Now for our last matchup - the ever present Shizuoka versus Toukaidai Koufu.
Once again, for Shizuoka, who did well in the spring, they did not face anyone of note in the prefecture. Not even one of the Tohoka schools. Compare that to Toukaidai Koufu, who not only defeated Yamanashi Gakuindai Fuzoku and Nihon Koukuu, but actually shut them out and mercy ruled them!
Normally I'd give the nod to Shizuoka, but Toukaidai Koufu has a rather good rate when they do get to Koushien. You can't count them out.
Toukaidai Koufu (Yamanashi)
CF Takabe Eito
2B Fukutake Shuu
LF Kadoyama Ryuu
RF Hirai Ren
3B Matsuoka Shunyuu
SS Igarashi Homare
1B Miyagawa Kazutaka
P Kikuchi Hiroki
C Iidzuka Ryuuya
Shizuoka (Shizuoka)
CF Suzuki Shouhei
2B Ooishi Tomoki
RF Uchiyama Takeshi
C Horiuchi Kengo
3B Yasumoto Ryuuji
1B Hirano Hidemaru
LF Hirose Shun
P Muraki Fumiya
SS Sanpei Shinya
____________________________________________________________
15:33 - First pitch!
Top 1st
Shizuoka does themselves no favors when Muraki offers a 2-out walk, and then throws away a pickoff throw. Hirai punishes them with a ball to the wall in right and it's quickly 1-0 for Toukaidai.
Bottom 1st
Perhaps Toukaidai didn't want the run that way, so they offer to give it back. It's an irregular hop, but still Matsuoka can't field it cleanly. And then on a mixup covering first they still get the out, but the runner alertly takes 3rd.
Horiuchi then rockets a ball down the left side and it takes a high bounce, and then off the wall. Just like that we're back level at 1.
Bottom 2nd
I thought it might just be nerves the first inning and that both pitchers would settle down. But Hirano singles to right, and then after a bunt Muraki hits a liner to right as well. Just like that Shizuoka is threatening again.
SQUEEZE! But Sanpei pushes it foul.
SQUEEZE!!! Sanpei throws himself at the ball and somehow lays it down perfectly! Hirano scores and Shizokua has a 2-1 lead!
Igarashi saves perhaps another run when he makes a running pick on a chopper back up the middle. Completes the play to 1st for the 3rd out.
Top 3rd
The weirder bit is that both aces can touch 145. So we're seeing some power arms, but both sides are finding ways to hit it.
That's because Takabe and Fukutake go back to back clean singles. And Kadoyama ties the game with a sac fly to left. Just like that.
Things getting away from Muraki quickly. He hits Hirai, and then Matsuoka slices a double to left center making it 3-2.
Igarashi then with a liner down the right field line... fair!! Both runners will score and it's now 5-2!
Muraki finally gets out of the inning, but that lead was very short-lived.
Bottom 3rd
But now that Toukaidai Koufu has the lead, Kikuchi can't find the strike zone! He walks Ooishi and Horiuchi, then Hirano singles to left and that plates a run.
Watase with a deep ball to center, Takabe backpedaling, looks like he has it. But leaps! And it's off his glove! Horiuchi hustles around and scores making it 5-4! Fortunately, because iit looked like a fly out, the runners weren't going all out. Otherwise it might be tied.
Also fortunately for Toukaidai, neither Muraki or Sanpei can bet a base hit to drive in the runs. The lead stays with them.
Top 4th
There are opportunities to be had on both sides as their aces struggle to get a clean inning.
Muraki gives both runs right back when Hirai hits a 2-out single with Iidzuka and Fukutake on 2nd and 3rd. It's now 7-4 and this game will take forever.
Top 5th
Muraki's day is done.#10 Muramatsu relieves him, and then gives up a base hit. He gets that out when Toukaidi tries a hit-and-run which turns into a strike em out throw em out double play.
Bottom 5th
Shizuoka with a scoring chance when Horiuchi gets a leadoff single, and despite a fielders choice, still had a chance with RP Muramatsu at the dish. He fights off several balls, but fails to pull the trigger on one at the bottom of the zone, and the 10th pitch retires the side. Over an hour and a half and we've just hit the break.
Bottom 6th
Shizuoka is trying to claw their way back into this game. After a single by Suzuki and a double by Ooishi, they send Suzuki home on a pop fly down the right field line. The 1B was taking the ball instead of the RF, which made it easier to get home. So it's a 7-5 ball game.
Top 7th
But Muramatsu is a bit shaky in the lucky 7. After it looked like he was going to leave a runner stranded at 1st, he gives up a hit and hits a batter to suddenly make it a manrui situation. Kkuchi makes him work for the 3rd out when he dribbles it to the left side. Muramatsu is up to the task and makes the strong throw to 1st for the 3rd out.
Bottom 7th
Troubling times for Toukaidai Koufu. Kikuchi hits Yasumoto to start the inning, and then Hirano singles to center. After a bunt, it's Muramatsu again who can help his own cause.
But perhaps cognizant of the last AB, with 1st open, Muramatsu earns the free pass and now the gyakuten run is on.
Sanpei can't get a non-sac hit it seems. But he does get one run on a flyout to center. It's 7-6!
Suzuki with ball back up the middle. Hirao makes a great diving stop! Hirano going home! Throw from Hirao gets away from Iidzuka and not only does the run score to tie the game, but now they can push ahead by a couple runs!
Muranaka-kantoku has seen enough. #10 Matsuba comes in to take the mound and finally gets the last out. But we have a new ballgame!
Top 8th
Had. Had a new ball game.
Before I can get my thoughts gathered on this inning, it's single, single, single, 8-7 with Fukutake getting the RBI. Once again, Shizuoka must play catchup.
Bottom 9th
Last chance ups. Douten runner put on when Watase gets nicked.
But time runs out. Neither PH #15 Suzuki or #16 Uchimura can get the timely hit. And as a result they are eliminated on Day 2
And now I can close my eyes and sleep...
Friday, August 7, 2015
Day 2, Game 3 - Kyushu Kokusaidai Fuzoku (Fukuoka) v Naruto (Tokushima)
Still looking for a compelling game from start to finish. I think we're getting closer.
This is strange. Usually these schools have some track record during their prefectuals I can point to, but here to I have nothing. The only quality win of any kind was Naruto over Komatsuhima 7-5 in the quarterfinals.
The only other thing to go on is overall prefectural strength, and there despite Fukuoka being slightly more metropolitan, the advantage might go to Naruto.
Kyushu Kokusaidai Fuzoku (Fukuoka)
SS Yoshii Kouhei
CF Yamaguchi Youhei
C Iwasaki Kaito
3B Yamamoto Musashi
LF Wakisaka Ryuuji
1B Uto Sou
2B Kameya Shouhei
RF Nakayama
P Tomiyama Ryouga
Naruto (Tokushima)
CF Hori Kouki
2B Kamata Kouhei
RF Yatake Shouya
LF Tedzuka Kaito
C Sahara Yuuto
1B Mori Yuuta
P Kawano Ryuusei
3B Takeishi Ren
SS Hino Koutarou
____________________________________________________________
13:01 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Yoshii is jammed but fists the ball over Kamata for a soft single. That's all they get though as the first inning otherwise goes smoothly for Kawano.
Bottom 1st
Almost the same. Yatake with a single to left center, but again not much else.
Top 2nd
Kyukoku trying to prove me wrong early. A single from Uto is paid off when Nakayama punishes a mistake to deep right center. Uto easily scores to make it 1-0.
Bottom 2nd
Naruto trying to strike back. Sahara goes to left center, and that takes a bounce to the wall. He's in with a leadoff double and subsequently bunted over.
Kawano, for a P hangs in there for a 11 pitch AB, but on that 11th pitch swings and misses on a slider away. 2 down, and the douten runner still stands at 3rd.
Sanshin! Tateisihi chases a ball high and despite the leadoff double, they can't bring him in!
Top 3rd
Kyukoku forges ahead! Yohii literally golfs a ball to the wall in center and he's in with a triple! Yamaguchi flies out to deep right, and that gets the run in to make it 2-0.
3/4 Innings
After that, the game enters a bit of a lull where the pitchers are back in the groove, and nothing of importance is happening. Doesn't mean there aren't hits or anything, but there is no feel of a momentum shift.
Top 5th
Kyukoku looking to edge away just a little more. Nakayma leads off witha chopper up the middle. Kamata actually runs it down, but can't make the throw in time. Yoshii gets his 3rd hit of the game, a base hit to right.
But bad luck for Kyukoku, or good luck for Naruto - Yamaguchi lines out to Mori and Yoshii is a dead duck and doubled off.
Bottom 5th
Naruto meanwhile cannot get any traction. The bottom of the order is retired with little issue, and they'll need to circle the wagons for the 2nd half of the game.
Top 6th
Instead of Naruto circling the wagons for a rally, After a hit batter, Kyukoku rattles off 2 hits with Yamamoto and Wakisaka making it 3-0. And then after a sac bunt, Kameya sneaks it through the left side to plate another run. They've quickly doubled the lead to 4-0 and are looking for more with just 1 down.
Nakayama now 3-3. Single to center makes it 5-0 and all these hits are squared up.
There's another from Tomiyama. That actually splits the outfield defense in left center and it's 7-0 as both runners come to score.
#12 Ozaki comes in to pitch, gives up another hit to Yoshii, but then finally cleans up the mess and gets them in the dugout.
Yikes...
Bottom 6th
You'd think with this lead you'd want to pitch to contact. But Hori leads off with a single, then after a sac bunt, Tomiyama issues a walk. Then another base hit, and then a 4-pitch walk.
If you count that up, that's 4 batters - and that means a run was walked in.
And yet. With it still manrui, Mori and Ozaki both pop out and 1 run is all they get.
Bottom 7th
Kyukoku goes to #11 Nogi, with Tomiyama going to 1B, and Uto going to LF. Nogi actually pitched the final 3 games of the Fukuoka taikai.
And Naruto finds him more to their liking! Takeishi singles back up the middle on the first pitch. After a walk and a sac bunt, Kamata singles to left and gets another run home. 7-2 though, and there's still a lot of work to do.
And unfortunately, Yatake, who was 1-1 with 2 walks, actually ends up grounding into a 6-4-3 double play!
Rest of game
Naruto falls apart a bit in the 9th, but only gives up 1 run. It could have been more, but a great stop by Hino prevented that.
The game finally ends in Kyushu Kokusaidai Fuzoku's favor 8-2.
This is strange. Usually these schools have some track record during their prefectuals I can point to, but here to I have nothing. The only quality win of any kind was Naruto over Komatsuhima 7-5 in the quarterfinals.
The only other thing to go on is overall prefectural strength, and there despite Fukuoka being slightly more metropolitan, the advantage might go to Naruto.
Kyushu Kokusaidai Fuzoku (Fukuoka)
SS Yoshii Kouhei
CF Yamaguchi Youhei
C Iwasaki Kaito
3B Yamamoto Musashi
LF Wakisaka Ryuuji
1B Uto Sou
2B Kameya Shouhei
RF Nakayama
P Tomiyama Ryouga
Naruto (Tokushima)
CF Hori Kouki
2B Kamata Kouhei
RF Yatake Shouya
LF Tedzuka Kaito
C Sahara Yuuto
1B Mori Yuuta
P Kawano Ryuusei
3B Takeishi Ren
SS Hino Koutarou
____________________________________________________________
13:01 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Yoshii is jammed but fists the ball over Kamata for a soft single. That's all they get though as the first inning otherwise goes smoothly for Kawano.
Bottom 1st
Almost the same. Yatake with a single to left center, but again not much else.
Top 2nd
Kyukoku trying to prove me wrong early. A single from Uto is paid off when Nakayama punishes a mistake to deep right center. Uto easily scores to make it 1-0.
Bottom 2nd
Naruto trying to strike back. Sahara goes to left center, and that takes a bounce to the wall. He's in with a leadoff double and subsequently bunted over.
Kawano, for a P hangs in there for a 11 pitch AB, but on that 11th pitch swings and misses on a slider away. 2 down, and the douten runner still stands at 3rd.
Sanshin! Tateisihi chases a ball high and despite the leadoff double, they can't bring him in!
Top 3rd
Kyukoku forges ahead! Yohii literally golfs a ball to the wall in center and he's in with a triple! Yamaguchi flies out to deep right, and that gets the run in to make it 2-0.
3/4 Innings
After that, the game enters a bit of a lull where the pitchers are back in the groove, and nothing of importance is happening. Doesn't mean there aren't hits or anything, but there is no feel of a momentum shift.
Top 5th
Kyukoku looking to edge away just a little more. Nakayma leads off witha chopper up the middle. Kamata actually runs it down, but can't make the throw in time. Yoshii gets his 3rd hit of the game, a base hit to right.
But bad luck for Kyukoku, or good luck for Naruto - Yamaguchi lines out to Mori and Yoshii is a dead duck and doubled off.
Bottom 5th
Naruto meanwhile cannot get any traction. The bottom of the order is retired with little issue, and they'll need to circle the wagons for the 2nd half of the game.
Top 6th
Instead of Naruto circling the wagons for a rally, After a hit batter, Kyukoku rattles off 2 hits with Yamamoto and Wakisaka making it 3-0. And then after a sac bunt, Kameya sneaks it through the left side to plate another run. They've quickly doubled the lead to 4-0 and are looking for more with just 1 down.
Nakayama now 3-3. Single to center makes it 5-0 and all these hits are squared up.
There's another from Tomiyama. That actually splits the outfield defense in left center and it's 7-0 as both runners come to score.
#12 Ozaki comes in to pitch, gives up another hit to Yoshii, but then finally cleans up the mess and gets them in the dugout.
Yikes...
Bottom 6th
You'd think with this lead you'd want to pitch to contact. But Hori leads off with a single, then after a sac bunt, Tomiyama issues a walk. Then another base hit, and then a 4-pitch walk.
If you count that up, that's 4 batters - and that means a run was walked in.
And yet. With it still manrui, Mori and Ozaki both pop out and 1 run is all they get.
Bottom 7th
Kyukoku goes to #11 Nogi, with Tomiyama going to 1B, and Uto going to LF. Nogi actually pitched the final 3 games of the Fukuoka taikai.
And Naruto finds him more to their liking! Takeishi singles back up the middle on the first pitch. After a walk and a sac bunt, Kamata singles to left and gets another run home. 7-2 though, and there's still a lot of work to do.
And unfortunately, Yatake, who was 1-1 with 2 walks, actually ends up grounding into a 6-4-3 double play!
Rest of game
Naruto falls apart a bit in the 9th, but only gives up 1 run. It could have been more, but a great stop by Hino prevented that.
The game finally ends in Kyushu Kokusaidai Fuzoku's favor 8-2.
Day 2, Game 2 - Hiroshima Shinjyou (Hiroshima) v Kasumigaura (Ibaraki)
Well, that was slighty better in terms of a competitive game. Perhaps we're rounding into form.
Both of these schools are making their first appearance, and their form doesn't really have any landmark games except for Hiroshima Shinjyou defeating Jyosuikan. Both teams were dominant in prefecture, but again versus weaker competition it's hard to find a favorite.
Hiroshima Shinjyou (Hiroshima)
2B Sugimura Hiroyoshi
LF Ogasawara Shin (#14)
SS Iwamoto Takuya
CF Fujimoto Tatsuki
C Toumetsuka Takashi
1B Sadanaga Masaaki
RF Kitatani Shougo (#17)
3B Koizumi Tokio
P Hori Mizuki
Kasumigaura (Ibaraki)
LF Satou Takumi
1B Hotate Ryou (#13)
RF Sekiguchi Jyunosuke
CF Shimizu Tatsuki
P Ayabe Shou
SS Ogawa Shouhei
C Saitou Tomonori
2B Mashiko Yuuya
3B Iimura Shouta
____________________________________________________________
10:30 - First pitch!
Top 1st
Ayabe working really quickly, needs just 10 pitches to get a 1-2-3 inning. Fastball pretty much average in speed.
Bottom 1st
Not a good start for Hori on the flipside. Leadoff walk, and then when Hotate can't lay down the bunt, he singles to center instead.
But after a sac bunt, it's another contact play. The result leaves the runners in place as Iwamoto starts the rundown, but it's all not necessary.
Worse yet, Ayabe is walked to load the bases.
Somehow though Hori gets Ogawa to chase a ball outside to end the inning.
Top 2nd
Man, those leadoff walks will get you every time. Ayabe issues one, and then after several attempts at a hit-and-run including a scorcher just foul past the 3rd base bag, Sadanaga drives a ball to the right center field wall for a triple And Hiroshima Shinjyou is up 1-0.
Kitatani with a single to center! That scores Sadanaga and it's 2-0 just like that. Takahashi-kantoku calls for time.
Ayabe limits the damage to just that, but as we've seen so far the team that falls behind has work to do.
3rd Inning
Sugimura with a leadoff hit to right that gets him to 2nd after Sekiguchi fails to field the ball cleanly. But when Ogasawara whifs on a bunt, he's caught too far off the bag and thrown out.
Sakoda-kantoku responds by replacing him with #89 Katou, who doubles to center.
Despite an error that allows a runner to get on base, Ayabe gets away with no damage.
However, the offense is unable to get the timely hit. Hotate adds a double to his single, but can't advance any further.
4th Inning
Ayabe seemingly flirting with disaster every inning. A 1-out and 2-out single put him at risk again, but he sneaks out of it with a flyout to right.
Kasumigaura at risk of a 1-2-3 inning when Saitou bounces one off the top of the padding in dead center for a double.
Mashiko singles to left, and new LF Katou flubs the ball! Saitou comes around to score and it's 2-1!
That's all they get, but Kasumigaura is starting to boom he ball, as shown in Iimura's loud 3rd out to center.
Bottom 5th
After a quick 1-2-3 inning for Shinjyou, Kasumigaura continues their booming ways. Hotate gets his 3rd hit of the game, and 2nd double, when he pounds a ball to left center. Sekiguchi follows that up with a single through the right side. Runners at the corners, and Sakoda-kantoku calling time again.
Shinjyou looks for the squeeze, but instead Shimizu takes the ball the other way to left for a game tying single! We're at 2-2 and Shinjyou looks like they're on their heels now!
Throw in an error and it would be manrui with 2 out. Saitou grounds to 2nd though and Hori prevents Kasumigaura from taking the lead.
I believe we have our first decent game of the tournament.
Top 6th
That break came at the right time for Hiroshima Shinjyou. Back-to-back base hits by Toumetsuka and Sadanaga put Kasumigaura in a bind.
Now on 2nd and 3rd, Shinjyou does the contact play, and this time it pays off. Runner scores to give them back the lead at 3-2.
They then try the squeeze, but Hotate alertly pushed the ball home with his glove and gets the tag at home.
But they press on and Sugimura re-establishes the 2-run lead.as he singles to center. That knocks Ayabe out of the game as #10 Adaka comes in. He closes out the inning, but they're back to where they started.
Bottom 6th
Mashiko gets on thanks to an error, but while he's advanced to 2nd, he goes no further. Even Hotate, who was 3-3 is retired to end the inning.
7th-8th Inning
The lucky 7 is anything but as Fujimoto is caught napping off of 1st, and Shimizu gets on base, but ends up in a strike em out throw em out double play.
The game is now at the point where it is just marching to the end with Kasumigaura on the wrong side of the ledger. The 8th comes and goes with the only thing to report being ace Hori cramping up.
Bottom 9th
With a walk to lead off the 9th, Kasumigaura presses on. #16 Katou runs for Iimura, and #18 Nemoto bats for Satou. He almost hits into a DP, but beats out the throw.
Hotate gives more hope when he gets his 4th hit. But they're down to their last out needing a base hit The tying run now at 2nd after Sekiguchi grounds to 1st.
Shimizu flies out to center though, and while there is some drama, Hiroshima Shinjyou advances with a 4-2 win.
Both of these schools are making their first appearance, and their form doesn't really have any landmark games except for Hiroshima Shinjyou defeating Jyosuikan. Both teams were dominant in prefecture, but again versus weaker competition it's hard to find a favorite.
Hiroshima Shinjyou (Hiroshima)
2B Sugimura Hiroyoshi
LF Ogasawara Shin (#14)
SS Iwamoto Takuya
CF Fujimoto Tatsuki
C Toumetsuka Takashi
1B Sadanaga Masaaki
RF Kitatani Shougo (#17)
3B Koizumi Tokio
P Hori Mizuki
Kasumigaura (Ibaraki)
LF Satou Takumi
1B Hotate Ryou (#13)
RF Sekiguchi Jyunosuke
CF Shimizu Tatsuki
P Ayabe Shou
SS Ogawa Shouhei
C Saitou Tomonori
2B Mashiko Yuuya
3B Iimura Shouta
____________________________________________________________
10:30 - First pitch!
Top 1st
Ayabe working really quickly, needs just 10 pitches to get a 1-2-3 inning. Fastball pretty much average in speed.
Bottom 1st
Not a good start for Hori on the flipside. Leadoff walk, and then when Hotate can't lay down the bunt, he singles to center instead.
But after a sac bunt, it's another contact play. The result leaves the runners in place as Iwamoto starts the rundown, but it's all not necessary.
Worse yet, Ayabe is walked to load the bases.
Somehow though Hori gets Ogawa to chase a ball outside to end the inning.
Top 2nd
Man, those leadoff walks will get you every time. Ayabe issues one, and then after several attempts at a hit-and-run including a scorcher just foul past the 3rd base bag, Sadanaga drives a ball to the right center field wall for a triple And Hiroshima Shinjyou is up 1-0.
Kitatani with a single to center! That scores Sadanaga and it's 2-0 just like that. Takahashi-kantoku calls for time.
Ayabe limits the damage to just that, but as we've seen so far the team that falls behind has work to do.
3rd Inning
Sugimura with a leadoff hit to right that gets him to 2nd after Sekiguchi fails to field the ball cleanly. But when Ogasawara whifs on a bunt, he's caught too far off the bag and thrown out.
Sakoda-kantoku responds by replacing him with #89 Katou, who doubles to center.
Despite an error that allows a runner to get on base, Ayabe gets away with no damage.
However, the offense is unable to get the timely hit. Hotate adds a double to his single, but can't advance any further.
4th Inning
Ayabe seemingly flirting with disaster every inning. A 1-out and 2-out single put him at risk again, but he sneaks out of it with a flyout to right.
Kasumigaura at risk of a 1-2-3 inning when Saitou bounces one off the top of the padding in dead center for a double.
Mashiko singles to left, and new LF Katou flubs the ball! Saitou comes around to score and it's 2-1!
That's all they get, but Kasumigaura is starting to boom he ball, as shown in Iimura's loud 3rd out to center.
Bottom 5th
After a quick 1-2-3 inning for Shinjyou, Kasumigaura continues their booming ways. Hotate gets his 3rd hit of the game, and 2nd double, when he pounds a ball to left center. Sekiguchi follows that up with a single through the right side. Runners at the corners, and Sakoda-kantoku calling time again.
Shinjyou looks for the squeeze, but instead Shimizu takes the ball the other way to left for a game tying single! We're at 2-2 and Shinjyou looks like they're on their heels now!
Throw in an error and it would be manrui with 2 out. Saitou grounds to 2nd though and Hori prevents Kasumigaura from taking the lead.
I believe we have our first decent game of the tournament.
Top 6th
That break came at the right time for Hiroshima Shinjyou. Back-to-back base hits by Toumetsuka and Sadanaga put Kasumigaura in a bind.
Now on 2nd and 3rd, Shinjyou does the contact play, and this time it pays off. Runner scores to give them back the lead at 3-2.
They then try the squeeze, but Hotate alertly pushed the ball home with his glove and gets the tag at home.
But they press on and Sugimura re-establishes the 2-run lead.as he singles to center. That knocks Ayabe out of the game as #10 Adaka comes in. He closes out the inning, but they're back to where they started.
Bottom 6th
Mashiko gets on thanks to an error, but while he's advanced to 2nd, he goes no further. Even Hotate, who was 3-3 is retired to end the inning.
7th-8th Inning
The lucky 7 is anything but as Fujimoto is caught napping off of 1st, and Shimizu gets on base, but ends up in a strike em out throw em out double play.
The game is now at the point where it is just marching to the end with Kasumigaura on the wrong side of the ledger. The 8th comes and goes with the only thing to report being ace Hori cramping up.
Bottom 9th
With a walk to lead off the 9th, Kasumigaura presses on. #16 Katou runs for Iimura, and #18 Nemoto bats for Satou. He almost hits into a DP, but beats out the throw.
Hotate gives more hope when he gets his 4th hit. But they're down to their last out needing a base hit The tying run now at 2nd after Sekiguchi grounds to 1st.
Shimizu flies out to center though, and while there is some drama, Hiroshima Shinjyou advances with a 4-2 win.
Day 2, Game 1 - Hanamaki Higashi (Iwate) v Senshuudai Matsudo (Chiba)
Well, it was about a usual of a day as you can have. As much as Koushien is romanticized, more often than not it is games like these. Doesn't mean we can't have exciting games, it's just that it doesn't happen every game.
Hopefully this one can give us some good baseball.
By now, Hanamaki Higashi should be old hat. A team out of nowhere in Iwate that challenged the establishment. Had two aces who may have been destined for MLB instead of NPB (Kikuchi Yuusei and Ootani Shouhei). And a manger who some international kokoyakyu fans consider cute or cool. They run, steal, try to gain advantages where they can. The only knock I have on them is that they can play to the level of their competition - good or bad.
As for Senshuudai Matsudo, they have been disappointed time and again out of Chiba generally having made at least the quarterfinals, progressing a round each year, but losing. And losing in enchousen each time.
This time around, they took out all that frustration against (my) Narashino. 7 runs in the 7th inning and they were finally on their way to the title. Having defeated Narashino and Kisaradzu Sougou, the question is - what can they do now that they're here?
Senshuudai Matsudo (Chiba)
SS Watanabe Daiki
LF Takada Takumi
3B Okamoto Yoshiki
P Hara Shuu
C Kawamura Keisuke
1B Izume Daichi
RF Teramoto Keiuske
CF Kawazoe Yuusei
2B Itou Akinobu
Hanamaki Higashi (Iwate)
SS Tarou Akira
C Fukushima Keito
LF Senda Kyouhei
2B Kumagai Sena
CF Sasaki Yuuya
3B Komatsu Yuuya (#14)
1B Satou Yuito
RF Satou Tarou (#13)
P Takahashi Takuya
____________________________________________________________
10:02 - First pitch!
Top 1st
Hm... Senshuudai Matsudo's band is refreshingly different, but I'm not impressed by their ABs at the plate early. Lots of bad swings in a 1-2-3 inning for ace Takahashi.
Bottom 1st
Nice play there by Watanabe in the gap to prevent a leadoff hit. Ran it down, stop and throw back across. Hara throwing in upper 130s-low 140s, which is slightly above average for the straight (fastball).
Hara gets a 1-2-3 inning of his own, including striking out Senda to end the inning.
Top 2nd
Takahashi is about in the same range as Hara, perhaps a tick or two slower. But he's not missing in the wrong places. And gets a mundane 1-2-3 inning.
Bottom 2nd
The same cannot be said for Hara has he walks Kumagai to start the inning.
After a bunt, he still can't find the zone and issues another walk.
Worse yet, what should have been a 6-4-3 double play is just 6-3 as Itou fails to cover 2nd in time.
Now it's a HBP! Its manrui for Takahashi!
And he makes them pay! It's a chopper over a leaping Hara to center and 2 runs come in to score! 2-0 and now Senshuudai will be under the gun.
Hara does finally get the last out, but if he's not careful, this game can get away like the others.
Bottom 3rd
The offense for Matsudo not doing anything, and Hara struggling on the mound. Once again he's in a pinch giving up a one out hit and a walk. Komatsu is able to score 1 on a base hit to center, but a fortunate overrun gets the runner thrown out at 2nd fo the 3rd out. Still it's 3-0 but feels like more.
Top 4th
Matsudo fortunate to get a runner when a ball bounces away from Komatsu to start the inning.
EH? Hara goes straight 5-hole on Tarou and it gets to the outfield. And now Senda whiffs on the ball too! Okamoto comes in all the way from 1st on a 2-error play! 3-1.
WHAT?? Now Satou Tarou sells out on a ball to right and it gets by him all the way to the wall! Hara will score and Kawamura has a triple! 3-2, and this is very unlike a normal Hanamaki Higashi team.
Ah... But Matsudo tries for the contact play. It's a chopper, but not high enough as Komatsu high points it and goes home for the easy out. That would kill the rally, but Matsudo somehow is back in the game.
Top 5th
After Hara setttles down for the inning, Matsudo gets something brewing as Watanabe slices a ball to right and Takada directs a ball back up the middle. They fail to cash in as Okamoto grounds right to Komatsu, and he can just walk it to the bag for the 3rd out.
Bottom 5th
Man, you cannot keep on giving free passes and expect to win. This time Fukushima gets the walk. And when Senda chops one just out of Okamoto's reach. And now Hanamaki Higashi shows their speed as Fukushima takes 3rd on the grounder.
Things get worse as Watanabe goes home with he fielders drawn in, but it's not in time. Run scores, and they don't get an out.
Mochimaru-kantoku goes for the P change, sending in #10 Kadoya for CF Kawazoe. Hara goes to RF, Teramoto goes to LF, Takada goes to CF.
Kameya gets the final 2 outs, but we'll have to see if he can keep them in the game post-break down 4-2.
6th Inning
So Takahashi wants to reestablish his presence on the mound and does just that striking out the side. Meanwhile Kadoya outside of a hit batter, is also doing his job in relief. But the bats need to lift a little, and there isn't a lot of time left.
7th Inning
Matsudo continuing to get chances. Itou and Watanabe this time with back-to-back hits, but it's again with 2 down. Takada reaches out and flies out to left to end the inning.
Meanwhile, Kadoya continues to make Hanamaki Higashi look meek at the plate. He gets his first 1-2-3 inning, but even with that he's given up just 1 hit.
8th Inning
That's a back-breaker. Okamoto hits a ball of the fence in left center. But he presses for 3 and the throw beats him by a good margin. Your run doesn't even tie the game! Why would you do that?
And what might have been a promising inning instead goes 1-2-3.
Hanamaki Higashi is fine going 1-2-3 as they're looking to just close out the game.
9th Inning
It was hard to get excited when Tsuganezawa got a bunt base hit, and then a single from Itou after that because it was with 2-outs once again. Watanabe strikes out swinging to end the game.
Senshuudai Matsudo didn't disgrace themselves at all, and made headway against Takahashi. However, the runs were scored via error and they couldn't drive in a run on their own. Nothing to be disappointed about really.
Hanamaki Higashi look very regular in this game. Nothing flashy, and even had errors. They may be here, but perhaps it's a year ahead of a rebuild (remember, they lost Ootani).
Hopefully this one can give us some good baseball.
By now, Hanamaki Higashi should be old hat. A team out of nowhere in Iwate that challenged the establishment. Had two aces who may have been destined for MLB instead of NPB (Kikuchi Yuusei and Ootani Shouhei). And a manger who some international kokoyakyu fans consider cute or cool. They run, steal, try to gain advantages where they can. The only knock I have on them is that they can play to the level of their competition - good or bad.
As for Senshuudai Matsudo, they have been disappointed time and again out of Chiba generally having made at least the quarterfinals, progressing a round each year, but losing. And losing in enchousen each time.
This time around, they took out all that frustration against (my) Narashino. 7 runs in the 7th inning and they were finally on their way to the title. Having defeated Narashino and Kisaradzu Sougou, the question is - what can they do now that they're here?
Senshuudai Matsudo (Chiba)
SS Watanabe Daiki
LF Takada Takumi
3B Okamoto Yoshiki
P Hara Shuu
C Kawamura Keisuke
1B Izume Daichi
RF Teramoto Keiuske
CF Kawazoe Yuusei
2B Itou Akinobu
Hanamaki Higashi (Iwate)
SS Tarou Akira
C Fukushima Keito
LF Senda Kyouhei
2B Kumagai Sena
CF Sasaki Yuuya
3B Komatsu Yuuya (#14)
1B Satou Yuito
RF Satou Tarou (#13)
P Takahashi Takuya
____________________________________________________________
10:02 - First pitch!
Top 1st
Hm... Senshuudai Matsudo's band is refreshingly different, but I'm not impressed by their ABs at the plate early. Lots of bad swings in a 1-2-3 inning for ace Takahashi.
Bottom 1st
Nice play there by Watanabe in the gap to prevent a leadoff hit. Ran it down, stop and throw back across. Hara throwing in upper 130s-low 140s, which is slightly above average for the straight (fastball).
Hara gets a 1-2-3 inning of his own, including striking out Senda to end the inning.
Top 2nd
Takahashi is about in the same range as Hara, perhaps a tick or two slower. But he's not missing in the wrong places. And gets a mundane 1-2-3 inning.
Bottom 2nd
The same cannot be said for Hara has he walks Kumagai to start the inning.
After a bunt, he still can't find the zone and issues another walk.
Worse yet, what should have been a 6-4-3 double play is just 6-3 as Itou fails to cover 2nd in time.
Now it's a HBP! Its manrui for Takahashi!
And he makes them pay! It's a chopper over a leaping Hara to center and 2 runs come in to score! 2-0 and now Senshuudai will be under the gun.
Hara does finally get the last out, but if he's not careful, this game can get away like the others.
Bottom 3rd
The offense for Matsudo not doing anything, and Hara struggling on the mound. Once again he's in a pinch giving up a one out hit and a walk. Komatsu is able to score 1 on a base hit to center, but a fortunate overrun gets the runner thrown out at 2nd fo the 3rd out. Still it's 3-0 but feels like more.
Top 4th
Matsudo fortunate to get a runner when a ball bounces away from Komatsu to start the inning.
EH? Hara goes straight 5-hole on Tarou and it gets to the outfield. And now Senda whiffs on the ball too! Okamoto comes in all the way from 1st on a 2-error play! 3-1.
WHAT?? Now Satou Tarou sells out on a ball to right and it gets by him all the way to the wall! Hara will score and Kawamura has a triple! 3-2, and this is very unlike a normal Hanamaki Higashi team.
Ah... But Matsudo tries for the contact play. It's a chopper, but not high enough as Komatsu high points it and goes home for the easy out. That would kill the rally, but Matsudo somehow is back in the game.
Top 5th
After Hara setttles down for the inning, Matsudo gets something brewing as Watanabe slices a ball to right and Takada directs a ball back up the middle. They fail to cash in as Okamoto grounds right to Komatsu, and he can just walk it to the bag for the 3rd out.
Bottom 5th
Man, you cannot keep on giving free passes and expect to win. This time Fukushima gets the walk. And when Senda chops one just out of Okamoto's reach. And now Hanamaki Higashi shows their speed as Fukushima takes 3rd on the grounder.
Things get worse as Watanabe goes home with he fielders drawn in, but it's not in time. Run scores, and they don't get an out.
Mochimaru-kantoku goes for the P change, sending in #10 Kadoya for CF Kawazoe. Hara goes to RF, Teramoto goes to LF, Takada goes to CF.
Kameya gets the final 2 outs, but we'll have to see if he can keep them in the game post-break down 4-2.
6th Inning
So Takahashi wants to reestablish his presence on the mound and does just that striking out the side. Meanwhile Kadoya outside of a hit batter, is also doing his job in relief. But the bats need to lift a little, and there isn't a lot of time left.
7th Inning
Matsudo continuing to get chances. Itou and Watanabe this time with back-to-back hits, but it's again with 2 down. Takada reaches out and flies out to left to end the inning.
Meanwhile, Kadoya continues to make Hanamaki Higashi look meek at the plate. He gets his first 1-2-3 inning, but even with that he's given up just 1 hit.
8th Inning
That's a back-breaker. Okamoto hits a ball of the fence in left center. But he presses for 3 and the throw beats him by a good margin. Your run doesn't even tie the game! Why would you do that?
And what might have been a promising inning instead goes 1-2-3.
Hanamaki Higashi is fine going 1-2-3 as they're looking to just close out the game.
9th Inning
It was hard to get excited when Tsuganezawa got a bunt base hit, and then a single from Itou after that because it was with 2-outs once again. Watanabe strikes out swinging to end the game.
Senshuudai Matsudo didn't disgrace themselves at all, and made headway against Takahashi. However, the runs were scored via error and they couldn't drive in a run on their own. Nothing to be disappointed about really.
Hanamaki Higashi look very regular in this game. Nothing flashy, and even had errors. They may be here, but perhaps it's a year ahead of a rebuild (remember, they lost Ootani).
Thursday, August 6, 2015
Day 1, Game 3 - Ueda Nishi (Nagano) v Miyazaki Nichidai (Miyazaki)
Sadly the first 2 games haven't been all that exciting. given these 2 histories, maybe we can finish the day with one. Only thing is, Ueda Nishi has certainly been tested more during the prefecturals.
Ueda Nishi (Nagano)
SS Kouno Seiya
2B Saitou Takashi
1B Mitsui Shuuhei
3B Ooyabu Shouya
C Noguchi Masahi
CF Matsumoto Daisuke
LF Kobayashi Ryouta
P Kusagai Kouki
RF Sekiguchi Daisuke
Miyazaki Nichidai (miyazaki)
RF Maeda Yoshifumi (#7)
CF Yoshino Shouhei
2B Masutomi Hiroshi
3B Misogami Kenya
SS Kihara Shin
P Sugio Takeshi
1B Kuroki Takashi (#10)
C Sonoda Atsushi
LF Tomori Takumi (#9)
____________________________________________________________
16:10 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Oh boy, single for Kouno to start, and after a sac bunt Mitsui singles to right. Ooyabu draws a walk and it's manrui alrady.
Chopper for Matsumoto over a leaping Mizogami and Kouno scores! Mitsui waved around... he scores! 2-0 Ueda Nishi already!
And Sugio is pulled! He goes to 1B while Kuroki takes the hill.
Things get dicey when Kobayashi gets a gunt hit to lead the bases with 2 down, but Takashi performs self-defense on a line by Kusagai for the 3rd out. It's not good, but it could have been worse.
Bottom 1st
Meanwhile Kusagai has a clean 1-2-3 inning as he goes quickly on the mound and hits his spots with a fastball in the high 130-low 140.
Top 2nd
Ueda Nishi seems to be based on speed as Saitou is either fooled or tries the drag swing and beats out the dribbler to the right side. He's stranded there when Mitsui Ks swinging, but I think they're taking a page from Kendai Takasaki.
Bottom 2nd
I really like what Kusagai is bringing to the plate here. He's working around the strike zone, but never in it. He's also getting contact, and his pitch count after his 2nd 1-2-3 inning is very low.
Top 3rd
Kuroki has locked it down since taking the hill. He's given up 2 infield hits, but nothing solid in nature.
Bottom 3rd
Kusagai is pitching like a pro. Last batter Tomori has the longest AB against him at 6 pitches, with the last a base hit through the right side. Guess I jinxed it there.
Top 4th
Ueda Nishi threatening again when Kusagai and Sekiguchi get back to back hits at the bottom of the lineup. But Kouno quickly flies out to shallow right, and Mizogami makes a great diving stop on a ball from Saitou and goes to 2nd for the 3rd out - easily saving a run.
Bottom 4th
Masutomi has a long AB, but that's all Miyazaki Nichidai can muster.
Top 5th
After a one out blooper by Ooyabu, Sakakibara-kantoku switches his pitchers again.
Matsumoto hits a line shot that Yoshino manages to run down in right center. A walk makes things a little dicey, but he gets the groundout to end the inning.
Bottom 5th
Miyazaki Nichidai playing to Ueda Nishi's pace it seems. It is another quick 1-2-3 inning, and he's faced 1 more than the minimum!
Top 6th
Some good luck comes Ueda Nishi's way when Sekiguchi's bunt after a leadoff single gains backspin and goes away from Sonoda who was trying to field it. That allows a slow chopper to score a run extending the lead to 3-0.
Bottom 6th
Tomori with both of Miyazaki Nichidai's hits as he chops one just over a leaping Kusagai, and Kouno can't get it there in time.
Despite being down 3 runs, Sakaibara-kantoku bunts the runner over. It doesn't pay off as Yoshino grounds to 2nd to end the inning.
Bottom 7th
Masutomi and Mizogami get back-to-back hits to give Miyazaki Nichidai a chance. A bunt means a base hit can make it a 1-run game. But Sugio pops out and Kuroki chases the slider, and just like that the inning is over!
Top 8th
Kuroki's K might have translated to the field as Sekiguchi's hit goes right by him. But with him at 3rd and the squeeze on, Kuroki (now on the mound) makes a great toss home to get the out and mitigate the threat.
Bottom 8th
Sonoda plays the bunt game and gets a leadoff hit. Then Ooyabu takes too much time looking the runner back and his throw to 1st is late!
But Yoshino's bunt isn't good enought and gets the lead runner cut down! Masutomi pops out and the inning is over!
Top 9th
Looks like Sakikibara-kantoku is getting players in as Yokoyama, Hamasaki enter the game. Eventually the rotation of pitchers goes away when Kuroki is replaced.
Bottom 9th
The last out is finally recorded as moodmaker Iwakiri grounds back to Kusagai to end the game.
Miyazaki Nichidai falls, and once again it's the first inning that is the culprit. If not for that, they played a good game. They just couldn't find a way to get to Kusagai.
Things do not get any easier as they will have to play Sakushin Gakuin. Yikes.
Ueda Nishi (Nagano)
SS Kouno Seiya
2B Saitou Takashi
1B Mitsui Shuuhei
3B Ooyabu Shouya
C Noguchi Masahi
CF Matsumoto Daisuke
LF Kobayashi Ryouta
P Kusagai Kouki
RF Sekiguchi Daisuke
Miyazaki Nichidai (miyazaki)
RF Maeda Yoshifumi (#7)
CF Yoshino Shouhei
2B Masutomi Hiroshi
3B Misogami Kenya
SS Kihara Shin
P Sugio Takeshi
1B Kuroki Takashi (#10)
C Sonoda Atsushi
LF Tomori Takumi (#9)
____________________________________________________________
16:10 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Oh boy, single for Kouno to start, and after a sac bunt Mitsui singles to right. Ooyabu draws a walk and it's manrui alrady.
Chopper for Matsumoto over a leaping Mizogami and Kouno scores! Mitsui waved around... he scores! 2-0 Ueda Nishi already!
And Sugio is pulled! He goes to 1B while Kuroki takes the hill.
Things get dicey when Kobayashi gets a gunt hit to lead the bases with 2 down, but Takashi performs self-defense on a line by Kusagai for the 3rd out. It's not good, but it could have been worse.
Bottom 1st
Meanwhile Kusagai has a clean 1-2-3 inning as he goes quickly on the mound and hits his spots with a fastball in the high 130-low 140.
Top 2nd
Ueda Nishi seems to be based on speed as Saitou is either fooled or tries the drag swing and beats out the dribbler to the right side. He's stranded there when Mitsui Ks swinging, but I think they're taking a page from Kendai Takasaki.
Bottom 2nd
I really like what Kusagai is bringing to the plate here. He's working around the strike zone, but never in it. He's also getting contact, and his pitch count after his 2nd 1-2-3 inning is very low.
Top 3rd
Kuroki has locked it down since taking the hill. He's given up 2 infield hits, but nothing solid in nature.
Bottom 3rd
Kusagai is pitching like a pro. Last batter Tomori has the longest AB against him at 6 pitches, with the last a base hit through the right side. Guess I jinxed it there.
Top 4th
Ueda Nishi threatening again when Kusagai and Sekiguchi get back to back hits at the bottom of the lineup. But Kouno quickly flies out to shallow right, and Mizogami makes a great diving stop on a ball from Saitou and goes to 2nd for the 3rd out - easily saving a run.
Bottom 4th
Masutomi has a long AB, but that's all Miyazaki Nichidai can muster.
Top 5th
After a one out blooper by Ooyabu, Sakakibara-kantoku switches his pitchers again.
Matsumoto hits a line shot that Yoshino manages to run down in right center. A walk makes things a little dicey, but he gets the groundout to end the inning.
Bottom 5th
Miyazaki Nichidai playing to Ueda Nishi's pace it seems. It is another quick 1-2-3 inning, and he's faced 1 more than the minimum!
Top 6th
Some good luck comes Ueda Nishi's way when Sekiguchi's bunt after a leadoff single gains backspin and goes away from Sonoda who was trying to field it. That allows a slow chopper to score a run extending the lead to 3-0.
Bottom 6th
Tomori with both of Miyazaki Nichidai's hits as he chops one just over a leaping Kusagai, and Kouno can't get it there in time.
Despite being down 3 runs, Sakaibara-kantoku bunts the runner over. It doesn't pay off as Yoshino grounds to 2nd to end the inning.
Bottom 7th
Masutomi and Mizogami get back-to-back hits to give Miyazaki Nichidai a chance. A bunt means a base hit can make it a 1-run game. But Sugio pops out and Kuroki chases the slider, and just like that the inning is over!
Top 8th
Kuroki's K might have translated to the field as Sekiguchi's hit goes right by him. But with him at 3rd and the squeeze on, Kuroki (now on the mound) makes a great toss home to get the out and mitigate the threat.
Bottom 8th
Sonoda plays the bunt game and gets a leadoff hit. Then Ooyabu takes too much time looking the runner back and his throw to 1st is late!
But Yoshino's bunt isn't good enought and gets the lead runner cut down! Masutomi pops out and the inning is over!
Top 9th
Looks like Sakikibara-kantoku is getting players in as Yokoyama, Hamasaki enter the game. Eventually the rotation of pitchers goes away when Kuroki is replaced.
Bottom 9th
The last out is finally recorded as moodmaker Iwakiri grounds back to Kusagai to end the game.
Miyazaki Nichidai falls, and once again it's the first inning that is the culprit. If not for that, they played a good game. They just couldn't find a way to get to Kusagai.
Things do not get any easier as they will have to play Sakushin Gakuin. Yikes.
Day 1, Game 2 - Chuukyoudai Chuukyou (Aichi) v Gifu Jyouhoku (Gifu)
Not much time between games, but I hope Gifu Jyouhoku isn't blown out.
Chuukyoudai Chuukyou (Aichi)
LF Kawada Kouhei
2B Katou Daiki
CF Nakamura Kento
C Itou Hiroshi
1B Yatazaki Akedo
3B Sugimoto Isamu
SS Satou Yuuki
RF Naitou Ryousuke
P Ueno Shoutarou
Gifu Jyouhoku (Gifu)
CF Ikeo Shunsuke
RF Hauashi Gouki
1B Hirai Sumire
C Miyakawa Keita
LF Nakamura Tatsuya
P Sumi Naoki
2B Naruse Jyunya
3B Itou Kouki
SS Muraki Ryousuke
____________________________________________________________
13:55 - First pitch!
Top 1st
Gifu Jyouhoku is in for the first time in a while, and um... 5 consecutive hits later, it's 3-0... Fortunately nothing less after that, but ace Sumi's slow curve is doing him no favors other than speeding up Chuukyou's bats.
Bottom 1st
Wow, very sloppy play from Chuukyoudai Chuukyou. Error by Sugimoto to start the game, and that's followed up by a ringing liner to center.
And now Satou throws a ball away to 2nd! Ikeo scores and it's 3-1! That's uncharacteristic of them.
Fortunately Ueno strikes out the next 2 batters looking, so no extra harm done.
Top 2nd
It feels like a "Here we go again" when Kawada singles to left. But a 6-3 DP turned by Muraki helps Sumi turn a 1-2-3 inning. Sorta.
Bottom 2nd
There's almost no point reporting on the bottom of Gifu Jyouhoku's lineup. Given their BAs I'd be surprised if they got more than 2-3 hits combined.
Top 3rd
Sumi has actually settled down. Gives up a leadoff double, but then gets a little help by Hirai on a liner before getting a harmless popup and groundout.
Bottom 3rd
Gifu Jyouhoku is getting their hits in, but they're pressing a bit. After a leadoff single by Ikeo, Hayashi avoids a double play by hustling to first, only to get thrown out trying to steal 2nd...
Top 4th
A HBP to lead off the inning comes back to haunt Sumi as a ball to center by Kawada is just out of Ikeo's reach, making it 4-1.
Sumi is fortunate to get the loud hits right at his players, as he gets the next 2 to end the inning.
Bottom 4th
Leadoff hit by Miyakawa erased by another double play. Winds up going 1-2-3.
5th Inning
The teams have settled down, but that also means Chuukyoudai Chuukyou has the better of it.
Post-break
The game is really accelerating with both sides making little progress even getting on base.
Things get interesting in the 8th where PH Mouri (hitting for Itou), singles. Then Muraki shoots one through the right side and there's a situation for Gifu to make some headway.
But before that Kawada is down due to some injury, or cramp maybe.
And before you know it, after Fukutomi replaces him, Ikeo grounds into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning...
Gifu Jyouhoku gets another base hit to lead off 9th, but again, it's a 6-4-3 double play. Chuukyoudai Chuukyou professionally dispatches Gifu Jyouhoku 4-1. Ueno looks good, but shows he's certainly hittable.
Chuukyoudai Chuukyou (Aichi)
LF Kawada Kouhei
2B Katou Daiki
CF Nakamura Kento
C Itou Hiroshi
1B Yatazaki Akedo
3B Sugimoto Isamu
SS Satou Yuuki
RF Naitou Ryousuke
P Ueno Shoutarou
Gifu Jyouhoku (Gifu)
CF Ikeo Shunsuke
RF Hauashi Gouki
1B Hirai Sumire
C Miyakawa Keita
LF Nakamura Tatsuya
P Sumi Naoki
2B Naruse Jyunya
3B Itou Kouki
SS Muraki Ryousuke
____________________________________________________________
13:55 - First pitch!
Top 1st
Gifu Jyouhoku is in for the first time in a while, and um... 5 consecutive hits later, it's 3-0... Fortunately nothing less after that, but ace Sumi's slow curve is doing him no favors other than speeding up Chuukyou's bats.
Bottom 1st
Wow, very sloppy play from Chuukyoudai Chuukyou. Error by Sugimoto to start the game, and that's followed up by a ringing liner to center.
And now Satou throws a ball away to 2nd! Ikeo scores and it's 3-1! That's uncharacteristic of them.
Fortunately Ueno strikes out the next 2 batters looking, so no extra harm done.
Top 2nd
It feels like a "Here we go again" when Kawada singles to left. But a 6-3 DP turned by Muraki helps Sumi turn a 1-2-3 inning. Sorta.
Bottom 2nd
There's almost no point reporting on the bottom of Gifu Jyouhoku's lineup. Given their BAs I'd be surprised if they got more than 2-3 hits combined.
Top 3rd
Sumi has actually settled down. Gives up a leadoff double, but then gets a little help by Hirai on a liner before getting a harmless popup and groundout.
Bottom 3rd
Gifu Jyouhoku is getting their hits in, but they're pressing a bit. After a leadoff single by Ikeo, Hayashi avoids a double play by hustling to first, only to get thrown out trying to steal 2nd...
Top 4th
A HBP to lead off the inning comes back to haunt Sumi as a ball to center by Kawada is just out of Ikeo's reach, making it 4-1.
Sumi is fortunate to get the loud hits right at his players, as he gets the next 2 to end the inning.
Bottom 4th
Leadoff hit by Miyakawa erased by another double play. Winds up going 1-2-3.
5th Inning
The teams have settled down, but that also means Chuukyoudai Chuukyou has the better of it.
Post-break
The game is really accelerating with both sides making little progress even getting on base.
Things get interesting in the 8th where PH Mouri (hitting for Itou), singles. Then Muraki shoots one through the right side and there's a situation for Gifu to make some headway.
But before that Kawada is down due to some injury, or cramp maybe.
And before you know it, after Fukutomi replaces him, Ikeo grounds into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning...
Gifu Jyouhoku gets another base hit to lead off 9th, but again, it's a 6-4-3 double play. Chuukyoudai Chuukyou professionally dispatches Gifu Jyouhoku 4-1. Ueno looks good, but shows he's certainly hittable.
Day 1, Game 1 - Kagoshima Jitsugyou (Kagoshima) v Hokkai (Minami Hokkaido)
Sorry for the abrupt intro, but I got out of work late, and work has been busy with quarter-end close. This will be a little behind, you can check the twitter for quick updates.
Kagoshima Jitsugyou (Kagoshima)
1B Arimura Kenta
CF Andou Masayuki
RF Muroya Tarou
3B Wataya Itsuki
C Tsukiji Rui
2B Itagoi Yuka
LF Oitachi Yuuki (#17)
SS Hasebe Daiki
P Hashimoto Takumi
Hokkai (Minami Hokkaido)
CF Kakinuma Kazuki (#9)
C Watanabe Shouta
3B Tanno Ryousuke
LF Kamanaka Junpei
1B Satou Yuuki
2B Ooya Masayuki
P Yamamoto Itsuki (#8)
RF Kanno Ryousuke (#18)
SS Nagasawa Kentarou
____________________________________________________________
10:37 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
It was a rough start for relief starter Yamamoto. First pitch perhaps wanting to get it over and Arimura singles to right. Next up was a walk, and a sac bunt.
Worse yet, 2 wild pitches brought both runs in making it 2-0. After that he got the next 2 out to end the inning, but it is an ominous start to say the least. Not to mention ace Watanabe Kairi was warming up.
Bottom 1st
Now that's the fight I'd like to see! One out single by Shouta up the middle is paid off by Tanno as he doubles off the left center field wall and its 2-1!
Top 2nd
Yamamoto has a simple slider curve combo, but at least can get up to 140 with the fastball. In fact he strikes out the side, including Oitachi who regretted chasing a ball at the eyes.
Bottom 2nd
Ooya with a leadoff single to the right side and bunted over.
Kanno hits a ball up the middle, but Hasebe runs it down! Spins, throws to 1st and gets the out and saves a run! Ooya is able to advance to 3rd, but Nagasawa weakly grounds to 2nd to end the inning.
Top 3rd
One out single past a diving Nagasawa and Arimura already has 2 hits. If there is a weakness of Yamamoto it's his lack of control at times. And it shows when he goes up and in and hits Andou almost in the head.
A hard ball to 1st almost goes for a hit when Satou can't field it cleanly. But when Wataya singles through the left side scoring 2, making it 4-1 it's not good for Hokkai at all.
When Tsukiji bloops one just out of the reach of Ooya, you get the feeling it's not their day.
Speaking of day, Yamamoto's day on the mound is over after he walks the next batter on 4 straight. Ace Watanabe Kairi comes in. He throws just as hard, and perhaps a little more control. Does get the last out though, but Hokkai's prospects do not look good now.
Bottom 3rd
#7 Mogami Jyunya comes in for Oitachi to play left.
I've counted Hokkai out early twice just because they don't generally show offense and the pitching is giving up runs left and right. But then Kamanaka hits a 2-out 2-run HR to right center and we've got a ball game again at 4-3. At this point neither side's pitching looks strong and it'll boil down to which team can take advantage the most.
Top 4th
Hokkai's pitching just can't keep them in the game. Leadoff walk, bunt, ANOTHER wild pitch. And Arimura collects his 3rd hit to make it 5-3.
Kairi gets the next two batters out, but this game is ugly.
Bottom 4th
Really quick inning for Hokkai. If the top of the lineup is the only part producing, it's going to be a long game for them.
Top 5th
I finally feel settled down. But the game has decided to end early. No, no rain, just a ton of runs. Hokkai's pitching craters here and what was a 5-3 game has gone double digits.
IN ONE INNING.
14 batters, 10 runs. 15-3 and there won't be much to say the rest of the game.
Bottom 5th
Other than to show how bad the game is ace Watanabe hits a batter with 2 out. UP 12. Tanno gets a run in with a double to right center making it 15-4.
Bottom 6th
Hokkai sending #13 Takahoko to hit for Satou. Subs perhaps being worked in so they can play on field.
Also, Hashimoto is mercifully relieved after throwing ball 4 to the backstop w/one down. Arimura comes in from 1B to take hill. Mashimoto goes to LF, and #10 Shibata takes over at 1B.
And on and on...
There isn't much else to say. Kajitsu not really trying adding on, but are swinging away and pounding the ball, add more runs in 8th as Arimura goes 4-5 with yet another single. They're even stealing bases maybe getting work in, and maybe hoping perhaps they can get outs that way to shorten game.
Also, Takahoko makes a great diving stop for the 3rd out after Kajitsu scored 3 more. Then collects a base hit in bottom of inning. Good for him in this blowout.
Game finally ends in 2 hrs 43 minutes at 18-4. Kajitsu moves on but for how much longer is not certain.
Some of Hokkai's players are crying as they scoop their Koushien dirt. It was a blowout, but it was their blowout. They did earn the right to be here, even if the score doesn't indicate as such. You can only do what you can do to get here, so for winning Minami Hokkaido congratulations are in order. But their summer is over, and focus will turn to making it for senbatsu next year.
Kajitsu advance yes, but there are obvious issues. They'd better hope not to draw Sakushin Gakuin.
Kagoshima Jitsugyou (Kagoshima)
1B Arimura Kenta
CF Andou Masayuki
RF Muroya Tarou
3B Wataya Itsuki
C Tsukiji Rui
2B Itagoi Yuka
LF Oitachi Yuuki (#17)
SS Hasebe Daiki
P Hashimoto Takumi
Hokkai (Minami Hokkaido)
CF Kakinuma Kazuki (#9)
C Watanabe Shouta
3B Tanno Ryousuke
LF Kamanaka Junpei
1B Satou Yuuki
2B Ooya Masayuki
P Yamamoto Itsuki (#8)
RF Kanno Ryousuke (#18)
SS Nagasawa Kentarou
____________________________________________________________
10:37 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
It was a rough start for relief starter Yamamoto. First pitch perhaps wanting to get it over and Arimura singles to right. Next up was a walk, and a sac bunt.
Worse yet, 2 wild pitches brought both runs in making it 2-0. After that he got the next 2 out to end the inning, but it is an ominous start to say the least. Not to mention ace Watanabe Kairi was warming up.
Bottom 1st
Now that's the fight I'd like to see! One out single by Shouta up the middle is paid off by Tanno as he doubles off the left center field wall and its 2-1!
Top 2nd
Yamamoto has a simple slider curve combo, but at least can get up to 140 with the fastball. In fact he strikes out the side, including Oitachi who regretted chasing a ball at the eyes.
Bottom 2nd
Ooya with a leadoff single to the right side and bunted over.
Kanno hits a ball up the middle, but Hasebe runs it down! Spins, throws to 1st and gets the out and saves a run! Ooya is able to advance to 3rd, but Nagasawa weakly grounds to 2nd to end the inning.
Top 3rd
One out single past a diving Nagasawa and Arimura already has 2 hits. If there is a weakness of Yamamoto it's his lack of control at times. And it shows when he goes up and in and hits Andou almost in the head.
A hard ball to 1st almost goes for a hit when Satou can't field it cleanly. But when Wataya singles through the left side scoring 2, making it 4-1 it's not good for Hokkai at all.
When Tsukiji bloops one just out of the reach of Ooya, you get the feeling it's not their day.
Speaking of day, Yamamoto's day on the mound is over after he walks the next batter on 4 straight. Ace Watanabe Kairi comes in. He throws just as hard, and perhaps a little more control. Does get the last out though, but Hokkai's prospects do not look good now.
Bottom 3rd
#7 Mogami Jyunya comes in for Oitachi to play left.
I've counted Hokkai out early twice just because they don't generally show offense and the pitching is giving up runs left and right. But then Kamanaka hits a 2-out 2-run HR to right center and we've got a ball game again at 4-3. At this point neither side's pitching looks strong and it'll boil down to which team can take advantage the most.
Top 4th
Hokkai's pitching just can't keep them in the game. Leadoff walk, bunt, ANOTHER wild pitch. And Arimura collects his 3rd hit to make it 5-3.
Kairi gets the next two batters out, but this game is ugly.
Bottom 4th
Really quick inning for Hokkai. If the top of the lineup is the only part producing, it's going to be a long game for them.
Top 5th
I finally feel settled down. But the game has decided to end early. No, no rain, just a ton of runs. Hokkai's pitching craters here and what was a 5-3 game has gone double digits.
IN ONE INNING.
14 batters, 10 runs. 15-3 and there won't be much to say the rest of the game.
Bottom 5th
Other than to show how bad the game is ace Watanabe hits a batter with 2 out. UP 12. Tanno gets a run in with a double to right center making it 15-4.
Bottom 6th
Hokkai sending #13 Takahoko to hit for Satou. Subs perhaps being worked in so they can play on field.
Also, Hashimoto is mercifully relieved after throwing ball 4 to the backstop w/one down. Arimura comes in from 1B to take hill. Mashimoto goes to LF, and #10 Shibata takes over at 1B.
And on and on...
There isn't much else to say. Kajitsu not really trying adding on, but are swinging away and pounding the ball, add more runs in 8th as Arimura goes 4-5 with yet another single. They're even stealing bases maybe getting work in, and maybe hoping perhaps they can get outs that way to shorten game.
Also, Takahoko makes a great diving stop for the 3rd out after Kajitsu scored 3 more. Then collects a base hit in bottom of inning. Good for him in this blowout.
Game finally ends in 2 hrs 43 minutes at 18-4. Kajitsu moves on but for how much longer is not certain.
Some of Hokkai's players are crying as they scoop their Koushien dirt. It was a blowout, but it was their blowout. They did earn the right to be here, even if the score doesn't indicate as such. You can only do what you can do to get here, so for winning Minami Hokkaido congratulations are in order. But their summer is over, and focus will turn to making it for senbatsu next year.
Kajitsu advance yes, but there are obvious issues. They'd better hope not to draw Sakushin Gakuin.
Friday, July 24, 2015
Prefectural coverage via Twitter
So, I've been way too busy to make blog posts recently. If you want to see coverage, it'll be on my twitter account as seen on the left of the webpage. JH, you'll be able to see all my thoughts on that debacle of a game from Hachinohe Gakuin Kousei. It was completely mismanaged by Nakai-kantoku thanks to the "ganbare" mentality. There's no guarantee they win the game, but they shouldn't have lost it in the manner in which they did.
Sunday, July 12, 2015
Natsu Qualifying - Hokkaido/Tohoku
Ok, quite a bit has happened since Minami Hokkaido got the Natsu Qualifying started. The coverage here won't be as extensive, and I'll leave a lot of coverage on teams that had good runs, but fell short for another post. But this weekend, all but Shimane and Kochi have started play.
Kita Hokkaido - Regional Play & Round of 16 draw completed
Here's who advanced out of regional play:
Kushine
Kita Hokkaido - Regional Play & Round of 16 draw completed
Here's who advanced out of regional play:
Kushine
- A - Kushiro Kougyou (who gave up a 5-3 lead in the 9th to Kushiro Koryou and eventually won in 12.
- B - Kushiro Hokuyou
- C - Bushuukan (11-4 and 7-0? Still got it, so far at least)
Kitami
- A - Engaru (How in the world did they have to play Memanbetsu in their 1st game? Made a 2-run first stick for the rest of the game.)
- B - Kitami Kougyou (28-1 in their 3 games, as easy as you like it)
- C - Kitami Hokuto (Strange that they would have trouble with a team like Abashiri Keiyou, but a 4-2 win in the block final secures a spot in the main prefecturals.)
Nayoro
- A - Teshio (Wakkanai made it an interesting game after falling behind 7-0, but in the end Teshio would eke out the 8-6 win. On another note, Wakkanai's first game with Esashi was a game of runs with Wakkanai leading 5-0, then 5-2. After extending it to 8-2, Esashi scored 11 unanswered. to which Wakkanai scord 9 unanswered back, Esashi put together 5 runs, but that was all as Wakkanai had advanced to the block final 17-16!)
- B - Wakkanai Ootani (Certainly not impressive, but 2 wins gets them in the mix)
Asahikawa
- A - Asahikawa Nishi (Drawing the pole position helps, as they only needed to defeat Asahkawa Higashi and Asahikawa Ryouun to advance)
- B - Asahikawa Ryuukoku (Huh? Not Asahikawa Kougyou? Ryuukoku uses 3 pitchers to complete the 1-0 shutout of the favorites for a spot in the round of 16)
- C - Asahikawa Jitsugyou (This favorite advances. but almost didn't as they let Asahikawa Kita take a 4-3 lead. However, powered by 2 HRs, they advanced 7-6. They were not troubled otherwise.
Sorachi
- A - Fukagawa Nishi (They couldn't make the 1-0 lead last in the 9th as Iwamizawa Higashi tied things up, but one inning late they pulled it out.)
- B - Iwamizawa Ryokuryou (Not easy at all for them. 3 runs at the most in any game, including a 3-2 sayonara win over Sunagawa to start and then that same score over Ashibetsu for the block win
Tokachi
- A - Obihiro Hakuyou (I was fully expecting Obihiro Sanjyou to advance out of here, but while all their games were close - 3-2 over Obihiro Shougyou, 5-3 over Honbetsu, they certainly earned it.
- B - Shirakaba Gakuen (It would certainly seem odd for a prefectural without them, so they obliged with wins of 11-1 and 4-0)
- C - Obihiro Ryokuyou (Block final against Obihiro Kougyou was far from clean, but you don't necessarily need to be I guess if you score 13 runs.)
The draw was held earlier today and this is what we have:
- Obihiro Ryokuyou (Tokachi C) vs. Kitami Kougyou (Kitami B)
- Kushiro Hokuyou (Kushine B) vs. Asahikawa Nishi (Asahikawa A)
- Shirakaba Gakuen (Tokachi A) vs. Fukagawa Nishi (Sorachi A)
- Engaru (Kitami A) vs. Wakkani Ootani (Nayoro B)
- Bushuukan (Kushine C) vs. Kushiro Kougyou (Kushine A)
- Asahikawa Ryuukoku (Asahikawa B) vs. Iwamizawa Ryokuyou (Sorachi B)
- Kitami Hokuto (Kitami C) vs. Teshio (Nayoro A)
- Asahikawa Jitsugyou (Asahikawa C) vs. Obihiro Hakuyou (Tokachi A)
First, that really sucks that Engaru gets a harder draw. Wakkanai Ootani is no slouch in prefecture, and then Shirakaba Gakuen?
2 Kushine schools face off in the first round too, and the advantage easily goes to Bushuukan.
And Obihiro Hakuyou has to prove themselves right of the bat yet again with a game against Asahikawa Jitsugyou.
Minami Hokkaido - Regional play & Round of 15 draw completed
And now we start heading south.
Sapporo
- A - Sapporo Kousei (Almost didn't happen for them. Anmi gave up a pair of runs early, but they scrapped out the tying run late, and the winning run in the 10th. Otherwise, it was smooth sailing)
- B - Sapporo Ootani
- C - Sapporo Minami (Sapporo Dai-ichi goes down!! The teams were stuck in a scoreless draw until the favorites broke out with 2 in the Lucky 7. Somehow though, Sapporo Minami comes back with 5 runs in the 8th leaving the favorites with little time to regroup! And not only does Minami win that game, but avoids the letdown against Sapporo Nishi to claim the block!)
- D - Hokkai (They almost got flat-footed in their first game against Sapporo Okadama. After a 1-0 win, the cobwebs were shook out and they then proceeded to take it out on their nest 2 opponents)
- E - Sapporo Yamanote (Facing a Hokkai Gakuen Sapporo squad that went 13-2 and 15-0, Hokkai Gakuen took a 4-1 lead in the game. But a pair of runs in the 6th and 7th from Sapporo Yamanot put them in unfamiliar territory - and at the wrong time. Congrats to Sapporo Yamanote for making their first ever regionals)
- F - Toukai Dai-yon (Almost wanting to put a stamp on things, they went 7-0, 9-0 and 8-0 to reach the prefecturals)
- G - Sapporo Nichidai (It wasn't a performance like Toukai Dai-yon, but they were uncontested in block play.)
Otaru
- A - Hokushou (They almost blew it AGAIN. Facing Otaru Suisan in the block final, they actually trailed 3-1. But a pair of runs in the 8th and the 9th allowed them to advance. But having trouble again early on is not a good sign.)
- B - Otaru Koryou
Muroran
- A - Komadai Tomakomai (They may be back on the way up, but trying to get back to a time where you had almost 3 summer titles is a bit of an ask. Still, 3 shutouts is nothing to sneeze at.)
- B - Tomakomai Higashi
- C - Hokkaido Sakae
Hakodate
- A - Shiriuchi
- B - Hakodatedai Yuuto (I like Hakodatedai Yuuto, but a 3-1 win over Hakodate Ryouhoku, then a 9-6 win over sister school Hakodatedai Hakyryou doesn't instill confidence.)
- C - Hokkaido LaSalle (Good for LaSalle. 3 shutouts put them in good shape for the prefecturals. Now if they can just translate that against the stronger schools.)
And here is the draw for the prefecturals:
- Toukai Dai-yon (Sapporo F) - Bye
- Hakodatedai Yuuto (Hakodate B) vs. Sapporo Yamanote (Sapporo E)
- Shiriuchi (Hakodate A) vs. Tomakomai Higashi (Muroran B)
- Sapporo Nichidai (Sapporo G) vs. Hokushou (Otaru A)
- Hokkai (Sapporo D) vs. Hokkaido Sakae (Muroran C)
- Sapporo Kousei (Sapporo A) vs. Komadai Tomakomai (Muroran A)
- Hakodate LaSalle (Hakodate C) vs. Otaru Koryou (Otaru B)
- Sapporo Minami (Sapporo C) vs. Sapporo Ootani (Sapporo B)
Toukai Dai-yon rightly gets the bye, but does not necessarily get an easy road as it could include Hakodatedai Yuuto and Hokushou.
Neither does Hokkai and Komadai Tomakomai as both of them could be on a collision course in the quarterfinals.
Aomori - 2nd Round in progress
I had seen that St. Ursula had lost, and was surprised, then I realized I had them switched for the school in Miyazaki.
Hachinohe Gakuin Kousei has played their first game, and took it "easy" on Hirosaki Shougyou, as they send 4 pitchers to the mound to get work in a 12-0, 7-inning game.
Aomori Yamada only went 6 in their 10-0 win over Sannohe.
Akita - Opening weekend
Yesterday was their opening game of the Akita taikai. Araya sadly was out of it early, giving up 5 runs to Oodate Kougyou in a 7-1 loss at Komachi Stadium.
Iwate - Opening weekend
Ichinoseki Dai-ni and Iwaizumi christened affairs with a banger of an opener as Dai-ni pulled away later for a 5-4 win. Currently though (10:11 AM), Ichinoseki Gakuin is putting paid to them now 6-0 through 5. Hanamaki Higashi will be the final game of the day at Iwate Prefectural.
Yamagata - Opening weekend
Okitama Nougyou and Yachi began affairs at Nisshin Stadium with Yachi going on a 7-1 run in the later innings for a 7-3 win. Top seeded Tsuruoka Higashi begins their run today at Sakata Hikarigaoka against Yamagata Higashi.
Miyagi - Round 2 in progress
Miyagi got things started a bit earlier than the rest of Tohoku, but that's understandable given the number of teams. With that said, the seeded teams are getting their first games in now.
While top seeded Sendai Ikuei, 3rd seeded Tome, and 4th seeded Ishinomakai had the expected easy game, 2nd seed Shibata was not so lucky. They scrambled with 4 different pitchers as Furukawa scored in each of the first 5 innings. Shibata was unable to recover, and their tournament was over in the first game 9-7.
5-8 seeded Rifu will have their first game today against Motoyoshi Hibiki, while Tohoku faces Kesennuma Kouyou.
Fukushima - Round 2 in progress
In reality, it's all about Seikou Gakuin and will they go for the 9th year in a row. A 10-0 win in 5 over Nasoko Kougyou to start might not be a good omen for the rest of the field.
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Day 12, Championship - Tsuruga Kehi (Fukui) vs. Toukai Dai-yon (Hokkaido)
WHOO HOO!!!
I am so happy we have this final! I was expecting the exact reverse, but for one day, the 高校野球 gods decided that the small team (sort of) has their day.
Now given, both of these schools are private, and Tsuruga Kehi has been a strong team as of late. But they're not Osaka Touin, they're not Yokohama, they're not a major metropolitan team. We have a school from the Hokushinetsu region that hasn't won since...
OH GOD.
The last time a Hokushinetsu school won either Koushien was Gifu Shougyou (Now Kenritsu Gifu Shougyou).
IN 1936.
They won the 1935 Natsu Koushien, then the 1936 Haru Koushien.
And as for Hokkaido?
The only team to ever win (in either Koushien) was Komadai Tomakomai back in 2004-5, and oddly Tanaka Masahiro's team in 2006 was the team to lose the final. As mentioned yesterday, the closest a Hokkaido team has to winning was Hokkai back in 1963 when they reached the final and lost to Shimonoseki Shougyou (Yamaguchi).
Man, a Chuugoku and a Hokkaido team in the final? Those days are long gone.
But now we have a Hokushinetsu team and a Hokkaido team. YAY!
Tsuruga Kehi has hit their stride at the right time. Their first 3 games had a combined winning margin of 5 runs, and 3 of those runs was against Naradai Fuzoku. The other two were against the Tohoku champs Sendai Ikuei and the Tokai champs Shizuoka.
And then against Osaka Touin?? 2 innings and 2 grand slams later, and the game was OVER.
And if they defeat Toukai Dai-yon, that will be 3 super-regional champs defeated. It's like the Meiji Jingu tournament all over again. Except this time Hiranuma is not hurt, and looks to be stronger than ever.
Toukai Dai-yon has had the cinderella run. They have reached the final scoring no more than 3 runs in any game. They were on the verge of losing against Matsuyama Higashi in the 2nd round. They shutout Kendai Takasaki. They limited Urawa Gakuin to just 1 run.
And now they're here in the finals! Albeit an hour late due to the rain. Crowds have stayed away sadly, and so the atmosphere won't be as strong for a final as it could be.
Toukai Dai-yon (Hokkaido)
SS Tomita Yuuki
2B Kanemura Kousei
RF Yamamoto Kouhei
C Ogawa Kouhei
1B Sou Kangi (#7)
LF Shiota Gen (#13)
P Oosawa Shiiya
3B Tachibana Susumu
CF Watase Taiki
Tsuruga Kehi (Fukui)
3B Shinohara Ryou
2B Nakai Kidzuku
SS Hayashinaka Yuuki
P Hiranuma Shouta
CF Yamamoto Kouta
RF Matsumoto Teppei (#17)
1B Ueda Ryouya
C Kamon Yuusuke
LF Kinoshita Shougo (#9)
__________________________________________________
13:30 - First Pitch!
1st Inning
Grounder to 2nd and Nakai can't quite get his footwork down and can't field the ball! Official scorers give a single.
Sac bunt. KAMON throws it away! All safe and Tomita goes to 3rd. Toukai Dai-yon with a big chance!
Kanemura steals 2nd without a throw!!
Oowaki-kantoku not doing the squeeze, and Yamamoto strikes out.
Ogawa not making the same mistake, hits a fly to right. Tomita tagging up, relay throw on a rope... Just safe! Toukai Dai-yon take advantage of the unforced errors and lead 1-0!
Sou gets hit! That's not like Hiranuma at all.
Hiranuma finally gets out of the first striking out Shiota on a slider. Could've been worse, but still not the way you want to start.
Shinohara ready to start the counterstrike as he singles past Kanemura into center. Nakai showing bunt, but gets ahead 2-0. Does actually attempt to lay it down, but rolls it foul towards the 1st base batter's circle.
Lots of attention to Shinohara, but Oosawa is behind Nakai 3-1. The bunt is still laid down.
Huh, Oosawa hits Hiranuma on his right knee. The American cynic side of me wonders about that.
Intentional or not, Yamamoto with a single through the right side! Shinohara will score and we're back on even terms! 1-1!
Azuma-kantoku trying to start his running game, but Yamamoto is thrown out easily. Side retired, but level game!
2nd Inning
Toukai throwing punches! Oosawa with a poke into center for a base hit.
Tachibana flubs the bunt! Hiranuma with a great sliding catch, and Oosawa is a dead duck! 2 down!
Another HBP from Hiranuma? Did that really hit Watase?
Oowaki has nothing to lose with the top of the lineup, so he sends Watase! Throw is in, no call, Watase losing his balance... OUT!
I think he may have been safe, but was waiting to Watase to steady himself. When his foot came off the bag, out he went.
Oosawa the first ace to have a clean inning. Ueda and Kamon both try to hit the deep ball, but fly out to left.
3rd Inning
There are a lot of HBP this game! After 2 quick outs, Hiranuma hits Yamamoto! That's 4 HBP, 2 apiece!
Oowaki-kantoku tries the hit and and run, but Ogawa strikes out.
Kinoshita hangs in there, and from a 1-2 count draws a walk! No bunting from Shinohara, but he swings on the first pitch and pops it up! He fouls out for the 1st out, and now Nakai is squaring to bunt.
He's in trouble though as he falls behind 0-2, and pops out.
More trouble for Oosawa as he walks Nakai! Now Hiranuma gets to the on-deck circle!
SANSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oosawa is able to paint the outside corner and strike out Hayashinaka! 2 out, but Hiranuma gets to bat.
Grounder to 2nd! Kanemura boots it! Hurries, throws, in plenty of time. 3 out.
4th Inning
Toukai batters making Hiranuma work. First 3 batters go at least 7 pitches deep. Oosawa doesn't get a single, but does get a 2-out walk.
Unfortunately that's all they get.
Yamamoto (Kouta) with a blooper to left! Kouta sees the fielders ease up and breaks for 2nd! Throw is high and late! Oh dear!
Mastumoto bunt, and Oosawa spins to throw to 3rd! Its wide and all safe!
Comebacker by Ueda! Oosawa has it! Goes to 3rd again!!
SAFE AGAIN!!!!
As if to compound the error he tries again thinking he has Kouta hung! Manrui!
Oosawa needs time, badly.
First pitch hits Kamon! But no dead ball as he didn't try to move away.
SANSHIN! Kamon can only hold his breath as that curve supposedly hits the bottom of the zone. One down, and a long way to go.
SANSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He throws out the curve again and Kinoshita is over and in front of it! Foul tips it into Ogawa's glove and there's 2 outs! Can he do it?
Count goes to 1-2 on Shinohara!
Not biting on the curve this time.
Grounder to short! Tomita goes to 3rd!!
OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He's done it! Oosawa gets out of a manrui, no out jam!!!! ありえない！！！
5th Inning
Pressure's on now. Toukai Dai-yon playing for 1 run as after a Tomita single, Oowaki-kantoku calls for a bunt. Yamamoto strikes out meekly though, so nothing doing.
The game seems to be heading to a stalemate status where both teams struggle to gain traction. Oosawa almost has a 1-2-3 inning before the break, but Kanemura boots a ball on a Hiranuma grounder and the inning continues.
Now Hiranuma goes to take 2nd! Throw from Ogawa not in time!
But Yamamoto hits a comebacker to Oosawa and he goes to 1st for the 3rd out. Oosawa holds serve and we hit the break in a tie at 1. Both pitchers have settled down since the 1st and have been able to keep putting up bagels. Who will break first?
6th Inning
First pitch from Hiranuma is a single past Nakai to right! Sac bunt follows of course.
Shiota hit by Hiranuma! That's his 4th!
And Oosawa takes 2nd without a throw! The Tsuruga Kehi continues to be concerned about the double steal.
No matter as Tachibana foul tips into Kamon's glove and Toukai Dai-yon strands 2 more runners in scoring position!
Tsuruga Kehi is desperate to get runners. So much so that Ueda tries a bunt for a base hit, but is out by a good margin. Oosawa just needs 4 pitches to get his 3 outs! That's not good at all.
7th Inning
Watase blooper to center... Nakai chasing it as others converge, but it falls into the triangle!
Tomita bunting. NOT BUNTING!
It's a buster swing and he puts it right through the middle for a base hit! Big chance in the lucky 7!
Now they bunt, and that passes. 2 chances to get the runner in.
Yamamoto gets jammed! Nakai coming in, can't make the catch, but it's so hard to tell the runners have to stay! 4-3 and there's 2 outs.
Hiranuma's out of the jam! Ogawa grounds out to 3rd and 2 more runners are stranded! How is this going to affect the morale of the Hokkaido champs?
Kinoshita wth a leadoff walk! Azuma-kantoku going for it as #15 Kurisu is sent in to run.
SANSHIN!
Shinohara chases the high fastball! 1 down.
Nakai grounder to 2nd moves the runner to 3rd.
But Hayashinaka swings on the first pitch and it's a can of corn! Kouhei is there for the 3rd out!
8th Inning
#7 Mori comes in to play RF, Matsumoto shifts to LF
Sou with a fly to right center, Kouta over to get it.
IT FALLS IN! He had me fooled! And maybe that was the point!
But the ball bounces away from Kouta and that allows Sou to reach 2nd!
Bunt and Hiranuma goes to 3rd! It's in time. NO!
The slide knocks out the ball and he's safe! Shinohara pleads his case, but to no avail! And in the meantime Shiota takes 2nd!
SQUEEZE!!!!!!!!!!
But it's a pitchout! No chance from Oosawa to make contact and Kehi's done their homework from yesterday! Shiota is rundown and there 1 out!
Toukai Dai-yon tried to go to the well twice, but got burned! And now Oosawa is rung up on an inside fastball! 2 down!
Hot grounder to the right side! Ueda smothers it! Goes to 1st and there's 3 out!
They take the bat away from Oosawa and it backfires! We're still tied and all the momentum is with Tsuruga Kehi!
Hiranuma with a walk. Another sac bunt.
NO WAY!!
NO WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
NO WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Matsumoto with a deep drive to left! Shiota giving chase!!!
HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MATSUMOTO'S DONE IT AGAIN!!!
2-run HR gives his team the definitive 3-1 lead!!
I'm not sure there has been one person offensively that has done more for their team than Matsumoto.
The side is retired, but that's doesn't matter! Tsuruga Kehi is just 3 outs away from the Senbatsu title!
9th Inning
Not going away yet! Watase with a single through the right side!
BUT A BUNT? YOU NEED 2 RUNS!
It's successful, but why??
#17 Sakemoto to hit for Kanemura.
SANSHIN!!!!!!!!
No chances for the pinch hitter! He goes down swinging!
And that's it! Yamamoto hits one back to Hiranuma! Goes to 1st and they've done it! Tsuruga Kehi has won the Senbatsu title 3-1 over Toukai Dai-yon!!
I need a moment. Be back after ending ceremonies.
Ok, there's time beforehand.
First off, I want to tip my hat to the losers Toukai Dai-yon. You do not know how hard it is for a team from Hokkaido to be competitive. In a scene where teams practice almost all year round, teams in Hokkaido have to deal with snow. That doesn't make for ideal conditions. Yes, they're just as rural as other prefectures, but Hokkaido is it's own place, much like Okinawa, but without the success.
I still do not know how they did it, for 7 innings they held one of the most dangerous teams to just 1 run. Hiranuma didn't even have a base hit. Sadly it can take just one pitch to decide a game. And that 1 pitch went to the man of the past 2 days. The man that was even more dangerous than Hiranuma, Matsumoto Teppei.
And so Hokkaido is denied again. But congratulations to the team that helped get their prefecture there for the first time in 50+ years. You were truly worthy of reaching the game, now matter how you managed to do it.
Tsuruga Kehi has been well deserving of winning the title. Hiranuma is an ace in his own regard, but this time around he has his teammate to thank.
Funny thing is, I wonder if he was in the doghouse. After going 3-4 and a HR short of the cycle against Naradai Fuzoku, he went 0-3 against Sendai Ikuei and was benched against Shizuoka only coming in as a defensive replacement. Though that may have had to do more with the handedness of the pitcher more than anything else.
And then there's the Osaka Touin game. Oh dear lord the Osaka Touin game.
3-4, 2 HRs, 8 RBIs and a broken Osaka Touin ace.
And in the final, just one hit.
One, 2-run homerun that gives his team the title. I'm not sure one person not on the mound has had a better 2 days than him.
The ending ceremonies are going on, and when the captain Miyazaki picks up the runner-up banner for Toukai Dai-yon, you can tell he's holding back. And you can tell that the rest of them are holding back too. One of them can't and is already crying. Chances are, they won't get another chance like this again and that this has slipped them by. If you're Osaka Touin, you can say we'll get back in the summer and revenge our failures. Toukai Dai-yon may be able to say that they can get back, but cannot say with any certainty that they will be able to revenge this loss.
That's why this final restored my faith in 高校野球 if even for a little bit. Two schools from regions who have not had total victory got a chance to do so. While it's unrealistic to think that every school out there who plays has an equal chance every year, I always hope that those schools that get here have some modicum of success.
But as this year has shown, there is a gap between schools, between regions. And I have no illusions that that gap will probably not get any narrower anytime soon. And that's why I generally root again the major schools who time and again compete for the title. It's why I loved the Maebashi Ikuei - Nobeoka Gakuen final 2 years ago. And it's why I was happy to see this final.
So the books are closed until the summer where 47 schools will battle it out for the big prize, the Natsu Koushien title. No doubt we'll see some of those teams here again. But for all it'll be a long road back.
I am so happy we have this final! I was expecting the exact reverse, but for one day, the 高校野球 gods decided that the small team (sort of) has their day.
Now given, both of these schools are private, and Tsuruga Kehi has been a strong team as of late. But they're not Osaka Touin, they're not Yokohama, they're not a major metropolitan team. We have a school from the Hokushinetsu region that hasn't won since...
OH GOD.
The last time a Hokushinetsu school won either Koushien was Gifu Shougyou (Now Kenritsu Gifu Shougyou).
IN 1936.
They won the 1935 Natsu Koushien, then the 1936 Haru Koushien.
And as for Hokkaido?
The only team to ever win (in either Koushien) was Komadai Tomakomai back in 2004-5, and oddly Tanaka Masahiro's team in 2006 was the team to lose the final. As mentioned yesterday, the closest a Hokkaido team has to winning was Hokkai back in 1963 when they reached the final and lost to Shimonoseki Shougyou (Yamaguchi).
Man, a Chuugoku and a Hokkaido team in the final? Those days are long gone.
But now we have a Hokushinetsu team and a Hokkaido team. YAY!
Tsuruga Kehi has hit their stride at the right time. Their first 3 games had a combined winning margin of 5 runs, and 3 of those runs was against Naradai Fuzoku. The other two were against the Tohoku champs Sendai Ikuei and the Tokai champs Shizuoka.
And then against Osaka Touin?? 2 innings and 2 grand slams later, and the game was OVER.
And if they defeat Toukai Dai-yon, that will be 3 super-regional champs defeated. It's like the Meiji Jingu tournament all over again. Except this time Hiranuma is not hurt, and looks to be stronger than ever.
Toukai Dai-yon has had the cinderella run. They have reached the final scoring no more than 3 runs in any game. They were on the verge of losing against Matsuyama Higashi in the 2nd round. They shutout Kendai Takasaki. They limited Urawa Gakuin to just 1 run.
And now they're here in the finals! Albeit an hour late due to the rain. Crowds have stayed away sadly, and so the atmosphere won't be as strong for a final as it could be.
Toukai Dai-yon (Hokkaido)
SS Tomita Yuuki
2B Kanemura Kousei
RF Yamamoto Kouhei
C Ogawa Kouhei
1B Sou Kangi (#7)
LF Shiota Gen (#13)
P Oosawa Shiiya
3B Tachibana Susumu
CF Watase Taiki
Tsuruga Kehi (Fukui)
3B Shinohara Ryou
2B Nakai Kidzuku
SS Hayashinaka Yuuki
P Hiranuma Shouta
CF Yamamoto Kouta
RF Matsumoto Teppei (#17)
1B Ueda Ryouya
C Kamon Yuusuke
LF Kinoshita Shougo (#9)
__________________________________________________
13:30 - First Pitch!
1st Inning
Grounder to 2nd and Nakai can't quite get his footwork down and can't field the ball! Official scorers give a single.
Sac bunt. KAMON throws it away! All safe and Tomita goes to 3rd. Toukai Dai-yon with a big chance!
Kanemura steals 2nd without a throw!!
Oowaki-kantoku not doing the squeeze, and Yamamoto strikes out.
Ogawa not making the same mistake, hits a fly to right. Tomita tagging up, relay throw on a rope... Just safe! Toukai Dai-yon take advantage of the unforced errors and lead 1-0!
Sou gets hit! That's not like Hiranuma at all.
Hiranuma finally gets out of the first striking out Shiota on a slider. Could've been worse, but still not the way you want to start.
Shinohara ready to start the counterstrike as he singles past Kanemura into center. Nakai showing bunt, but gets ahead 2-0. Does actually attempt to lay it down, but rolls it foul towards the 1st base batter's circle.
Lots of attention to Shinohara, but Oosawa is behind Nakai 3-1. The bunt is still laid down.
Huh, Oosawa hits Hiranuma on his right knee. The American cynic side of me wonders about that.
Intentional or not, Yamamoto with a single through the right side! Shinohara will score and we're back on even terms! 1-1!
Azuma-kantoku trying to start his running game, but Yamamoto is thrown out easily. Side retired, but level game!
2nd Inning
Toukai throwing punches! Oosawa with a poke into center for a base hit.
Tachibana flubs the bunt! Hiranuma with a great sliding catch, and Oosawa is a dead duck! 2 down!
Another HBP from Hiranuma? Did that really hit Watase?
Oowaki has nothing to lose with the top of the lineup, so he sends Watase! Throw is in, no call, Watase losing his balance... OUT!
I think he may have been safe, but was waiting to Watase to steady himself. When his foot came off the bag, out he went.
Oosawa the first ace to have a clean inning. Ueda and Kamon both try to hit the deep ball, but fly out to left.
3rd Inning
There are a lot of HBP this game! After 2 quick outs, Hiranuma hits Yamamoto! That's 4 HBP, 2 apiece!
Oowaki-kantoku tries the hit and and run, but Ogawa strikes out.
Kinoshita hangs in there, and from a 1-2 count draws a walk! No bunting from Shinohara, but he swings on the first pitch and pops it up! He fouls out for the 1st out, and now Nakai is squaring to bunt.
He's in trouble though as he falls behind 0-2, and pops out.
More trouble for Oosawa as he walks Nakai! Now Hiranuma gets to the on-deck circle!
SANSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oosawa is able to paint the outside corner and strike out Hayashinaka! 2 out, but Hiranuma gets to bat.
Grounder to 2nd! Kanemura boots it! Hurries, throws, in plenty of time. 3 out.
4th Inning
Toukai batters making Hiranuma work. First 3 batters go at least 7 pitches deep. Oosawa doesn't get a single, but does get a 2-out walk.
Unfortunately that's all they get.
Yamamoto (Kouta) with a blooper to left! Kouta sees the fielders ease up and breaks for 2nd! Throw is high and late! Oh dear!
Mastumoto bunt, and Oosawa spins to throw to 3rd! Its wide and all safe!
Comebacker by Ueda! Oosawa has it! Goes to 3rd again!!
SAFE AGAIN!!!!
As if to compound the error he tries again thinking he has Kouta hung! Manrui!
Oosawa needs time, badly.
First pitch hits Kamon! But no dead ball as he didn't try to move away.
SANSHIN! Kamon can only hold his breath as that curve supposedly hits the bottom of the zone. One down, and a long way to go.
SANSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He throws out the curve again and Kinoshita is over and in front of it! Foul tips it into Ogawa's glove and there's 2 outs! Can he do it?
Count goes to 1-2 on Shinohara!
Not biting on the curve this time.
Grounder to short! Tomita goes to 3rd!!
OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He's done it! Oosawa gets out of a manrui, no out jam!!!! ありえない！！！
5th Inning
Pressure's on now. Toukai Dai-yon playing for 1 run as after a Tomita single, Oowaki-kantoku calls for a bunt. Yamamoto strikes out meekly though, so nothing doing.
The game seems to be heading to a stalemate status where both teams struggle to gain traction. Oosawa almost has a 1-2-3 inning before the break, but Kanemura boots a ball on a Hiranuma grounder and the inning continues.
Now Hiranuma goes to take 2nd! Throw from Ogawa not in time!
But Yamamoto hits a comebacker to Oosawa and he goes to 1st for the 3rd out. Oosawa holds serve and we hit the break in a tie at 1. Both pitchers have settled down since the 1st and have been able to keep putting up bagels. Who will break first?
6th Inning
First pitch from Hiranuma is a single past Nakai to right! Sac bunt follows of course.
Shiota hit by Hiranuma! That's his 4th!
And Oosawa takes 2nd without a throw! The Tsuruga Kehi continues to be concerned about the double steal.
No matter as Tachibana foul tips into Kamon's glove and Toukai Dai-yon strands 2 more runners in scoring position!
Tsuruga Kehi is desperate to get runners. So much so that Ueda tries a bunt for a base hit, but is out by a good margin. Oosawa just needs 4 pitches to get his 3 outs! That's not good at all.
7th Inning
Watase blooper to center... Nakai chasing it as others converge, but it falls into the triangle!
Tomita bunting. NOT BUNTING!
It's a buster swing and he puts it right through the middle for a base hit! Big chance in the lucky 7!
Now they bunt, and that passes. 2 chances to get the runner in.
Yamamoto gets jammed! Nakai coming in, can't make the catch, but it's so hard to tell the runners have to stay! 4-3 and there's 2 outs.
Hiranuma's out of the jam! Ogawa grounds out to 3rd and 2 more runners are stranded! How is this going to affect the morale of the Hokkaido champs?
Kinoshita wth a leadoff walk! Azuma-kantoku going for it as #15 Kurisu is sent in to run.
SANSHIN!
Shinohara chases the high fastball! 1 down.
Nakai grounder to 2nd moves the runner to 3rd.
But Hayashinaka swings on the first pitch and it's a can of corn! Kouhei is there for the 3rd out!
8th Inning
#7 Mori comes in to play RF, Matsumoto shifts to LF
Sou with a fly to right center, Kouta over to get it.
IT FALLS IN! He had me fooled! And maybe that was the point!
But the ball bounces away from Kouta and that allows Sou to reach 2nd!
Bunt and Hiranuma goes to 3rd! It's in time. NO!
The slide knocks out the ball and he's safe! Shinohara pleads his case, but to no avail! And in the meantime Shiota takes 2nd!
SQUEEZE!!!!!!!!!!
But it's a pitchout! No chance from Oosawa to make contact and Kehi's done their homework from yesterday! Shiota is rundown and there 1 out!
Toukai Dai-yon tried to go to the well twice, but got burned! And now Oosawa is rung up on an inside fastball! 2 down!
Hot grounder to the right side! Ueda smothers it! Goes to 1st and there's 3 out!
They take the bat away from Oosawa and it backfires! We're still tied and all the momentum is with Tsuruga Kehi!
Hiranuma with a walk. Another sac bunt.
NO WAY!!
NO WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
NO WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Matsumoto with a deep drive to left! Shiota giving chase!!!
HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MATSUMOTO'S DONE IT AGAIN!!!
2-run HR gives his team the definitive 3-1 lead!!
I'm not sure there has been one person offensively that has done more for their team than Matsumoto.
The side is retired, but that's doesn't matter! Tsuruga Kehi is just 3 outs away from the Senbatsu title!
9th Inning
Not going away yet! Watase with a single through the right side!
BUT A BUNT? YOU NEED 2 RUNS!
It's successful, but why??
#17 Sakemoto to hit for Kanemura.
SANSHIN!!!!!!!!
No chances for the pinch hitter! He goes down swinging!
And that's it! Yamamoto hits one back to Hiranuma! Goes to 1st and they've done it! Tsuruga Kehi has won the Senbatsu title 3-1 over Toukai Dai-yon!!
I need a moment. Be back after ending ceremonies.
Ok, there's time beforehand.
First off, I want to tip my hat to the losers Toukai Dai-yon. You do not know how hard it is for a team from Hokkaido to be competitive. In a scene where teams practice almost all year round, teams in Hokkaido have to deal with snow. That doesn't make for ideal conditions. Yes, they're just as rural as other prefectures, but Hokkaido is it's own place, much like Okinawa, but without the success.
I still do not know how they did it, for 7 innings they held one of the most dangerous teams to just 1 run. Hiranuma didn't even have a base hit. Sadly it can take just one pitch to decide a game. And that 1 pitch went to the man of the past 2 days. The man that was even more dangerous than Hiranuma, Matsumoto Teppei.
And so Hokkaido is denied again. But congratulations to the team that helped get their prefecture there for the first time in 50+ years. You were truly worthy of reaching the game, now matter how you managed to do it.
Tsuruga Kehi has been well deserving of winning the title. Hiranuma is an ace in his own regard, but this time around he has his teammate to thank.
Funny thing is, I wonder if he was in the doghouse. After going 3-4 and a HR short of the cycle against Naradai Fuzoku, he went 0-3 against Sendai Ikuei and was benched against Shizuoka only coming in as a defensive replacement. Though that may have had to do more with the handedness of the pitcher more than anything else.
And then there's the Osaka Touin game. Oh dear lord the Osaka Touin game.
3-4, 2 HRs, 8 RBIs and a broken Osaka Touin ace.
And in the final, just one hit.
One, 2-run homerun that gives his team the title. I'm not sure one person not on the mound has had a better 2 days than him.
The ending ceremonies are going on, and when the captain Miyazaki picks up the runner-up banner for Toukai Dai-yon, you can tell he's holding back. And you can tell that the rest of them are holding back too. One of them can't and is already crying. Chances are, they won't get another chance like this again and that this has slipped them by. If you're Osaka Touin, you can say we'll get back in the summer and revenge our failures. Toukai Dai-yon may be able to say that they can get back, but cannot say with any certainty that they will be able to revenge this loss.
That's why this final restored my faith in 高校野球 if even for a little bit. Two schools from regions who have not had total victory got a chance to do so. While it's unrealistic to think that every school out there who plays has an equal chance every year, I always hope that those schools that get here have some modicum of success.
But as this year has shown, there is a gap between schools, between regions. And I have no illusions that that gap will probably not get any narrower anytime soon. And that's why I generally root again the major schools who time and again compete for the title. It's why I loved the Maebashi Ikuei - Nobeoka Gakuen final 2 years ago. And it's why I was happy to see this final.
So the books are closed until the summer where 47 schools will battle it out for the big prize, the Natsu Koushien title. No doubt we'll see some of those teams here again. But for all it'll be a long road back.
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