder should end the inning, but Takashima's throw is right into the ground and it goes past Yamashita. Now there's runners on 2nd and 3rd when Mizunuma should have been out of the inning.
Yanagizawa tests Yamanashi at 2nd, but he makes the play for the 3rd out. Sakushin Gakuin gets out of their own jam with no damage and as they head to the break they trail by 1... though it could have been much, much worse...
And if they want to make a comeback, the defense will have to shape up quite a bit.
Top 6th
It can't be the infield that's causing the errors as Kamishima can't field a routine grounder by Yamashita!
And instead of a bunt, they're going for the hit-and-run as the pitch is fouled off by Fuse.
Now they try the bunt, but it hits Fuse for the 2nd strike. He has to swing away and hits a hard ball to Yanagizawa. He blocks the ball and gets the lead runner.
Looks like Kobari-kantoku has had enough of Takashima at 3rd and puts in #16 Yoshida Koudai to hit for him.
And he hits a high ball to right. Morii is running back, still running back. Pulls up!
HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yoshida with the daida gyakuten 2-run HR and the Kobari-kantoku's move pays off! Sakushin Gakuin takes their first lead here right after the break 6-5! They're the first team to actually take the lead after falling behind!!
Gomi retires the next two batters, but the damage is done. He has relinquished the lead here in the 6th.
Bottom 6th
#14 Asano comes in for PH Yoshida and takes over at 3rd.
One down and #13 Terunuma comes in to hit for Gomi so his day is done.
And now Teranuma drives one to deep right center! Fuse runs back to the wall as the ball bounces off the padding! He's in with a double!
However on two straight pitches Mizunuma retires Kamishima and Minamizawa to end the threat.
Top 7th
#10 Shiokawa is in to relieve Gomi and promptly walks Ishii on 4 straight. No bunting for Kobari-kantoku and Tsuruta singles through the right side. That puts runners at 1st and 2nd for Shinohara who already has 3 hits on the day. This with Shiokawa in, who seems to be struggling a bit here to start.
OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Shinohara crushes a ball to right! Morii runs back, but quickly gives up as the ball leaves the yard! He collects his 4th hit with a bang! His 3-run HR gives Sakushin Gakuin a 8-4 lead!
Now Takayama drives one to right center! That's all the way to the wall and Takayama makes 3rd easily!
#11 Hosoya is warming up as Yamashita drives one to center! Minamizawa gets under it, but it's deep enough to score Takayama to make it 9-4!
Shiokawa manages to retire the next two batters, but the gamble by Fujiwara-kantoku does not pay off as Sakushin jumps all over the reliever to make it a 5-run ballgame.
Bottom 7th
What's this??!! Morii swings on a Mizunuma slow curve and drives it to left! Tsuruta at the wall...
HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now it's Mizunuma's turn to give one up as Morii connects for a solo HR to make it 9-5!
Terao then attacks the first pitch and lines it to right for another hit! Is Mizunuma tiring already?? Not yet it seems as he jams Itagaki induing a fly to center.
Ogawa hits a foul fly and new 3B Asano makes a nice catch at the bullpen for the 2nd out. And a groundout by Yanagizawa ends the Lucky 7 for Saku Chousei, leaving them still trailing by 4.
Top 8th
#7 Oohara comes in to play LF for Ogawa.
Shiokawa has settled down nicely, and strikes out the side, but I bet Fujiwara-kantoku is wondering where that was in the 7th...
Bottom 8th
After a K to Shishido, #16 Yokoyama hits for Shiokawa meaning that Hosoya will pitch the 9th. But Yokoyama strikes out too.
Kamishima with a hot liner back to Mizunuma and he knocks it up in the air. He calmly fields it and makes the 3rd out.
Top 9th
#11 Hosoya does come in the game to pitch the 9th.
One down, and Hosoya hits Shinohara who was 4-4 on the day. But the inning ends when Takayama grounds into his 2nd DP of the day.
Bottom 9th
No harm though as Sakushin Gakuin is 3 outs away from advancing.
Minamizawa with a chopper to 3rd, but Asano in there this time makes the play. Morii quickly swings and pops out to Takayama.
Terao swings on the first pitch and grounds out to short to end the game! Sakushin Gakuin is the first team this tournament to come back from behind to win the game! Thanks to some timely hitting and rare HR's to right field, they take the lead and pull away for a 9-5 win.
It was definitely scary for last year's best 4 team, but they managed to pull it off here on day 2. The defense, especially on the left side is suspect, and will need to be shored up before next game if they want to increase their chances of advancing further.
As for Saku Chousei, they were able to get out to an early lead, but the pitching couldn't hold it for the rest of the game, and the pitching depth just wasn't there to match Sakushin Gakuin. As a result their summer ends early here on day 2.
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Day 1, Game 3 - Saga Kita (Saga) vs. Sendai Ikuei (Miyagi)
So, after 2 relatively close games, the crowd may be expecting one more to round out the day.
5 years ago, Saga Kita shocked the world (well, Japan anyways) by going all the way - playing one extra game no less, and hitting a gyakuten manrui home run to defeat Kouryou for the title. Now they find themselves back at Koushien perhaps looking to recreate the magic they had before.
Unlike 2007, Saga Kita is dependent on one pitcher, ace Sueyoshi to carry the day. While he threw 2 shutouts early, he did start yielding runs in later rounds. Whether that will affect how he does here with stiffer compeition or in early rounds is hard to say. Offensively, they were fairly consistent, hitting a respectable 0.316, and got a little stronger as the tournament progressed.
Sendai Ikuei need to survive a 2-1 battle with Tohoku to earn their bid back to Koushien. While Watanabe is the ace, Sasaki-kantoku did lean up on #10 Suzuki in the quarters and semis to keep Watanabe fresh. The team showed great offensive output against weaker compeition, so the 0.342 average may be inflated. The 9-for-33 performance may be closer to expected if not a little understated.
It should be a great matchup to round up the opening day...
Saga Kita (Saga)
LF Baba
SS Tsukahara
CF Motomura
1B Sanematsu
3B Furukawa
C Yamada
2B Fujita
P Suetsugu
RF Uchikawa
Sendai Ikuei (Miyagi)
SS Takahashi Ryuunosuke
2B Kashiwagi
LF Hoshi
CF Uebayashi
RF Hayasaka
P Watanabe
3B Inazawa
1B Itou
C Tanaka
__________________________________________________
15:31 - First Pitch
Top 1st
Baba gets the leadof walk to start the game, with Tsukahara free bunting to move him along. However, Watanabe shuts it down, getting a flyout to left, and a flail from Sanematsu to end the inning.
Bottom 1st
Oh, so Suetsugu is a sidearmer, but he's fairly upright in his delivery.
And before I can finish writing the lineup, 4 pitches is all it takes for Suetsugu to get a 1-2-3 inning!
Top 2nd
This game is going at ludicrous speed!! Watanabe is working fast, striking out Furukawa swinging, catching Yamada looking on 3 straight and Fujita fouls one off before lining out to short to end the inning!
Bottom 2nd
Uebayashi with the first hit, a ball past a diving Fujita into right! Uebayashi presses for 2nd, and just beats the throw! Scoring chance immediately for Sendai Ikuei!
Hayasaka up, but Sasaki-kantoku is not asking for the bunt. Count level at 2-2, he's fouling off all the pitches away. He should look to take one the other way to advance the runner, but instead he takes one and pulls it instead! It works out as a diving Tsukahara can't make the diving grab! Pinch early here for Suetsugu!
And now Sasaki-kantoku sends Hayasaka! The throw from Yamada is high and Sendai Ikuei has 2 runners in scoring position!
Watanabe with a chopper back up the middle! Tsukahara can't make the diving stop and Uebayashi scores to make it 1-0!
Runners at the corners and now Inazawa hits a hot grounder through to right! That plates yet another and it's 2-0 Sendai Ikuei! Momozaki-kantoku calls for time.
It seems to work as Itou immediately grounds into the 4-6-3 double play.
Tanaka hits a hard liner, but it's right at Tsukahara for the 3rd out. No futher damage, but there were some hard hit balls there against Suetsugu.
Top 3rd
So now that the game has slowed down a bit, Sendai Ikuei ace Watanabe appears to have a cutter, slider, fork and curveball to go along with his fastball which sits in the mid 130's.
And after ringing up Suetsugu for his 4th K, Uchikawa sneaks one under the glove of a diving Ryuunosuke for Saga Kita's first base hit.
Baba hits a hard ball to 1st, and while Itou can't field it cleanly, he does make the putout at 1st for the 2nd out.
Watanabe ends the inning by getting Tsukahara to swing at a ball in the dirt. He's not that accurate and does miss in the wrong places at times, but the fast tempo certainly seems to be helping him.
Bottom 3rd
Ryuunousuke lays down a safety bunt that starts foul but spins fair down the 3rd base line??!! Now that's something new!
But perhaps in a sort of baseball justice, Sasaki-kantoku starts the hit-and-run only to have Kashiwagi hit it hard right to Fujita who turns the pretty 4-6-3 double play!!
Suetsugu jams Hoshi who hits a short fly to Tsukahara to end the inning and there's no damage done.
Top 4th
Motomura smokes one through the infield into center for a leadoff single! And cleanup batter Sanematsu is showing bunt? Yes, he attempts one, but pushes it foul.
But it's a feint! Ahead 2-1, he swings away and lines one to center! Motomura, running on the play makes it to 3rd easily! Sasaki-kantoku quickly calls for time.
Now Furukawa shows bunt as Sanematsu takes off! Furukawa does not bunt and Sanematsu takes 2nd!
Watanabe is not deterred though, as he goes after Furukawa and gets him looking on a fastball down the middle!
Yamada does go for the squeeze! Watanabe charging in makes the glove toss to Tanaka, and he blocks the plate beautifully for the 2nd out! However, he still isn't out of the woods yet as Fujita steps in.
And Fujita takes a ball the other way into left to plate Sanematsu and get one of the runs back! It's 2-1!
Suetsugu goes down swinging for the 2nd time, but Saga Kita pulls within one here in the 4th!
Bottom 4th
Uebayashi reaches out and pokes a ball to right for his 2nd hit. Hayasaka bunts him along.
As for Suetsugu, his max seems to be in the low 130's with some form of changeup, but I can't tell which.
Watanabe gets around on a ball inside and drives it to right center! Uchikawa gives chase, but it lands in front of the wall! Uebayashi easily scores on the RBI triple and Watanabe gets his run back! 3-1!
Inazawa with a hot shot to 3rd! Furukawa makes a spectacular diving stop, checks the runner and makes the putout at 1st! 2 down!
Itou swings again at the first pitch and he grounds out to short to end the inning, but not before the lead is stretched back up to 2!
Top 5th
Watanabe is back to his fast tempo as Uchikawa tries unsuccessfully to bunt his way on.
Back to the top of the order and Watanabe misses on a ball outside leaving it over the plate allowing Baba to take it the other way for a base hit.
2-2 count to Tsukahara and Momosaki-kantoku sends Baba! Tanaka double-clutches and Baba easily takes the base! But Tsukuhara can't drive him in, or even advance him as he grounds out to 3rd for the 2nd out.
And a comebacker from Motomura is blocked by Watanabe and he makes the play at 1st for the 3rd out!
Bottom 5th
Suetsugu gets his first clean 1-2-3 inning since the 1st inning and he keeps the deficit at 2 heading into the break.
Top 6th
Out of the break, Watanabe continues to pump strikes to the Saga Kita batters, daring them to hit it. They're obliging, but Watanabe is winning the battle as he gets yet another 1-2-3 inning.
Bottom 6th
One down for Sendai Ikuei and it must be Uebayashi's day as he dribbles one to the left side. Suetsugu can't field and it an Tsukahara's throw is late! Sasaki-kantoku will go for the one-timer as Hayasaka lays down his 2nd sac bunt.
And it appears they will not pitch to Watanabe and they will unintentionall intentionally walk him forcing Inazawa to try and drive the run home.
On the 1-2 pitch, Yamada frames outside asking for inside, but the ball is too inside and Yamada loses it! The runners advance on the passed ball!
But no harm done as Suetsugu gets Inazawa to ground to 2nd to end the inning.
Top 7th
Will the 7th be lucky for Saga Kita?
Not so far as Fujita grounds to 3rd. Watanabe gets ahead of Suetsugu quickly 0-2 and after a borderline pitch trying to get him to chase, Suetsugu rolls another ball to Inazawa for out #2.
Uchikawa breaks up the hitless streak with a comebacker up the middle for a single. More importantly, it turns over the lineup.
And now Baba drives the first pitch to left center! Hoshi keeps the ball in front of him, preventing Uchikawa from scoring on the play, but now the douten run is in scoring position!
But the troubles continue for Tsukahara at the plate! He hits a grounder right to 2nd where Kashiwagi scoops it up and makes the play at 1st to deny Saga Kita any runs!
Bottom 7th
After Itou quickly goes down on 3 pitches, Tanaka connects on another Suetsugu pitch and drives it to left center! Motomura runs back to the wall, but can't get there in time and it bounces off of the padding on the fly for a double! That gets a conference from Momosaki-kantoku.
Ryuunosuke gets his first solid base hit, a liner to left. Tanaka can't score on the shallow liner so there's runners at the corners for Kashiwagi.
Suetsugu doesn't help his cause any now as he walks Kashiwagi to load the bases for Hoshi.
He takes the first pitch and takes it back up the middle! It gets past a diving Tsukahara and into center! Tanaka scores to make it 4-1 and now the last person you want up if you're Suetsugu is up... Uebayashi.
And Uebayashi scoots it through a drawn in infield and into left, scoring Ryuunosuke to make it 5-1! Still manrui for Hayasaka, but outside of his hit in the 2nd, has not had success.
However, he does hit a fly to right. While Uchikawa is able to camp under it, it's deep enough to score another to make it 6-1. This with the other person you don't want up today - ace Watanabe.
But instead, they try for more and send Uebayashi to 2nd. But perhaps that was pushing it too much as Yamada throws him out to end the inning.
Top 8th
Motomura gets Saga Kita off to a great start as he drives one over Uebayashi's head and to the wall for a double. Sanematsu grounds to 2nd, and Sendai Ikuei will gladly trade 90 feet for the out.
Furukawa can't get any traction either as he waves at a fastball outside for his 3rd K today.
Yamada, on the other hand, finally does breakthrough with a single to left scoring Motomura to make it a 6-2 ballgame.
Fujita though hits a weak grounder to 2nd. Kashiwagi makes the play at 1st for the 3rd out. Saga Kita gets one back, but will need at least 4 more with just 3 outs to go.
Bottom 8th
Now that Watanabe is leading off an inning with nobody on, Suetsugu is more careful with him, and ends up walking him to lead off the inning. Inazawa tries to sac him along, but Furukawa makes a great throw to 2nd to cut down the lead runner.
Itou finally gets his first hit as he inside outs one to right field. That leaves just Kashiwagi without a base hit.
Once again, Sasaki-kantoku asks for and gets the bunt looking for another one-timer from Ryuunosuke.
And he drives one to center! Motomura sprints back, but the ball lands scattering the birds and making it an 8-2 ballgame.
That gives Kashiwagi a chance to give every starter a base hit, but he flies out to left to end the inning. Still, each person did reach safely in the game.
Top 9th
#15 Sonoda comes in to hit for Suetsugu, but grounds out to 2nd for the first out. Uchikawa grounds out to Watanabe for the 2nd out, and Watanabe closes the game with a groundout by Baba.
It was the 5-year anniversary of the miraculous run by the boys from Saga, but this time around they will be going home after just one game. They did hang in there for a good part of the game, but the 3-run 7th was their downfall.
As for Sendai Ikuei, the offense did come to play today, but what may slip up them going forward is Watanabe's pitching. The tempo certainly threw off the Saga Kita batters, but he missed his location with several pitches today in areas that against perhaps better opposition would get punished.
Notable Players
Watanabe Fumiya (Sendai Ikuei) - CG, 2 ER, 9 H, 8 K, BB
Watanabe Fumiya (Sendai Ikuei) - 2-2, 3B, RBI, 2 BB
Uebayashi Seichi (Sendai Ikuei) - 4-4, 2B, 2 R, RBI
Motomura Shouji (Saga Kita) - 2-4, 2B, R
5 years ago, Saga Kita shocked the world (well, Japan anyways) by going all the way - playing one extra game no less, and hitting a gyakuten manrui home run to defeat Kouryou for the title. Now they find themselves back at Koushien perhaps looking to recreate the magic they had before.
Unlike 2007, Saga Kita is dependent on one pitcher, ace Sueyoshi to carry the day. While he threw 2 shutouts early, he did start yielding runs in later rounds. Whether that will affect how he does here with stiffer compeition or in early rounds is hard to say. Offensively, they were fairly consistent, hitting a respectable 0.316, and got a little stronger as the tournament progressed.
Sendai Ikuei need to survive a 2-1 battle with Tohoku to earn their bid back to Koushien. While Watanabe is the ace, Sasaki-kantoku did lean up on #10 Suzuki in the quarters and semis to keep Watanabe fresh. The team showed great offensive output against weaker compeition, so the 0.342 average may be inflated. The 9-for-33 performance may be closer to expected if not a little understated.
It should be a great matchup to round up the opening day...
Saga Kita (Saga)
LF Baba
SS Tsukahara
CF Motomura
1B Sanematsu
3B Furukawa
C Yamada
2B Fujita
P Suetsugu
RF Uchikawa
Sendai Ikuei (Miyagi)
SS Takahashi Ryuunosuke
2B Kashiwagi
LF Hoshi
CF Uebayashi
RF Hayasaka
P Watanabe
3B Inazawa
1B Itou
C Tanaka
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15:31 - First Pitch
Top 1st
Baba gets the leadof walk to start the game, with Tsukahara free bunting to move him along. However, Watanabe shuts it down, getting a flyout to left, and a flail from Sanematsu to end the inning.
Bottom 1st
Oh, so Suetsugu is a sidearmer, but he's fairly upright in his delivery.
And before I can finish writing the lineup, 4 pitches is all it takes for Suetsugu to get a 1-2-3 inning!
Top 2nd
This game is going at ludicrous speed!! Watanabe is working fast, striking out Furukawa swinging, catching Yamada looking on 3 straight and Fujita fouls one off before lining out to short to end the inning!
Bottom 2nd
Uebayashi with the first hit, a ball past a diving Fujita into right! Uebayashi presses for 2nd, and just beats the throw! Scoring chance immediately for Sendai Ikuei!
Hayasaka up, but Sasaki-kantoku is not asking for the bunt. Count level at 2-2, he's fouling off all the pitches away. He should look to take one the other way to advance the runner, but instead he takes one and pulls it instead! It works out as a diving Tsukahara can't make the diving grab! Pinch early here for Suetsugu!
And now Sasaki-kantoku sends Hayasaka! The throw from Yamada is high and Sendai Ikuei has 2 runners in scoring position!
Watanabe with a chopper back up the middle! Tsukahara can't make the diving stop and Uebayashi scores to make it 1-0!
Runners at the corners and now Inazawa hits a hot grounder through to right! That plates yet another and it's 2-0 Sendai Ikuei! Momozaki-kantoku calls for time.
It seems to work as Itou immediately grounds into the 4-6-3 double play.
Tanaka hits a hard liner, but it's right at Tsukahara for the 3rd out. No futher damage, but there were some hard hit balls there against Suetsugu.
Top 3rd
So now that the game has slowed down a bit, Sendai Ikuei ace Watanabe appears to have a cutter, slider, fork and curveball to go along with his fastball which sits in the mid 130's.
And after ringing up Suetsugu for his 4th K, Uchikawa sneaks one under the glove of a diving Ryuunosuke for Saga Kita's first base hit.
Baba hits a hard ball to 1st, and while Itou can't field it cleanly, he does make the putout at 1st for the 2nd out.
Watanabe ends the inning by getting Tsukahara to swing at a ball in the dirt. He's not that accurate and does miss in the wrong places at times, but the fast tempo certainly seems to be helping him.
Bottom 3rd
Ryuunousuke lays down a safety bunt that starts foul but spins fair down the 3rd base line??!! Now that's something new!
But perhaps in a sort of baseball justice, Sasaki-kantoku starts the hit-and-run only to have Kashiwagi hit it hard right to Fujita who turns the pretty 4-6-3 double play!!
Suetsugu jams Hoshi who hits a short fly to Tsukahara to end the inning and there's no damage done.
Top 4th
Motomura smokes one through the infield into center for a leadoff single! And cleanup batter Sanematsu is showing bunt? Yes, he attempts one, but pushes it foul.
But it's a feint! Ahead 2-1, he swings away and lines one to center! Motomura, running on the play makes it to 3rd easily! Sasaki-kantoku quickly calls for time.
Now Furukawa shows bunt as Sanematsu takes off! Furukawa does not bunt and Sanematsu takes 2nd!
Watanabe is not deterred though, as he goes after Furukawa and gets him looking on a fastball down the middle!
Yamada does go for the squeeze! Watanabe charging in makes the glove toss to Tanaka, and he blocks the plate beautifully for the 2nd out! However, he still isn't out of the woods yet as Fujita steps in.
And Fujita takes a ball the other way into left to plate Sanematsu and get one of the runs back! It's 2-1!
Suetsugu goes down swinging for the 2nd time, but Saga Kita pulls within one here in the 4th!
Bottom 4th
Uebayashi reaches out and pokes a ball to right for his 2nd hit. Hayasaka bunts him along.
As for Suetsugu, his max seems to be in the low 130's with some form of changeup, but I can't tell which.
Watanabe gets around on a ball inside and drives it to right center! Uchikawa gives chase, but it lands in front of the wall! Uebayashi easily scores on the RBI triple and Watanabe gets his run back! 3-1!
Inazawa with a hot shot to 3rd! Furukawa makes a spectacular diving stop, checks the runner and makes the putout at 1st! 2 down!
Itou swings again at the first pitch and he grounds out to short to end the inning, but not before the lead is stretched back up to 2!
Top 5th
Watanabe is back to his fast tempo as Uchikawa tries unsuccessfully to bunt his way on.
Back to the top of the order and Watanabe misses on a ball outside leaving it over the plate allowing Baba to take it the other way for a base hit.
2-2 count to Tsukahara and Momosaki-kantoku sends Baba! Tanaka double-clutches and Baba easily takes the base! But Tsukuhara can't drive him in, or even advance him as he grounds out to 3rd for the 2nd out.
And a comebacker from Motomura is blocked by Watanabe and he makes the play at 1st for the 3rd out!
Bottom 5th
Suetsugu gets his first clean 1-2-3 inning since the 1st inning and he keeps the deficit at 2 heading into the break.
Top 6th
Out of the break, Watanabe continues to pump strikes to the Saga Kita batters, daring them to hit it. They're obliging, but Watanabe is winning the battle as he gets yet another 1-2-3 inning.
Bottom 6th
One down for Sendai Ikuei and it must be Uebayashi's day as he dribbles one to the left side. Suetsugu can't field and it an Tsukahara's throw is late! Sasaki-kantoku will go for the one-timer as Hayasaka lays down his 2nd sac bunt.
And it appears they will not pitch to Watanabe and they will unintentionall intentionally walk him forcing Inazawa to try and drive the run home.
On the 1-2 pitch, Yamada frames outside asking for inside, but the ball is too inside and Yamada loses it! The runners advance on the passed ball!
But no harm done as Suetsugu gets Inazawa to ground to 2nd to end the inning.
Top 7th
Will the 7th be lucky for Saga Kita?
Not so far as Fujita grounds to 3rd. Watanabe gets ahead of Suetsugu quickly 0-2 and after a borderline pitch trying to get him to chase, Suetsugu rolls another ball to Inazawa for out #2.
Uchikawa breaks up the hitless streak with a comebacker up the middle for a single. More importantly, it turns over the lineup.
And now Baba drives the first pitch to left center! Hoshi keeps the ball in front of him, preventing Uchikawa from scoring on the play, but now the douten run is in scoring position!
But the troubles continue for Tsukahara at the plate! He hits a grounder right to 2nd where Kashiwagi scoops it up and makes the play at 1st to deny Saga Kita any runs!
Bottom 7th
After Itou quickly goes down on 3 pitches, Tanaka connects on another Suetsugu pitch and drives it to left center! Motomura runs back to the wall, but can't get there in time and it bounces off of the padding on the fly for a double! That gets a conference from Momosaki-kantoku.
Ryuunosuke gets his first solid base hit, a liner to left. Tanaka can't score on the shallow liner so there's runners at the corners for Kashiwagi.
Suetsugu doesn't help his cause any now as he walks Kashiwagi to load the bases for Hoshi.
He takes the first pitch and takes it back up the middle! It gets past a diving Tsukahara and into center! Tanaka scores to make it 4-1 and now the last person you want up if you're Suetsugu is up... Uebayashi.
And Uebayashi scoots it through a drawn in infield and into left, scoring Ryuunosuke to make it 5-1! Still manrui for Hayasaka, but outside of his hit in the 2nd, has not had success.
However, he does hit a fly to right. While Uchikawa is able to camp under it, it's deep enough to score another to make it 6-1. This with the other person you don't want up today - ace Watanabe.
But instead, they try for more and send Uebayashi to 2nd. But perhaps that was pushing it too much as Yamada throws him out to end the inning.
Top 8th
Motomura gets Saga Kita off to a great start as he drives one over Uebayashi's head and to the wall for a double. Sanematsu grounds to 2nd, and Sendai Ikuei will gladly trade 90 feet for the out.
Furukawa can't get any traction either as he waves at a fastball outside for his 3rd K today.
Yamada, on the other hand, finally does breakthrough with a single to left scoring Motomura to make it a 6-2 ballgame.
Fujita though hits a weak grounder to 2nd. Kashiwagi makes the play at 1st for the 3rd out. Saga Kita gets one back, but will need at least 4 more with just 3 outs to go.
Bottom 8th
Now that Watanabe is leading off an inning with nobody on, Suetsugu is more careful with him, and ends up walking him to lead off the inning. Inazawa tries to sac him along, but Furukawa makes a great throw to 2nd to cut down the lead runner.
Itou finally gets his first hit as he inside outs one to right field. That leaves just Kashiwagi without a base hit.
Once again, Sasaki-kantoku asks for and gets the bunt looking for another one-timer from Ryuunosuke.
And he drives one to center! Motomura sprints back, but the ball lands scattering the birds and making it an 8-2 ballgame.
That gives Kashiwagi a chance to give every starter a base hit, but he flies out to left to end the inning. Still, each person did reach safely in the game.
Top 9th
#15 Sonoda comes in to hit for Suetsugu, but grounds out to 2nd for the first out. Uchikawa grounds out to Watanabe for the 2nd out, and Watanabe closes the game with a groundout by Baba.
It was the 5-year anniversary of the miraculous run by the boys from Saga, but this time around they will be going home after just one game. They did hang in there for a good part of the game, but the 3-run 7th was their downfall.
As for Sendai Ikuei, the offense did come to play today, but what may slip up them going forward is Watanabe's pitching. The tempo certainly threw off the Saga Kita batters, but he missed his location with several pitches today in areas that against perhaps better opposition would get punished.
Notable Players
Watanabe Fumiya (Sendai Ikuei) - CG, 2 ER, 9 H, 8 K, BB
Watanabe Fumiya (Sendai Ikuei) - 2-2, 3B, RBI, 2 BB
Uebayashi Seichi (Sendai Ikuei) - 4-4, 2B, 2 R, RBI
Motomura Shouji (Saga Kita) - 2-4, 2B, R
Day 1, Game 2 - Hiroshima Kougyou (Hiroshima) vs. Iidzuka (Fukuoka)
Iidzuka finally returns to Koushien after several years of struggling within the prefecture (thanks to schools like Kyushu Kokusaidai Fuzoku). It was also in part thanks to the fact that they didn't have to face any of the stronger teams in the prefecture either.
Despite averaging just a shade over 5 runs a game in their title run, the team batted a strong 0.359. Again though, it will depend now on how good Hiroshima Kougyou's ace is. Though as usual, look at the 3-4-5 batters of Hinoki-Ishida-Shiraishi to generate a good part of the offense.
On the mound, Yoshida-kantoku depended on a combination of ace Koga and reliever Nishi (who is the RF) to carry the last couple of games. Expect more of the same here should the situation warrant.
Hiroshima Kougyou's exploits were mentioned earlier as both favorites Kouryou and Jyosuikan were eliminated. They had offense for days hitting a blistering 0.352 and scoring at least 8 runs a game. Look out for leadoff batter Kohira and cleanup batter Kubota.
On the mound, Okimoto-kantoku will rely heavily on ace Tsujikoma Yuuta throughout the tournament as they do not appear to have many other options on the mound.
Hiroshima Kougyou (Hiroshima)
CF Kohira
RF Imanaka
3B Usami
1B Kubota
LF Kodama Takaya
SS Kinoshita
C Takata
P Tsujikoma
2B Shigemori
Iidzuka (Fukuoka)
SS Kitano
2B Marumoto
3B Hinoki
CF Ishida
1B Shiraishi
LF Kuroiwa
C Hori
P Koga
RF Ezaki (#10)
__________________________________________________
12:56 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Kohira, after working the count full lines one down the right field line for a leadoff double!
Imanaka, not bunting swings away, but goes down looking for the 1st out.
Usami grounds a 3-1 pitch just foul down the 3rd base line, though Hinoki had it stopped.
He tries a sharp liner past Hinoki, but he snags it instead for the 2nd out. That brinds up cleanup batter Kubota.
But Koga gets him to pop it up! Hori camps under it in foul territory for the 3rd out!
Bottom 1st
Kitano showing patience at the plate, working the count full without even swinging. He tries to foul one off, but it stays in play as Kodama catches it at the wall for the first out.
Iidzuka is doing the opposite of Tokoha Tachibana in that it is sitting back on Tsujikoma's pitches, swinging only when the pitch seems good or when they have to. Marumoto works the count full and this time earns the walk.
Yoshida-kantoku calls for the hit-and-run! Hinoki hits one to short. Kinoshita dives, blocks, but can't secure the ball and everyone's safe. The hit-and-run got Kinoshita hopping the wrong way and as a result was just out of position on that ball.
Ishida hits a slider to the right side. That takes a hop and gets past a diving Shigemori! Marumoto rounds 3rd and scores easily giving Iidzuka the early 1-0 lead! Heads-up running by Hinoki allows him to take 3rd.
And Shirashi booms a first pitch strike to center. Kohira is under it, but it's deep enough to score Hinoki easily to make it 2-0 Iidzuka.
Huh, Iiduzka's oen-dan plays a faster tempo version of Chiben Wakayama's "Jock Rock"...
Kuroiwa looks to have connected hard on a ball from Tsujikoma, but it turns out to be a lazy liner to right to end the inning.
But much like the first game, Iidzuka jumps out early here in the 1st.
Top 2nd
One down, and Kinoshita hits a swinging bunt to 3rd. Hinoki charges, but his throw is late and there's a man on. Takata follows that up with a single just in front of Ishida, putting the douten runner on base.
And now on a 2-2 count to Tsujikoma, the pitch from Koga gets past Hori and the runners advance!
Tsujikoma with a liner back up the middle! Kinoshita scores! Takata rounds for home, and Ishida's throw is high! Tsujikoma's gotten the runs back and we're level at 2-2!
Shigemori tries for the safety bunt but is thrown out at 1st. Koga gets out of the inning inducing a flyout from Kohira, but the damage is done. We're back to even!
Bottom 2nd
Hori is able to inside-out a fastbal and single to center leading off the inning. Koga is looking to bunt as usual. But he takes a strike and fouls a bunt off. A high fastball finishes him off.
Tsujikoma is not much of a fireballer throwing in the low-mid 130's, along with a shuuto roughly in the same range, and a change in the 100-110s.
After a heavy diet of shuutos, Ezaki is retired on a fastball away.
Kitano doesn't wait for a pitch this time around and hits one that lands just in front of Imanaka. Hori advances to 3rd on the play and Tsujikoma is in another pinch.
Ah! The pitch gets away from Takata, but the ball doesn't go far. Hori can't score, but Kitano advances to 2nd.
And wouldn't you know it, after a wild pitch - this time by Tsujikoma, Marumoto singles past Usami into left. Hori and Kitano both score easily giving Iidzuka back their 2-run lead at 4-2!
Yoshida-kantoku presses the inititative, sending Marumoto! Takata double-clutches and Marumoto is in easily!
But Hinoki hits a ball back up the middle which is easily fielded by Kinoshita for the 3rd out. Still, Iidzuka reclaims the lead.
Top 3rd
Imanaka with a routine grounder to 2nd, but while the throw from Marumoto is not ideal, Shiraishi can't make the routine play and the leadoff runner is on!
Usami with a comeback to Koga, he whirls to throw to 2nd, but it's high and in between both fielders! Everyone's safe as Yoshida-kantoku calls for time.
Come to think of it, I haven't seen the southpaw Koga get over 130 kph. His fastball seems to be on the high 120s with a curve in the 110's and change in the 100's.
Cleanup batter Kubota steps in, but he hits a grounder to short! Kitano starts the 6-4-3 double play and there's 2 down!
But Takaya cues a ball to the left side! Hinoki stumbles as the ball sneaks into left! Imanaka scores to make it a 4-3 game!
Yoshida-kantoku in a bold move goes to his bullpen early, sending Nishi out to relieve Koga!
And while Hinoki has trouble fielding the grounder from Kinoshita, he makes the play to get out of the inning. Still, Hiroshima Kougyou has narrowed the margin.
Bottom 3rd
Cleanup batter Ishida collects his 2nd hit on a clean base hit to left. Shiraishi is allowed to swing away. And while he hits a comebacker to Tsujikoma, he can't field it cleanly and has to go to 1st for the out.
Clearly though, Tsujikoma is pitching backwards, throwing his off-speed stuff for strikes and using his fastball for the hammer.
But another wild pitch from Tsujikoma allows Ishida to advance to 3rd!
Kuroiwa bails Tsujikoma out as he can't hold off on the 2-2 pitch and is rung up for the 2nd out.
However, he doesn't escape damage as Hori collects his 2nd hit with a single the opposite way to get the 2 run lead back once again. It's 5-3!
Nishi grounds out to 2nd to end the inning, but Hiroshima Kougyou continues to spin it's wheels here making no progress against Iidzuka!
Top 4th
Nishi appears to be a right-handed, slightly faster version of Koga. Just add about 5 kph to everything and you have Nishi.
After a lineout by Takata, Tsujikoma gets his 2nd hit, a solid liner to left.
And apparently Hiroshima Kougyou has their own "Jock Rock" in that instead of the notes ascending in the beat, they're descending??!
Shigemori not bunting this time around with 1 down, but winds up striking out leaving it up to Kohira. However, he grounds out to Kitano and they stay down 2 runs.
Bottom 4th
Ezaki connects on a fastball and singles to center for another leadoff runner on. Kitano showing bunt, but Tsujikoma not finding the zone, falling behind 3-0! Kitano waits it out and earns a walk, which earns Tsujikoma a conference from the dugout.
But he'd better find it out quickly, because he's pretty much all Okimoto-kantoku's got.
And Ezaki almost bails him out at 2nd by being caught off base. He scurries back, just in time.
Marumoto lays down a great bunt and almsot beats out the throw from Usami. Up to Hinoki to plate the runners.
Tsujikoma resorting to throwing fastballs earlier in the count, and catches Hinoki on a 1-2 pitch which catches the inside corner for the 2nd out!
A pitchout to Ishida is followed by a ball outside, and it looks like they're unintentionally intentionally walking him.
And they are to load the bases.
But it's not much better as Shiraishi steps in...
Slider just catches the outside corner, and then a fastball inside jams Shiraishi to get ahead 0-2. Shiraishi defends one pitch, and hits a liner back at Tsujikoma that he backhands for the 3rd out!
A great play by Tsujikoma gives him his first 0! Can his offense capitalize?
Top 5th
Imanaka with a grounder to 2nd, but Marumoto makes another error with the ball and he's on safely! (I couldn't switch to the ABC feed fast enough to figure out what the error actually was... doh.)
And Usami drives one to deep left center! That's off the base of the wall! Imanaka rounds the bases and scores to make it 5-4!
Nishi with a wild pitch and now the douten run is 90 feet away!
But Kitano catches Usami off 3rd on a grounder and throws him out! Worse yet, Takaya grounds into the 4-3 double play to end the inning! Hiroshima Kougyou gets one run back, but could have had 2!
Bottom 5th
Tsujikoma is finally able to retire Hori as he grounds out to 2nd. In fact, Tsujikoma works a quick 1-2-3 inning (his first one!) and as we hit the break his team find themselves just down by a run.
Top 6th
Not to be outdone, Nishi gets his own quick 1-2-3 inning thanks in part to a great stop in the hole by Kitano on a hard hit ball by Tsujikoma. Kitano denies him his 3rd hit of the game, and Iidzuka is back on the bats.
Bottom 6th
The game seems to have settled down after the frenetic first couple of innings. Tsujikoma gets 3 flyouts, albeit the third had to be run down by Imanaka, nevertheless he gives his team a chance again in the lucky 7.
Top 7th
Despite just a 1-run lead, Nishi goes after last batter Shigemori betting he can't hit the fastball, and is proven right as he gets the K. However, Kohira gets a hit past Hinoki who is slightly drawn in.
But Okimoto tries to press the initiative, sending him, but Hori makes a great throw to get him out by a good margin. Imanaka grounds out to 3rd, and the lucky 7 for Hiroshima Kougyou dissapates in a flash.
Bottom 7th
After ringing up Hinoki, Tsujikoma lets 3 balls fly to Ishida before pumping in 2 strikes to fill up the count. Now Ishida is the one fouling it off before Tsujikoma uncorks a high pitch for the 2nd walk to Ishida.
And while he gets a popup from Shiraishi, it is evident by the pitches way up and away, and the subsequent wild pitch that Tsujikoma is running out of steam. So they elect to walk Kuroiwa while behind 3-0 and pitch to Hori - which is questionable given his success today.
And true to form he singles through the left side. The runners can only advance 90 feet, but it is manrui for Nishi with 2 down. A base hit here can be deadly.
Nishi makes great contact, but it's a fly ball to right! Imanaka running to his left is able to track it down and Tsujikoma is out of the jam!
Temporarily at least. He's quickly running out of gas and there's still 2 innings to go...
Top 8th
Usami had worked the count in his favor, but ends up getting jammed and popping up to 2nd. Kubota continues his struggles at the plate, also getting jammed and popping up to 2nd.
And finally, Nishi gets Takaya to get under a low pitch and harmlessly fly out to left for the 3rd out. No runs, 3 outs left and a tiring pitcher on the mound.
Bottom 8th
#15 Yamada comes in for Takaya and goes to RF. Imanaka shifts to LF here in the 8th.
After getting 2 relatively quick outs, he once again loses control, throwing 3 way out of the zone to Marumoto before eventually walking him.
Yoshida-kantoku is looking for an insurance run and immediately sends Marumoto, who successfully takes 2nd.
And Hinoki drives one to left! Imanaka goes back, then turns around and sprints! The ball is over his head! Marumoto scores easily on the play, and while Hinoki is thrown out trying to stretch the hit to a triple, Yoshida-kantoku gets the key insurance run and lead 6-4 heading into the 9th!
Top 9th
Kinoshita quickly falls behind 0-2 and winds up flying out to 3rd for the 1st out.
Takada with a comebacker, knocks Nishi's glove off, but the ball stays put and Nishi makes the putout! It's down to Tsujikoma to keep the game going!
And despite his desparate attempts to keep the game going fouling off several pitches, he is caught looking for the final out.
And so, after a 20 year absencse, Hiroshima Kougyou's stint at Koushien ends on day 1 at the hands of Iidzuka 6-4. And much like the first game, the team behind couldn't come back from the early deficit in the very first inning.
Meanwhile, Iidzuka despite 4 errors on the day, earn their first victory at Koushien. However, they'll need to clean it up if they want to advance for a chance at the Best 8.
Notable Players
Ishida Kenta (Iidzuka) - 2-2, R, RBI, 2 BB
Hori Yuuki (Iidzuka) - 3-4, R, RBI
Tsujikoma Yuuta (Hiroshima Kougyou) - 2-4, 2 RBI, K
Despite averaging just a shade over 5 runs a game in their title run, the team batted a strong 0.359. Again though, it will depend now on how good Hiroshima Kougyou's ace is. Though as usual, look at the 3-4-5 batters of Hinoki-Ishida-Shiraishi to generate a good part of the offense.
On the mound, Yoshida-kantoku depended on a combination of ace Koga and reliever Nishi (who is the RF) to carry the last couple of games. Expect more of the same here should the situation warrant.
Hiroshima Kougyou's exploits were mentioned earlier as both favorites Kouryou and Jyosuikan were eliminated. They had offense for days hitting a blistering 0.352 and scoring at least 8 runs a game. Look out for leadoff batter Kohira and cleanup batter Kubota.
On the mound, Okimoto-kantoku will rely heavily on ace Tsujikoma Yuuta throughout the tournament as they do not appear to have many other options on the mound.
Hiroshima Kougyou (Hiroshima)
CF Kohira
RF Imanaka
3B Usami
1B Kubota
LF Kodama Takaya
SS Kinoshita
C Takata
P Tsujikoma
2B Shigemori
Iidzuka (Fukuoka)
SS Kitano
2B Marumoto
3B Hinoki
CF Ishida
1B Shiraishi
LF Kuroiwa
C Hori
P Koga
RF Ezaki (#10)
__________________________________________________
12:56 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Kohira, after working the count full lines one down the right field line for a leadoff double!
Imanaka, not bunting swings away, but goes down looking for the 1st out.
Usami grounds a 3-1 pitch just foul down the 3rd base line, though Hinoki had it stopped.
He tries a sharp liner past Hinoki, but he snags it instead for the 2nd out. That brinds up cleanup batter Kubota.
But Koga gets him to pop it up! Hori camps under it in foul territory for the 3rd out!
Bottom 1st
Kitano showing patience at the plate, working the count full without even swinging. He tries to foul one off, but it stays in play as Kodama catches it at the wall for the first out.
Iidzuka is doing the opposite of Tokoha Tachibana in that it is sitting back on Tsujikoma's pitches, swinging only when the pitch seems good or when they have to. Marumoto works the count full and this time earns the walk.
Yoshida-kantoku calls for the hit-and-run! Hinoki hits one to short. Kinoshita dives, blocks, but can't secure the ball and everyone's safe. The hit-and-run got Kinoshita hopping the wrong way and as a result was just out of position on that ball.
Ishida hits a slider to the right side. That takes a hop and gets past a diving Shigemori! Marumoto rounds 3rd and scores easily giving Iidzuka the early 1-0 lead! Heads-up running by Hinoki allows him to take 3rd.
And Shirashi booms a first pitch strike to center. Kohira is under it, but it's deep enough to score Hinoki easily to make it 2-0 Iidzuka.
Huh, Iiduzka's oen-dan plays a faster tempo version of Chiben Wakayama's "Jock Rock"...
Kuroiwa looks to have connected hard on a ball from Tsujikoma, but it turns out to be a lazy liner to right to end the inning.
But much like the first game, Iidzuka jumps out early here in the 1st.
Top 2nd
One down, and Kinoshita hits a swinging bunt to 3rd. Hinoki charges, but his throw is late and there's a man on. Takata follows that up with a single just in front of Ishida, putting the douten runner on base.
And now on a 2-2 count to Tsujikoma, the pitch from Koga gets past Hori and the runners advance!
Tsujikoma with a liner back up the middle! Kinoshita scores! Takata rounds for home, and Ishida's throw is high! Tsujikoma's gotten the runs back and we're level at 2-2!
Shigemori tries for the safety bunt but is thrown out at 1st. Koga gets out of the inning inducing a flyout from Kohira, but the damage is done. We're back to even!
Bottom 2nd
Hori is able to inside-out a fastbal and single to center leading off the inning. Koga is looking to bunt as usual. But he takes a strike and fouls a bunt off. A high fastball finishes him off.
Tsujikoma is not much of a fireballer throwing in the low-mid 130's, along with a shuuto roughly in the same range, and a change in the 100-110s.
After a heavy diet of shuutos, Ezaki is retired on a fastball away.
Kitano doesn't wait for a pitch this time around and hits one that lands just in front of Imanaka. Hori advances to 3rd on the play and Tsujikoma is in another pinch.
Ah! The pitch gets away from Takata, but the ball doesn't go far. Hori can't score, but Kitano advances to 2nd.
And wouldn't you know it, after a wild pitch - this time by Tsujikoma, Marumoto singles past Usami into left. Hori and Kitano both score easily giving Iidzuka back their 2-run lead at 4-2!
Yoshida-kantoku presses the inititative, sending Marumoto! Takata double-clutches and Marumoto is in easily!
But Hinoki hits a ball back up the middle which is easily fielded by Kinoshita for the 3rd out. Still, Iidzuka reclaims the lead.
Top 3rd
Imanaka with a routine grounder to 2nd, but while the throw from Marumoto is not ideal, Shiraishi can't make the routine play and the leadoff runner is on!
Usami with a comeback to Koga, he whirls to throw to 2nd, but it's high and in between both fielders! Everyone's safe as Yoshida-kantoku calls for time.
Come to think of it, I haven't seen the southpaw Koga get over 130 kph. His fastball seems to be on the high 120s with a curve in the 110's and change in the 100's.
Cleanup batter Kubota steps in, but he hits a grounder to short! Kitano starts the 6-4-3 double play and there's 2 down!
But Takaya cues a ball to the left side! Hinoki stumbles as the ball sneaks into left! Imanaka scores to make it a 4-3 game!
Yoshida-kantoku in a bold move goes to his bullpen early, sending Nishi out to relieve Koga!
And while Hinoki has trouble fielding the grounder from Kinoshita, he makes the play to get out of the inning. Still, Hiroshima Kougyou has narrowed the margin.
Bottom 3rd
Cleanup batter Ishida collects his 2nd hit on a clean base hit to left. Shiraishi is allowed to swing away. And while he hits a comebacker to Tsujikoma, he can't field it cleanly and has to go to 1st for the out.
Clearly though, Tsujikoma is pitching backwards, throwing his off-speed stuff for strikes and using his fastball for the hammer.
But another wild pitch from Tsujikoma allows Ishida to advance to 3rd!
Kuroiwa bails Tsujikoma out as he can't hold off on the 2-2 pitch and is rung up for the 2nd out.
However, he doesn't escape damage as Hori collects his 2nd hit with a single the opposite way to get the 2 run lead back once again. It's 5-3!
Nishi grounds out to 2nd to end the inning, but Hiroshima Kougyou continues to spin it's wheels here making no progress against Iidzuka!
Top 4th
Nishi appears to be a right-handed, slightly faster version of Koga. Just add about 5 kph to everything and you have Nishi.
After a lineout by Takata, Tsujikoma gets his 2nd hit, a solid liner to left.
And apparently Hiroshima Kougyou has their own "Jock Rock" in that instead of the notes ascending in the beat, they're descending??!
Shigemori not bunting this time around with 1 down, but winds up striking out leaving it up to Kohira. However, he grounds out to Kitano and they stay down 2 runs.
Bottom 4th
Ezaki connects on a fastball and singles to center for another leadoff runner on. Kitano showing bunt, but Tsujikoma not finding the zone, falling behind 3-0! Kitano waits it out and earns a walk, which earns Tsujikoma a conference from the dugout.
But he'd better find it out quickly, because he's pretty much all Okimoto-kantoku's got.
And Ezaki almost bails him out at 2nd by being caught off base. He scurries back, just in time.
Marumoto lays down a great bunt and almsot beats out the throw from Usami. Up to Hinoki to plate the runners.
Tsujikoma resorting to throwing fastballs earlier in the count, and catches Hinoki on a 1-2 pitch which catches the inside corner for the 2nd out!
A pitchout to Ishida is followed by a ball outside, and it looks like they're unintentionally intentionally walking him.
And they are to load the bases.
But it's not much better as Shiraishi steps in...
Slider just catches the outside corner, and then a fastball inside jams Shiraishi to get ahead 0-2. Shiraishi defends one pitch, and hits a liner back at Tsujikoma that he backhands for the 3rd out!
A great play by Tsujikoma gives him his first 0! Can his offense capitalize?
Top 5th
Imanaka with a grounder to 2nd, but Marumoto makes another error with the ball and he's on safely! (I couldn't switch to the ABC feed fast enough to figure out what the error actually was... doh.)
And Usami drives one to deep left center! That's off the base of the wall! Imanaka rounds the bases and scores to make it 5-4!
Nishi with a wild pitch and now the douten run is 90 feet away!
But Kitano catches Usami off 3rd on a grounder and throws him out! Worse yet, Takaya grounds into the 4-3 double play to end the inning! Hiroshima Kougyou gets one run back, but could have had 2!
Bottom 5th
Tsujikoma is finally able to retire Hori as he grounds out to 2nd. In fact, Tsujikoma works a quick 1-2-3 inning (his first one!) and as we hit the break his team find themselves just down by a run.
Top 6th
Not to be outdone, Nishi gets his own quick 1-2-3 inning thanks in part to a great stop in the hole by Kitano on a hard hit ball by Tsujikoma. Kitano denies him his 3rd hit of the game, and Iidzuka is back on the bats.
Bottom 6th
The game seems to have settled down after the frenetic first couple of innings. Tsujikoma gets 3 flyouts, albeit the third had to be run down by Imanaka, nevertheless he gives his team a chance again in the lucky 7.
Top 7th
Despite just a 1-run lead, Nishi goes after last batter Shigemori betting he can't hit the fastball, and is proven right as he gets the K. However, Kohira gets a hit past Hinoki who is slightly drawn in.
But Okimoto tries to press the initiative, sending him, but Hori makes a great throw to get him out by a good margin. Imanaka grounds out to 3rd, and the lucky 7 for Hiroshima Kougyou dissapates in a flash.
Bottom 7th
After ringing up Hinoki, Tsujikoma lets 3 balls fly to Ishida before pumping in 2 strikes to fill up the count. Now Ishida is the one fouling it off before Tsujikoma uncorks a high pitch for the 2nd walk to Ishida.
And while he gets a popup from Shiraishi, it is evident by the pitches way up and away, and the subsequent wild pitch that Tsujikoma is running out of steam. So they elect to walk Kuroiwa while behind 3-0 and pitch to Hori - which is questionable given his success today.
And true to form he singles through the left side. The runners can only advance 90 feet, but it is manrui for Nishi with 2 down. A base hit here can be deadly.
Nishi makes great contact, but it's a fly ball to right! Imanaka running to his left is able to track it down and Tsujikoma is out of the jam!
Temporarily at least. He's quickly running out of gas and there's still 2 innings to go...
Top 8th
Usami had worked the count in his favor, but ends up getting jammed and popping up to 2nd. Kubota continues his struggles at the plate, also getting jammed and popping up to 2nd.
And finally, Nishi gets Takaya to get under a low pitch and harmlessly fly out to left for the 3rd out. No runs, 3 outs left and a tiring pitcher on the mound.
Bottom 8th
#15 Yamada comes in for Takaya and goes to RF. Imanaka shifts to LF here in the 8th.
After getting 2 relatively quick outs, he once again loses control, throwing 3 way out of the zone to Marumoto before eventually walking him.
Yoshida-kantoku is looking for an insurance run and immediately sends Marumoto, who successfully takes 2nd.
And Hinoki drives one to left! Imanaka goes back, then turns around and sprints! The ball is over his head! Marumoto scores easily on the play, and while Hinoki is thrown out trying to stretch the hit to a triple, Yoshida-kantoku gets the key insurance run and lead 6-4 heading into the 9th!
Top 9th
Kinoshita quickly falls behind 0-2 and winds up flying out to 3rd for the 1st out.
Takada with a comebacker, knocks Nishi's glove off, but the ball stays put and Nishi makes the putout! It's down to Tsujikoma to keep the game going!
And despite his desparate attempts to keep the game going fouling off several pitches, he is caught looking for the final out.
And so, after a 20 year absencse, Hiroshima Kougyou's stint at Koushien ends on day 1 at the hands of Iidzuka 6-4. And much like the first game, the team behind couldn't come back from the early deficit in the very first inning.
Meanwhile, Iidzuka despite 4 errors on the day, earn their first victory at Koushien. However, they'll need to clean it up if they want to advance for a chance at the Best 8.
Notable Players
Ishida Kenta (Iidzuka) - 2-2, R, RBI, 2 BB
Hori Yuuki (Iidzuka) - 3-4, R, RBI
Tsujikoma Yuuta (Hiroshima Kougyou) - 2-4, 2 RBI, K
Day 1, Game 1 - Fukui Koudai Fukui (Fukui) vs. Tokoha Tachibana (Shizuoka)
Opening ceremonies are done, and the first two teams take the field for the first game of the 94th Natsu Koushien Tournament.
On one side is Tokoha Tachibana, who were in some ways in the shadow of Tokoha Kikugawa, who in two consecutive years put Shizuoka on the map by making runs to the semifinals and finals back in 2007 and 2008. Yet in 2009 it was Tokoha Tachibana who qualified, and made it to the 3rd round before losing to Imamiya Kenta and Meihou out of Oita.
And after a year off, Tokoha Tachibana is back at Koushien once again - though not without some difficulty.
Much like their 2009 team, they are dependent on ace Miyazaki Satoshi (宮崎悟投), a 3rd year who features the traditional slider and curveball to go with his fastball. The team is offensively challenged, so Miyazaki will have to shoulder more of the load - much like Shouji did 3 years ago.
Fukui Koudai Fukui has been a better team in the prefecture, but like many other schools played second fiddle to Fukui Shougyou. This time around though, they defeated both Tsuruga Kehi and Fukui Shougyou to make their first appearance since 2004.
Ace Sugawara Shuu (菅原秀) has kept Fukui Koudai Fukui in games throughout their prefecturals, but now they're on the big stage. How he'll do here is anyone's guess.
Both offenses were pretty much average during their prefecturals, so expect the good hitter for each squad to come from the top of the order.
No clear favorite here as it appears that it is a match of a team with better pitching than offense (Tokoha Tachibana) versus a team with better offense than pitching (Fukui Koudai Fukui). It's a matter of which strength gives up first.
Personally, I'd like to see Tokoha Tachibana advance, but it's not a given here.
Fukui Koudai Fukui (Fukui)
RF Sugano
SS Fujimura
3B Ueda
1B Yamashita
2B Baba
CF Itou
P Sugahara
LF Yamamoto
C Manabe
Tokoha Tachibana (Shizuoka)
SS Kimura
CF Shimizu Hironobu
C Kido
LF Michiba
RF Masuda
1B Sasaki
P Miyazaki
3B Matsuzaka
2B Shimizu Taishi
____________________________________________________________
And the ceremonial first pitch from Futaba is a bit high, but caught by the C from Ootsuchi.
10:28 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
And the first pitch of the 94th Natsu Koushien is a slider fouled off.
Sugano then drives a 1-1 pitch deep to center over Shimizu and off his glove at the wall! He's in with a quick double!
But Fujimura's bunt attempt dies too quickly and Kido easily throws Sugano out at 3rd! One down!
Ueda gets good contact on the ball, and Kimura can only block it as it deflects away to his right for an infield hit.
Yamashita follows that up with a seeing-eye single through the infield into left! Fujimura rounds for home and Michiba's throw will not get there in time. Fukui Koudai Fukui gets on the board quickly! 1-0!
Baba with another groundball past Kimura into left and Ueda will make the turn home as well! The throw is cut off and it's now 2-0 Fukui!
Finally, a respite for Miyazaki as Itou goes down swinging for the second out.
The calm doesn't last though as Sugahara helps his own cause with a blooper to center which scores another to give himself a 3-0 lead!
The inning finally ends for Miyazaki and Tokoha Tachibana as Yamamoto grounds out to 3rd, but it's evident early that Fukui's offense is outplaying Miyazaki's pitching to start.
Bottom 1st
Sugahara for Fukui throws pretty hard (~145 kph) and supposedly fields a slider, curve and a knuckle curve.
After a quick K, Hironobu tries a safety bunt, but is thrown out after he tries to dive into 1st.
Kido too goes down swinging and it's a good start for Fukui Koudai Fukui.
Top 2nd
Miyazaki on the other hand has a fastball that sits in the 130's with apparently a cutter to boot.
After a shaky first inning, Miyazaki settles down, getting #9 batter Manabe to fly out, a good fielding play on a safety bunt, and a grounder to 2nd.
Bottom 2nd
Cleanup batter Michiba is able to swing level on a high fastball, but lines out to right.
Masuda swings on a short knuckle curve that gets away from Manabe allowing Masuda to reach base.
Sasaki up, and he's struggling like the rest in recognizing the off-speed pitches, but is saying alive in the AB by fouling off pitching and taking when he can. He manages to fill up the count... but he can't catch up to the high fastball for the 2nd out.
Miyazaki swings on top of a curve and weakly bounces one to 3rd for the last out. Sugahara looking good, but it's more of the Tokoha batters looking pretty bad to start the game here.
Top 3rd
Ueda collects his 2nd hit on a grounds past a diving Shimizu into center.
Yamashita with a bunt, but Kido saves it again with a quick sidearm throw to 2nd to get Ueda!
The hit parade continues however as Baba signles to right, and Miyazaki is in another pinch.
However Miyazaki gets a lazy fly to center and grounder to Kimura to end the inning.
Bottom 3rd
The Tachibana batters are swining early and often looking for the fastball to drive. Taishi gets on base with a blooper downt he right field line, but after an unlucky wild pitch that hits the bat of a ducking Kimura, he grounds into the 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.
Top 4th
Though Miyazaki gives up his first walk, he retires Sugano and Fujimura to end the inning. He's settled down nicely, but the offense needs to get going here in the 4th.
Bottom 4th
Kido finally delivers a solid 1-out base hit as he singles past the infield into left.
Once again though, the runner is wiped out as Michiba grounds into the 6-3 double play to end the inning.
Top 5th
Yamashita with one down lines one past a chasing Michiba to the wall of a double.
After a grounder to short, Itou gets his first hit, a ball past a diving Matsusaka and to the wall. That scores Yamashita to make it 4-0, and prompts a pitching change by Kurosawa-kantoku.
Strangely, he removes cleanup batter Michiba to insert in #10 Takahashi!
It does work as he strikes out Sugahara on 3 pitches to end the inning, but how will taking out the cleanup batter affect the offense?
Bottom 5th
Unless the offense is so bad, that he basically pulled off a double switch to put him at the "end" of the order?!
Masuda with a slow roller to Fujimura, but Ueda tries to cut in and it glances off his glove and away from both of them!
Sasaki up and he's not bunting. He lengthens the AB with a couple of foul balls, then hits a grounder in the right spot to left. Masuda on the shallow hit makes a break for 3rd! Yamamoto's throw is off-line and the gamble pays off! Just. Sasaki advances on the throw to 2nd.
Miyazaki to help his own cause quickly falls behind 0-2.
Sugahara with a ball that goes 50 feet and bounces over Manabe! Masuda scores and Tokoha Tachibana is on the board at 4-1!
Miyazaki eventually gets fooled on a curve for the 1st out.
First pitch from Sugahara is short, but Manabe blocks it.
No he doesn't! It gets past him and he doesn't know where it is! Sasaki goes home and it's now 4-2!
And now Sugahara can't find the strike zone, walking Matsusaka on 4 straight!
There appears to be trouble on the horizon now for Fukui, but Taishi goes for the bunt instead of waiting out Sugahara. His bunt is short as Manabe fires to 2nd. They just get the out as Fujimura throws to 1st for the double play! Sugahara is bailed out and as the damage is limited to 2 bad pitches and 2 runs as we head to the break.
Top 6th
Yamamoto is lifted here to start the 6th for #14 Oozaki who grounds out to 1st. Manabe inside-outs one, but lines out to right for the 2nd out.
Takahashi is a 3/4-throwing southpaw who throws just as fast as Miyazaki.
After collecting 2 quick out, top batter Sugano slices one to left-center. A wild pitch from Takahashi sends him to 2nd. On a full count, he doesn't get the call on the inside corner and walks Fujimura.
Ueda with a high chopper to 3rd! Matsuzaka has to hurry the throw, and it's high! Sasaki has to leave the bag and it's now manrui for Fukui as Kurosawa-kantoku calls time.
And it's not a good time for cleanup batter Yamashita to come up for Tachibana.
But he gets him swinging on a fastball outside to get out of the jam!
Bottom 6th
Oozaki stays in the game to play left. Top of the order for Tachibana, and they;ll need to make inroads against Sugahara - without depending on wild pitches.
Kimura hits a hard liner to right, but Sugano makes a small leap for the catch.
Tokoha's batters continue to swing early and often as Kido falls behind 1-2. He fouls off a couple and works the count full as he reaches the 10th pitch of the AB. But on the 11th, he can't catch up to a high fastball and the inning is over.
Top 7th
It's a quick lucky 7 for Fukui Koudai Fukui as Takahashi continues to keep the deficit at 2 by retiring the side in order. However 2 runs for Tokoha Tachibana seems like 5 or 6 right now.
Bottom 7th
Takahashi continues the mantra of swinging early and grounds out to 2nd on the 2nd pitch of the AB.
Masuda tries waiting on Sugahara, falls behind 1-2, works the count full, but then swings and misses on a fastball up and in for Sugahara's 7th K.
Huh, and I just noticed that Sugahara has a delivery similar to Hideki Okajima in that he doesn't appear to look when he delivers the ball.
Seems to be working as he too retires the side in order in the lucky 7th and Fukui holds on to their 4-2 lead.
Top 8th
Takahashi continues to dominate the Fukui batters as Oozaki can't get around on an inside fastball, Manabe weakly grouds to 2nd.
But Sugano breaks up the party as he hits a high chopper to short that prevents Kimura from making a play at 1st.
And in an inexplicable turn, Sugano breaks for 2nd while Takahashi stands there and he's easily tagged out to end the inning.
Bottom 8th
It's been a neat 92 pitches so far for Sugahara. And not Miyazaki's day is done as Kurosawa-kantoku sends in #11 Aoshima to bat for him to lead off the 8th.
Aoshima works the count full, getting to the 9th pitch of the AB... where he's caught looking on what looks like a splitter on the outside corner.
Matsuzaka becomes Sugahara's 8th strikeout victim on a knuckle curve in the dirt.
And finally Taishi hits a chopper, but not as high and more routine to Ueda for the 3rd out. Time looks to be short for the Shizuoka representatives.
Top 9th
Aoshima stays in the game at left.
Fujimura quickly works the count back to where it was at the end of last inning (1-2) but lines out to right. Takahashi finally retires Ueda on a fastball just on the outside corner.
Takahashi finishes out his relief effort facing 3 more than the minimum as Yamashita grounds to 2nd. He's done a stellar job in relief with good control and missing in the right places.
Bottom 9th
But it's the last 3 outs for Tokoha Tachibana as the top of the order steps in.
Kimura jumps on a ball from Sugahara, but it's right at Oozaki for the 1st out...
Hironobu though, after falling behind (and looking bad), he digs in and draws a walk. That at least puts the douten run at the plate in Kido.
Kido's looking to drive one, but whiffs on a knuckle curve. Hironobu then takes off for 2nd, but Kido swings and fouls it off when he might have had the base.
Instead Kido goes down swinging as Hironobu takes 2nd.
Now it's down to reliever Takahashi to keep the game alive.
And he does! He takes the ball the other way through the infield for a base hit! Hironobu wisely holds up at 3rd. Things become slightly more interesting as Masuda steps in.
He holds up on a curve outside to get ahead 2-1, but then chases one and fouls it off for strike 2. Down to their last strike...
And perhaps fittingly, he's fooled on a curveball and hits a grounder to short. Fujimura flips it to Baba for the final out! Fukui Koudai Fukui wins the opening game 4-2 and will advance to face Akita Shougyou!
Tokoha Tachibana made it at least compelling in the 9th, but for the most part the batters looked lost against Sugahara. If not for 2 battery mistakes they would have been shutout. However, the majority of their struggles happened in the 1st when Fukui scored on consecutive base hits. If not for that inning too, the game would definitely look much different.
As it stands though, Tokoha Tachibana becomes the first team eliminated here in the 94th version of Natsu Koushien.
Notable Players
Sugawara Shuu (Fukui Koudai Fukui) - CG, 2 R, 0 ER, 5 H, 10 K, 2 BB
Ueda Teppei (Fukui Koudai Fukui) - 3-5, R, K
Sugano Masashi (Fukui Koudai Fukui) - 3-5, 2B
Takahashi Haruto (Tokoha Tachibana) - 4.1 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 4 R, BB
On one side is Tokoha Tachibana, who were in some ways in the shadow of Tokoha Kikugawa, who in two consecutive years put Shizuoka on the map by making runs to the semifinals and finals back in 2007 and 2008. Yet in 2009 it was Tokoha Tachibana who qualified, and made it to the 3rd round before losing to Imamiya Kenta and Meihou out of Oita.
And after a year off, Tokoha Tachibana is back at Koushien once again - though not without some difficulty.
Much like their 2009 team, they are dependent on ace Miyazaki Satoshi (宮崎悟投), a 3rd year who features the traditional slider and curveball to go with his fastball. The team is offensively challenged, so Miyazaki will have to shoulder more of the load - much like Shouji did 3 years ago.
Fukui Koudai Fukui has been a better team in the prefecture, but like many other schools played second fiddle to Fukui Shougyou. This time around though, they defeated both Tsuruga Kehi and Fukui Shougyou to make their first appearance since 2004.
Ace Sugawara Shuu (菅原秀) has kept Fukui Koudai Fukui in games throughout their prefecturals, but now they're on the big stage. How he'll do here is anyone's guess.
Both offenses were pretty much average during their prefecturals, so expect the good hitter for each squad to come from the top of the order.
No clear favorite here as it appears that it is a match of a team with better pitching than offense (Tokoha Tachibana) versus a team with better offense than pitching (Fukui Koudai Fukui). It's a matter of which strength gives up first.
Personally, I'd like to see Tokoha Tachibana advance, but it's not a given here.
Fukui Koudai Fukui (Fukui)
RF Sugano
SS Fujimura
3B Ueda
1B Yamashita
2B Baba
CF Itou
P Sugahara
LF Yamamoto
C Manabe
Tokoha Tachibana (Shizuoka)
SS Kimura
CF Shimizu Hironobu
C Kido
LF Michiba
RF Masuda
1B Sasaki
P Miyazaki
3B Matsuzaka
2B Shimizu Taishi
____________________________________________________________
And the ceremonial first pitch from Futaba is a bit high, but caught by the C from Ootsuchi.
10:28 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
And the first pitch of the 94th Natsu Koushien is a slider fouled off.
Sugano then drives a 1-1 pitch deep to center over Shimizu and off his glove at the wall! He's in with a quick double!
But Fujimura's bunt attempt dies too quickly and Kido easily throws Sugano out at 3rd! One down!
Ueda gets good contact on the ball, and Kimura can only block it as it deflects away to his right for an infield hit.
Yamashita follows that up with a seeing-eye single through the infield into left! Fujimura rounds for home and Michiba's throw will not get there in time. Fukui Koudai Fukui gets on the board quickly! 1-0!
Baba with another groundball past Kimura into left and Ueda will make the turn home as well! The throw is cut off and it's now 2-0 Fukui!
Finally, a respite for Miyazaki as Itou goes down swinging for the second out.
The calm doesn't last though as Sugahara helps his own cause with a blooper to center which scores another to give himself a 3-0 lead!
The inning finally ends for Miyazaki and Tokoha Tachibana as Yamamoto grounds out to 3rd, but it's evident early that Fukui's offense is outplaying Miyazaki's pitching to start.
Bottom 1st
Sugahara for Fukui throws pretty hard (~145 kph) and supposedly fields a slider, curve and a knuckle curve.
After a quick K, Hironobu tries a safety bunt, but is thrown out after he tries to dive into 1st.
Kido too goes down swinging and it's a good start for Fukui Koudai Fukui.
Top 2nd
Miyazaki on the other hand has a fastball that sits in the 130's with apparently a cutter to boot.
After a shaky first inning, Miyazaki settles down, getting #9 batter Manabe to fly out, a good fielding play on a safety bunt, and a grounder to 2nd.
Bottom 2nd
Cleanup batter Michiba is able to swing level on a high fastball, but lines out to right.
Masuda swings on a short knuckle curve that gets away from Manabe allowing Masuda to reach base.
Sasaki up, and he's struggling like the rest in recognizing the off-speed pitches, but is saying alive in the AB by fouling off pitching and taking when he can. He manages to fill up the count... but he can't catch up to the high fastball for the 2nd out.
Miyazaki swings on top of a curve and weakly bounces one to 3rd for the last out. Sugahara looking good, but it's more of the Tokoha batters looking pretty bad to start the game here.
Top 3rd
Ueda collects his 2nd hit on a grounds past a diving Shimizu into center.
Yamashita with a bunt, but Kido saves it again with a quick sidearm throw to 2nd to get Ueda!
The hit parade continues however as Baba signles to right, and Miyazaki is in another pinch.
However Miyazaki gets a lazy fly to center and grounder to Kimura to end the inning.
Bottom 3rd
The Tachibana batters are swining early and often looking for the fastball to drive. Taishi gets on base with a blooper downt he right field line, but after an unlucky wild pitch that hits the bat of a ducking Kimura, he grounds into the 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.
Top 4th
Though Miyazaki gives up his first walk, he retires Sugano and Fujimura to end the inning. He's settled down nicely, but the offense needs to get going here in the 4th.
Bottom 4th
Kido finally delivers a solid 1-out base hit as he singles past the infield into left.
Once again though, the runner is wiped out as Michiba grounds into the 6-3 double play to end the inning.
Top 5th
Yamashita with one down lines one past a chasing Michiba to the wall of a double.
After a grounder to short, Itou gets his first hit, a ball past a diving Matsusaka and to the wall. That scores Yamashita to make it 4-0, and prompts a pitching change by Kurosawa-kantoku.
Strangely, he removes cleanup batter Michiba to insert in #10 Takahashi!
It does work as he strikes out Sugahara on 3 pitches to end the inning, but how will taking out the cleanup batter affect the offense?
Bottom 5th
Unless the offense is so bad, that he basically pulled off a double switch to put him at the "end" of the order?!
Masuda with a slow roller to Fujimura, but Ueda tries to cut in and it glances off his glove and away from both of them!
Sasaki up and he's not bunting. He lengthens the AB with a couple of foul balls, then hits a grounder in the right spot to left. Masuda on the shallow hit makes a break for 3rd! Yamamoto's throw is off-line and the gamble pays off! Just. Sasaki advances on the throw to 2nd.
Miyazaki to help his own cause quickly falls behind 0-2.
Sugahara with a ball that goes 50 feet and bounces over Manabe! Masuda scores and Tokoha Tachibana is on the board at 4-1!
Miyazaki eventually gets fooled on a curve for the 1st out.
First pitch from Sugahara is short, but Manabe blocks it.
No he doesn't! It gets past him and he doesn't know where it is! Sasaki goes home and it's now 4-2!
And now Sugahara can't find the strike zone, walking Matsusaka on 4 straight!
There appears to be trouble on the horizon now for Fukui, but Taishi goes for the bunt instead of waiting out Sugahara. His bunt is short as Manabe fires to 2nd. They just get the out as Fujimura throws to 1st for the double play! Sugahara is bailed out and as the damage is limited to 2 bad pitches and 2 runs as we head to the break.
Top 6th
Yamamoto is lifted here to start the 6th for #14 Oozaki who grounds out to 1st. Manabe inside-outs one, but lines out to right for the 2nd out.
Takahashi is a 3/4-throwing southpaw who throws just as fast as Miyazaki.
After collecting 2 quick out, top batter Sugano slices one to left-center. A wild pitch from Takahashi sends him to 2nd. On a full count, he doesn't get the call on the inside corner and walks Fujimura.
Ueda with a high chopper to 3rd! Matsuzaka has to hurry the throw, and it's high! Sasaki has to leave the bag and it's now manrui for Fukui as Kurosawa-kantoku calls time.
And it's not a good time for cleanup batter Yamashita to come up for Tachibana.
But he gets him swinging on a fastball outside to get out of the jam!
Bottom 6th
Oozaki stays in the game to play left. Top of the order for Tachibana, and they;ll need to make inroads against Sugahara - without depending on wild pitches.
Kimura hits a hard liner to right, but Sugano makes a small leap for the catch.
Tokoha's batters continue to swing early and often as Kido falls behind 1-2. He fouls off a couple and works the count full as he reaches the 10th pitch of the AB. But on the 11th, he can't catch up to a high fastball and the inning is over.
Top 7th
It's a quick lucky 7 for Fukui Koudai Fukui as Takahashi continues to keep the deficit at 2 by retiring the side in order. However 2 runs for Tokoha Tachibana seems like 5 or 6 right now.
Bottom 7th
Takahashi continues the mantra of swinging early and grounds out to 2nd on the 2nd pitch of the AB.
Masuda tries waiting on Sugahara, falls behind 1-2, works the count full, but then swings and misses on a fastball up and in for Sugahara's 7th K.
Huh, and I just noticed that Sugahara has a delivery similar to Hideki Okajima in that he doesn't appear to look when he delivers the ball.
Seems to be working as he too retires the side in order in the lucky 7th and Fukui holds on to their 4-2 lead.
Top 8th
Takahashi continues to dominate the Fukui batters as Oozaki can't get around on an inside fastball, Manabe weakly grouds to 2nd.
But Sugano breaks up the party as he hits a high chopper to short that prevents Kimura from making a play at 1st.
And in an inexplicable turn, Sugano breaks for 2nd while Takahashi stands there and he's easily tagged out to end the inning.
Bottom 8th
It's been a neat 92 pitches so far for Sugahara. And not Miyazaki's day is done as Kurosawa-kantoku sends in #11 Aoshima to bat for him to lead off the 8th.
Aoshima works the count full, getting to the 9th pitch of the AB... where he's caught looking on what looks like a splitter on the outside corner.
Matsuzaka becomes Sugahara's 8th strikeout victim on a knuckle curve in the dirt.
And finally Taishi hits a chopper, but not as high and more routine to Ueda for the 3rd out. Time looks to be short for the Shizuoka representatives.
Top 9th
Aoshima stays in the game at left.
Fujimura quickly works the count back to where it was at the end of last inning (1-2) but lines out to right. Takahashi finally retires Ueda on a fastball just on the outside corner.
Takahashi finishes out his relief effort facing 3 more than the minimum as Yamashita grounds to 2nd. He's done a stellar job in relief with good control and missing in the right places.
Bottom 9th
But it's the last 3 outs for Tokoha Tachibana as the top of the order steps in.
Kimura jumps on a ball from Sugahara, but it's right at Oozaki for the 1st out...
Hironobu though, after falling behind (and looking bad), he digs in and draws a walk. That at least puts the douten run at the plate in Kido.
Kido's looking to drive one, but whiffs on a knuckle curve. Hironobu then takes off for 2nd, but Kido swings and fouls it off when he might have had the base.
Instead Kido goes down swinging as Hironobu takes 2nd.
Now it's down to reliever Takahashi to keep the game alive.
And he does! He takes the ball the other way through the infield for a base hit! Hironobu wisely holds up at 3rd. Things become slightly more interesting as Masuda steps in.
He holds up on a curve outside to get ahead 2-1, but then chases one and fouls it off for strike 2. Down to their last strike...
And perhaps fittingly, he's fooled on a curveball and hits a grounder to short. Fujimura flips it to Baba for the final out! Fukui Koudai Fukui wins the opening game 4-2 and will advance to face Akita Shougyou!
Tokoha Tachibana made it at least compelling in the 9th, but for the most part the batters looked lost against Sugahara. If not for 2 battery mistakes they would have been shutout. However, the majority of their struggles happened in the 1st when Fukui scored on consecutive base hits. If not for that inning too, the game would definitely look much different.
As it stands though, Tokoha Tachibana becomes the first team eliminated here in the 94th version of Natsu Koushien.
Notable Players
Sugawara Shuu (Fukui Koudai Fukui) - CG, 2 R, 0 ER, 5 H, 10 K, 2 BB
Ueda Teppei (Fukui Koudai Fukui) - 3-5, R, K
Sugano Masashi (Fukui Koudai Fukui) - 3-5, 2B
Takahashi Haruto (Tokoha Tachibana) - 4.1 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 4 R, BB
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