I don't have time for a writeup, but god speed Yazu...
Osaka Touin (Osaka)
LF Nakamura Makoto
2B Minemoto Takumi
3B Katsuki Kazuya
1B Masazui Yuuya (#8)
RF Aoyagi Kouki (#13)
C Yokoi Yuuya
CF Mori Shinnosuke (#9)
SS Fukuda Kouki
P Tanaka Seiya (#10)
Yazu (Tottori)
CF Nishihara Tomoya
2B Oomoto Takahisa
SS Nakao Naoya
1B Ookubo Ryouhei
C Nishigaki Masaki
LF Takeuchi Shun
RF Kawada Kenichirou
3B Fujiwara Naoki
P Kamatani Kouhei
______________________________________________________
10:40 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Well, Kamatani going after Nakamura and gets him looking on a fastball on the inner half!
Minemoto grounder to short, Oomoto with the throw, but just not enough on it to get the out.
Katsuki a simple fly to left and there's 2 out.
Minemoto takes off for 2nd! Nishigaki's throw to 2nd... In time! 3 out!
Bottom 1st
Nakao gets Yazu their first base hit after 2 quick outs. But he tries to steal 2nd... and backpedals as he's tagged.
Top 2nd
Masazui looks like he waited until the last minute to decide on swinging, flies out to center.
Aoyagi clean single through the left side.
Tokunaga-kantoku must have done a great coaching job on Kamatani as he's going right after Osaka Touin! Yokoi strikes out on a changeup on the outside edge!
Mori with a liner, but right to Takeuchi and it's another clean inning!
Bottom 2nd
Yazu's batters to start are stubborn at least. Nishigaki goes 7 pitches before he strikes out. Takeuchi goes 8 before finally placing one in right center for a base hit.
Kawada sharp shot up 1st base line, but Masazui makes a great backhanded stop! Goes to 1st for 3rd out.
Yazu in the early stages is holding their own. But this is a marathon and there are many innings to go.
Top 3rd
Kamatani getting 2 quick outs from the bottom of the lineup. He's have a clean inning, but an irregular bounce on a ball up they middle by Nakamura catches Nakao off guard and it goes into center.
Kamatani walks Minemoto... could this be where Osaka Touin strikes?
No! Katsuki gets jammed and he just rolls an easy ball to Ookubo! Tags 1st and Kamatani is out of the mini-pinch!
Bottom 3rd
Yazu meanwhile, cannot get any traction against relief starter Tanaka and go down in order.
Top 4th
One down for Osaka Touin and Aoyagi hits a single right in front of Takeuchi.
Yokoi with a blooper to center, Nakao and Nishihara converge, but it falls right in between them!
AH! Mori liner to left for a base hit! It's manrui for Osaka Touin! There's no place to put Fukuda as he steps in.
And Kamatani bends down as he thought for sure he had Fukuda on the 2-2 slider inside.
OSHIDASHI! His slider just misses outside and he walks in a run! Osaka Touin takes a 1-0 lead!
Tanaka grounder to 1st! Ookubo goes home and they get the lead runner. 2 down and Kamatani can still get out of the jam.
No!! His full count pitch to Nakamura goes low and he walks in another run! 2-0 Osaka Touin!
And now he hits Minemoto on the elbow! That brings in another run! 3-0 Osaka Touin and the dream for Yazu is crashing down hard.
Katsuki grounder up middle, Oomoto with a diving attempt, but can only deflect it! 2 runs are going to score on the play and they've blown it open now leading 5-0.
Masazui up for the 2nd time, records the 1st and 3rd outs of the inning, grounding out to short. But Kamatani, who had been strong all game has finally broken.
Bottom 4th
Trailing big now, Yazu still goes with their patience strategy, but it's still not producing any results. They are retired in order.
Top 5th
C Nishigaki removes the gear and will take the hill! Ace Kamatani gives way for #12 Ooishi who will do the receiving work now.
First up he strikes out Aoyagi on a fastball on the outer half. And then it's back-to-back flyouts from Mori and Yokoi! The C has a 1-2-3 inning! Good for him!
Bottom 5th
Sadly it's much of the same for Yazu. 3 up, 3 down.
It was a great first couple of innings as Yazu held serve with Osaka Touin, but with the 5 runs and the inability to get any hits by the Yazu offense the game looks all but over.
Top 6th
Nishigaki not exactly with great control either, as he walks Fukuda to start the inning. 2 down, he walks Nakamura as well.
And he can't keep a clean sheet. Katsuki singles to right scoring Fukuda from 2nd without a throw.
He does get the 3rd out after that, but it really does feel like formalities.
Bottom 6th
Nishihara with the one of the harder hits by a Yazu batter, but he lines out to Fukuda for the 3rd out. Bench starter Tanaka with a 2-hit shutout going.
Top 7th
Runner on 3rd, no out, Nakao makes a great sliding stop on a hard shot from Yokoi. He's able to hold the runner and make he play at 1st.
Mori iwth a ball right at Ookubo. He looks the runner back and goes to the bag for the 2nd out.
And Nishigaki strands the runner! Fukuda pops up the first pitch and Nakao is there on the foul line to make the catch!
Bottom 7th
16 straight retired by Tanaka after he finishes up his 5th consecutive clean inning.
8th-9th Innings
More players come in, Osaka Touin scores more runs. Final score 10-0.
To be honest, asking Yazu to win would be like asking any AA squad to beat a major league team. Sure, it's possible, but not probable. But you should dream for at least a little that you could beat them. But I'm sure there was a collective groan when they found out they were facing them. All you can do is shrug your shoulders, go out there and do what you can.
Thursday, August 21, 2014
Day 11, Game 1 - Toyama Shougyou (Toyama) v. Nihon Bunri (Niigata)
While perhaps these teams on this side of the bracket were worried about having to face Osaka Touin, perhaps they're relieved they didn't have to play Tsuruga Kehi.
Our 2nd half of Round of 16 games starts with another regional matchup, this time from the Hokushinetsu region. It's mainstays Nihon Bunri, versus a team stronger in their older days Toyama Shougyou.
Of course, don't let them hear me say that. They've actually done well so far slaying two big prefectures out of the tournament Nichidai Tsurugaoka and Kanzei giving up just 1 run in the process.
Now, they've scored only 5 runs in those games so that may be an issue later on if the pitching starts to falter a bit (They've only used Morita so far and he's starting today).
Nihon Bunri's had a slightly easier time of it, defeating Oita then coming back to edge out Touhou. Iidzuka looked much more in control in the 2nd game than the first lending some evidence that perhaps the walks were planned after all.
They have roughly the same offensive issues as Toyama Shougyou, so Iidzuka will need to do heavy lifting as well.
So on paper 2 similar squads.
Toyama Shougyou (Toyama)
CF Shiina Kouhei
2B Yokomichi Eiji
RF Sakamoto Jyunichirou
LF Kutsuwada Takuma
1B Katou Daisuke
C Tomikawa Seiya
3B Iwase Daiki
SS Yanase Kazuya
P Morita Shunya
Our 2nd half of Round of 16 games starts with another regional matchup, this time from the Hokushinetsu region. It's mainstays Nihon Bunri, versus a team stronger in their older days Toyama Shougyou.
Of course, don't let them hear me say that. They've actually done well so far slaying two big prefectures out of the tournament Nichidai Tsurugaoka and Kanzei giving up just 1 run in the process.
Now, they've scored only 5 runs in those games so that may be an issue later on if the pitching starts to falter a bit (They've only used Morita so far and he's starting today).
Nihon Bunri's had a slightly easier time of it, defeating Oita then coming back to edge out Touhou. Iidzuka looked much more in control in the 2nd game than the first lending some evidence that perhaps the walks were planned after all.
They have roughly the same offensive issues as Toyama Shougyou, so Iidzuka will need to do heavy lifting as well.
So on paper 2 similar squads.
Toyama Shougyou (Toyama)
CF Shiina Kouhei
2B Yokomichi Eiji
RF Sakamoto Jyunichirou
LF Kutsuwada Takuma
1B Katou Daisuke
C Tomikawa Seiya
3B Iwase Daiki
SS Yanase Kazuya
P Morita Shunya
Nihon Bunri (Niigata)
RF Hoshi Kenta
SS Kurodai Naito
CF Kodachi Otowa
3B Ikeda Takamasa
LF Kobayashi Masaya
2B Arai Makoto
1B Kataoka Yuuto
C Kamakura Wataru
P Iidzuka Satoshi
RF Hoshi Kenta
SS Kurodai Naito
CF Kodachi Otowa
3B Ikeda Takamasa
LF Kobayashi Masaya
2B Arai Makoto
1B Kataoka Yuuto
C Kamakura Wataru
P Iidzuka Satoshi
___________________________________________________________
08:00 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Not a great start for Iidzuka as he hits Kouhei, giving Tomishou a chance for a run early.
Maekawa-kantoku going for the hit-and-run instead of the bunt, but Yokomichi fouls it off.
Kouhei takes off for 2nd! Yokomich watches the fastball down the middle and he strikes out! Throw from Kamakura in time for the strike 'em out, throw 'em out double play!
Iidzuka though hits another batter in Sakamoto, but it doesn't wind up hurting him as Kutsuwada grounds to short to end the inning.
He's wild again today to start. Is there a plan in place?
Bottom 1st
Morita also starts off with a walk to the leadoff batter. Ooi-kantoku though has Kurodai bunt the runner over.
Kodachi perhaps expecting a slider outside, sees a slider go over the inner half and just freezes. 2 down.
But Morita gives 4 straight balls to Ikeda in a possible unintentional intentional walk to bring up Kobayashi.
He flies out to right and the inning is over. But both pitchers have throw quite a few pitches early.
Top 2nd
Katou with a single to center. Tomikawa showing bunt, but fouls a pair off and has to swing away it seems. A slider down and away sets him down.
Iwase grounder to short, Kurodai flips to 2nd from one knee, Arai's relay as Katou comes in.... and a great pick from Kataoka complete the 6-4-3 double play!
Bottom 2nd
Morita with another leadoff walk here in the 2nd.
Kataoka not bunting, but ends up surprised when he's rung on a changeup called on the outside edge.
Kamakura goes down swinging, but when Tomikawa throws to 3rd, Morita takes off and reaches 3rd!
Iidzuka a little early on the swings, actually slows the bat down and he single to right! Arai scores and Nihon Bunri leads 1-0!
Maezaki-kantoku calls for time.
Hoshi grounds out to Katou, and they almost blow it as Morita takes a little too much time to make it slightly uncomfortable.
Top 3rd
So this must be a plan. He walks the leadoff runner this game apparently and try to get Tomishou to bunt. This time around they do.
But Iidzuka comes back with the slider outside to nail Kouhei, and then Yokomichi get a slider in the middle, but he just grounds to 1st.
Bottom 3rd
No leadoff walk this time, instead he goes straight to retiring the 2-3-4 batters with no issues.
Top 4th
Neither side making any type of decent contact. Tomishou can't get the ball out of the infield and they're just switching places back and forth.
Bottom 4th
Kobayashi ball back up middle. Yanase runs it down, but his throw to 1st short hops Katou and unfortunately brings him into a running Kobayashi. He takes a tumble past the bag, but seems to be ok. As expected, he's bunted to 2nd.
Morita though continues to go to the hammer that is his slider, and it continues to work. Kataoka and Kamakura go down swinging for what is now Morita's 6th K!
Top 5th
Tomikawa ball up middle, Iidzuka stops it with his foot! throws to 1st and he gets the out! Now that's new! And it looks like he did it on the bottom of his cleat where there is a lot of protection.
2 down, Morita tries to hit a ball through the right side, but Arai runs it down near the grass, and makes a spin throw to 1st to retire the side.
Bottom 5th
Hoshi with a high chopper up middle, Yokomichi charges, makes throw, but not in time!
Kurodai shows bunt, but Morita puts it in the dirt! Tomikawa can't block it cleanly and Hoshi takes off for 2nd and reaches safely!
Kurodai still without a hit as he buster hits a ball to 2nd, though he advances he runner.
Kodachi with a single to left! That'll score Hoshi and Nihon Bunri tacks on another run to make it 2-0!
Ikeda fouls out to C Harada near the netting and we're at the mid-game break. Nihon Bunri has done the most with the little opportunities they've been given and it'll be up to Iidzuka to bring them home!
Top 6th
Morita with a drive to center! Kodachi has to turn back and chase after as it take a bounce to the wall! He's in with a double!
He's bunted to 3rd, and with Yokomichis fly to center he's able to tag up and score! Tomishou is still in the game here at 2-1!
Sakamoto drive to deep left center! The fielders won't get to this one either! He's flying around the bases and is in with a triple! Tomishou threatens to tie the game with a base hit!
Liner to left! Kobayashi coming in, dives... makes the catch! Kobayashi prevents the douten run from scoring!
Bottom 6th
Kobayashi singles to center to start off the inning. Arai though can't lay down the bunt and there's 2 strikes! He goes for the three-bunt but fouls it off! One down.
Ooi-kantoku sending in #16 Takeishi to hit for Kataoka. He grounds to short though and Yokomichi goes to 2nd for the force! 2 down.
Kamakura with a single past Iwase for a base hit! Takeishi holds at 2nd.
And Morita doesn't want to deal with Iidzuka and walks him, but it does make it manrui for Burri.
The plan works as Hoshi hits one back up the middle where Yokomichi awaits, he tosses to 2nd and Morita's out of the inning!
Top 7th
Takeishi stays in to play CF, Kodachi goes to 1B.
Iidzuka showing that he had a slider too, takes Katou and Tomikawa down. He jams Iwase but his blooper falls in the right side and almost dies like a chip shot! No one can get to it in time and Iwase's on with a base hit!
Maezaki-kantoku decides to send Iwase, but Kamakura makes another strong throw and Tomishou has just 2 innings left!
Bottom 7th
Another leadoff walk as Kurodai takes 1st. He goes for 2nd! Throw from Tomikawa to 2nd is wide and Yanase can't stop it! It goes to center and Kurodai takes 3rd!
Maezaki-kantoku calls for time...
AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Morita throws a ball in the dirt and Tomikawa can't block it! Kurodai comes all the way home by himself and it's 3-1 Nihon Bunri!
2 down now after Morita racks up 2 more K's and Kobayashi takes a ball the other way to right for a base hit. Arai follows that up with a single through the left side! Nihon Bunri threatens again, but Takeishi's liner is snagged by Katou for the 3rd out.
Top 8th
#12 Shiina Kouhei comes in to hit for Yanase. Iidzuka hits him to start the inning!
Another PH! And it's for Morita! #14 Ookura comes in to swing the bat!
And its a bounder to the left side, Kurodai ranges to his right, dives, but it gets by! The pinch hitters are bringing Tomishou back!
Kouhei lays down a bunt to move the runners along, and Ooi-kantoku calls for time. Maekawa-kantoku sends in #18 Koshiba to run for Ookura.
Yokomichi grounder up first base line, FAIR!!!! It's fair as it gets by a diving Kataoka! Hoshi running it down but both runners will come into score!! Yokomichi hustling around the bases slides into 3rd... SAFE!!!
In almost no time flat Tomishou has come back and tied the game at 3-3!!
GYAKUTEN!!!!!
Kutsuwada with a comebacker up the middle and drawn in infield has no chance! Yokomichi scores and Tomishou has the 4-3 lead!!!!
Katou flies out to center, and that's just the 2nd out.
Tomikawa single to left! Sakamoto has to hold at 3rd and it's manrui for Tomishou!!
Iwase single through left side! Sakamoto scores! They're sending in Kutsuwada! Throw from Kobayashi... in time! Kamakura makes the tag and the side is finally retired!
But not before Tomishou rocks Iidzuka and takes a 5-3 lead with just 2 innings to go!
Bottom 8th
#16 Wakagi comes in for Kyouhei and takes over at SS. #10 Iwaki comes in for PR Koshiba and takes over on the hill.
Kamakura liner to center, Kouhei charging in, dives but can't secure the ball! Leadoff hit for Bunri!
Iidzuka not swinging, hits one back to Iwaki! He starts the 1-6-3 double play and there's quickly 2 down!
Hoshi not giving in, takes a slider down the right side for a double!
And now Iwaki walks Kurodai! Douten runner on base!
Kodachi drives a ball to left center! Kouhei running over, but can't catch it! Hoshi scores! They're sending in Kurodai! Relay throw from Yanase....
OUT!!!
Tomikawa comes over and makes the tag! Kurodai slams the helmet into the ground while Tomikawa looks injured! He's holding his glove hand that collided with Kurodai on that slide! He's finally helped up, but his play preserves the lead! Tomishou leads 5-4!
Top 9th
Kouhei gets a 2-out single, but otherwise Iidzuka sets down the Tomishou offense...
Bottom 9th
...but they're down to their final 3 outs!!
Tomikawa is coming out for the last, but if Bunri gets a baserunner, they WILL test him.
4-5-6 batters up for Bunri starting with Ikeda.
He takes a ball off the end of his bat to center for a leadoff single! Kobayashi is not bunting!
But he flies out to right! Just 2 outs left...
AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Arai with a drive to left! Kutsuwada isn't chasing it!!!
HAITAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SAYONARA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The ball lands almost 20 rows up and Nihon Bunri pulls it off again right at the end 6-5!
It's a time to celebrate, but at the same time, the cameras point to Iwaki tasked with holding the lead, and it's a slow disintegration as he uncontrollably sobs...
And sadly that is the world that we enter into when we watch these games. It's great to celebrate, but when it comes to these types of endings, I tend to remember more the side that loses....
08:00 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Not a great start for Iidzuka as he hits Kouhei, giving Tomishou a chance for a run early.
Maekawa-kantoku going for the hit-and-run instead of the bunt, but Yokomichi fouls it off.
Kouhei takes off for 2nd! Yokomich watches the fastball down the middle and he strikes out! Throw from Kamakura in time for the strike 'em out, throw 'em out double play!
Iidzuka though hits another batter in Sakamoto, but it doesn't wind up hurting him as Kutsuwada grounds to short to end the inning.
He's wild again today to start. Is there a plan in place?
Bottom 1st
Morita also starts off with a walk to the leadoff batter. Ooi-kantoku though has Kurodai bunt the runner over.
Kodachi perhaps expecting a slider outside, sees a slider go over the inner half and just freezes. 2 down.
But Morita gives 4 straight balls to Ikeda in a possible unintentional intentional walk to bring up Kobayashi.
He flies out to right and the inning is over. But both pitchers have throw quite a few pitches early.
Top 2nd
Katou with a single to center. Tomikawa showing bunt, but fouls a pair off and has to swing away it seems. A slider down and away sets him down.
Iwase grounder to short, Kurodai flips to 2nd from one knee, Arai's relay as Katou comes in.... and a great pick from Kataoka complete the 6-4-3 double play!
Bottom 2nd
Morita with another leadoff walk here in the 2nd.
Kataoka not bunting, but ends up surprised when he's rung on a changeup called on the outside edge.
Kamakura goes down swinging, but when Tomikawa throws to 3rd, Morita takes off and reaches 3rd!
Iidzuka a little early on the swings, actually slows the bat down and he single to right! Arai scores and Nihon Bunri leads 1-0!
Maezaki-kantoku calls for time.
Hoshi grounds out to Katou, and they almost blow it as Morita takes a little too much time to make it slightly uncomfortable.
Top 3rd
So this must be a plan. He walks the leadoff runner this game apparently and try to get Tomishou to bunt. This time around they do.
But Iidzuka comes back with the slider outside to nail Kouhei, and then Yokomichi get a slider in the middle, but he just grounds to 1st.
Bottom 3rd
No leadoff walk this time, instead he goes straight to retiring the 2-3-4 batters with no issues.
Top 4th
Neither side making any type of decent contact. Tomishou can't get the ball out of the infield and they're just switching places back and forth.
Bottom 4th
Kobayashi ball back up middle. Yanase runs it down, but his throw to 1st short hops Katou and unfortunately brings him into a running Kobayashi. He takes a tumble past the bag, but seems to be ok. As expected, he's bunted to 2nd.
Morita though continues to go to the hammer that is his slider, and it continues to work. Kataoka and Kamakura go down swinging for what is now Morita's 6th K!
Top 5th
Tomikawa ball up middle, Iidzuka stops it with his foot! throws to 1st and he gets the out! Now that's new! And it looks like he did it on the bottom of his cleat where there is a lot of protection.
2 down, Morita tries to hit a ball through the right side, but Arai runs it down near the grass, and makes a spin throw to 1st to retire the side.
Bottom 5th
Hoshi with a high chopper up middle, Yokomichi charges, makes throw, but not in time!
Kurodai shows bunt, but Morita puts it in the dirt! Tomikawa can't block it cleanly and Hoshi takes off for 2nd and reaches safely!
Kurodai still without a hit as he buster hits a ball to 2nd, though he advances he runner.
Kodachi with a single to left! That'll score Hoshi and Nihon Bunri tacks on another run to make it 2-0!
Ikeda fouls out to C Harada near the netting and we're at the mid-game break. Nihon Bunri has done the most with the little opportunities they've been given and it'll be up to Iidzuka to bring them home!
Top 6th
Morita with a drive to center! Kodachi has to turn back and chase after as it take a bounce to the wall! He's in with a double!
He's bunted to 3rd, and with Yokomichis fly to center he's able to tag up and score! Tomishou is still in the game here at 2-1!
Sakamoto drive to deep left center! The fielders won't get to this one either! He's flying around the bases and is in with a triple! Tomishou threatens to tie the game with a base hit!
Liner to left! Kobayashi coming in, dives... makes the catch! Kobayashi prevents the douten run from scoring!
Bottom 6th
Kobayashi singles to center to start off the inning. Arai though can't lay down the bunt and there's 2 strikes! He goes for the three-bunt but fouls it off! One down.
Ooi-kantoku sending in #16 Takeishi to hit for Kataoka. He grounds to short though and Yokomichi goes to 2nd for the force! 2 down.
Kamakura with a single past Iwase for a base hit! Takeishi holds at 2nd.
And Morita doesn't want to deal with Iidzuka and walks him, but it does make it manrui for Burri.
The plan works as Hoshi hits one back up the middle where Yokomichi awaits, he tosses to 2nd and Morita's out of the inning!
Top 7th
Takeishi stays in to play CF, Kodachi goes to 1B.
Iidzuka showing that he had a slider too, takes Katou and Tomikawa down. He jams Iwase but his blooper falls in the right side and almost dies like a chip shot! No one can get to it in time and Iwase's on with a base hit!
Maezaki-kantoku decides to send Iwase, but Kamakura makes another strong throw and Tomishou has just 2 innings left!
Bottom 7th
Another leadoff walk as Kurodai takes 1st. He goes for 2nd! Throw from Tomikawa to 2nd is wide and Yanase can't stop it! It goes to center and Kurodai takes 3rd!
Maezaki-kantoku calls for time...
AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Morita throws a ball in the dirt and Tomikawa can't block it! Kurodai comes all the way home by himself and it's 3-1 Nihon Bunri!
2 down now after Morita racks up 2 more K's and Kobayashi takes a ball the other way to right for a base hit. Arai follows that up with a single through the left side! Nihon Bunri threatens again, but Takeishi's liner is snagged by Katou for the 3rd out.
Top 8th
#12 Shiina Kouhei comes in to hit for Yanase. Iidzuka hits him to start the inning!
Another PH! And it's for Morita! #14 Ookura comes in to swing the bat!
And its a bounder to the left side, Kurodai ranges to his right, dives, but it gets by! The pinch hitters are bringing Tomishou back!
Kouhei lays down a bunt to move the runners along, and Ooi-kantoku calls for time. Maekawa-kantoku sends in #18 Koshiba to run for Ookura.
Yokomichi grounder up first base line, FAIR!!!! It's fair as it gets by a diving Kataoka! Hoshi running it down but both runners will come into score!! Yokomichi hustling around the bases slides into 3rd... SAFE!!!
In almost no time flat Tomishou has come back and tied the game at 3-3!!
GYAKUTEN!!!!!
Kutsuwada with a comebacker up the middle and drawn in infield has no chance! Yokomichi scores and Tomishou has the 4-3 lead!!!!
Katou flies out to center, and that's just the 2nd out.
Tomikawa single to left! Sakamoto has to hold at 3rd and it's manrui for Tomishou!!
Iwase single through left side! Sakamoto scores! They're sending in Kutsuwada! Throw from Kobayashi... in time! Kamakura makes the tag and the side is finally retired!
But not before Tomishou rocks Iidzuka and takes a 5-3 lead with just 2 innings to go!
Bottom 8th
#16 Wakagi comes in for Kyouhei and takes over at SS. #10 Iwaki comes in for PR Koshiba and takes over on the hill.
Kamakura liner to center, Kouhei charging in, dives but can't secure the ball! Leadoff hit for Bunri!
Iidzuka not swinging, hits one back to Iwaki! He starts the 1-6-3 double play and there's quickly 2 down!
Hoshi not giving in, takes a slider down the right side for a double!
And now Iwaki walks Kurodai! Douten runner on base!
Kodachi drives a ball to left center! Kouhei running over, but can't catch it! Hoshi scores! They're sending in Kurodai! Relay throw from Yanase....
OUT!!!
Tomikawa comes over and makes the tag! Kurodai slams the helmet into the ground while Tomikawa looks injured! He's holding his glove hand that collided with Kurodai on that slide! He's finally helped up, but his play preserves the lead! Tomishou leads 5-4!
Top 9th
Kouhei gets a 2-out single, but otherwise Iidzuka sets down the Tomishou offense...
Bottom 9th
...but they're down to their final 3 outs!!
Tomikawa is coming out for the last, but if Bunri gets a baserunner, they WILL test him.
4-5-6 batters up for Bunri starting with Ikeda.
He takes a ball off the end of his bat to center for a leadoff single! Kobayashi is not bunting!
But he flies out to right! Just 2 outs left...
AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Arai with a drive to left! Kutsuwada isn't chasing it!!!
HAITAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SAYONARA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The ball lands almost 20 rows up and Nihon Bunri pulls it off again right at the end 6-5!
It's a time to celebrate, but at the same time, the cameras point to Iwaki tasked with holding the lead, and it's a slow disintegration as he uncontrollably sobs...
And sadly that is the world that we enter into when we watch these games. It's great to celebrate, but when it comes to these types of endings, I tend to remember more the side that loses....
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Day 10, Game 4 - Tsuruga Kehi (Fukui) v. Moriokadai Fuzoku (Iwate)
Moriokadai Fuzoku had a really tough matchup against Toukaidai Sagami and then had to play in less than desirable playing conditions. They held on 4-3, but there's not much you can take given that the conditions could have affected play.
Tsuruga Kehi has had no such trouble in their first two games, seemingly bucking the trend that scoring double digits leads to a letdown the next game as they defeated Sakaide Shougyou 16-0, then Kasukabe Kyouei 10-1.
Hiranuma has been shutting down the offenses inducing bad contact while also still striking out a fair number of batters. Moriokadai Fuzoku, and more specifically Matsumoto should provide a good challenge for a team that hasn't apparently seemed to have faced one yet.
Winner goes to Best 8, but faces Hachinohe Gakuin Kousei. Go!
Tsuruga Kehi (Fukui)
1B Shinohara Ryou
3B Shimomura Takamasa
SS Asai Kouya
C Okada Kouta
CF Mine Kentarou
RF Oyana Shou
P Hiranuma Shouta
LF Yamamoto Akihiro
2B Yonemitsu Nagisa (#16)
Moriokadai Fuzoku (Iwate)
LF Takahashi Ryou
RF Itou Wataru
CF Nabana Hiroki
P Matsumoto Yuuki
2B Endou Makoto
1B Makishima Kento
SS Tachinami Ukyuu
3B Shibuya Yuuya
C Kozaki Fuuga
____________________________________________________________
16:15 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
One down for Tsuruga and Shimomura lines a single to left.
Asai not bunting, hits a deep drive to left. Ryou back against fence makes the catch. 1 down.
Having not advanced, Shimomura takes it upon himself and steals 2nd! That becomes redundant though when Matsumoto walks Okada.
But he avoids damage when Mine chases the 3-2 fastball outside of the zone.
Bottom 1st
Morioka's first couple of batters can't even get the ball past the mound. Two quick outs for Hiranuma, before he turns around and walks Nabana.
Matsumoto can't do anything with it though as he flies to 2nd to end the inning.
Top 2nd
Oyana with a blooper to shallow left. Ryou charging in makes, but can't make catch. Oyana hustles and is in with a double.
One down now after a foul fly and Yamamoto hits a ball down the 1st base line... fair! Oyana will score on that and Tsuruga Kehi takes a 1-0 lead!
Yonemitsu lays down the bunt, Matsumoto throws it away! Itou backs up so runners can't advance.
And now Shinohara gets hit by Matsumoto! He's in deep trouble early!
Liner! But Shibuya snares it, tags on 3rd and it's a 5 unassisted double play to end the inning! But Tsuruga Kehi takes the early lead!
Bottom 2nd
Endou drive to deep left! He's pumping his fist! Yamamoto looks up!
HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
One pitch is all Endou needs to tie the game at 1-1!
2 down now, and Shibuya singles to center looking for the gyakuten run.
But Sekiguchi-kantoku has him try to steal 2nd, but Okada throws him out to retire the side. However, Endou ties the score!
Top 3rd
Asai with a ball to left. Ryou running back to the fence! He looks up!!
HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And with one swing Asai takes the lead back for Tsuruga Kehi! 2-1!
They're not done yet! One down Mine singles back up the middle. He tries to steal 2nd, but on the hit-and-run, Oyana's bat hits Kozaki's glove! Catcher's interference is called and Oyana is awarded 1st!
Hiranuma single back up the middle! Mine being waved around! He'll score and it's 3-1!! Still only one out for Matsumoto!
Yamamoto another single up the middle! Nabana already playing up, gets it in quickly. Manrui for Tsuruga Kehi.
AHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!
Matsumoto hits Yonemitsu! That'll drive in a run and it's 4-1!
Shinohara sharp grounder up 1st base line! Makishima makes stop, twirls, fires home... AHHHHHHHH!!!!!
He throws it too high! 2 runs will score on that error and it's 6-1!
Shimomura flyball to left, Ryou stumbles, but makes catch! Yonemitsu tags up and scores and its 7-1!
Asai up again, and he blasts one to right center! That's all the way to the wall for a triple and it's 8-1!
The last straw is Okada's blooper just fair down the right field line. 9-1 and he is relieved. He goes to RF while #11 Sakurakouji comes in for Itou and takes the hill.
Mine liner to right, Matsumoto makes the leaping catch to finally retire the side. But Tsuruga Kehi once again puts the hurt on their opponents!
Bottom 3rd
Kozaki tries to help get Moriokadai back in the game with a single to center. But soon enough there's down after Ryou strikes out and Sakurakouji grounds into a fielder's choice.
Nabana gives the team a shot when he doubles to right center.
But nothing is going right for Matsumoto as he flies out to center to end the inning.
Top 4th
The woes continue for Moriokadai. Oyana's grounder to 2nd is flubbed allowing him to reach base. After a sac bunt, Sakurakouji hits Yamamoto and then walks Yonemitsu, making it manrui.
Shinohara with another ball to 1st, but this time Makishima is ready and he goes home for the force.
Sakurakouji though hits Shimomura and that will force in a run. 10-1.
Moriokadai finally get 3 ours after Asai grounds to 2nd, but the long game is getting longer.
Bottom 4th
I'm having a hard time staying awake for some reason.
Back-to-back singles by Makishima and Tachinami provide some hope. But Hiranuma retires the next 2 batter and they're back to where they started.
(At this point my body basically said you're not staying up any longer, which was fine considering that by the time I opened my eyes it was 12-1, and then before I had put everything away and hit the sack it was 14-1. Needless to say Tsuruga Kehi is wearing about the blackest hat I've seen at Koushien having defeated scored double digits in 3 straight games and not letting up - even when sending in their bench players. Yikes.)
Tsuruga Kehi has had no such trouble in their first two games, seemingly bucking the trend that scoring double digits leads to a letdown the next game as they defeated Sakaide Shougyou 16-0, then Kasukabe Kyouei 10-1.
Hiranuma has been shutting down the offenses inducing bad contact while also still striking out a fair number of batters. Moriokadai Fuzoku, and more specifically Matsumoto should provide a good challenge for a team that hasn't apparently seemed to have faced one yet.
Winner goes to Best 8, but faces Hachinohe Gakuin Kousei. Go!
Tsuruga Kehi (Fukui)
1B Shinohara Ryou
3B Shimomura Takamasa
SS Asai Kouya
C Okada Kouta
CF Mine Kentarou
RF Oyana Shou
P Hiranuma Shouta
LF Yamamoto Akihiro
2B Yonemitsu Nagisa (#16)
Moriokadai Fuzoku (Iwate)
LF Takahashi Ryou
RF Itou Wataru
CF Nabana Hiroki
P Matsumoto Yuuki
2B Endou Makoto
1B Makishima Kento
SS Tachinami Ukyuu
3B Shibuya Yuuya
C Kozaki Fuuga
____________________________________________________________
16:15 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
One down for Tsuruga and Shimomura lines a single to left.
Asai not bunting, hits a deep drive to left. Ryou back against fence makes the catch. 1 down.
Having not advanced, Shimomura takes it upon himself and steals 2nd! That becomes redundant though when Matsumoto walks Okada.
But he avoids damage when Mine chases the 3-2 fastball outside of the zone.
Bottom 1st
Morioka's first couple of batters can't even get the ball past the mound. Two quick outs for Hiranuma, before he turns around and walks Nabana.
Matsumoto can't do anything with it though as he flies to 2nd to end the inning.
Top 2nd
Oyana with a blooper to shallow left. Ryou charging in makes, but can't make catch. Oyana hustles and is in with a double.
One down now after a foul fly and Yamamoto hits a ball down the 1st base line... fair! Oyana will score on that and Tsuruga Kehi takes a 1-0 lead!
Yonemitsu lays down the bunt, Matsumoto throws it away! Itou backs up so runners can't advance.
And now Shinohara gets hit by Matsumoto! He's in deep trouble early!
Liner! But Shibuya snares it, tags on 3rd and it's a 5 unassisted double play to end the inning! But Tsuruga Kehi takes the early lead!
Bottom 2nd
Endou drive to deep left! He's pumping his fist! Yamamoto looks up!
HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
One pitch is all Endou needs to tie the game at 1-1!
2 down now, and Shibuya singles to center looking for the gyakuten run.
But Sekiguchi-kantoku has him try to steal 2nd, but Okada throws him out to retire the side. However, Endou ties the score!
Top 3rd
Asai with a ball to left. Ryou running back to the fence! He looks up!!
HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And with one swing Asai takes the lead back for Tsuruga Kehi! 2-1!
They're not done yet! One down Mine singles back up the middle. He tries to steal 2nd, but on the hit-and-run, Oyana's bat hits Kozaki's glove! Catcher's interference is called and Oyana is awarded 1st!
Hiranuma single back up the middle! Mine being waved around! He'll score and it's 3-1!! Still only one out for Matsumoto!
Yamamoto another single up the middle! Nabana already playing up, gets it in quickly. Manrui for Tsuruga Kehi.
AHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!
Matsumoto hits Yonemitsu! That'll drive in a run and it's 4-1!
Shinohara sharp grounder up 1st base line! Makishima makes stop, twirls, fires home... AHHHHHHHH!!!!!
He throws it too high! 2 runs will score on that error and it's 6-1!
Shimomura flyball to left, Ryou stumbles, but makes catch! Yonemitsu tags up and scores and its 7-1!
Asai up again, and he blasts one to right center! That's all the way to the wall for a triple and it's 8-1!
The last straw is Okada's blooper just fair down the right field line. 9-1 and he is relieved. He goes to RF while #11 Sakurakouji comes in for Itou and takes the hill.
Mine liner to right, Matsumoto makes the leaping catch to finally retire the side. But Tsuruga Kehi once again puts the hurt on their opponents!
Bottom 3rd
Kozaki tries to help get Moriokadai back in the game with a single to center. But soon enough there's down after Ryou strikes out and Sakurakouji grounds into a fielder's choice.
Nabana gives the team a shot when he doubles to right center.
But nothing is going right for Matsumoto as he flies out to center to end the inning.
Top 4th
The woes continue for Moriokadai. Oyana's grounder to 2nd is flubbed allowing him to reach base. After a sac bunt, Sakurakouji hits Yamamoto and then walks Yonemitsu, making it manrui.
Shinohara with another ball to 1st, but this time Makishima is ready and he goes home for the force.
Sakurakouji though hits Shimomura and that will force in a run. 10-1.
Moriokadai finally get 3 ours after Asai grounds to 2nd, but the long game is getting longer.
Bottom 4th
I'm having a hard time staying awake for some reason.
Back-to-back singles by Makishima and Tachinami provide some hope. But Hiranuma retires the next 2 batter and they're back to where they started.
(At this point my body basically said you're not staying up any longer, which was fine considering that by the time I opened my eyes it was 12-1, and then before I had put everything away and hit the sack it was 14-1. Needless to say Tsuruga Kehi is wearing about the blackest hat I've seen at Koushien having defeated scored double digits in 3 straight games and not letting up - even when sending in their bench players. Yikes.)
Day 10, Game 3 - Jyouhoku (Kumamoto) v. Mie (Mie)
Mie is the ultimate blue collar team, and perhaps can't be comfortable with a big lead. In their most recent game against regional for Oogaki Nichidai, they broke out to a 4-0 lead, immediately gave up 2 runs afterwards and then grinded the rest of the way. And as mentioned before against Kouryou in the first round they came back from 2-run deficits twice to win 5-4.
Heck, even their pitcher embodies that too. Imai with only 3 K's last game made his defense work. There was nothing easy about the game on either side of the ball. And while it put the team under continuous stress, I don't think they'd have it any other way.
Jyouhoku won a miserable, rain-soaked, muddy game against Toukaidai Bouyou. They certainly took advantage of the field conditions when they placed the suicide squeeze to tie the game and then used that momentum to take the lead. Conditions won't be like that again, so we can't use that game as a complete comparison, despite the fact the offense did manage 10 hits. And we won't know if the conditions affected the pitching either.
But given that this is Mie, this will be a hard-fought game.
Jyouhoku (Kumamoto)
CF Adachi Yuuki
SS Adachi Rei
1B Yamaguma Takumi
3B Narahara Isamu
LF Oyama MasatomoRF Kurumi Rintarou
C Yoza Kouhei
P Yasutake Yuuki (#10)
2B Tsujigami Akimasa
Mie (Mie)
CF Nagano Hayato
2B Sada Taiki
SS Utsunomiya Touma
1B Nishioka Musashi
LF Yamamoto Youma (#10)
3B Uchida Ren
RF Seko Ren
C Nakabayashi Kengo
P Imai Shigetarou
______________________________________________________
13:50 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Heck, even their pitcher embodies that too. Imai with only 3 K's last game made his defense work. There was nothing easy about the game on either side of the ball. And while it put the team under continuous stress, I don't think they'd have it any other way.
Jyouhoku won a miserable, rain-soaked, muddy game against Toukaidai Bouyou. They certainly took advantage of the field conditions when they placed the suicide squeeze to tie the game and then used that momentum to take the lead. Conditions won't be like that again, so we can't use that game as a complete comparison, despite the fact the offense did manage 10 hits. And we won't know if the conditions affected the pitching either.
But given that this is Mie, this will be a hard-fought game.
Jyouhoku (Kumamoto)
CF Adachi Yuuki
SS Adachi Rei
1B Yamaguma Takumi
3B Narahara Isamu
LF Oyama MasatomoRF Kurumi Rintarou
C Yoza Kouhei
P Yasutake Yuuki (#10)
2B Tsujigami Akimasa
Mie (Mie)
CF Nagano Hayato
2B Sada Taiki
SS Utsunomiya Touma
1B Nishioka Musashi
LF Yamamoto Youma (#10)
3B Uchida Ren
RF Seko Ren
C Nakabayashi Kengo
P Imai Shigetarou
______________________________________________________
13:50 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Yuuki hard grounder to 1st. Nishioka fields it for the out,
No one's going to get this one though! On the fly anyways. Rei booms one over the drawn in defense and he races around for a triple! Early chance for Jyouhoku!
Yamaguma shot at 1st! Again Nishioka blocks it! Tags Yamaguma and Rei can't score.
SANSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!
Imai out of an early jam as he gets Narahara to chase the slider in the dirt for the 3rd out!
Bottom 1st
Nagano with a fly to center to start.
Sada comebacker off Yasutake's left leg and pops over short into left!
Yasutake took a shot there. But he says he's fine. Just in case, Oonishi is warming up.
But he seems fine as he gets Utsunomiya to fly out to center and strikes out Nishioka to retire the side.
Top 2nd
One down and Kurumi slices one over Uchida and down the left field line! He's in for a double!
Yoza grounder to short, Utsunomiya going to 3rd and they get Kurumi on the contact play! 2 down!
Yasutake grounds to 1st and the inning is over.
Bottom 2nd
4 pitch walk to Yamamoto to start the inning. Uchida bunts him along.
Uh oh, 4 pitch walk to Seko. Could he be hurt or that liner affecting him? Suetsugu-kantoku calling for time.
Nakabayashi single though the left side! Yamamoto being sent home and there's no throw! Mie leads 1-0!
Imai with a base hit to left! That's by a diving Oyama! Yuuki has to run it down as Seko and Nakabayashi scores! 3-0 Mie!
And that's it for Yasutake. Perhaps being hit affected him as his timing may have been off after that. #11 Oonishi comes in to take the hill.
He gets Nagano to fly out to left for the 2nd out, but Sada singles through the right side. Imai scores and tumbles but he seems to be ok. 4-0.
Sada then goes and steals 2nd, and on the next pitch, Utsunomiya drives it over Yuuki for a double scoring Sada to make it 5-0.
Nishoka pops out to end the inning, but Mie finds themselves with a big lead!
Top 3rd
Tsujimoto with a ball back up the middle. Utsunomiya gets there, but Tsujimoto hustles up the line and beats the throw.
Yuuki manages to advance the runner with a hard grounder to 1st, but Jyouhoku can't do anything with it thereafter as Rei K's on 3 straight, and Yamaguma flies out to center.
Bottom 3rd
Yamamoto with a single to right to leadoff. He's bunted to 2nd, but can't advance to 3rd when Seko grounds to 3rd.
Nakahara hits grounder to 3rd, but Narahara whiffs on the ball! It goes through his legs and into left allowing Yamamoto to score. 6-0 Mie.
Imai flies out on the next pitch, but Mie tacks on another run.
Top 4th
#14 Makino comes in to hit for Narahara. Hopefully it's not for the error, but I bet it is.
Jyouhoku goes down in order and it really doesn't look that great for them.
Bottom 4th
#18 Tomita comes in for Makino to play 3B.
Nagano with a single to right, and then promptly steals 2nd. Sada with the sac bunt, but Tomita stumbles! But he turns around and fires to 3rd where Nagano overran the ball! He's tagged out, but Sada does advance to 2nd.
But after that he hits Usunomiya and puts himself in a jam after Nishoka hits a slow roller to 1st advancing the runners.
At this point Suetsugu-kantoku sends in ace Morodomi to relieve Oonishi.
And he gets Yamamoto to ground to 3rd to end the inning.
Top 5th
Imai hits Yoza to start the inning and needs a bit of itai spray on his right elbow.
Morodomi with a single splitting the defense into left. Nakamura-kantoku calls for time.
But Imai walks Tsujigami on 4 straight! Manrui for Jyouhoku!
And Yuuki hits a chopper up the middle for a base hit! Everyone moves up a station and its 6-1.
One down now after Rei strikes out.
Yamaguma grounder to 1st... AH!!!!!!!!!
Nishioka fails to field the ball cleanly and it gets past him! Morodomi and Tsujigami both come in to score and it's 6-3!!
Tomita grounder to 2nd, but Sada throws to 2nd instead of tagging the runner! Throw to 1st not in time and Yuuki scores! 6-4! Mistake there by Sada!
Oyama grounds to 2nd to end the inning, but Jyouhoku has closed the gap significantly!
Bottom 5th
Seko draws a one out walk, and promptly takes 2nd! Throw from Yoza... not in time!
With 2 outs, it's funny to see Imai walk to 1st on a 3-1 pitch only to be called back, then Morodomi walk off the mound on the next pitch only to find it's ball 4.
Nagano liner to left for a base hit, but it's right to Oyama and Seko can't go home!
Suetsugu-kanoktu calls for time.
And Sada pops it up! Rei under it, makes the catch, and we hit the break!
Mie had taken a commanding lead, but Mie being Mie, they've let Jyouhoku back into it and they'll have to grind it out again.
Top 6th
Now that the game is close, Imai is comfortable again and retires the side in just 7 pitches. Assist goes to Utsunomiya who runs down a ball up the middle by Yoza and makes the running throw for the out.
Bottom 6th
Looks like we're entering an entrenchment period. Utsunomiya falls behind 0-2 and grounds to 2nd. Nishioka watches a slider for strike 3 and it's a 7 pitch inning.
Yamamoto drive to left center! Oyama sprinting back, dives.. and makes the catch! Great play by Oyama to end the inning!
Top 7th
I can barely keep up with how fast the innings are going. Trying to catch up again, Imai once again retires the side in 10 pitches!
Bottom 7th
Both teams free swinging at this point. Morodomi also needs just 10 pitches to retire the side.
Top 8th
Yamagami the first batter to take pitches in a while, and draws the leadoff walk!
But instead of bunting, Suetsugu-kantoku sends in #16 Abe to hit for Tomita, which means he's swinging?
He swings on the first pitch but pops it up! Nishoka makes the catch on the line for the first out.
Oyama comebacker to Imai! He goes to 2nd for one, relay throw... not in time! Oyama prevents the double play.
And now he takes off for 2nd! Pitchout! But it's too far out and Nakabayashi 's late with his throw!
Kurumi single to center! Oyama rounding 3rd, throw to Imai and he holds onto it! 6-5!!
Yoza hits back to Imai and he throws to 1st for the 3rd out, but Jyouhoku pulls within 1!
Bottom 8th
#15 Tsutsumi comes in for Abe and takes over at 3B.
Imai grounder to 2nd, but Tsujigami throws it away! Imai hustles to 2nd. He gets to move to 3rd when Nagano hits a hard grounder to Tsujigami and all he can do is block it and go to 1st.
Sada with a fly to left! Oyama with the catch and Imai takes off for home! Throw in... not in time! 7-5 Mie!
Utstunomiya with a scorcher to 3rd! Tsutsumi can't field it and it kicks to foul territory! Utsunomiya takes 2nd and Mie is threatening again as Suetsugu-kantoku calls time.
Nishioka single up the middle! Yuuki is on the ball quickly, and that makes Utsunomiya hold up at 3rd.
But Morodomi can't seem to buy a strike when he wants one and walks Yamamoto on a full count!
Uchida fly ball to right, Kurumi running towards the foul pole, still running.... Makes the catch at the padding! 3 out! He saves several runs, but they've got one more to make up.
Top 9th
Morodomi turns around in frustration after he strikes out looking on a pitch on the outer half of the plate.
Tsujigami flies out on the next pitch and they're down to their final out.
Yuuki falling behind 1-2, fouls one off, then another, then checks his swing.. and fouls off another.
But the war is lost as Yuuki chops one to short. Utsunomiya fires to 1st and Mie holds on (what's new?) to win 7-5!
Mie has another one of their type of games. Despite taking a big lead, they for some reason or another let their opponent back in the game. And yet when they do that, they tend to play better. Go figure.
Give credit to Jyouhoku for not giving up. Mie let them back into the game, they took it and almost found their way back to level. They fell short, but shouldn't be disappointed with their play.
No one's going to get this one though! On the fly anyways. Rei booms one over the drawn in defense and he races around for a triple! Early chance for Jyouhoku!
Yamaguma shot at 1st! Again Nishioka blocks it! Tags Yamaguma and Rei can't score.
SANSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!
Imai out of an early jam as he gets Narahara to chase the slider in the dirt for the 3rd out!
Bottom 1st
Nagano with a fly to center to start.
Sada comebacker off Yasutake's left leg and pops over short into left!
Yasutake took a shot there. But he says he's fine. Just in case, Oonishi is warming up.
But he seems fine as he gets Utsunomiya to fly out to center and strikes out Nishioka to retire the side.
Top 2nd
One down and Kurumi slices one over Uchida and down the left field line! He's in for a double!
Yoza grounder to short, Utsunomiya going to 3rd and they get Kurumi on the contact play! 2 down!
Yasutake grounds to 1st and the inning is over.
Bottom 2nd
4 pitch walk to Yamamoto to start the inning. Uchida bunts him along.
Uh oh, 4 pitch walk to Seko. Could he be hurt or that liner affecting him? Suetsugu-kantoku calling for time.
Nakabayashi single though the left side! Yamamoto being sent home and there's no throw! Mie leads 1-0!
Imai with a base hit to left! That's by a diving Oyama! Yuuki has to run it down as Seko and Nakabayashi scores! 3-0 Mie!
And that's it for Yasutake. Perhaps being hit affected him as his timing may have been off after that. #11 Oonishi comes in to take the hill.
He gets Nagano to fly out to left for the 2nd out, but Sada singles through the right side. Imai scores and tumbles but he seems to be ok. 4-0.
Sada then goes and steals 2nd, and on the next pitch, Utsunomiya drives it over Yuuki for a double scoring Sada to make it 5-0.
Nishoka pops out to end the inning, but Mie finds themselves with a big lead!
Top 3rd
Tsujimoto with a ball back up the middle. Utsunomiya gets there, but Tsujimoto hustles up the line and beats the throw.
Yuuki manages to advance the runner with a hard grounder to 1st, but Jyouhoku can't do anything with it thereafter as Rei K's on 3 straight, and Yamaguma flies out to center.
Bottom 3rd
Yamamoto with a single to right to leadoff. He's bunted to 2nd, but can't advance to 3rd when Seko grounds to 3rd.
Nakahara hits grounder to 3rd, but Narahara whiffs on the ball! It goes through his legs and into left allowing Yamamoto to score. 6-0 Mie.
Imai flies out on the next pitch, but Mie tacks on another run.
Top 4th
#14 Makino comes in to hit for Narahara. Hopefully it's not for the error, but I bet it is.
Jyouhoku goes down in order and it really doesn't look that great for them.
Bottom 4th
#18 Tomita comes in for Makino to play 3B.
Nagano with a single to right, and then promptly steals 2nd. Sada with the sac bunt, but Tomita stumbles! But he turns around and fires to 3rd where Nagano overran the ball! He's tagged out, but Sada does advance to 2nd.
But after that he hits Usunomiya and puts himself in a jam after Nishoka hits a slow roller to 1st advancing the runners.
At this point Suetsugu-kantoku sends in ace Morodomi to relieve Oonishi.
And he gets Yamamoto to ground to 3rd to end the inning.
Top 5th
Imai hits Yoza to start the inning and needs a bit of itai spray on his right elbow.
Morodomi with a single splitting the defense into left. Nakamura-kantoku calls for time.
But Imai walks Tsujigami on 4 straight! Manrui for Jyouhoku!
And Yuuki hits a chopper up the middle for a base hit! Everyone moves up a station and its 6-1.
One down now after Rei strikes out.
Yamaguma grounder to 1st... AH!!!!!!!!!
Nishioka fails to field the ball cleanly and it gets past him! Morodomi and Tsujigami both come in to score and it's 6-3!!
Tomita grounder to 2nd, but Sada throws to 2nd instead of tagging the runner! Throw to 1st not in time and Yuuki scores! 6-4! Mistake there by Sada!
Oyama grounds to 2nd to end the inning, but Jyouhoku has closed the gap significantly!
Bottom 5th
Seko draws a one out walk, and promptly takes 2nd! Throw from Yoza... not in time!
With 2 outs, it's funny to see Imai walk to 1st on a 3-1 pitch only to be called back, then Morodomi walk off the mound on the next pitch only to find it's ball 4.
Nagano liner to left for a base hit, but it's right to Oyama and Seko can't go home!
Suetsugu-kanoktu calls for time.
And Sada pops it up! Rei under it, makes the catch, and we hit the break!
Mie had taken a commanding lead, but Mie being Mie, they've let Jyouhoku back into it and they'll have to grind it out again.
Top 6th
Now that the game is close, Imai is comfortable again and retires the side in just 7 pitches. Assist goes to Utsunomiya who runs down a ball up the middle by Yoza and makes the running throw for the out.
Bottom 6th
Looks like we're entering an entrenchment period. Utsunomiya falls behind 0-2 and grounds to 2nd. Nishioka watches a slider for strike 3 and it's a 7 pitch inning.
Yamamoto drive to left center! Oyama sprinting back, dives.. and makes the catch! Great play by Oyama to end the inning!
Top 7th
I can barely keep up with how fast the innings are going. Trying to catch up again, Imai once again retires the side in 10 pitches!
Bottom 7th
Both teams free swinging at this point. Morodomi also needs just 10 pitches to retire the side.
Top 8th
Yamagami the first batter to take pitches in a while, and draws the leadoff walk!
But instead of bunting, Suetsugu-kantoku sends in #16 Abe to hit for Tomita, which means he's swinging?
He swings on the first pitch but pops it up! Nishoka makes the catch on the line for the first out.
Oyama comebacker to Imai! He goes to 2nd for one, relay throw... not in time! Oyama prevents the double play.
And now he takes off for 2nd! Pitchout! But it's too far out and Nakabayashi 's late with his throw!
Kurumi single to center! Oyama rounding 3rd, throw to Imai and he holds onto it! 6-5!!
Yoza hits back to Imai and he throws to 1st for the 3rd out, but Jyouhoku pulls within 1!
Bottom 8th
#15 Tsutsumi comes in for Abe and takes over at 3B.
Imai grounder to 2nd, but Tsujigami throws it away! Imai hustles to 2nd. He gets to move to 3rd when Nagano hits a hard grounder to Tsujigami and all he can do is block it and go to 1st.
Sada with a fly to left! Oyama with the catch and Imai takes off for home! Throw in... not in time! 7-5 Mie!
Utstunomiya with a scorcher to 3rd! Tsutsumi can't field it and it kicks to foul territory! Utsunomiya takes 2nd and Mie is threatening again as Suetsugu-kantoku calls time.
Nishioka single up the middle! Yuuki is on the ball quickly, and that makes Utsunomiya hold up at 3rd.
But Morodomi can't seem to buy a strike when he wants one and walks Yamamoto on a full count!
Uchida fly ball to right, Kurumi running towards the foul pole, still running.... Makes the catch at the padding! 3 out! He saves several runs, but they've got one more to make up.
Top 9th
Morodomi turns around in frustration after he strikes out looking on a pitch on the outer half of the plate.
Tsujigami flies out on the next pitch and they're down to their final out.
Yuuki falling behind 1-2, fouls one off, then another, then checks his swing.. and fouls off another.
But the war is lost as Yuuki chops one to short. Utsunomiya fires to 1st and Mie holds on (what's new?) to win 7-5!
Mie has another one of their type of games. Despite taking a big lead, they for some reason or another let their opponent back in the game. And yet when they do that, they tend to play better. Go figure.
Give credit to Jyouhoku for not giving up. Mie let them back into the game, they took it and almost found their way back to level. They fell short, but shouldn't be disappointed with their play.
Day 10, Game 2 - Nishougakushadai Fuzoku (Higashi Tokyo) v. Okinawa Shougaku (Okinawa)
One of the big powers enters the field now and faces a team that still has something to prove.
Okinawa Shougaku made Sakushin Gakuin look just silly. 1 run on 3 hits and 14 strikeouts. Sakushin Gakuin is not one of those teams that's strong in prefecture and then weak at Koushien. At worst, they're generally middle of the road. For me, on the mound that has to be their best performance in recent years where I've always believed they've underperformed their talent.
Now, on offense... that's another story. They managed just 4 hits but was able to patch together 3 runs in the effort. So once again, the offense will be a glaring issue because you can't win a game 0-0.
Nishougakushadai Fuzoku helped me a little prove to the JHBF they had made a mistake in defeating Kaisei (Nagasaki) 7-5. They put up runs in each of the first 5 innings as every starter registered a base hit.
The only question that remains might be the pitching staff. Ookuro cruised through the first 4 innings, but struggled in the 5th and had to be bailed out by fellow kousai Ooe who completely shut down the Kaisei offense. Not a strikeout pitcher, just recorded outs. This will be a great test for Nishougakushadai and could be an indicator how strong the team may be.
Nishougakushadai Fuzoku (Higashi Tokyo)
CF Suematsu Yuuya
3B Kitamoto Kazuki
SS Takehara Yuuta
1B Komine Eisuke
LF Miyamoto Yuuki
RF Hata Shoutarou
C Imamura Daiki (#12)
P Kishida Yuuta (#17)
2B Miguchi Eito (#15)
Okinawa Shougaku made Sakushin Gakuin look just silly. 1 run on 3 hits and 14 strikeouts. Sakushin Gakuin is not one of those teams that's strong in prefecture and then weak at Koushien. At worst, they're generally middle of the road. For me, on the mound that has to be their best performance in recent years where I've always believed they've underperformed their talent.
Now, on offense... that's another story. They managed just 4 hits but was able to patch together 3 runs in the effort. So once again, the offense will be a glaring issue because you can't win a game 0-0.
Nishougakushadai Fuzoku helped me a little prove to the JHBF they had made a mistake in defeating Kaisei (Nagasaki) 7-5. They put up runs in each of the first 5 innings as every starter registered a base hit.
The only question that remains might be the pitching staff. Ookuro cruised through the first 4 innings, but struggled in the 5th and had to be bailed out by fellow kousai Ooe who completely shut down the Kaisei offense. Not a strikeout pitcher, just recorded outs. This will be a great test for Nishougakushadai and could be an indicator how strong the team may be.
Nishougakushadai Fuzoku (Higashi Tokyo)
CF Suematsu Yuuya
3B Kitamoto Kazuki
SS Takehara Yuuta
1B Komine Eisuke
LF Miyamoto Yuuki
RF Hata Shoutarou
C Imamura Daiki (#12)
P Kishida Yuuta (#17)
2B Miguchi Eito (#15)
Okinawa Shougaku (Okinawa)
CF Akamine Ken
2B Nakamura Masaki (#13)
LF Nishihira Daiki
3B Asato Takeru
RF Kubo Shuuto
1B Uehara Kouta
SS Sunagawa Osamu
P Yamashiro Daichi
C Irabu Shouta
____________________________________________________________
10:45 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Suematsu draws a walk to start the game against ace Yamashiro.
Kitamoto showing bunt, but it's a bust-and-run! Chopper to left side, but Asato is there to make the play, but can only throw to 1st.
Yamashiro through gets Takehara to fly out to left for out #2.
But Yamashiro goes to the slider and Komine swings and misses for the 3rd out!
Bottom 1st
Kishida starts off with a walk as well. Nakamura with a bunt, but Kishida throws it away! Ken moves to 3rd base and Okinawa Shougaku is threatening!
Nishihira with a ball through the left side, the defense playing in has no chance and it just rolls its way to left! Ken scores to make it 1-0!
AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!
Kishida throws a wild pitch and Nakamura scores to make it 2-0!
Nishihira moves to 3rd on the flyout by Asato.
Kubo single to center! Nishihira can walk home and it's 3-0!
Kishida can only record 1 out as he is relieved by ace Ookuro...
And now Kubo takes off for 2nd! Throw is late!
Uehara with a ball to deep right! Hata has to chase it to the wall and Kubo scores on the double! 4-0!
Ookuro retires the next 2 batters, but the damage is more than done. Okishou has a commanding 4-0 lead!
Top 2nd
Miyamoto slow grounder to right side, Nakamura charging, tries to make throw, but it's late! Leadoff runner on for Nisshougakusha!
Hata grounds to 3rd, but with no play at 2nd goes to 1st.
Miyamoto goes to 3rd on a pitch in the dirt! No throw from Irabu!
And Imamura with some weird swing slices the ball through the right side for a base hit! Miyamoto scores and Nishougakusha gets a run back. 4-1.
Ookuro with a bunt, but Asato inexplicably picks it up as it's rolling foul! All safe!
But with #9 batter Miguchi up, Ichihara-kantoku calls for the bunt hoping that Suematsu can get the timely.
Yamashiro though limits the damage as he gets Suematsu to fly out to right for the 3rd out.
Bottom 2nd
Ookuro getting to work keeping his team in it, gets Irabu to ground out to short to start the inning.
Ken then strikes out on a high change... and Nakamura flies to right! Ookuro might be able to do it!
Top 3rd
Kitamoto with a seeing eye single through the left side. Takehara bunt up 1st base line, Uehara's throw to 1st is wide towards foul territory and pulls Nakamura off the bag! All safe!!
Komine with the push bunt into the gap in left! Yamashiro runs it down! He fires to 1st for the out!
Miyamoto to try and get the run in...
SANSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yamashiro freezes him with a slider inside and there's 2 out!
Hata drive to deep center right!!
Ken running, running! Collides with the wall!! But the ball bounces off the top of the padding as he's stunned! Both runners will score on Hata's triple and it's 4-3!!
Wow! Nishougakusha is playing the smartest ball I've seen!
Imamura draws a walk and the inning continues!!
Ah, but Yamashiro gets Ookuro looking on a fastball that paints the edge! 3 out but we have a ballgame!
Bottom 3rd
Okinawa Shougaku not taking it lying down. Nishihira gets his 2nd base hit much like the first - with a single through the left side.
But the Nishougakusha battery guesses right! Nishihira takes off and it's a pitchout! Imamura's throw to 2nd is on line and they nail him for the out!
Ookuro replaces him on the next pitch as he walks Asato. Higa-kantoku calls for the bunt and Kubo lays it down.
But Uehara flies out to left and once again Ookuro puts up a 0!
Top 4th
Miguchi a drive to left center! But the defense is playing in! Ken has to sprint back again as Miguchi flies around the bases and slides in with a triple!!
Suematsu chopper over Yamashiro, and Sunagawa can't play it off the hop! It kicks to the right side and Miguchi scores! Nishougakusha douten just 3 innings after giving up 4 runs! It's 4-4!!!
Kitamoto bunts the runner over and they're threatening to take the lead!
Ball gets away from Irabu! Suematsu goes to 3rd!
SQUEEZE!!!
They try for the squeeze but Takehara pushes it just foul!
Takehara takes a borderline 3-2 pitch and earns the walk!!
Takehara takes off for 2nd, but Irabu won't throw! Now a base hit could score 2!
SQUEEZE!!!!!!
But Komine misses! Suematsu is left hanging! He's trying to stay alive... 2-5-1-6-3... NO!!!!
Suematsu goes wides and simultaneously slides into home! SAFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Uehara misses the tag and Suematsu scores!!!! Nishougakusadai Fuzoku has the lead at 5-4!!!
Miyamoto hits a soft liner to short to end the inning, but who saw this coming from the first-timers??!!
Bottom 4th
Miyamoto with a base hit to right center putting the douten runner on. Yamashiro bunts him to 2nd.
Irabu grounder to the left side, Takehara with the pick and quick throw! Komine up the 1st base line, makes the tag on a diving Irabu for the out!
Ken flies to right and the side is retired!
Top 5th
Hata with a ball to center, Ken moves in a little late and it falls in!
Imamura looking to bunt, but he three bunts and it goes foul! One down.
Ookuro bunting, but he falls to 2 strikes.
Grounds to short! Sunagawa goes to 2nd for 1, throw to first, wide!! Uehara goes off the bag, but has enough time to reestablish for the 3rd out!
Bottom 5th
Yamashiro works the count and draws the leadoff walk! Nishihira moves him into scoring position.
Asato gives a ball a ride but foul. Still he works the count full and too draws the walk!
Kubo flies out to right, Nakamura tags to 3rd. 2 out.
And Ichihara-kantoku goes to the bullpen! #18 Ooe enters the game! 1st year Ooe enters in a high leverage situation!
Uehara grounder up middle! Takehara with it, tags 2nd! 3 out!! Ooe gets Nishougakusha out of the jam and they have the 1-run lead going into the break!
From doing the bust-and-run, to trying push bunts in holes left open by a bunt, Nishougakusha has been a joy to watch.
Top 6th
Miguchi with a single to left! He's 2-2 on the day!
But Suematsu puts down a poor bunt and Yamashiro throws out Miguchi at 2nd!
Kitamoto punches the ball, but right to Yamashiro who goes for the 1-6-3 double play to end the inning!
Bottom 6th
Okinawa Shougaku continues to threaten! Sunagawa with a leadoff single through the right side! He's bunted along to 2nd by Yamashiro, and then to 3rd by a fly ball to right by Irabu.
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
On a 0-2 pitch to Ken, he throws it 50 feet and it gets away from Imamura! Sunagawa easily scores and we're douten at 5-5!!
Ken pops out to end the inning on the very next pitch, but Nishougakusha's work has been erased with one bad pitch!
Top 7th
One down and Komine gets his first hit, a seeing eye single between Asato and Sunagawa. He advances to 2nd on a wild pitch from Yamashiro while pitching to Hata.
And Hata works the count full and earns the walk.
But Imamura can't pull the trigger! Imamura watches the fastball on the outside corner for strike 3 and the side is retired!
Bottom 7th
Nakamura with the safety bunt, but Ooe's undertoss to 1st is high! Nakamura slides in safe! Are the nerves getting to the young pitching staff?
Nishihira with the bunt, Ooe's throw to 1st... AH!! That was close to throwing it away, but Miguchi secures it.
Ichihara-kantoku calls for time...
Ooe jams Asato and he skies it! Suematsu secures it for the 2nd out!
He goes inside to Kubo! He's jammed and grounds to 3rd! Kitamoto to 1st and Ooe is out of his own jam!
Top 8th
Ooe not so handy with the bat as he goes down swinging on the outside slider.
Yamashiro showing he can go inside, spins Miguchi on a fastball for the 2nd out.
Suematsu hits a 2-out single to left, but there's a lot of work to be done.
He takes off for 2nd, but the throw one hops Sunagawa and he has the base!
But once again Kitamoto gambles on an outside pitch and loses! Yamashiro paints the corner and the side is retired!
Bottom 8th
One down and Sunagawa with a single on a high pitch through the right side. Higa-kantoku will go for the one-timer as Yamashiro bunts him to 2nd.
Irabu single through the left side! But Miyamoto playing in and Sunagawa has to hold! Runners at corners as Ichihara-kantoku calls time!
Ooe gets out of it! Ken flies out to right and once again they escape unscathed!
Top 9th
Komine one out single back up the middle. Ichihara-kantoku plays for the one point and Miyamoto bunts him along.
SANSHIN!!!!! Yamashiro with the guts pose as once again he strikes out the final batter of the inning! Hata had no chance on the inside fastball!
Bottom 9th
Once again, the leadoff runner gets on! Nakamura with a single back up the middle! No doubt the bunt is coming, especially since Ooe has been shaky at times fielding.
Imamura fields the bunt instead, but it does it's job.
Asato drive to left!!! Miyamoto is playing in! It will fall in as Nakamura scores! Sayonara!!!!
Okinawa Shougaku comes back late to win 6-5!
Oh it started so terribly for Nishougakushadai Fuzoku as they went down 4 runs. But they didn't give up, they fought and played what seemed like smart baseball to tie the game and actually take the lead. But once they did it felt like they went back to regular baseball. And that's when things seemed to stall and Okinawa Shougaku was allowed to catch back up as they started putting pressure every inning on the 1st year relief ace until he finally broke.
Still, I was pleasanly surprised with how Nishougakushadai fought early, even though they seemed to stray later. While they exit here, I hope to see them again, a year later and wiser.
For Okinawa Shougaku, this was a good performance from Yamashiro's point of view. The defense was very sketchy and will need to be fixed, otherwise they will be lost. But, they move on and that's what matters.
CF Akamine Ken
2B Nakamura Masaki (#13)
LF Nishihira Daiki
3B Asato Takeru
RF Kubo Shuuto
1B Uehara Kouta
SS Sunagawa Osamu
P Yamashiro Daichi
C Irabu Shouta
____________________________________________________________
10:45 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Suematsu draws a walk to start the game against ace Yamashiro.
Kitamoto showing bunt, but it's a bust-and-run! Chopper to left side, but Asato is there to make the play, but can only throw to 1st.
Yamashiro through gets Takehara to fly out to left for out #2.
But Yamashiro goes to the slider and Komine swings and misses for the 3rd out!
Bottom 1st
Kishida starts off with a walk as well. Nakamura with a bunt, but Kishida throws it away! Ken moves to 3rd base and Okinawa Shougaku is threatening!
Nishihira with a ball through the left side, the defense playing in has no chance and it just rolls its way to left! Ken scores to make it 1-0!
AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!
Kishida throws a wild pitch and Nakamura scores to make it 2-0!
Nishihira moves to 3rd on the flyout by Asato.
Kubo single to center! Nishihira can walk home and it's 3-0!
Kishida can only record 1 out as he is relieved by ace Ookuro...
And now Kubo takes off for 2nd! Throw is late!
Uehara with a ball to deep right! Hata has to chase it to the wall and Kubo scores on the double! 4-0!
Ookuro retires the next 2 batters, but the damage is more than done. Okishou has a commanding 4-0 lead!
Top 2nd
Miyamoto slow grounder to right side, Nakamura charging, tries to make throw, but it's late! Leadoff runner on for Nisshougakusha!
Hata grounds to 3rd, but with no play at 2nd goes to 1st.
Miyamoto goes to 3rd on a pitch in the dirt! No throw from Irabu!
And Imamura with some weird swing slices the ball through the right side for a base hit! Miyamoto scores and Nishougakusha gets a run back. 4-1.
Ookuro with a bunt, but Asato inexplicably picks it up as it's rolling foul! All safe!
But with #9 batter Miguchi up, Ichihara-kantoku calls for the bunt hoping that Suematsu can get the timely.
Yamashiro though limits the damage as he gets Suematsu to fly out to right for the 3rd out.
Bottom 2nd
Ookuro getting to work keeping his team in it, gets Irabu to ground out to short to start the inning.
Ken then strikes out on a high change... and Nakamura flies to right! Ookuro might be able to do it!
Top 3rd
Kitamoto with a seeing eye single through the left side. Takehara bunt up 1st base line, Uehara's throw to 1st is wide towards foul territory and pulls Nakamura off the bag! All safe!!
Komine with the push bunt into the gap in left! Yamashiro runs it down! He fires to 1st for the out!
Miyamoto to try and get the run in...
SANSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yamashiro freezes him with a slider inside and there's 2 out!
Hata drive to deep center right!!
Ken running, running! Collides with the wall!! But the ball bounces off the top of the padding as he's stunned! Both runners will score on Hata's triple and it's 4-3!!
Wow! Nishougakusha is playing the smartest ball I've seen!
Imamura draws a walk and the inning continues!!
Ah, but Yamashiro gets Ookuro looking on a fastball that paints the edge! 3 out but we have a ballgame!
Bottom 3rd
Okinawa Shougaku not taking it lying down. Nishihira gets his 2nd base hit much like the first - with a single through the left side.
But the Nishougakusha battery guesses right! Nishihira takes off and it's a pitchout! Imamura's throw to 2nd is on line and they nail him for the out!
Ookuro replaces him on the next pitch as he walks Asato. Higa-kantoku calls for the bunt and Kubo lays it down.
But Uehara flies out to left and once again Ookuro puts up a 0!
Top 4th
Miguchi a drive to left center! But the defense is playing in! Ken has to sprint back again as Miguchi flies around the bases and slides in with a triple!!
Suematsu chopper over Yamashiro, and Sunagawa can't play it off the hop! It kicks to the right side and Miguchi scores! Nishougakusha douten just 3 innings after giving up 4 runs! It's 4-4!!!
Kitamoto bunts the runner over and they're threatening to take the lead!
Ball gets away from Irabu! Suematsu goes to 3rd!
SQUEEZE!!!
They try for the squeeze but Takehara pushes it just foul!
Takehara takes a borderline 3-2 pitch and earns the walk!!
Takehara takes off for 2nd, but Irabu won't throw! Now a base hit could score 2!
SQUEEZE!!!!!!
But Komine misses! Suematsu is left hanging! He's trying to stay alive... 2-5-1-6-3... NO!!!!
Suematsu goes wides and simultaneously slides into home! SAFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Uehara misses the tag and Suematsu scores!!!! Nishougakusadai Fuzoku has the lead at 5-4!!!
Miyamoto hits a soft liner to short to end the inning, but who saw this coming from the first-timers??!!
Bottom 4th
Miyamoto with a base hit to right center putting the douten runner on. Yamashiro bunts him to 2nd.
Irabu grounder to the left side, Takehara with the pick and quick throw! Komine up the 1st base line, makes the tag on a diving Irabu for the out!
Ken flies to right and the side is retired!
Top 5th
Hata with a ball to center, Ken moves in a little late and it falls in!
Imamura looking to bunt, but he three bunts and it goes foul! One down.
Ookuro bunting, but he falls to 2 strikes.
Grounds to short! Sunagawa goes to 2nd for 1, throw to first, wide!! Uehara goes off the bag, but has enough time to reestablish for the 3rd out!
Bottom 5th
Yamashiro works the count and draws the leadoff walk! Nishihira moves him into scoring position.
Asato gives a ball a ride but foul. Still he works the count full and too draws the walk!
Kubo flies out to right, Nakamura tags to 3rd. 2 out.
And Ichihara-kantoku goes to the bullpen! #18 Ooe enters the game! 1st year Ooe enters in a high leverage situation!
Uehara grounder up middle! Takehara with it, tags 2nd! 3 out!! Ooe gets Nishougakusha out of the jam and they have the 1-run lead going into the break!
From doing the bust-and-run, to trying push bunts in holes left open by a bunt, Nishougakusha has been a joy to watch.
Top 6th
Miguchi with a single to left! He's 2-2 on the day!
But Suematsu puts down a poor bunt and Yamashiro throws out Miguchi at 2nd!
Kitamoto punches the ball, but right to Yamashiro who goes for the 1-6-3 double play to end the inning!
Bottom 6th
Okinawa Shougaku continues to threaten! Sunagawa with a leadoff single through the right side! He's bunted along to 2nd by Yamashiro, and then to 3rd by a fly ball to right by Irabu.
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
On a 0-2 pitch to Ken, he throws it 50 feet and it gets away from Imamura! Sunagawa easily scores and we're douten at 5-5!!
Ken pops out to end the inning on the very next pitch, but Nishougakusha's work has been erased with one bad pitch!
Top 7th
One down and Komine gets his first hit, a seeing eye single between Asato and Sunagawa. He advances to 2nd on a wild pitch from Yamashiro while pitching to Hata.
And Hata works the count full and earns the walk.
But Imamura can't pull the trigger! Imamura watches the fastball on the outside corner for strike 3 and the side is retired!
Bottom 7th
Nakamura with the safety bunt, but Ooe's undertoss to 1st is high! Nakamura slides in safe! Are the nerves getting to the young pitching staff?
Nishihira with the bunt, Ooe's throw to 1st... AH!! That was close to throwing it away, but Miguchi secures it.
Ichihara-kantoku calls for time...
Ooe jams Asato and he skies it! Suematsu secures it for the 2nd out!
He goes inside to Kubo! He's jammed and grounds to 3rd! Kitamoto to 1st and Ooe is out of his own jam!
Top 8th
Ooe not so handy with the bat as he goes down swinging on the outside slider.
Yamashiro showing he can go inside, spins Miguchi on a fastball for the 2nd out.
Suematsu hits a 2-out single to left, but there's a lot of work to be done.
He takes off for 2nd, but the throw one hops Sunagawa and he has the base!
But once again Kitamoto gambles on an outside pitch and loses! Yamashiro paints the corner and the side is retired!
Bottom 8th
One down and Sunagawa with a single on a high pitch through the right side. Higa-kantoku will go for the one-timer as Yamashiro bunts him to 2nd.
Irabu single through the left side! But Miyamoto playing in and Sunagawa has to hold! Runners at corners as Ichihara-kantoku calls time!
Ooe gets out of it! Ken flies out to right and once again they escape unscathed!
Top 9th
Komine one out single back up the middle. Ichihara-kantoku plays for the one point and Miyamoto bunts him along.
SANSHIN!!!!! Yamashiro with the guts pose as once again he strikes out the final batter of the inning! Hata had no chance on the inside fastball!
Bottom 9th
Once again, the leadoff runner gets on! Nakamura with a single back up the middle! No doubt the bunt is coming, especially since Ooe has been shaky at times fielding.
Imamura fields the bunt instead, but it does it's job.
Asato drive to left!!! Miyamoto is playing in! It will fall in as Nakamura scores! Sayonara!!!!
Okinawa Shougaku comes back late to win 6-5!
Oh it started so terribly for Nishougakushadai Fuzoku as they went down 4 runs. But they didn't give up, they fought and played what seemed like smart baseball to tie the game and actually take the lead. But once they did it felt like they went back to regular baseball. And that's when things seemed to stall and Okinawa Shougaku was allowed to catch back up as they started putting pressure every inning on the 1st year relief ace until he finally broke.
Still, I was pleasanly surprised with how Nishougakushadai fought early, even though they seemed to stray later. While they exit here, I hope to see them again, a year later and wiser.
For Okinawa Shougaku, this was a good performance from Yamashiro's point of view. The defense was very sketchy and will need to be fixed, otherwise they will be lost. But, they move on and that's what matters.
Day 10, Game 1 - Hachinohe Gakuin Kousei (Aomori) v. Seiryou (Ishikawa)
And so we're into the round of 16. All winners of games today may only play each other in Day 12, so no Osaka Touin for anyone! Hooray!
At least not until the Best 4.
But that's later, this is now!
And first up, yet another matchup between the two surprise regions in this year's tournament - Tohoku and Hokushinetsu.
Hachinohe Gakuin Kousei (fka Kousei Gakuin - and no I don't know why they changed it) has only played one game so far, and almost lost against a very game Bushuukan if not for their plan faltering in the 8th inning due to defensive miscues. The team as whole managed just 7 hits and 4 of those came in that aforementioned 8th inning.
Ace Nakagawa had held Bushuukan hitless for the majority of the game, but was not dominant in terms of racking up strikeouts (he only had 2). His job will get much more tougher against the offense-minded Seiryou.
They had looked much improved in their first game where they had to comeback to beat Shizuoka. Kanoya Chuo really stood little to no chance of defeating them as they even went so far as to use their backup pitchers in for the final innings - up until it got hairy and they reinserted ace Iwashita to end the nonsense.
So, we know they can beat the teams they're supposed to. But Kousei doesn't quite fit that mold. They're probably more like a Shizuoka but maybe better.
It's certainly not going to be an easy game for either team. You'd think that'd be the case now that we're in the round of 16, but no, not yet.
Hachinohe Gakuin Kousei (Aomori)
3B Houjyou Hiroyuki
SS Adachi Yuuya
1B Moriyama Hiroki
2B Fukae Taisei
RF Arai Katsunori
LF Nakazaki Jyukiya (#16)
CF Arai Katsutaka
P Nakagawa Masashi
C Baba Ryuusei (#12)
Seiryou (Ishikawa)
CF Tanigawa Touma
SS Nakamura Hayato (#4)
LF Fukushige Tatsumi
1B Murakami Kazuma
3B Yanase Takeshi
RF Satake Kaito
P Iwashita Daiki
C Yokoyama Shouta
2B Muranaka Takeya (#10)
____________________________________________________________
08:00 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Good start for Iwashita as he strikes out Houjyou on 3 straight.
But with two down he tries to hit the edges of the zone and winds up walking Moriyama and Fukae. Hayashi-kantoku calls time.
No harm done as Katsunori grounds to 2nd and the walks don't hurt Iwashita.
Bottom 1st
Tanigawa with an opening single through the right side. Nakamura bunts him along.
Fukushige fooled a little bit on the change butt still pushes it to the right side to advance the runner. 2 out, Tanigawa at 3rd.
But Murakami grounds right to Houjyou! Takes his time, fires a strike and the side is retired.
Top 2nd
Nakazaki unable to inside out a ball, weakly grounds to 2nd.
Katsutaka with a slow grounder up the middle. Nakamura ranges over to get it, but it's so slow that his throw to 1st can't beat a belly flopping Katsutaka.
Not to mention he has a wardrobe malfunction and needs his belt replaced.
Nagawa tries the bunt, but pops it up. The fielders don't actually get to it, but Katsutaka had to freeze in case he got caught, in which then he got thrown out at 2nd.
And Baba grounds to short and the inning is over.
Bottom 2nd
Looks like Nakagawa is on his game today as he's hitting the glove. After another ground out to 3rd, he gets Satake on a slider, and Iwashia on a forkball to close the inning.
Top 3rd
Iwashita not quite as accurate, and ends up plunking Houjyou to start the inning.
Hit and run, and that prevents the double play as Adachi hits it right to Muranaka.
Moriyama's knees break on a changeup that hits the bottom of the zone and there's 2 out.
Fukae though swings at a slider outside and skies it. Murakami there to make the catch for the 3rd out.
Bottom 3rd
Yokoyama with a poke to the right side goes past a chasing Fukae for a base hit. He's bunted over by Muranaka.
Tanigawa with a grounder to short, Adachi goes to 3rd and Houjyou makes the tag for the out! 2 down
Nakagawa gets his 3rd out as Nakamura swings and misses on the slider.
Top 4th
Katsunori becomes Iwashita's 3rk K victim after he swings over a slider inside.
And after a flyout, he gets yet anther K as Katsutaka goes down swinging for his 2nd clean inning.
Bottom 4th
One down, Nakagawa leaves a ball up an Mrakami takes it into the gap. But Katsunori is there quickly and he's limited to a single.
And Murakami spaces out! Baba snap throws to 1st and he realizes he's in a pickle! He's run down for the 2nd out.
Yanase goes down on the changeup and side retired once again.
Top 5th
After 2 quick groundball outs, Houjyou draws a 4-pitch walk.
But Adachi weakly waves on the change and it's another easy inning for Iwashita.
Bottom 5th
2 down, Nakagawa appears to be on his way to a clean inning, but he hits Yokoyams on the lower ankle. He hobbling to 1st, but the itai spray always helps.
Muranaka grounder to short, Adachi goes to 2nd, but Yokoyama beats the toss! Kousei's not out of the inning! Will the defensive hiccup hurt them?
In a word, yes.
Tanigawa first pitch single to left and Yokoyama comes home! Throw from Nakazaki... not in time! Kousei inattention on defense gives Seiryou the 1-0 lead!
Top 6th
Defensive change as #15 Takeya comes in for Satake in RF.
Moriyama with a routine grounder t1st, Fukae quickly follows flying out to left.
And finally Katsutaka goes down swinging on the fastball and the Kousei just can't do anything versus Iwashita.
Bottom 6th
Seiryou has the gift run from Kousei because their offense is scuffling too. Nakagawa just needs 6 pitches to get through the 6th inning.
Top 7th
It's a horrible swing, but Nakazaki hits a letter high pitch to right for a base hit. It's just their 2nd of the game. Katsutaka goes for the bunt, but it's too short and that allows Yokoyama to fire to 2nd for the force.
After Nakagawa chases yet another slider from Iwashita, he in turn walks Baba to turn over the lineup. Hayashi-kantoku calls time.
Grounder up middle, Nakamura with it, fires to 1st and Kousei can't find the timely hit!
Bottom 7th
Nakagawa racking up the K's as he continues to retire Seiryou in order. Only problem is... K's wont by themselves win you a game.
Top 8th
Adachi fouls off a couple of balls, but feebly swings on an outside fastball for the 1st out.
Moriyama can't catch up to a fastball down in the zone, and that's 9 Ks for Iwashita.
お！
Fukae connects with a hanging change! Fukushige back to the wall, looks up!
HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That ball was crushed what seemed like halfway up the lower half of the bleachers! We're all level at 1-1!
Katsunori grounds back to Iwashita to end the inning, but we've got a new ballgame!
Bottom 8th
Seiryou striking back! Muranaka with a single through the left side. Tanigawa moves him over.
Nakamura liner back up middle! Nakagawa can't get it! But Muranaka can't move ahead as he though that was going to be caught and doubled back!
Nakai-kantoku calls time...
AH! Nakagawa hits Fukushige and it's manrui for Seiryou! A sac fly now will give Seiryou the lead!
Murakami chopper back up middle! Nakagawa snags it! Goes home for 1, throw to 1st...
DOUBLE PLAY!!!!
Nakagawa gets the 1-2-3 double play to get out of the pinch! Will they be able to turn it into momentum?
Top 9th
Nakazaki has to protect behind 2-2 and flies out to right.
Katsutaka golfs a ball inside up and Yanase in foul territory makes the catch for the 2nd out.
Unfortumately it's more of the same Nakamura grounds out to NO! Nakamura boots the ball! E6!
And what's this? Iwashita walks Baba on 4 straight and the gyakuten run is in scoring position! Hayashi-kantoku calls time yet again.
The lineup turns over for Houjyou, though he has yet to get a hit.
And he wastes the bottom of the order's efforts as he swings on the first pitch and flies to center.
Bottom 9th
Does Seiryou have the momentum now with a chance to walk off?
Now it's Kousei's turn to give a gift. Grounder to 2nd, Fukae waits for the ball to come instead of fully charging and that allows Yanase to reach base! Takeya obviously bunts the runner over.
Iwashita gets 2nd life as Houjyou can't work his way around the bullpen mound on a foul fly.
From 1-2 the count goes to 3-2...
SANSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Iwashita goes to a knee as he can't make contact on the slider! 2 down!
Nakai-kantoku calls for time as Yokoyama will be stepping into the box.
Yokoyama grounder to 2nd... Fukae on the grass throws to 1st...
We're headed to enchousen! Another defensive brain fart doesn't cost Kousei, and the game continues!
Top 10th
Uh oh! Iwashita walks Adachi on 4 straight? Is he tiring on the mound? Moriyama bunts him over for Fukae, but remember with that bunt... first base is open.
And after a pitch inside, they intentionally walk him!
Hayashi-kantoku wants time to reset the defense.
Katsunori, hitless with 2 K's and 2 groudouts steps in.
But Iwashita isn't throwing a strike! He's behind 2-0... and now 3-0!
Finally gets a change over for a strike... and a fastball over too!
Katsunori drive to right! Takeya back to the wall, leaps!
Can't make the catch! But he does get it in quickly and Adachi can only get to 3rd! He had to wait to see if it would be caught and as a result it's a very loud single!
And so they need one more hit to score the run!
Nakazaki up takes 2 balls before Iwashita puts in a strike.
Slider over the middle for strike 2!
Forkball... ball 3! Iwashita bends down as he thought surely he had it!
Liner to left! But Fukushige is there! And it's too shallow for Adachi to tag up! 2 outs!
Katsutaka now must get the run in, but he's 1-3 and the single was all the way back in the 1st.
He's behind 2-0... AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!
The ball goes off Yokoyama's leg and towards the 1st base dugout! Adachi breaks for home and there's no throw! Kousei takes the lead 2-1!!
Katsutaka liner off Iwashita and deflects to the left side! There's no play as Fukae scores and they lead 3-1!
Nakagawa walks and it's manrui yet again for last batter Baba.
Iwashita at 158 pitches, is he tired?
Baba single through left side! Katsunori and Katsutaka score! It's 5-1!
Baba gets thrown out looking at what he did (a la Taishou Yakyuu Musume) and is tagged out, but a wild pitch opens the flood games
Bottom 10th
Muranaka quickly grounds to short, one down as he pounds the ground. 1 down!
Tanigawa comeback to Nakagawa! He fields it and tosses to 1st! 2 down!
Grounder to short! Adachi with it, throws to 1st and there will be no comeback! Kousei advances with a 5-1 win!
It was a great pitcher's duel for a majority of the game. Nakagawa and Iwashita traded blows and 0's throughout. And it almost looked like a defensive brain cramp would cost Kousei the game.
But cleanup batter Fukae needed just one pitch to give new life to his team, and Iwashita, already with a high pitch count, finally gave in the 10th inning.
The final score may not reflect it, but it was a great game as Iwashita and his team can't hold back the tears. But they had a magical run to get to Koushien, it's just that it couldn't last forever.
Kousei meanwhile moves on to the Best 8. They've been in this position before recently more times than they can count. How will they do moving forward?
At least not until the Best 4.
But that's later, this is now!
And first up, yet another matchup between the two surprise regions in this year's tournament - Tohoku and Hokushinetsu.
Hachinohe Gakuin Kousei (fka Kousei Gakuin - and no I don't know why they changed it) has only played one game so far, and almost lost against a very game Bushuukan if not for their plan faltering in the 8th inning due to defensive miscues. The team as whole managed just 7 hits and 4 of those came in that aforementioned 8th inning.
Ace Nakagawa had held Bushuukan hitless for the majority of the game, but was not dominant in terms of racking up strikeouts (he only had 2). His job will get much more tougher against the offense-minded Seiryou.
They had looked much improved in their first game where they had to comeback to beat Shizuoka. Kanoya Chuo really stood little to no chance of defeating them as they even went so far as to use their backup pitchers in for the final innings - up until it got hairy and they reinserted ace Iwashita to end the nonsense.
So, we know they can beat the teams they're supposed to. But Kousei doesn't quite fit that mold. They're probably more like a Shizuoka but maybe better.
It's certainly not going to be an easy game for either team. You'd think that'd be the case now that we're in the round of 16, but no, not yet.
Hachinohe Gakuin Kousei (Aomori)
3B Houjyou Hiroyuki
SS Adachi Yuuya
1B Moriyama Hiroki
2B Fukae Taisei
RF Arai Katsunori
LF Nakazaki Jyukiya (#16)
CF Arai Katsutaka
P Nakagawa Masashi
C Baba Ryuusei (#12)
Seiryou (Ishikawa)
CF Tanigawa Touma
SS Nakamura Hayato (#4)
LF Fukushige Tatsumi
1B Murakami Kazuma
3B Yanase Takeshi
RF Satake Kaito
P Iwashita Daiki
C Yokoyama Shouta
2B Muranaka Takeya (#10)
____________________________________________________________
08:00 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Good start for Iwashita as he strikes out Houjyou on 3 straight.
But with two down he tries to hit the edges of the zone and winds up walking Moriyama and Fukae. Hayashi-kantoku calls time.
No harm done as Katsunori grounds to 2nd and the walks don't hurt Iwashita.
Bottom 1st
Tanigawa with an opening single through the right side. Nakamura bunts him along.
Fukushige fooled a little bit on the change butt still pushes it to the right side to advance the runner. 2 out, Tanigawa at 3rd.
But Murakami grounds right to Houjyou! Takes his time, fires a strike and the side is retired.
Top 2nd
Nakazaki unable to inside out a ball, weakly grounds to 2nd.
Katsutaka with a slow grounder up the middle. Nakamura ranges over to get it, but it's so slow that his throw to 1st can't beat a belly flopping Katsutaka.
Not to mention he has a wardrobe malfunction and needs his belt replaced.
Nagawa tries the bunt, but pops it up. The fielders don't actually get to it, but Katsutaka had to freeze in case he got caught, in which then he got thrown out at 2nd.
And Baba grounds to short and the inning is over.
Bottom 2nd
Looks like Nakagawa is on his game today as he's hitting the glove. After another ground out to 3rd, he gets Satake on a slider, and Iwashia on a forkball to close the inning.
Top 3rd
Iwashita not quite as accurate, and ends up plunking Houjyou to start the inning.
Hit and run, and that prevents the double play as Adachi hits it right to Muranaka.
Moriyama's knees break on a changeup that hits the bottom of the zone and there's 2 out.
Fukae though swings at a slider outside and skies it. Murakami there to make the catch for the 3rd out.
Bottom 3rd
Yokoyama with a poke to the right side goes past a chasing Fukae for a base hit. He's bunted over by Muranaka.
Tanigawa with a grounder to short, Adachi goes to 3rd and Houjyou makes the tag for the out! 2 down
Nakagawa gets his 3rd out as Nakamura swings and misses on the slider.
Top 4th
Katsunori becomes Iwashita's 3rk K victim after he swings over a slider inside.
And after a flyout, he gets yet anther K as Katsutaka goes down swinging for his 2nd clean inning.
Bottom 4th
One down, Nakagawa leaves a ball up an Mrakami takes it into the gap. But Katsunori is there quickly and he's limited to a single.
And Murakami spaces out! Baba snap throws to 1st and he realizes he's in a pickle! He's run down for the 2nd out.
Yanase goes down on the changeup and side retired once again.
Top 5th
After 2 quick groundball outs, Houjyou draws a 4-pitch walk.
But Adachi weakly waves on the change and it's another easy inning for Iwashita.
Bottom 5th
2 down, Nakagawa appears to be on his way to a clean inning, but he hits Yokoyams on the lower ankle. He hobbling to 1st, but the itai spray always helps.
Muranaka grounder to short, Adachi goes to 2nd, but Yokoyama beats the toss! Kousei's not out of the inning! Will the defensive hiccup hurt them?
In a word, yes.
Tanigawa first pitch single to left and Yokoyama comes home! Throw from Nakazaki... not in time! Kousei inattention on defense gives Seiryou the 1-0 lead!
Top 6th
Defensive change as #15 Takeya comes in for Satake in RF.
Moriyama with a routine grounder t1st, Fukae quickly follows flying out to left.
And finally Katsutaka goes down swinging on the fastball and the Kousei just can't do anything versus Iwashita.
Bottom 6th
Seiryou has the gift run from Kousei because their offense is scuffling too. Nakagawa just needs 6 pitches to get through the 6th inning.
Top 7th
It's a horrible swing, but Nakazaki hits a letter high pitch to right for a base hit. It's just their 2nd of the game. Katsutaka goes for the bunt, but it's too short and that allows Yokoyama to fire to 2nd for the force.
After Nakagawa chases yet another slider from Iwashita, he in turn walks Baba to turn over the lineup. Hayashi-kantoku calls time.
Grounder up middle, Nakamura with it, fires to 1st and Kousei can't find the timely hit!
Bottom 7th
Nakagawa racking up the K's as he continues to retire Seiryou in order. Only problem is... K's wont by themselves win you a game.
Top 8th
Adachi fouls off a couple of balls, but feebly swings on an outside fastball for the 1st out.
Moriyama can't catch up to a fastball down in the zone, and that's 9 Ks for Iwashita.
お！
Fukae connects with a hanging change! Fukushige back to the wall, looks up!
HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That ball was crushed what seemed like halfway up the lower half of the bleachers! We're all level at 1-1!
Katsunori grounds back to Iwashita to end the inning, but we've got a new ballgame!
Bottom 8th
Seiryou striking back! Muranaka with a single through the left side. Tanigawa moves him over.
Nakamura liner back up middle! Nakagawa can't get it! But Muranaka can't move ahead as he though that was going to be caught and doubled back!
Nakai-kantoku calls time...
AH! Nakagawa hits Fukushige and it's manrui for Seiryou! A sac fly now will give Seiryou the lead!
Murakami chopper back up middle! Nakagawa snags it! Goes home for 1, throw to 1st...
DOUBLE PLAY!!!!
Nakagawa gets the 1-2-3 double play to get out of the pinch! Will they be able to turn it into momentum?
Top 9th
Nakazaki has to protect behind 2-2 and flies out to right.
Katsutaka golfs a ball inside up and Yanase in foul territory makes the catch for the 2nd out.
Unfortumately it's more of the same Nakamura grounds out to NO! Nakamura boots the ball! E6!
And what's this? Iwashita walks Baba on 4 straight and the gyakuten run is in scoring position! Hayashi-kantoku calls time yet again.
The lineup turns over for Houjyou, though he has yet to get a hit.
And he wastes the bottom of the order's efforts as he swings on the first pitch and flies to center.
Bottom 9th
Does Seiryou have the momentum now with a chance to walk off?
Now it's Kousei's turn to give a gift. Grounder to 2nd, Fukae waits for the ball to come instead of fully charging and that allows Yanase to reach base! Takeya obviously bunts the runner over.
Iwashita gets 2nd life as Houjyou can't work his way around the bullpen mound on a foul fly.
From 1-2 the count goes to 3-2...
SANSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Iwashita goes to a knee as he can't make contact on the slider! 2 down!
Nakai-kantoku calls for time as Yokoyama will be stepping into the box.
Yokoyama grounder to 2nd... Fukae on the grass throws to 1st...
We're headed to enchousen! Another defensive brain fart doesn't cost Kousei, and the game continues!
Top 10th
Uh oh! Iwashita walks Adachi on 4 straight? Is he tiring on the mound? Moriyama bunts him over for Fukae, but remember with that bunt... first base is open.
And after a pitch inside, they intentionally walk him!
Hayashi-kantoku wants time to reset the defense.
Katsunori, hitless with 2 K's and 2 groudouts steps in.
But Iwashita isn't throwing a strike! He's behind 2-0... and now 3-0!
Finally gets a change over for a strike... and a fastball over too!
Katsunori drive to right! Takeya back to the wall, leaps!
Can't make the catch! But he does get it in quickly and Adachi can only get to 3rd! He had to wait to see if it would be caught and as a result it's a very loud single!
And so they need one more hit to score the run!
Nakazaki up takes 2 balls before Iwashita puts in a strike.
Slider over the middle for strike 2!
Forkball... ball 3! Iwashita bends down as he thought surely he had it!
Liner to left! But Fukushige is there! And it's too shallow for Adachi to tag up! 2 outs!
Katsutaka now must get the run in, but he's 1-3 and the single was all the way back in the 1st.
He's behind 2-0... AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!
The ball goes off Yokoyama's leg and towards the 1st base dugout! Adachi breaks for home and there's no throw! Kousei takes the lead 2-1!!
Katsutaka liner off Iwashita and deflects to the left side! There's no play as Fukae scores and they lead 3-1!
Nakagawa walks and it's manrui yet again for last batter Baba.
Iwashita at 158 pitches, is he tired?
Baba single through left side! Katsunori and Katsutaka score! It's 5-1!
Baba gets thrown out looking at what he did (a la Taishou Yakyuu Musume) and is tagged out, but a wild pitch opens the flood games
Bottom 10th
Muranaka quickly grounds to short, one down as he pounds the ground. 1 down!
Tanigawa comeback to Nakagawa! He fields it and tosses to 1st! 2 down!
Grounder to short! Adachi with it, throws to 1st and there will be no comeback! Kousei advances with a 5-1 win!
It was a great pitcher's duel for a majority of the game. Nakagawa and Iwashita traded blows and 0's throughout. And it almost looked like a defensive brain cramp would cost Kousei the game.
But cleanup batter Fukae needed just one pitch to give new life to his team, and Iwashita, already with a high pitch count, finally gave in the 10th inning.
The final score may not reflect it, but it was a great game as Iwashita and his team can't hold back the tears. But they had a magical run to get to Koushien, it's just that it couldn't last forever.
Kousei meanwhile moves on to the Best 8. They've been in this position before recently more times than they can count. How will they do moving forward?
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
Continuing to surprise
Entering the Round of 16, here's where we stand now:
Tohoku
Hokkaido - 0/2- Tohoku - 4/6
- Kanto - 2!/9
- Hokushinetsu - 4!/5
- Toukai - 1/4
- Kinki - 2!/6
- Chuugoku - 1/5
Shikoku - 0/4- Kyushu - 2/8
Hokkaido and Shikoku have been eliminated, Chuugoku could follow soon after as Yazu is facing Osaka Touin, Toukai only has Mie left.
Compare that to the fact that half the field are schools from either the Tohoku or the Hokushinetsu regions!
Also, remember that list of schools that have not won a Natsu Koushien?
Tohoku
- Aomori (0.432)
Akita (0.364)- Iwate (0.304)
- Yamagata (0.274)
Miyagi (0.496)- Fukushima (0.350)
Kanto
Saitama(??!) (0.500)Yamanashi (0.437)
Hokushinetsu
- Niigata (0.303)
- Toyama (0.308)
- Ishikawa (0.368)
- Fukui (0.415)
Kinki
- Shiga (0.397)
Chuugoku
Okayama (0.517)- Tottori (0.352)
Shimane (0.337)
Kyushu
Miyazaki (0.471)Nagasaki (0.379)- Kumamoto (0.509)
Kagoshima (0.500)
10 prefectures are still alive, though now that we're entering the round of 16, that list will start shrinking quickly.
Day 9, Game 3 - Meitoku Gijyuku (Ehime) v. Osaka Touin (Osaka)
So now we know the the unlucky team that will have to face the winner of this game is Yazu out of Tottori... God speed...
Osaka Touin was involved in a bizarre game against Kaisei (Shimane) where they scored 7 runs on 5 hits thanks to balks, wild pitches, just about anything that wasn't normal. But the thing is, they only got 5 hits. If it were any other school, I'm sure they'd figure out a way to dirty up the game like Kaisei did.
The thing is, this is Meitoku Gijyuku, and they have Kishi Jyunichirou and chances are they won't do that. Their game against Chiben Gakuen was close to start, but Chiben's pitching fell apart at the end and that allowed Meitoku to cruise to a 10-4 win.
But Kishi did give up 4 runs on 9 hits. So I wonder if they can play it straight and still have a chance...
Osaka Touin (Osaka)
LF Nakamura Makoto
2B Minemoto Takumi
3B Katsuki Kazuya
1B Masazui Yuuya (#8)
CF Mori Shinnosuke (#9)
C Yokoi Yuuya
RF Fujii Kenpei (#11)
SS Fukuda KoukiP Fukushima Kousuke
Meitoku Gijyuku (Kochi)
RF Takano Kouhei
CF Ootani Yuuki
LF Tada Tougo (#18)
P Kishi Jyunichirou
1B Nishioka Souta
2B Mori Shouma
SS Yasuda Takayuki
C Mizuno Katsuya
3B Ozaki Yuuto (#7)
____________________________________________________________
14:25 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Kishi puts a fastball in the inner half, freezing Nakamura.
Minemoto with a grounder up the middle. Ootani running it down, Minemoto's going full speed into 2nd! Throw from Ootani.. not in time!
Oy....
Katsuki with a drive to right, Takano going back to the wall, going back...
HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Katsuki beats the hamakaze and puts it over the wall! Just like that Osaka Touin leads 2-0!!
And now Masazui singles back up the middle! Kishi might already be in trouble!!
He is throwing a lot of pitches here in the first as Shinnousuke fouls off pitches. He eventually draws a walk and Mabuchi-kantoku calls for time.
Osaka Touin I think wants to send a message to Kishi this time around, Nishitani-kantoku sends the runner on a hit-and-run though Yokoi fouls it off.
Kishi gets his 2nd K on a cut ball that Yokoi swings and misses on.
Fujii screamer down 1st base line, picked by Nishioka! Goes to the bag and he saves 2 runs! But Katsuki's 2-run HR puts Kishi and Meitoku Gijyuku in an immediate hole!
Bottom 1st
Takano pitched inside by Fukushima, gets around on it, but skies it to left. Nakamura there for the catch near the left field foul pore.
Ootani with a grounder to the right side, Minemoto can't run it down and it goes through for a base hit.
Tada grounder to 2nd, but Minemoto loses the ball! Quick throw to 1st, not in time and everyone's safe! He may have been anticipating the ball there...
...because despite being hot and cold, Kishi steps into the box.
But Fukushima gets him to chase a high fastball! He can't get level and pops it up! Masazui under it in foul territory and there's 2 out! Might be the cold Kishi today at the plate.
Nishida ahead 3-1 after taking a close pitch, but he swings and just hits a fly to center for the 3rd out. Meitoku with a chance to cut into the deficit, but come up with nothing.
Top 2nd
Much cleaner inning for Kishi against the bottom of the lineup. Fukuda grounds to 2nd and Fukushima strikes out swinging.
Nakamura with a hard chopper to the left side, Yasuda makes a great pick on the short bounce and throws to 1st for the 3rd out.
Bottom 2nd
Mori goes down looking on a fastball for the first out.
Yasuda with a drive to right center! Mori and Fujii going to the fence! They're looking up!!
HAITAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
These guys are just spitting on the hamakaze at Koushien and hitting it out to right field! Yasuda on the netting and it's 2-1!
Fukushima retires Mizuno and Ozaki to end the inning, but despite my doubts they're going to butt heads for better or worse.
Top 3rd
Minemoto with a sharp liner to right for a base hit, bringing up Kazuki... again...
Katsuki with a liner to center and Minemoto takes 3rd! Kishi in trouble again!
Masazui racking up the pitches on Kishi, goes 8 pitches before Kishi finally gets an infield fly.
Kishi gets the popup, but it's into shallow left! Tada charging in, but he can't get there in time! Unlucky for Kishi and he gets the popup, but not the out. 3-1 Osaka Touin.
Yokoi line single to left, that scores Katsuki and it's 4-1!
Finally out of the heart of the Osaka Touin lineup, Kishi gets the 2nd and 3rd outs. But he continues to lose ground to the heart of the lineup...
Bottom 3rd
Takano chopper up first base line, Masazui with the ball. But Fukushima is late covering and Takano is safe.
Ootani tries to get 2 runs back with one swing, but the hamazake wins this time. Fujii makes the catch for the out.
Meitoku going about this the wrong way as they're trying to get the runs back with one swing. Tada with a ball to right center, but it's very much in play for Mori to make the catch.
Fujishima hits Kishi on his left hand (his non-throwing hand) and is on base for Nishioka.
But Fukushima can't find the strike zone and walks Nishioka to load the bases for Shouma!
Shouma bails him out swinging on an outside pitch and grounding to short. Meitoku loses another opportunity.
Top 4th
Ootani misjudges a ball hit at him, his late sprint forward costs him a chance at the catch and Nakamura has a leadoff double.
Kishi finally retires Minemoto as he fouls out on the 3rd base side. But that still brings up Katsuki.
Behind 3-1, they decide to walk him to create the force and hopefully get a double play from Masazui.
Kishi's pitch count already at 80. His 81st Masazui sends it back past Kishi into center. Nakamura scores to make it a 5-1 ballgame.
Shinnosuke flies out to Tada to end the inning, but suffice it to say that Kishi is in bad shape.
Bottom 4th
Mabuchi-kantoku apparently had his voice raised, not sure if it was yelling, but Meitoku's batters are seemingly swinging away more now. Unsurprisingly, they go down in order.
Top 5th
Kishi, away from the heart of the lineup is fine as he retires the side in order. But they're more than happy to speed up the tempo if Meitoku is going to start hacking away.
Bottom 5th
Meitoku is trying to hit their way out of the deficit when he's walked and hit batters. 2 quick outs before Tada gets hit by Fukushima.
Kishi swings on the first pitch and grounds to 2nd. 3 outs and as we hit the break, I'm declaring this game over in favor of Osaka Touin. I think Mabuchi-kantoku told them to swing the bats, and they are...
and they'll lose.
Top 6th
Kishi with his 100th pitch strikes out Fukushima to start the 6th.
Nakamura and Minemoto quickly follow in order and not lost on me is that if this score held, it would be the same score that Meitoku Gijyuku beat them last year.
Bottom 6th
Nishioka with a single to center gives them just their 2nd leadoff runner.
#12 Namura hits for Shouma, but grounds right to 1st. Masazui cuts down the lead runner.
2 down and Mizuno gets a base hit up the middle.
#14 Sanada to hit for Ozaki, but first pitch grounds to short, inning over.
Top 7th
Namura stays in to play 2B, #5 Oonishi comes in for Sanada to play 3B.
Osaka Touin is retired in order without incident.
Bottom 7th
So Ootani works the count and gets a walk.
Tada doesn't appear to be discriminantly swinging, and is able to single through the right side for a base hit.
And now Kishi is patient at the plate... He lines a ball to center and the bases are loaded.
Is it possible they're finally learning?
But Nishioka hits a fly ball to left. Nakamura fields it, but Ootani can't go home.
Mabuchi-kantoku pulls his last card in #11 Tanaka to hit for Namura.
He's getting several lives in the AB. A pop foul is just missed by Katsuki. A pitch inside he just fouls off.
But he pops it up! Minemoto charging out, Mori charging in... Minemoto makes the catch and the side is retired!
It took a great play, but Meitoku's margin of error they made razor thin. This was probably their best chance.
Top 8th
#17 Takamura comes in for PH Tanaka and goes to 2B.
Fujii checks in with a base hit, their first since the 4th, though that's inconsequential.
Bottom 8th-9th Inning
The rest of the game goes without incident and without anything of note. Well, except for the fact that a well timed error on a ground ball by Tada meant that Kishi could get one more AB.
Kishi gives the crowd one last thing to remember him by as he blasts a 2-run HR to left, ruining the poetic 5-1 finish that perhaps would have been fitting in their eyes.
Nishioka takes the next pitch to left for a base hit, prompting a visit from Nakatani-kantoku as Mabuchi-kantoku sends in #11 Abeki.
But he strikes out to end the game...
The middle of the lineup gave Kishi fits early and often and put his team in the deficit they faced the entire game. Mabuchi-kantoku wanted his team to hit themselves out of it, but given his control issues it was the wrong strategy to employ and cost his team outs and innings that they needed to catch up.
By the time Kishi had hit his 2-run HR, it was with the game out of reach - yes, even despite the fact it was a 2-run ballgame after that.
So Kishi goes away with a 1-1 record at Koushien versus Osaka Touin (his first year he came in relief when his team was behind). He certainly can be considered as one of the better pitchers at Koushien and may have a career beyond 高校野球, but his time at Koushien ends here.
As for Osaka Touin, handicappers probably have them now as the odds on favorite to win it all given the field remaining. It will have to be up to the rest of the field to stop them - starting with Yazu.
Osaka Touin was involved in a bizarre game against Kaisei (Shimane) where they scored 7 runs on 5 hits thanks to balks, wild pitches, just about anything that wasn't normal. But the thing is, they only got 5 hits. If it were any other school, I'm sure they'd figure out a way to dirty up the game like Kaisei did.
The thing is, this is Meitoku Gijyuku, and they have Kishi Jyunichirou and chances are they won't do that. Their game against Chiben Gakuen was close to start, but Chiben's pitching fell apart at the end and that allowed Meitoku to cruise to a 10-4 win.
But Kishi did give up 4 runs on 9 hits. So I wonder if they can play it straight and still have a chance...
Osaka Touin (Osaka)
LF Nakamura Makoto
2B Minemoto Takumi
3B Katsuki Kazuya
1B Masazui Yuuya (#8)
CF Mori Shinnosuke (#9)
C Yokoi Yuuya
RF Fujii Kenpei (#11)
SS Fukuda KoukiP Fukushima Kousuke
Meitoku Gijyuku (Kochi)
RF Takano Kouhei
CF Ootani Yuuki
LF Tada Tougo (#18)
P Kishi Jyunichirou
1B Nishioka Souta
2B Mori Shouma
SS Yasuda Takayuki
C Mizuno Katsuya
3B Ozaki Yuuto (#7)
____________________________________________________________
14:25 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Kishi puts a fastball in the inner half, freezing Nakamura.
Minemoto with a grounder up the middle. Ootani running it down, Minemoto's going full speed into 2nd! Throw from Ootani.. not in time!
Oy....
Katsuki with a drive to right, Takano going back to the wall, going back...
HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Katsuki beats the hamakaze and puts it over the wall! Just like that Osaka Touin leads 2-0!!
And now Masazui singles back up the middle! Kishi might already be in trouble!!
He is throwing a lot of pitches here in the first as Shinnousuke fouls off pitches. He eventually draws a walk and Mabuchi-kantoku calls for time.
Osaka Touin I think wants to send a message to Kishi this time around, Nishitani-kantoku sends the runner on a hit-and-run though Yokoi fouls it off.
Kishi gets his 2nd K on a cut ball that Yokoi swings and misses on.
Fujii screamer down 1st base line, picked by Nishioka! Goes to the bag and he saves 2 runs! But Katsuki's 2-run HR puts Kishi and Meitoku Gijyuku in an immediate hole!
Bottom 1st
Takano pitched inside by Fukushima, gets around on it, but skies it to left. Nakamura there for the catch near the left field foul pore.
Ootani with a grounder to the right side, Minemoto can't run it down and it goes through for a base hit.
Tada grounder to 2nd, but Minemoto loses the ball! Quick throw to 1st, not in time and everyone's safe! He may have been anticipating the ball there...
...because despite being hot and cold, Kishi steps into the box.
But Fukushima gets him to chase a high fastball! He can't get level and pops it up! Masazui under it in foul territory and there's 2 out! Might be the cold Kishi today at the plate.
Nishida ahead 3-1 after taking a close pitch, but he swings and just hits a fly to center for the 3rd out. Meitoku with a chance to cut into the deficit, but come up with nothing.
Top 2nd
Much cleaner inning for Kishi against the bottom of the lineup. Fukuda grounds to 2nd and Fukushima strikes out swinging.
Nakamura with a hard chopper to the left side, Yasuda makes a great pick on the short bounce and throws to 1st for the 3rd out.
Bottom 2nd
Mori goes down looking on a fastball for the first out.
Yasuda with a drive to right center! Mori and Fujii going to the fence! They're looking up!!
HAITAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
These guys are just spitting on the hamakaze at Koushien and hitting it out to right field! Yasuda on the netting and it's 2-1!
Fukushima retires Mizuno and Ozaki to end the inning, but despite my doubts they're going to butt heads for better or worse.
Top 3rd
Minemoto with a sharp liner to right for a base hit, bringing up Kazuki... again...
Katsuki with a liner to center and Minemoto takes 3rd! Kishi in trouble again!
Masazui racking up the pitches on Kishi, goes 8 pitches before Kishi finally gets an infield fly.
Kishi gets the popup, but it's into shallow left! Tada charging in, but he can't get there in time! Unlucky for Kishi and he gets the popup, but not the out. 3-1 Osaka Touin.
Yokoi line single to left, that scores Katsuki and it's 4-1!
Finally out of the heart of the Osaka Touin lineup, Kishi gets the 2nd and 3rd outs. But he continues to lose ground to the heart of the lineup...
Bottom 3rd
Takano chopper up first base line, Masazui with the ball. But Fukushima is late covering and Takano is safe.
Ootani tries to get 2 runs back with one swing, but the hamazake wins this time. Fujii makes the catch for the out.
Meitoku going about this the wrong way as they're trying to get the runs back with one swing. Tada with a ball to right center, but it's very much in play for Mori to make the catch.
Fujishima hits Kishi on his left hand (his non-throwing hand) and is on base for Nishioka.
But Fukushima can't find the strike zone and walks Nishioka to load the bases for Shouma!
Shouma bails him out swinging on an outside pitch and grounding to short. Meitoku loses another opportunity.
Top 4th
Ootani misjudges a ball hit at him, his late sprint forward costs him a chance at the catch and Nakamura has a leadoff double.
Kishi finally retires Minemoto as he fouls out on the 3rd base side. But that still brings up Katsuki.
Behind 3-1, they decide to walk him to create the force and hopefully get a double play from Masazui.
Kishi's pitch count already at 80. His 81st Masazui sends it back past Kishi into center. Nakamura scores to make it a 5-1 ballgame.
Shinnosuke flies out to Tada to end the inning, but suffice it to say that Kishi is in bad shape.
Bottom 4th
Mabuchi-kantoku apparently had his voice raised, not sure if it was yelling, but Meitoku's batters are seemingly swinging away more now. Unsurprisingly, they go down in order.
Top 5th
Kishi, away from the heart of the lineup is fine as he retires the side in order. But they're more than happy to speed up the tempo if Meitoku is going to start hacking away.
Bottom 5th
Meitoku is trying to hit their way out of the deficit when he's walked and hit batters. 2 quick outs before Tada gets hit by Fukushima.
Kishi swings on the first pitch and grounds to 2nd. 3 outs and as we hit the break, I'm declaring this game over in favor of Osaka Touin. I think Mabuchi-kantoku told them to swing the bats, and they are...
and they'll lose.
Top 6th
Kishi with his 100th pitch strikes out Fukushima to start the 6th.
Nakamura and Minemoto quickly follow in order and not lost on me is that if this score held, it would be the same score that Meitoku Gijyuku beat them last year.
Bottom 6th
Nishioka with a single to center gives them just their 2nd leadoff runner.
#12 Namura hits for Shouma, but grounds right to 1st. Masazui cuts down the lead runner.
2 down and Mizuno gets a base hit up the middle.
#14 Sanada to hit for Ozaki, but first pitch grounds to short, inning over.
Top 7th
Namura stays in to play 2B, #5 Oonishi comes in for Sanada to play 3B.
Osaka Touin is retired in order without incident.
Bottom 7th
So Ootani works the count and gets a walk.
Tada doesn't appear to be discriminantly swinging, and is able to single through the right side for a base hit.
And now Kishi is patient at the plate... He lines a ball to center and the bases are loaded.
Is it possible they're finally learning?
But Nishioka hits a fly ball to left. Nakamura fields it, but Ootani can't go home.
Mabuchi-kantoku pulls his last card in #11 Tanaka to hit for Namura.
He's getting several lives in the AB. A pop foul is just missed by Katsuki. A pitch inside he just fouls off.
But he pops it up! Minemoto charging out, Mori charging in... Minemoto makes the catch and the side is retired!
It took a great play, but Meitoku's margin of error they made razor thin. This was probably their best chance.
Top 8th
#17 Takamura comes in for PH Tanaka and goes to 2B.
Fujii checks in with a base hit, their first since the 4th, though that's inconsequential.
Bottom 8th-9th Inning
The rest of the game goes without incident and without anything of note. Well, except for the fact that a well timed error on a ground ball by Tada meant that Kishi could get one more AB.
Kishi gives the crowd one last thing to remember him by as he blasts a 2-run HR to left, ruining the poetic 5-1 finish that perhaps would have been fitting in their eyes.
Nishioka takes the next pitch to left for a base hit, prompting a visit from Nakatani-kantoku as Mabuchi-kantoku sends in #11 Abeki.
But he strikes out to end the game...
The middle of the lineup gave Kishi fits early and often and put his team in the deficit they faced the entire game. Mabuchi-kantoku wanted his team to hit themselves out of it, but given his control issues it was the wrong strategy to employ and cost his team outs and innings that they needed to catch up.
By the time Kishi had hit his 2-run HR, it was with the game out of reach - yes, even despite the fact it was a 2-run ballgame after that.
So Kishi goes away with a 1-1 record at Koushien versus Osaka Touin (his first year he came in relief when his team was behind). He certainly can be considered as one of the better pitchers at Koushien and may have a career beyond 高校野球, but his time at Koushien ends here.
As for Osaka Touin, handicappers probably have them now as the odds on favorite to win it all given the field remaining. It will have to be up to the rest of the field to stop them - starting with Yazu.
Day 9, Game 2 - Saku Chousei (Nagano) v. Seikou Gakuin (Fukushima)
Our middle game again is between the two regions dominating Koushien so far - Tohoku and Hokushinetsu!
Seikou Gakuin played about as offensively bereft of a game as you could play against Kobe Kokusaidai Fuzoku. The duo of Imaizumi and Funabasama did not dominate batters at all, striking out 3 batters combined, but they also kept them off the basepaths as well combining for a 1.00 WHIP. I don't believe that can hold up, but you never know.
Saku Chousei had a similar game against Toukaidai Koufu. The offense managed just 5 hits but wound up scoring 3 runs.
That would wind up being enough as Terazawa and Morozumi struck out 10, while just allowing 8 baserunners. Unlike Seikou Gakuin, the K's mean that perhaps it might hold up in the long term.
Give the results, this should be yet another low scoring game with both teams working hard to manufacture runs.
Seikou Gakuin (Fukushima)
LF Yaoita Takumaru
2B Fujiwara Issei
3B Yaginuma Kentarou
1B Yasuda Kouki
CF Isagi Shun
RF Iijima Tsubasa
SS Ishigaki Mitsuhiro
C Takano Kouki
P Funabasama Taiga
Saku Chousei (Nagano)
3B Motoyama Hiyuu (#17)
SS Morii Koutarou
CF Wada Osamu
1B Tanabe Naoki (#5)
LF Takeuchi Kousei
2B Hama Ryuutarou
RF McCarthy Ryumikku (#16)
C Kanazawa Ren
P Terasawa Seiya (#10)
____________________________________________________________
12:05 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Not a good start as Terasawa hits Yaoita. Fujiwara bunts him along.
Yaginuma with a soft fly to center, Hama runs it down, and Yaoita doesn't realize it was caught. He's doubled off the inning is over.
Bottom 1st
Motoyama in a prolonged AB with Funabasama but loses the battle swinging at a slider on the outside edge.
Morii catches a slider off the end of the bat and just puts it out of Ishigaki's leap for a base hit.
Fujiwara-kantoku going for the safety bunt as Wada puts it to the left side! Yaginuma charges in, and his throw just beats Wada. 2 down.
AH! Tanabe with a drive to right center and that will bounce all the way to the wall! Morii comes in to score on the timely double from Tanabe! Saku Chousei leads 1-0!
Takeuchi clean single through the left side! Tanabe has to hold at 3rd as Yaoita gets the ball in.
Hama gives the ball a ride, but Yaoita has time to go back and field it for the 3rd out. But Saku Chousei with the first strike!
Top 2nd
Yasuda slider down the left field side, goes all the way to the wall for a double! Seikou threatening to tie it up immediately!
Isagi not bunting, but hits it to the right side to advance the runner.
Iijima grounder to the right side! Infield in, but Hama backpedals to get the ball! His only play is to 1st and Yasuda scores to level it at 1-1!
Ishigaki pops up to end the inning, but Seikou comes right back!
Bottom 2nd
McCarthy ahead of Funasama 3-1, gets green light but rolls one to 2nd for the 1st out.
Kanazawa hits a ball to deep left, but didn't get enough as Yaoita is in front of the fence for the catch.
Terasawa goes down on the slider and Funabasama gets healthy on the bottom of the lineup.
Top 3rd
Two quick outs for Seikou, but Yaoita squares up a hanging slider and sends it to the left center field gap for a double.
But Terasawa makes a great pick on a chopper back up the middle. Runs it to 1st and the side is retired.
Bottom 3rd
Funabasama might be settling down now. 1-pitch groundout to Motoyama, then Morii chases the slider tailing away. Wada pops the sidearm offering up and Takano makes the catch for the 3rd out.
Top 4th
Yaginuma with a ball to deep center! Wada running back, but can't get there! It takes a bounce off the wall and he's in with a leadoff double!
Yasuda with a deep fly to right, McCarthy runs it down, but Yaginuma can advance to 3rd on the play.
Oy, and now Terasawa hits Isagi.
Iijima clearly up at the plate with a plan, and he hits a fly to center! Wada is there for the catch, but Yaginuma can score easily taking a 2-1 lead.
Ishigaki locks into Terasawa's fastball and drives that to deep left center! The outfielders have to run back and Isagi can score to take a 3-1 lead! Takano ends the inning on a groundout, but Saku Chousei might be in trouble.
Bottom 4th
2 down for Saku Chousei, and Hama hits a ball down the right field line.. Iijima makes a dive for it, but can't reach it! Hama rounding 2nd, reaches 3rd!
But McCarthy swings on the first pitch and flies out to Isagi in left center for the 3rd out.
Top 5th
Yaoita with his 2nd base hit with a comeback to center. Saitou-kantoku has his go for 2nd, and Kanazawa's throw is offline! It goes into center and Yaoita takes 3rd!
Fujiwara flies out to right, but it's deep enough to score Yaoita to make it a 4-1 game!
Yaginuma flies out to 2nd and the inning is over.
Bottom 5th
Kanazawa draws a leadoff walk. #3 Totsuka PH for Terasawa so his day is done. He flies out to right.
Motoyama with the hit and run grounds to 1st. Yasuda thinks better of it and goes to 1st for the safe out.
Morii with a looper over Fujiwara and that's down for a base hit! Kanazawa score to make it 4-2!
Morii tries to steal 2nd, but Takano throws him out and the side is retired. Seikou Gakuin having the better of it right now, but Saku Chousei has some momentum going into the break.
Top 6th
Ace Morozumi comes in for PH Totsuka to take the hill.
Yasuda almost makes it 5-2 with a booming shot down the left field side, but the strong hamakaze pushes it foul. He winds up striking out looking on a splitter left up in the zone.
Morozumi though then walks Isagi after filling up the count.
But he takes off too early to steal 2nd! Morozumi turns around and throws to 2nd and he almost sneaks in with a dance, but can't quite reach the base.
Iidzuka with a single back up the middle replaces Yasuda on the basepaths. But he tries to steal 2nd and he's thrown out by Kanazawa to end the inning.
Bottom 6th
Saku Chousei's batters continue to chase after the slider way outside. Wada and Tanabe both fall victim to it and look silly doing it.
Takeuchi swings at the first pitch not outside, but it jams him. Yasuda makes the catch in foul territory and the side is retired.
Top 7th
Ishigaki with his 2nd hit, a clean single through the left side.
Takano gets a pitch way up an in, and yet still puts the bunt down.
AHH!! They did it again! Ishigaki takes off too early and Morozumi has him! Throw back to 2nd and he's out!
Morozumi throws the splitter and gets Funabasama, but Saku Chousei is running out of innings.
Bottom 7th
One down and #9 Hikigi hits for McCarthy. He draws a walk, though he doesn't realize it for a little bit and needs to be nudged by the umpire.
Kanazawa fooled on another slider, but pops it up to shallow center. Isagi charges in, makes the wide slide... and makes the catch.
Morozumi first pitch swings and flies out to Ishigaki. Until they can solve how not to hit Funabasama's slider, they're lost. If they can even crowd the plate maybe. I don't really know.
Top 8th
Hikigi stays in the game to play RF.
1 down, Fujiwara with a ball to the right side. Hama makes a great diving stop at the outfield grass, but his throw one hops Tanabe and he can't secure it. Infield base hit for Fujiwara.
Morozumi quick throw to 1st and they pick off Yaginuma! 2 down!
Yaginuma liner, snagged by a dashing Tanabe for the 3rd out!
Bottom 8th
Motoyama falls behind 0-2, and just pokes a grounder on yet another outside slider to short.
Morii at the edge, but not crowding the plate and not attacking balls down the middle. Instead he swings on a slider away and grounds to short aided by a head-first slide.
Wada flies out to right and Saku Chousei looks to be going down in defeat.
Top 9th
One down, Morozumi hits Isagi with a fastball. Iijima lays down the bunt, but it's right in front of the plate! Kanazawa goes to 2nd for one, relay to 1st for the double play.
Bottom 9th
Tanabe hits a drive to deep center, Isagi sprinting back, makes the running catch for the 1st out.
Takeuchi pops out to Fujiwara and Saku Chousei down to their final out.
Funabasama hits Hama and so that allows the douten runner to step into the plate.
And now Funabasama hits Hikigi. The douten runner is on base and Saitou-kantoku calls for time.
But Kanazawa quickly behind 0-2 swinging on the outside slider.
He gets a hack at it, but hits it well foul.
They go inside, and Kanazawa is able to get around and foul it off.
But the pitch that has plagued Saku Chousei gets them one last time. Kanazawa twirls around and strikes out to end the game. Seikou Gakuin defeats Saku Chousei 4-2.
Saku Chousei struggled with the outside slider from Funabasama all game, and as a result struck out or hit playable balls for the fielders. That's pretty much what it boiled down to.
Seikou Gakuin moves on, but the question will be if the opposition can solve that sweeping slider. In addition, 3 of the 4 runs scored by Seikou were done in the course of an out (groundout/sac fly). It will be left to see when if they need a base hit they can deliver.
Seikou Gakuin played about as offensively bereft of a game as you could play against Kobe Kokusaidai Fuzoku. The duo of Imaizumi and Funabasama did not dominate batters at all, striking out 3 batters combined, but they also kept them off the basepaths as well combining for a 1.00 WHIP. I don't believe that can hold up, but you never know.
Saku Chousei had a similar game against Toukaidai Koufu. The offense managed just 5 hits but wound up scoring 3 runs.
That would wind up being enough as Terazawa and Morozumi struck out 10, while just allowing 8 baserunners. Unlike Seikou Gakuin, the K's mean that perhaps it might hold up in the long term.
Give the results, this should be yet another low scoring game with both teams working hard to manufacture runs.
Seikou Gakuin (Fukushima)
LF Yaoita Takumaru
2B Fujiwara Issei
3B Yaginuma Kentarou
1B Yasuda Kouki
CF Isagi Shun
RF Iijima Tsubasa
SS Ishigaki Mitsuhiro
C Takano Kouki
P Funabasama Taiga
Saku Chousei (Nagano)
3B Motoyama Hiyuu (#17)
SS Morii Koutarou
CF Wada Osamu
1B Tanabe Naoki (#5)
LF Takeuchi Kousei
2B Hama Ryuutarou
RF McCarthy Ryumikku (#16)
C Kanazawa Ren
P Terasawa Seiya (#10)
____________________________________________________________
12:05 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Not a good start as Terasawa hits Yaoita. Fujiwara bunts him along.
Yaginuma with a soft fly to center, Hama runs it down, and Yaoita doesn't realize it was caught. He's doubled off the inning is over.
Bottom 1st
Motoyama in a prolonged AB with Funabasama but loses the battle swinging at a slider on the outside edge.
Morii catches a slider off the end of the bat and just puts it out of Ishigaki's leap for a base hit.
Fujiwara-kantoku going for the safety bunt as Wada puts it to the left side! Yaginuma charges in, and his throw just beats Wada. 2 down.
AH! Tanabe with a drive to right center and that will bounce all the way to the wall! Morii comes in to score on the timely double from Tanabe! Saku Chousei leads 1-0!
Takeuchi clean single through the left side! Tanabe has to hold at 3rd as Yaoita gets the ball in.
Hama gives the ball a ride, but Yaoita has time to go back and field it for the 3rd out. But Saku Chousei with the first strike!
Top 2nd
Yasuda slider down the left field side, goes all the way to the wall for a double! Seikou threatening to tie it up immediately!
Isagi not bunting, but hits it to the right side to advance the runner.
Iijima grounder to the right side! Infield in, but Hama backpedals to get the ball! His only play is to 1st and Yasuda scores to level it at 1-1!
Ishigaki pops up to end the inning, but Seikou comes right back!
Bottom 2nd
McCarthy ahead of Funasama 3-1, gets green light but rolls one to 2nd for the 1st out.
Kanazawa hits a ball to deep left, but didn't get enough as Yaoita is in front of the fence for the catch.
Terasawa goes down on the slider and Funabasama gets healthy on the bottom of the lineup.
Top 3rd
Two quick outs for Seikou, but Yaoita squares up a hanging slider and sends it to the left center field gap for a double.
But Terasawa makes a great pick on a chopper back up the middle. Runs it to 1st and the side is retired.
Bottom 3rd
Funabasama might be settling down now. 1-pitch groundout to Motoyama, then Morii chases the slider tailing away. Wada pops the sidearm offering up and Takano makes the catch for the 3rd out.
Top 4th
Yaginuma with a ball to deep center! Wada running back, but can't get there! It takes a bounce off the wall and he's in with a leadoff double!
Yasuda with a deep fly to right, McCarthy runs it down, but Yaginuma can advance to 3rd on the play.
Oy, and now Terasawa hits Isagi.
Iijima clearly up at the plate with a plan, and he hits a fly to center! Wada is there for the catch, but Yaginuma can score easily taking a 2-1 lead.
Ishigaki locks into Terasawa's fastball and drives that to deep left center! The outfielders have to run back and Isagi can score to take a 3-1 lead! Takano ends the inning on a groundout, but Saku Chousei might be in trouble.
Bottom 4th
2 down for Saku Chousei, and Hama hits a ball down the right field line.. Iijima makes a dive for it, but can't reach it! Hama rounding 2nd, reaches 3rd!
But McCarthy swings on the first pitch and flies out to Isagi in left center for the 3rd out.
Top 5th
Yaoita with his 2nd base hit with a comeback to center. Saitou-kantoku has his go for 2nd, and Kanazawa's throw is offline! It goes into center and Yaoita takes 3rd!
Fujiwara flies out to right, but it's deep enough to score Yaoita to make it a 4-1 game!
Yaginuma flies out to 2nd and the inning is over.
Bottom 5th
Kanazawa draws a leadoff walk. #3 Totsuka PH for Terasawa so his day is done. He flies out to right.
Motoyama with the hit and run grounds to 1st. Yasuda thinks better of it and goes to 1st for the safe out.
Morii with a looper over Fujiwara and that's down for a base hit! Kanazawa score to make it 4-2!
Morii tries to steal 2nd, but Takano throws him out and the side is retired. Seikou Gakuin having the better of it right now, but Saku Chousei has some momentum going into the break.
Top 6th
Ace Morozumi comes in for PH Totsuka to take the hill.
Yasuda almost makes it 5-2 with a booming shot down the left field side, but the strong hamakaze pushes it foul. He winds up striking out looking on a splitter left up in the zone.
Morozumi though then walks Isagi after filling up the count.
But he takes off too early to steal 2nd! Morozumi turns around and throws to 2nd and he almost sneaks in with a dance, but can't quite reach the base.
Iidzuka with a single back up the middle replaces Yasuda on the basepaths. But he tries to steal 2nd and he's thrown out by Kanazawa to end the inning.
Bottom 6th
Saku Chousei's batters continue to chase after the slider way outside. Wada and Tanabe both fall victim to it and look silly doing it.
Takeuchi swings at the first pitch not outside, but it jams him. Yasuda makes the catch in foul territory and the side is retired.
Top 7th
Ishigaki with his 2nd hit, a clean single through the left side.
Takano gets a pitch way up an in, and yet still puts the bunt down.
AHH!! They did it again! Ishigaki takes off too early and Morozumi has him! Throw back to 2nd and he's out!
Morozumi throws the splitter and gets Funabasama, but Saku Chousei is running out of innings.
Bottom 7th
One down and #9 Hikigi hits for McCarthy. He draws a walk, though he doesn't realize it for a little bit and needs to be nudged by the umpire.
Kanazawa fooled on another slider, but pops it up to shallow center. Isagi charges in, makes the wide slide... and makes the catch.
Morozumi first pitch swings and flies out to Ishigaki. Until they can solve how not to hit Funabasama's slider, they're lost. If they can even crowd the plate maybe. I don't really know.
Top 8th
Hikigi stays in the game to play RF.
1 down, Fujiwara with a ball to the right side. Hama makes a great diving stop at the outfield grass, but his throw one hops Tanabe and he can't secure it. Infield base hit for Fujiwara.
Morozumi quick throw to 1st and they pick off Yaginuma! 2 down!
Yaginuma liner, snagged by a dashing Tanabe for the 3rd out!
Bottom 8th
Motoyama falls behind 0-2, and just pokes a grounder on yet another outside slider to short.
Morii at the edge, but not crowding the plate and not attacking balls down the middle. Instead he swings on a slider away and grounds to short aided by a head-first slide.
Wada flies out to right and Saku Chousei looks to be going down in defeat.
Top 9th
One down, Morozumi hits Isagi with a fastball. Iijima lays down the bunt, but it's right in front of the plate! Kanazawa goes to 2nd for one, relay to 1st for the double play.
Bottom 9th
Tanabe hits a drive to deep center, Isagi sprinting back, makes the running catch for the 1st out.
Takeuchi pops out to Fujiwara and Saku Chousei down to their final out.
Funabasama hits Hama and so that allows the douten runner to step into the plate.
And now Funabasama hits Hikigi. The douten runner is on base and Saitou-kantoku calls for time.
But Kanazawa quickly behind 0-2 swinging on the outside slider.
He gets a hack at it, but hits it well foul.
They go inside, and Kanazawa is able to get around and foul it off.
But the pitch that has plagued Saku Chousei gets them one last time. Kanazawa twirls around and strikes out to end the game. Seikou Gakuin defeats Saku Chousei 4-2.
Saku Chousei struggled with the outside slider from Funabasama all game, and as a result struck out or hit playable balls for the fielders. That's pretty much what it boiled down to.
Seikou Gakuin moves on, but the question will be if the opposition can solve that sweeping slider. In addition, 3 of the 4 runs scored by Seikou were done in the course of an out (groundout/sac fly). It will be left to see when if they need a base hit they can deliver.
Day 9, Game 1 - Yamagata Chuo (Yamagata) v. Toukai Dai-yon (Minami Hokkaido)
Today finishes up the 2nd round and begins the acceleration towards the final. 3 spots on Day 11 are left and Yazu, Oumi and Kendai Takasaki await their opponents. My guess is, all 3 would like to know their opponent sooner rather than later, because those 3 are playing musical chairs with the winner actually being the loser. Because the last one standing draws the winner of Meitoku Gijyuku and Osaka Touin.
But we're getting a little ahead of ourselves. First up, two rather unlikely teams in Yamagata Chuo and Toukai Dai-yon battle it out for a spot in the round of 16.
Toukai Dai-yon shocked a lot of us when they outplayed Wakao-kantoku and Kyushu Kokusaidai Fuzoku to the tune of 6 runs and tossing a 5-hitter. Yes, Fukuoka is uncharacteristically weak for a metropolitan prefecture, but coming from Hokkaido? And from a tier 3 school in Toukai Dai-yon?
Yikes.
The biggest surprise? Ace Nishijima Ryouta. Not only was it a 5-hitter he throw, but he struck out 12 while walking 3.
12!
Those are number that you would expect to see when they're in prefectural play. Not at Koushien. It's not like he throws hard - in fact his velo is average for an ace pitcher (~mid-130s fastball). 9 were swinging, so perhaps it was due to poor plate discipline, but we'll just have to see if he can repeat his performance.
As for Yamagata Chuo, that was one of the days my body was pretty much shutting down on me. But from what I remember, I questioned whey they replaced Hayasaka when he was so effective. And it was that in the 9th inning, with Komatsu having gone to their 4th pitcher, that they completely collapsed as they watched as Yamagata Chuo score 4 runs to take the lead - and eventually win 9-8.
Suffice it to say, this team has flaws. Ace Ishikawa was responsible for putting his team in the hole giving up 6 runs in less than 4 innings of work. Their 2nd year reliever Satou was far more effective, despite the fact he gave up 6 free passes (he did only give up 2 hits in his 5.1 IP of work).
On offense, yes they scored 9 runs, but it was thanks to the bottom of the lineup. That's nice to see, but at the same time having the heart of your order go 3-13 looks really bad.
Yamagata Chuo (Yamagata)
2B Takahashi Yuusuke (#14)
LF Satou Miharu (#13)
RF Nagai Daichi
3B Aoki Riku
1B Takahashi Kazuki
SS Nakamura Ryuu
CF Takahashi Ryousuke
C Abe Koutarou
P Satou Ryousuke (#11)
Toukai Dai-yon (Minami Hokkaido)
CF Takahashi Iwami
2B Ookawara Akira
SS Fukuda Ryouta
LF Ookouchi Wataru
1B Abe Yoshi
RF Takada Shou
P Nishijima Ryouta
C Ueno Jyunki
3B Wakahara Shunnosuke
____________________________________________________________
09:30 - First pitch!
Top 1st
Nishijima already working on his K count. Yuusuke goes down on 3 straight with the finisher being a fastball on the outside edge.
2 down, and Nagai gets the first base hit as he just aims the ball and bloops it into left for a base hit. Aoki grounds to short though, and the inning is over.
Bottom 1st
And as expected, Satou takes the hill first instead of in relief. He strikes out Iwami on a slider to start the inning.
After that he gets 2 easy groundouts and its a scoreless first.
Top 2nd
Kazuki with a drive to deep left center, Iwami sprinting to the wall.. makes the running catch! One down.
2 quick outs now as Nakamura grounds to 1st.
And 2 K's for Nishijima as he gets Ryousuke looking on yet another fastball.
Bottom 2nd
Ookouchi goes after the very slow curve, but can't get a level swing, grounding to 3rd.
There are a lot of batters just looking. Yoshi becomes another such K victim as Ryousuke paints the edge of the zone.
Takada grounds to 1st, Yoshi tosses to Nishijima for the 3rd out.
Top 3rd
More struggles on offense. Koutarou and Satou Ryousuke ground to short.
Ishiakwa tries the slow curve, but Yuusuke pounds it to right field for a base hit.
Koharu then singles past a chasing Ookawara into right.
Nishijima clamps down and gets Nagai on a slider in the dirt for the 3rd out.
Bottom 3rd
Satou allows his first baserunner after walking Nishijima to start the inning. Ueno bunts him along.
And just to show you how low-scoring of an environment this is, Wakahara is also showing bunt.
He hasn't offered yet and gets ahead 2-0. He may not have been meaning to bunt at all as he tries to poke a ball somewhere at 2-1. Does it again at 2-2 and hits a soft liner to Nakamura behind 2nd.
Iwami swings and misses on the outside fastball and the side is retired.
Top 4th
I think Nishijima, knowing this will be a low-scoring game, isn't going for K's but instead bad contact. That would in general use less pitches and save him for later.
And he gets 3 groundouts in 12 pitches. Not bad considering normal pitch counts for a full game starter can go easily into the 120s.
Bottom 4th
Satou hasn't given up a hit, but he issues his 2nd walk to start an inning. Ookawara is the recipient and Fukuda looks to bunt him along.
Even with 2 strikes he tries the bunt, but he pushes it foul and goes down for the first out.
Ookouchi swings away, but flies out to right for the 2nd out.
Ookawara takes things into his own hand and breaks for 2nd! Throw is in the dirt and Koutarou has no play!
SANSHIN!!!
But the ball gets away from Koutarou, and Yoshi reaches safely! The opening run stands 90 feet away now as Shouji-kantoku calls time.
SANSHIN!!!
Satou gets Takada on another slider and this time Koutarou stays with it and tags Takada for the 3rd out!
Top 5th
More futility at the plate Takahashi Ryousuke hits an easy grounder to 2nd. Koutarou gets ahead 3-1, but winds up chasing the slider for a K.
And Satou Ryousuke swings on the first pitch and flies out to Iwami in left center for the 3rd out.
Bottom 5th
Nishijima too tries going on the first pitch, but its a routine fly to left.
Satou Ryousuke finally gets a strike on a slow pitch to Ueno, and strikes him out on a fastball.
Wakahara tries for the drag bunt, but that doesn't work. The teams have combined for 3 hits, and one team has all of them. There are only two walks, and the other team has both of them.
I see enchousen coming.
Top 6th
Yuusuke continues the futility at the plate swinging at a slider outside for another K.
Koharu hits a foul fly to left, Ookouchi has space to make the catch for the out.
And Nagai with a very weak swing grounds right to Yoshi for the 3rd out.
Bottom 6th
Questionable call here, though Satou has thrown a lot of pitches.
#4 Okuyama comes in for Yuusuke and goes to 2B. Ishikawa comes in for Koharu and takes the hill. Satou Ryousuke goes to LF.
And immediately Iwami gets a base hit - a sharp grounder through the right side.
No bunt for Ookawara, but he goes down swinging lunging at a ball outside.
Oowaki-kantoku elects for the hit and run, but Fukuda flies out to right. And while Toukai Dai-yon finally gets their first hit, they can't do anything with it as Ookouchi hits a hard grounder to 3rd to end the inning.
Top 7th
Nishijima finally tries the eephus with 2 out to Nakamura, but it's a ball. Nakamura actually considered bunting it before realizing it was too far away.
But regardless, Nishijima not surprisingly sets down the side in order.
Bottom 7th
#16 Imagawa hits for Yoshi. And hits the first pitch sharply past Aoki for a base hit!
Takada bunts him along, but now you're asking for a base hit, and Nishijima can't oblige. He pops out to Nakamura for the 2nd out.
Ishikawa blows a 148 kph fastball by Ueno for the 3rd out. Toukai Dai-yon is getting more opportunities with Ishikawa on the hill, but still can't do anything about it.
Top 8th
#13 Tomita comes in for PH Imagawa and takes over at 1B.
Oh? Nishijima gives up his first walk to Koutarou with 1 out!Ryousuke bunts him along to 2nd hoping for a one-timer from Okuyama.
Nishijima not even at 100 pitches, but on his 95th he walks Okuyama on 4 straight.
And he misses again to Ishikawa to start his AB! And again!
And again!!! 3-0 to Ishikawa!
Finally a fastball down the middle for a strike. And another to fill up the count.
SANSHIN!!!!
On his 101st pitch Ishikawa can't make contact on the fastball and the side is retired!
Interesting note - whenever he's thrown the eephus, his control as gone away for a little while...
Bottom 8th
They will go with Ishikawa for the rest of the game. #7 Takahashi Ryuusei comes in for Satou Ryousuke and takes over in LF.
Wakahara tries the safety bunt, but Aoki charges in and makes a great throw for the out.
Iwami screamer up the 3rd base line... fair!! Aoki can't get this one and Iwami has a double!
Ookawara not bunting, but Oowaki-kantoku has the hit and run! Ookawara strikes out but Koutarou doesn't throw to 3rd! 2 down, but a run stands 90 feet away!
Ishikawa falling behind Fukuda, count goes to 3-1. But he pops it up! Ryousuke comes in, then has to make a last minute adjustment - but still makes the catch for the 3rd out!
Top 9th
Nagai singles past a diving Wakahara! Yamagata Chuo with only their 2nd leadoff runner!
AHH!! Aoki pops up his bunt! Koharu makes the running catch for the first out!
Kazuki grounder to the left side, Wakahara goes to 2nd for the out.
And with Nakamura grounding out to 2nd, Yamagata Chuo will have to play for enchousen!
Bottom 9th
Ookouchi tries to work the count and get on base, but Ishikawa gets the outside corner for strike 3!
Tomita grounds out to 2nd and we may be headed to enchousen.
Takada ball up the 1st base line... fair!!! Koharu can't get it and it's down the line! He's in with a double and the sayonara run is in scoring position!
Shouji-kantoku calls time as Oowaki-kantoku sends in #17 Yamamoto to run for Takada.
Liner! But Ishikawa snags it and Nishijima can only give a wry smile as we're headed to enchousen!
Top 10th
Yamamoto stays in the game at RF.
Nishijima perhaps running low on gas as he walks Ryousuke to start the inning.
Snap throw from Ueno, WIDE!!!! It goes into right as Ryousuke goes to 2nd! Yamamoto throws to 2nd... HIGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ooukouchi has to run it down and Ryousuke has 3rd base! Oh, what were they thinking??
Oowaki-kantoku calls time, though they're in bad shape.
SANSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nishijima strikes out Koutarou looking for the first out! Can he get the team out of this big pinch?
NO!
Ryuusei singles through the left side and Yamagata Chuo takes the 1-0 lead!
And now Ryuusei takes off for 2nd! Throw from Ueno... short and goes into center!!
Ryuusei taking off for 3rd, throw from Iwami... HIGH!!!!!!!
It goes off Wakahara's stretched out glove and into Toukai's dugout! Ryuusei score on another pair of errors and they lead 2-0!!
Okuyaam singles to center and Toukai may be finished! Shouji-kantoku taking no chances has Ishikawa bunt the runner over to try and get on more run.
But Nishijima strikes out Nagai swinging. Destruction complete though and their ship is left in critical condition.
Bottom 10th
Ueno strikes out swinging on 3 straight.
Wakahara chopper to right side. Kazuki with it, tosses to Ishikawa, but he can't find the bag! Wakahara beats him out and they can bring the douten runner to the plate.
Iwami barely avoids strike 3 once, but gets completely frozen when a change goes over for strike 3. Wakahara takes 2nd, but his run doesn't matter.
Last chance in Ookawara.
But Ishikawa can't (isn't?) throwing a strike?! He falls behind 3-0, and then finally fires one in. Fastball fouled off and the count runs full...
Fouled off...
Grounder to 2nd, Okuyama fumbles it slightly, but goes to 1st and the game is over! Yamagata Chuo survives in enchousen 2-0!
I joked about the lack of offense in the game, but in reality both teams were desperate to score a run and conversely knew that they would need to prevent 1 run. And it was that thinking, that pressure in enchousen that finally got to Toukai Dai-yon and allowed Yamagata Chuo to advance.
Some people would joke that neither team should win given how awful the offenses were. But that's not fair to the kids. They can only play with the talent they're given and if that results in a game like this - so be it.
But you can tell from the Dai-yon player's faces that it's no laughing matter. 21 years they waited only to have it end in this matter? They weren't even alive the last time Dai-yon went. It's a painful way to go.
Yamagata Chuo survives yet again. But for how much longer is debatable.
But we're getting a little ahead of ourselves. First up, two rather unlikely teams in Yamagata Chuo and Toukai Dai-yon battle it out for a spot in the round of 16.
Toukai Dai-yon shocked a lot of us when they outplayed Wakao-kantoku and Kyushu Kokusaidai Fuzoku to the tune of 6 runs and tossing a 5-hitter. Yes, Fukuoka is uncharacteristically weak for a metropolitan prefecture, but coming from Hokkaido? And from a tier 3 school in Toukai Dai-yon?
Yikes.
The biggest surprise? Ace Nishijima Ryouta. Not only was it a 5-hitter he throw, but he struck out 12 while walking 3.
12!
Those are number that you would expect to see when they're in prefectural play. Not at Koushien. It's not like he throws hard - in fact his velo is average for an ace pitcher (~mid-130s fastball). 9 were swinging, so perhaps it was due to poor plate discipline, but we'll just have to see if he can repeat his performance.
As for Yamagata Chuo, that was one of the days my body was pretty much shutting down on me. But from what I remember, I questioned whey they replaced Hayasaka when he was so effective. And it was that in the 9th inning, with Komatsu having gone to their 4th pitcher, that they completely collapsed as they watched as Yamagata Chuo score 4 runs to take the lead - and eventually win 9-8.
Suffice it to say, this team has flaws. Ace Ishikawa was responsible for putting his team in the hole giving up 6 runs in less than 4 innings of work. Their 2nd year reliever Satou was far more effective, despite the fact he gave up 6 free passes (he did only give up 2 hits in his 5.1 IP of work).
On offense, yes they scored 9 runs, but it was thanks to the bottom of the lineup. That's nice to see, but at the same time having the heart of your order go 3-13 looks really bad.
Yamagata Chuo (Yamagata)
2B Takahashi Yuusuke (#14)
LF Satou Miharu (#13)
RF Nagai Daichi
3B Aoki Riku
1B Takahashi Kazuki
SS Nakamura Ryuu
CF Takahashi Ryousuke
C Abe Koutarou
P Satou Ryousuke (#11)
Toukai Dai-yon (Minami Hokkaido)
CF Takahashi Iwami
2B Ookawara Akira
SS Fukuda Ryouta
LF Ookouchi Wataru
1B Abe Yoshi
RF Takada Shou
P Nishijima Ryouta
C Ueno Jyunki
3B Wakahara Shunnosuke
____________________________________________________________
09:30 - First pitch!
Top 1st
Nishijima already working on his K count. Yuusuke goes down on 3 straight with the finisher being a fastball on the outside edge.
2 down, and Nagai gets the first base hit as he just aims the ball and bloops it into left for a base hit. Aoki grounds to short though, and the inning is over.
Bottom 1st
And as expected, Satou takes the hill first instead of in relief. He strikes out Iwami on a slider to start the inning.
After that he gets 2 easy groundouts and its a scoreless first.
Top 2nd
Kazuki with a drive to deep left center, Iwami sprinting to the wall.. makes the running catch! One down.
2 quick outs now as Nakamura grounds to 1st.
And 2 K's for Nishijima as he gets Ryousuke looking on yet another fastball.
Bottom 2nd
Ookouchi goes after the very slow curve, but can't get a level swing, grounding to 3rd.
There are a lot of batters just looking. Yoshi becomes another such K victim as Ryousuke paints the edge of the zone.
Takada grounds to 1st, Yoshi tosses to Nishijima for the 3rd out.
Top 3rd
More struggles on offense. Koutarou and Satou Ryousuke ground to short.
Ishiakwa tries the slow curve, but Yuusuke pounds it to right field for a base hit.
Koharu then singles past a chasing Ookawara into right.
Nishijima clamps down and gets Nagai on a slider in the dirt for the 3rd out.
Bottom 3rd
Satou allows his first baserunner after walking Nishijima to start the inning. Ueno bunts him along.
And just to show you how low-scoring of an environment this is, Wakahara is also showing bunt.
He hasn't offered yet and gets ahead 2-0. He may not have been meaning to bunt at all as he tries to poke a ball somewhere at 2-1. Does it again at 2-2 and hits a soft liner to Nakamura behind 2nd.
Iwami swings and misses on the outside fastball and the side is retired.
Top 4th
I think Nishijima, knowing this will be a low-scoring game, isn't going for K's but instead bad contact. That would in general use less pitches and save him for later.
And he gets 3 groundouts in 12 pitches. Not bad considering normal pitch counts for a full game starter can go easily into the 120s.
Bottom 4th
Satou hasn't given up a hit, but he issues his 2nd walk to start an inning. Ookawara is the recipient and Fukuda looks to bunt him along.
Even with 2 strikes he tries the bunt, but he pushes it foul and goes down for the first out.
Ookouchi swings away, but flies out to right for the 2nd out.
Ookawara takes things into his own hand and breaks for 2nd! Throw is in the dirt and Koutarou has no play!
SANSHIN!!!
But the ball gets away from Koutarou, and Yoshi reaches safely! The opening run stands 90 feet away now as Shouji-kantoku calls time.
SANSHIN!!!
Satou gets Takada on another slider and this time Koutarou stays with it and tags Takada for the 3rd out!
Top 5th
More futility at the plate Takahashi Ryousuke hits an easy grounder to 2nd. Koutarou gets ahead 3-1, but winds up chasing the slider for a K.
And Satou Ryousuke swings on the first pitch and flies out to Iwami in left center for the 3rd out.
Bottom 5th
Nishijima too tries going on the first pitch, but its a routine fly to left.
Satou Ryousuke finally gets a strike on a slow pitch to Ueno, and strikes him out on a fastball.
Wakahara tries for the drag bunt, but that doesn't work. The teams have combined for 3 hits, and one team has all of them. There are only two walks, and the other team has both of them.
I see enchousen coming.
Top 6th
Yuusuke continues the futility at the plate swinging at a slider outside for another K.
Koharu hits a foul fly to left, Ookouchi has space to make the catch for the out.
And Nagai with a very weak swing grounds right to Yoshi for the 3rd out.
Bottom 6th
Questionable call here, though Satou has thrown a lot of pitches.
#4 Okuyama comes in for Yuusuke and goes to 2B. Ishikawa comes in for Koharu and takes the hill. Satou Ryousuke goes to LF.
And immediately Iwami gets a base hit - a sharp grounder through the right side.
No bunt for Ookawara, but he goes down swinging lunging at a ball outside.
Oowaki-kantoku elects for the hit and run, but Fukuda flies out to right. And while Toukai Dai-yon finally gets their first hit, they can't do anything with it as Ookouchi hits a hard grounder to 3rd to end the inning.
Top 7th
Nishijima finally tries the eephus with 2 out to Nakamura, but it's a ball. Nakamura actually considered bunting it before realizing it was too far away.
But regardless, Nishijima not surprisingly sets down the side in order.
Bottom 7th
#16 Imagawa hits for Yoshi. And hits the first pitch sharply past Aoki for a base hit!
Takada bunts him along, but now you're asking for a base hit, and Nishijima can't oblige. He pops out to Nakamura for the 2nd out.
Ishikawa blows a 148 kph fastball by Ueno for the 3rd out. Toukai Dai-yon is getting more opportunities with Ishikawa on the hill, but still can't do anything about it.
Top 8th
#13 Tomita comes in for PH Imagawa and takes over at 1B.
Oh? Nishijima gives up his first walk to Koutarou with 1 out!Ryousuke bunts him along to 2nd hoping for a one-timer from Okuyama.
Nishijima not even at 100 pitches, but on his 95th he walks Okuyama on 4 straight.
And he misses again to Ishikawa to start his AB! And again!
And again!!! 3-0 to Ishikawa!
Finally a fastball down the middle for a strike. And another to fill up the count.
SANSHIN!!!!
On his 101st pitch Ishikawa can't make contact on the fastball and the side is retired!
Interesting note - whenever he's thrown the eephus, his control as gone away for a little while...
Bottom 8th
They will go with Ishikawa for the rest of the game. #7 Takahashi Ryuusei comes in for Satou Ryousuke and takes over in LF.
Wakahara tries the safety bunt, but Aoki charges in and makes a great throw for the out.
Iwami screamer up the 3rd base line... fair!! Aoki can't get this one and Iwami has a double!
Ookawara not bunting, but Oowaki-kantoku has the hit and run! Ookawara strikes out but Koutarou doesn't throw to 3rd! 2 down, but a run stands 90 feet away!
Ishikawa falling behind Fukuda, count goes to 3-1. But he pops it up! Ryousuke comes in, then has to make a last minute adjustment - but still makes the catch for the 3rd out!
Top 9th
Nagai singles past a diving Wakahara! Yamagata Chuo with only their 2nd leadoff runner!
AHH!! Aoki pops up his bunt! Koharu makes the running catch for the first out!
Kazuki grounder to the left side, Wakahara goes to 2nd for the out.
And with Nakamura grounding out to 2nd, Yamagata Chuo will have to play for enchousen!
Bottom 9th
Ookouchi tries to work the count and get on base, but Ishikawa gets the outside corner for strike 3!
Tomita grounds out to 2nd and we may be headed to enchousen.
Takada ball up the 1st base line... fair!!! Koharu can't get it and it's down the line! He's in with a double and the sayonara run is in scoring position!
Shouji-kantoku calls time as Oowaki-kantoku sends in #17 Yamamoto to run for Takada.
Liner! But Ishikawa snags it and Nishijima can only give a wry smile as we're headed to enchousen!
Top 10th
Yamamoto stays in the game at RF.
Nishijima perhaps running low on gas as he walks Ryousuke to start the inning.
Snap throw from Ueno, WIDE!!!! It goes into right as Ryousuke goes to 2nd! Yamamoto throws to 2nd... HIGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ooukouchi has to run it down and Ryousuke has 3rd base! Oh, what were they thinking??
Oowaki-kantoku calls time, though they're in bad shape.
SANSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nishijima strikes out Koutarou looking for the first out! Can he get the team out of this big pinch?
NO!
Ryuusei singles through the left side and Yamagata Chuo takes the 1-0 lead!
And now Ryuusei takes off for 2nd! Throw from Ueno... short and goes into center!!
Ryuusei taking off for 3rd, throw from Iwami... HIGH!!!!!!!
It goes off Wakahara's stretched out glove and into Toukai's dugout! Ryuusei score on another pair of errors and they lead 2-0!!
Okuyaam singles to center and Toukai may be finished! Shouji-kantoku taking no chances has Ishikawa bunt the runner over to try and get on more run.
But Nishijima strikes out Nagai swinging. Destruction complete though and their ship is left in critical condition.
Bottom 10th
Ueno strikes out swinging on 3 straight.
Wakahara chopper to right side. Kazuki with it, tosses to Ishikawa, but he can't find the bag! Wakahara beats him out and they can bring the douten runner to the plate.
Iwami barely avoids strike 3 once, but gets completely frozen when a change goes over for strike 3. Wakahara takes 2nd, but his run doesn't matter.
Last chance in Ookawara.
But Ishikawa can't (isn't?) throwing a strike?! He falls behind 3-0, and then finally fires one in. Fastball fouled off and the count runs full...
Fouled off...
Grounder to 2nd, Okuyama fumbles it slightly, but goes to 1st and the game is over! Yamagata Chuo survives in enchousen 2-0!
I joked about the lack of offense in the game, but in reality both teams were desperate to score a run and conversely knew that they would need to prevent 1 run. And it was that thinking, that pressure in enchousen that finally got to Toukai Dai-yon and allowed Yamagata Chuo to advance.
Some people would joke that neither team should win given how awful the offenses were. But that's not fair to the kids. They can only play with the talent they're given and if that results in a game like this - so be it.
But you can tell from the Dai-yon player's faces that it's no laughing matter. 21 years they waited only to have it end in this matter? They weren't even alive the last time Dai-yon went. It's a painful way to go.
Yamagata Chuo survives yet again. But for how much longer is debatable.
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