高校野球 (Kokoyakyu)

So we're finally off and running here at Koushien! And it's two mainstays to open up proceedings here in the 88th Senbatsu.

Fukui Koudai Fukui didn't get a pattycake pairing, but also didn't get one of the powerhouses. Getting to face Chiben Gakuen's Murakami Shouki though, isn't a good thing. The pressure early will be on the offense to give ace Tanaka a break with a lead. If not, it may be a long day for him and his defense.

Formerly known as just Fukui, they were basically the 3rd wheel to Tsuruga Kehi and Fukui Shougyou. But for now anyways they have leapfrogged Fukui Shougyou on the ladder, and might make it a clean sweep for the prefecture for the Hokushinetsu bids. I say might because this may be a rare case wherein the committee might overlook a runner-up in favor of a semi-finalist. What stops it is that the case for the other possible candidate probably isn't strong enough to overrule that.

Now, I've made a case of a Tier 3 school hitting their heads against the top teams in a prefecture. But Fukui Koudai Fukui is a solid Tier 2 school and yet here are their losses going back:

• 2015 Fall - Super-Regional Championship - lost Tsuruga Kehi 1-6
• 2015 Fall - Prefectural Final - lost Tsuruga Kehi 0-8
• 2015 Summer - Prefectural Final - lost Tsuruga Kehi 3-4x (10 inn)
• (2015 Spring - Super-Regional Opening Round - lost Niigata Kenou Kougyou 4-6)
• (2015 Spring - Prefectural Final - lost Tsuruga Kehi 3-7)
• 2014 Fall - Super Regional Opening Round - lost Kanazawa 1-2x
• 2014 Summer - Prefectural Final - lost Tsuruga Kehi 2-10

Our first afternoon game features the last team to take the field.

The first thing that sticks out about Akita Shougyou, is that their team batting average was 0.226.

0.226!!

How does a team win 5 consecutive games with a team batting average that low?  I mean their batting average in the last 3 games was 0.167 and averaged 3.4 runs per game.

So it's up to ace Kondou Takuya.  A righty who throws in the low 140s with a slider and curve.  His K and BB numbers aren't impressive though (5.46 and 3.21/9 respectively).  The only key game was against Noshiro Shougyou though in the final, but still, a poor hitting team and a pitcher who isn't overpowering isn't necessarily a recipe for success - though it was here.

Fukui Koudai Fukui was not challenged by Tokoha Tachibana in their first round game.  Ace Sugahara struck out 10 while scattering 5 hits, and the 2 runs he gave up were both due to back-to-back battery errors.

Offensively, it was a quick start with some base hits from the middle of the lineup thrown in.  There was enough solid hitting to think the offense could stick, but I doubt they'll be able to jump out early and cruise like their opening game.

But, against an offensively inept team like Akita Shougyou (in a weak prefecture to boot), they shouldn't have a problem advancing to the next round.


Fukui Koudai Fukui (Fukui)
RF Sugano
SS Fujimura
3B Ueda
1B Yamashita
2B Baba
CF Itou
P Sugahara
LF Oozaki (#14)
C Manabe

Akita Shougyou (Akita)
SS Yanagida
2B Oozeki
LF Sugiya
P Kondou
CF Wada
3B Ootomo
1B Sakaya
C Miura Kentarou
RF Satou Sou

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12:54 - First Pitch!

Top 1st
One down and Fujimura draws a walk.

Ueda with drive to left center and that falls in front of the wall.  The relay throw in is offline as Fujimira scores on the RBI triple, quick 1-0 for Fukui Koudai Fukui.

Yamashita with the immediate squeeze!  Kentarou's only play is to 1st and Fukui takes a 2-0 lead!

Kondou gets Baba to strike out looking on an outside fastball, but they're down already with a poor offense.

Bottom 1st
Yanagida with a single back up the middle!  A good start for Akitashou.

Sugahara hits Oozeki!  Now there's runners on 1st and 2nd with no down!

Sugahara throws 2 more balls to Sugiya before finally recording a strike.  Then a knuckle curve for a strike.

But Sugiya gets the better of the battle. Well, if he had to record an out.  He chops one to 3rd and Ueda records the out at 1st, advancing the runners.

Cleanup batter Kondou up now and 2 straight balls to him too before getting a strike.  Again a knuckle curve in for a strike to even the count.

Kondou with a chopper to 3rd.  Ueda charging, changes his mind to throw home and concedes the run for the out.  Perhaps he double clutched.

Wada is brushed with a pitch and is awarded 1st!  Sugahara giving up runners early, Akitashou better take advantage of it!

And Wada takes off on the first pitch!  No throw from Manabe as he anticipates a delayed double steal.

One again, Sugahara falls behind, this time 3-0 to Ootomo.  Throws a fastball as Ootomo feigns the bunt.

Ball inside and it's manrui for Akitashou!  They have to take advantage as Oosuga-kantoku calls for time.

Sakaya the 7th batter to come to the plate.  If I were him, I'd be patient to see if he walks me too.

Of course I say that and he finally throws a first pitch strike...

But two balls after that and I'd still wait if I were Sakiya...

Ball high for ball 3!  There's no place to put him!  Gotta take, no matter what.

OSHIDASHI!  Sakiya feigns bunt and it's ball 4!  Oozeki scores and we're tied at 2-2!!

Kentarou up, and again you gotta wait and make him pitch.

Sure enough, Sugahara throws 2 strikes.  He takes a fastball just outside for a ball.

And he hits the ball back up the middle.  Past Baba into center!  Wada scores!  No throw home as Ootomo scores!  It's 4-2 Akitashou!!

Where is Sugahara's control?

Sou the 9th batter to come to the plate, and he's walked!  Manrui again for Akitashou!  Back to the top of the order and Yanagida!

Everything Sugahara's been missing has been high.  Dunno if it's still the flying shoulder or an early release point, but he's really struggled in the 1st.

He manages to get to 2 strikes to Yanagida, but again goes full!

This time he finally gets the third out as Yanagida can't hit the knuckle curve.  But Akita stays patient and scores 4 of a struggling Sugahara to take the lead!!

Top 2nd
Itou weakly grounds a slider to 1st for the first out.

Sugahara putting bat on a slider and hits a seeing eye single back up the middle.

Oozaki swings at the first pitch and hits it to 1st.  Sakaya goes to 2nd for one, but can't get the back end of the double play.

No matter though as Ootomo handles a hard grounder from Manabe and makes the retirement at 1st for the 3rd out.

Bottom 2nd
So, how will Akitashou build on this momentum?

Sugahara continuing to struggle at the plate.  Count goes full on Oozeki.

He reaches down and hits one to left.  Oozaki running back?  He's running back to the wall??  He's looking up??!!

HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ARE YOU KIDDING ME???!!

Oozeki makes an innocuous swing in my opinion, and it goes down the left field line for a home run??!!  What the heck??!!  It's 5-2 Akitashou!!!

Sugiya up, and he succombs to the high fastball for Sugahara's 1st K.

Kondou up and he connects on the high fastball!  That's hit to deep center!  But Itou is waiting near the fence for the 2nd out.

Wada grounds to 2nd to end the inning, but a shocking HR extends Akitashou's lead!  And they'll probably need it for later.

Top 3rd
Sugano with a hard grounder to 3rd.  Ootomo makes another nice grab and on the other end Sakaya with the great pick on the bounce for the out.

Fujimura with a chopper over Kondou's head, Yanagida with the great pick and throw for the 2nd out.

Ueda fouls out to 3rd and it's a 1-2-3 inning for Kondou!

Bottom 3rd
Akitashou's batters still content to wait out Sugahara.  Ootomo goes ahead 3-1 before a questionable inside pitch is called a strike.  But the knucklecurve on the next pitch misses for ball 4.

Sakaya showing bunt his first couple of pitches, but takes them for balls.  And another makes it 3-0!  Will he wait for ball 4?  Yep!  4 pitch walk puts runners at 1st and 2nd now with no out as Oosuga-kantoku calls time while #11 Ueno warms up.

Kentarou stepping in, and you bet he'll be waiting.  Shows bunt, but again just takes the pitch.  Sugahara bounces one for ball 2.  Up and in for ball 3 sending Kentarou to the ground.  Again, he's got the red ligh.  And he walks Kentarou on 4 straight.

And that's going to be it for Sugahara.  #11 Ueno comes in to relieve him.

Still, even with a new pitcher, Akitashou needs to score as they probably need all the runs they can get.

Last batter Sou in now.  He checks his swing on the frst pitch, then gets a fastbal up on the inside corner for a strike.  Then he can't check his swing for strike 2!

Sou goes for the three bunt squeeze, but he fouls it off for the 1st out!

Yanagida up now and the first pitch is way high.  They should still wait for Itou to prove himself, but Yangitda swings on a slider for strike 1.  And another for strike 2.

SQUEEZE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oota-kantoku calls for another one!  And Yanagida lays it down!  The out is made at 1st and there's 2 down, but it's 6-2 now.

Oozeki swings at the first pitch and rockets it through the gap in left!  Sakaya scores to make it 7-2!

Wild pitch from Ueno!  Oozeki advances to 2nd!

And another one!  But Manabe keeps it close.

Sugiya gets the green light on 3-1 and hits a short fly to left center!  Oozeki charging in, dives... and makes the saving catch!  He rolls over a couple of times, but makes the great catch to save more runs!  But still Akitashou with 7 runs!

Top 4th
Fukui Koudai Fukui swinging away as two pitches lead to 2 weak groundouts.

Itou takes a couple, but hits one back up the middle.  Kondou makes a great grab (help to have his wingspan), and tosses to 1st to end the inning.

Fukui must be shocked at what's happening here, and I wouldn't blame them,.

Bottom 4th
Akitashou has taken advantage of Fukui's wildness and put up crooked numbers each inning.  Will they stay patient?

Kondou takes the first pitch strike and then swings on what probably would have been a strike.  However, he chases a slider in the dirt for strike 3.

Wada waits for 1-1 to swing away, but at a bad slider away.  Levels the count, but fights off a pitch.  But he goes down swinging on a slider for the 2nd out.

Ootomo behind 1-2, but hits a ball to right center!  That gets by Itou to the wall!   Ootomo in with a 2-out double!

Sakaya though is aggressive at the plate and winds up striking out to end the inning.  That the first 0 Fukui has managed to put on Akitashou.

Top 5th
Ueno K's on three strikes to for the 1st out.

Oozeki with a drive to left!  Sugiya running back to the wall!

HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oozeki starts the slow road back driving a hanging pitch from Kondou out to left to make it 7-3!!

Kondou comes back to get two quick infield outs to end the inning, but now you know why I said they need all the runs they can get.

Bottom 5th
Ueno starting to pitch enough strikes to keep the batters honest it seems as Kentarou goes down swinging.

Sou though hits a dribbler to the right side.  Baba charges and makes the throw, but it pulls Yamashita off the bag.

Top of the order and Yanagida first pitch singles to right!

Oozeki feigns bunt, but the ball bounces off the bat and Manabe makes the easy catch for the out!

Sugiya grounds out to 2nd to end the inning sending the game to the break.  Akitashou leads 7-3, but I don't think - nor should the Akitashou players, that a 4-run lead is comfortable.  Ueno's found his stride on the mound, and Fukui Koudai Fukui's working on chipping away at the lead - and there's still plenty of time.

Top 6th
Fujimura with a chopper back up the middle that Kondou snags and throws to 1st for the out.

Ueda fights off an inside pitch and sends it past Ootomo into right.

A wild pitch from Kondou sends the runner to 2nd.

Now it's Kondou who seems to be missing the zone.  A wild pitch followed by one up in the zone.

Yamashita with a comebacker off Kondou's glove and deflects back to the right side!  Yanagida running to 2nd changes course, grabs the ball, and throws it away!  Runners advance to 2nd and 3rd and here comes Fukui Koudai Fukui!

Oosuga-kantoku rightly calls for time.  It was already dangerous for Akitashou before the beginning of this inning, even more so now.

Baba hit, but the plate umpire won't allow the HBP as he didn't move.

That's a big break as he chases a fastball away for the 2nd out!

That leaves it up to Itou to try and narrow the gap.

He swings on the first pitch!  Sou coming in from right, makes the catch and Akitashou can temporarily breath a sigh of relief as they dodge one bullet.

It won't be the only one though.

Bottom 6th
Kondou with good contact, but it's a fly right to Sugano in right.

Wada gets patient at the plate and works the count full, but takes a fastball on the inside part of the plate for strike 3.

Ueno almost has a 1-2-3 inning, but he hits Ootomo with 2 down.

Sakaya grounds out to 1st to end the inning.  Ueno right now has 6 K's in relief, so I don't expect Akitashou to get more runs at this point.  So they'll need to make the 4-run lead stick.

Top 7th
Pitching change for Akitshou.  #10 Abe comes in for Sou at the bottom of the lineup.  Kondou goes to right.

#13 Oota comes in to hit for Ueno as his relief appearance is done?

Grounder up the 3rd base line is grabbed by Ootomo before it hits the bag and makes the play at 1st.

Abe throws in the upper 130s with a slider, curve, and change.

Oozaki though is frozen on the fastball down the middle for the 2nd out.

Abe hits 141 with his fastball against Manabe, but Manabe gets the final word with a single to right.

Sugano gets one on the end of the bat, and his a fly to center.  Wada is there to make the catch and the side is retired.  Not bad from Abe to start.

Bottom 7th
#10 Sugaya in now to pitch for Fukui Koudai Fukui.

Kentarou welcomes him with a bounder past a diving Fujimura into left.

Abe up now and showing bunt, but continues taking until 2-1 where he fouls it off.  Abe bounces one in front of the plate and everyone freezes!  Then everyone takes off!  Manabe goes to 2nd, but Kentarou was running and slides in.  Fujimura goes to 1st and gets Abe.

Yanagida swinging on the first pitch and flies out to center, though not deep enough to advance Kentarou.

So Oozeki up to try and get another run in.

But he swings on an outside slider for strike 3 and the side is retired.

Top 8th
Fujimura with a grounder to 3rd., Ootomo with another nice grab and throw for the out.

Ueda grounds to 2nd, Oozeki there for the ball and there's 2 out.

Yamashita looks to get something going with a first-pitch single to right.

But Baba hits a short fly back to Abe and the side is retired.  They're down to their last 3 outs.

Bottom 8th
Sugiya with a single through the left side and Akita will look to play add on.

Kondou is hit by Sugaya and now there's runners on 1st and 2nd with no down for Wada who shows bunt.

He pops up the first bunt!  Manabe scrambling in foul territory dives, but it's just out of his reach!  He then takes a 2nd strike, yet is three bunting!

Wada lays down the bunt and now a base hit from Ootomo can really add some breating room.

SQUEEZE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The runner from 3rd on a dead sprint as Ootomo lays down the squeeze bunt!  Sugiya almost home when Sugaya gets the ball, so he has to go to 1st for the out!  8-3 Akitashou!

Sakiya K's to end the inning, but Akitashou adds one more run for the 9th.

Top 9th
Last ups for Fukui Koudai Fukui.  Itou with a slow grounder to short.  Yanagida there, but he can't field the ball!  E6 to start the inning.

#12 Takai to hit for Sugaya.  But he goes down swinging on a slider.

Oozaki with an early swing, but keeps in the zone enough to take the slider over Ootomo's head!  He's in with a double and there's runners at 2nd and 3rd with just one down.

#16 Sawada to run for Oozaki at 2nd.

Manabe up.  He pops it up!  Oozeki with it, throws to 2nd?!

Sawada was running and had to come back, and is doubled off to end the game!

Though his run didn't quite matter in the sense that it was the douten run, that's a bad mistake to make even if you're down 5.

But it wraps up a lot of self-inflicted wounds for Fukui Koudai Fukui in the game, enought that there was no recovery from.  For against an offense who managed just a 0.226 team average, Sugahara let them score runs without the benefit of hits, which is a big help.

Combine that with Kondou and a timely change to Abe, and Fukui was lost.

It might be a tale of what might have been if they had just played a little better to start this game.

For Akita Shougyou, it's a pleasant surprise for them to score as many runs as they did.  But they stuck to their gameplan and executed perfectly for a much needed win for their school and for the prefecture.

It'll only get tougher against Kurashiki Shougyou.


Notable Players
Oozeki Shouta (Akita Shougyou) - 2-4, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, RBI, K
Ootomo Kousei (Akita Shougyou) - 1-1, 2 R, 2 BB, HBP
Miura Koutarou (Akita Shougyou) - 2-3, 2 RBI, BB
Ueda Teppei (Fukui Koudai Fukui) - 2-4, 3B, R, RBI
Oozaki Keisuke (Fukui Koudai Fukui) - 2-4, 2B, HR, R, RBI

Opening ceremonies are done, and the first two teams take the field for the first game of the 94th Natsu Koushien Tournament.

On one side is Tokoha Tachibana, who were in some ways in the shadow of Tokoha Kikugawa, who in two consecutive years put Shizuoka on the map by making runs to the semifinals and finals back in 2007 and 2008.  Yet in 2009 it was Tokoha Tachibana who qualified, and made it to the 3rd round before losing to Imamiya Kenta and Meihou out of Oita.

And after a year off, Tokoha Tachibana is back at Koushien once again - though not without some difficulty.

Much like their 2009 team, they are dependent on ace Miyazaki Satoshi (宮崎悟投), a 3rd year who features the traditional slider and curveball to go with his fastball.  The team is offensively challenged, so Miyazaki will have to shoulder more of the load - much like Shouji did 3 years ago.

Fukui Koudai Fukui has been a better team in the prefecture, but like many other schools played second fiddle to Fukui Shougyou.  This time around though, they defeated both Tsuruga Kehi and Fukui Shougyou to make their first appearance since 2004.

Ace Sugawara Shuu (菅原秀) has kept Fukui Koudai Fukui in games throughout their prefecturals, but now they're on the big stage.  How he'll do here is anyone's guess.

Both offenses were pretty much average during their prefecturals, so expect the good hitter for each squad to come from the top of the order.

No clear favorite here as it appears that it is a match of a team with better pitching than offense (Tokoha Tachibana) versus a team with better offense than pitching (Fukui Koudai Fukui).  It's a matter of which strength gives up first.

Personally, I'd like to see Tokoha Tachibana advance, but it's not a given here.

Fukui Koudai Fukui (Fukui)
RF Sugano
SS Fujimura
3B Ueda
1B Yamashita
2B Baba
CF Itou
P Sugahara
LF Yamamoto
C Manabe

Tokoha Tachibana (Shizuoka)
SS Kimura
CF Shimizu Hironobu
C Kido
LF Michiba
RF Masuda
1B Sasaki
P Miyazaki
3B Matsuzaka
2B Shimizu Taishi

____________________________________________________________

And the ceremonial first pitch from Futaba is a bit high, but caught by the C from Ootsuchi.

10:28 - First Pitch!

Top 1st
And the first pitch of the 94th Natsu Koushien is a slider fouled off.

Sugano then drives a 1-1 pitch deep to center over Shimizu and off his glove at the wall!  He's in with a quick double!

But Fujimura's bunt attempt dies too quickly and Kido easily throws Sugano out at 3rd!  One down!

Ueda gets good contact on the ball, and Kimura can only block it as it deflects away to his right for an infield hit.

Yamashita follows that up with a seeing-eye single through the infield into left!  Fujimura rounds for home and Michiba's throw will not get there in time.  Fukui Koudai Fukui gets on the board quickly! 1-0!

Baba with another groundball past Kimura into left and Ueda will make the turn home as well!  The throw is cut off and it's now 2-0 Fukui!

Finally, a respite for Miyazaki as Itou goes down swinging for the second out.

The calm doesn't last though as Sugahara helps his own cause with a blooper to center which scores another to give himself a 3-0 lead!

The inning finally ends for Miyazaki and Tokoha Tachibana as Yamamoto grounds out to 3rd, but it's evident early that Fukui's offense is outplaying Miyazaki's pitching to start.

Bottom 1st
Sugahara for Fukui throws pretty hard (~145 kph) and supposedly fields a slider, curve and a knuckle curve.

After a quick K, Hironobu tries a safety bunt, but is thrown out after he tries to dive into 1st.

Kido too goes down swinging and it's a good start for Fukui Koudai Fukui.

Top 2nd
Miyazaki on the other hand has a fastball that sits in the 130's with apparently a cutter to boot.

After a shaky first inning, Miyazaki settles down, getting #9 batter Manabe to fly out, a good fielding play on a safety bunt, and a grounder to 2nd.

Bottom 2nd
Cleanup batter Michiba is able to swing level on a high fastball, but lines out to right.

Masuda swings on a short knuckle curve that gets away from Manabe allowing Masuda to reach base.

Sasaki up, and he's struggling like the rest in recognizing the off-speed pitches, but is saying alive in the AB by fouling off pitching and taking when he can.  He manages to fill up the count... but he can't catch up to the high fastball for the 2nd out.

Miyazaki swings on top of a curve and weakly bounces one to 3rd for the last out.  Sugahara looking good, but it's more of the Tokoha batters looking pretty bad to start the game here.

Top 3rd
Ueda collects his 2nd hit on a grounds past a diving Shimizu into center.

Yamashita with a bunt, but Kido saves it again with a quick sidearm throw to 2nd to get Ueda!

The hit parade continues however as Baba signles to right, and Miyazaki is in another pinch.

However Miyazaki gets a lazy fly to center and grounder to Kimura to end the inning.

Bottom 3rd
The Tachibana batters are swining early and often looking for the fastball to drive.  Taishi gets on base with a blooper downt he right field line, but after an unlucky wild pitch that hits the bat of a ducking Kimura, he grounds into the 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.

Top 4th
Though Miyazaki gives up his first walk, he retires Sugano and Fujimura to end the inning.  He's settled down nicely, but the offense needs to get going here in the 4th.

Bottom 4th
Kido finally delivers a solid 1-out base hit as he singles past the infield into left.

Once again though, the runner is wiped out as Michiba grounds into the 6-3 double play to end the inning.

Top 5th
Yamashita with one down lines one past a chasing Michiba to the wall of a double.

After a grounder to short, Itou gets his first hit, a ball past a diving Matsusaka and to the wall.  That scores Yamashita to make it 4-0, and prompts a pitching change by Kurosawa-kantoku.

Strangely, he removes cleanup batter Michiba to insert in #10 Takahashi!

It does work as he strikes out Sugahara on 3 pitches to end the inning, but how will taking out the cleanup batter affect the offense?

Bottom 5th
Unless the offense is so bad, that he basically pulled off a double switch to put him at the "end" of the order?!

Masuda with a slow roller to Fujimura, but Ueda tries to cut in and it glances off his glove and away from both of them!

Sasaki up and he's not bunting.  He lengthens the AB with a couple of foul balls, then hits a grounder in the right spot to left.  Masuda on the shallow hit makes a break for 3rd!  Yamamoto's throw is off-line and the gamble pays off!  Just.  Sasaki advances on the throw to 2nd.

Miyazaki to help his own cause quickly falls behind 0-2.

Sugahara with a ball that goes 50 feet and bounces over Manabe!  Masuda scores and Tokoha Tachibana is on the board at 4-1!

Miyazaki eventually gets fooled on a curve for the 1st out.

First pitch from Sugahara is short, but Manabe blocks it.

No he doesn't!  It gets past him and he doesn't know where it is!  Sasaki goes home and it's now 4-2!

And now Sugahara can't find the strike zone, walking Matsusaka on 4 straight!

There appears to be trouble on the horizon now for Fukui, but Taishi goes for the bunt instead of waiting out Sugahara.  His bunt is short as Manabe fires to 2nd.  They just get the out as Fujimura throws to 1st for the double play!  Sugahara is bailed out and as the damage is limited to 2 bad pitches and 2 runs as we head to the break.

Top 6th
Yamamoto is lifted here to start the 6th for #14 Oozaki who grounds out to 1st. Manabe inside-outs one, but lines out to right for the 2nd out.

Takahashi is a 3/4-throwing southpaw who throws just as fast as Miyazaki.

After collecting 2 quick out, top batter Sugano slices one to left-center.  A wild pitch from Takahashi sends him to 2nd.  On a full count, he doesn't get the call on the inside corner and walks Fujimura.

Ueda with a high chopper to 3rd!  Matsuzaka has to hurry the throw, and it's high!  Sasaki has to leave the bag and it's now manrui for Fukui as Kurosawa-kantoku calls time.

And it's not a good time for cleanup batter Yamashita to come up for Tachibana.

But he gets him swinging on a fastball outside to get out of the jam!

Bottom 6th
Oozaki stays in the game to play left.  Top of the order for Tachibana, and they;ll need to make inroads against Sugahara - without depending on wild pitches.

Kimura hits a hard liner to right, but Sugano makes a small leap for the catch.

Tokoha's batters continue to swing early and often as Kido falls behind 1-2.  He fouls off a couple and works the count full as he reaches the 10th pitch of the AB. But on the 11th, he can't catch up to a high fastball and the inning is over.

Top 7th
It's a quick lucky 7 for Fukui Koudai Fukui as Takahashi continues to keep the deficit at 2 by retiring the side in order.  However 2 runs for Tokoha Tachibana seems like 5 or 6 right now.

Bottom 7th
Takahashi continues the mantra of swinging early and grounds out to 2nd on the 2nd pitch of the AB.

Masuda tries waiting on Sugahara, falls behind 1-2, works the count full, but then swings and misses on a fastball up and in for Sugahara's 7th K.

Huh, and I just noticed that Sugahara has a delivery similar to Hideki Okajima in that he doesn't appear to look when he delivers the ball.

Seems to be working as he too retires the side in order in the lucky 7th and Fukui holds on to their 4-2 lead.

Top 8th
Takahashi continues to dominate the Fukui batters as Oozaki can't get around on an inside fastball, Manabe weakly grouds to 2nd.

But Sugano breaks up the party as he hits a high chopper to short that prevents Kimura from making a play at 1st.

And in an inexplicable turn, Sugano breaks for 2nd while Takahashi stands there and he's easily tagged out to end the inning.

Bottom 8th
It's been a neat 92 pitches so far for Sugahara.  And not Miyazaki's day is done as Kurosawa-kantoku sends in #11 Aoshima to bat for him to lead off the 8th.

Aoshima works the count full, getting to the 9th pitch of the AB... where he's caught looking on what looks like a splitter on the outside corner.

Matsuzaka becomes Sugahara's 8th strikeout victim on a knuckle curve in the dirt.

And finally Taishi hits a chopper, but not as high and more routine to Ueda for the 3rd out.  Time looks to be short for the Shizuoka representatives.

Top 9th
Aoshima stays in the game at left.

Fujimura quickly works the count back to where it was at the end of last inning (1-2) but lines out to right.  Takahashi finally retires Ueda on a fastball just on the outside corner.

Takahashi finishes out his relief effort facing 3 more than the minimum as Yamashita grounds to 2nd.  He's done a stellar job in relief with good control and missing in the right places.

Bottom 9th
But it's the last 3 outs for Tokoha Tachibana as the top of the order steps in.

Kimura jumps on a ball from Sugahara, but it's right at Oozaki for the 1st out...

Hironobu though, after falling behind (and looking bad), he digs in and draws a walk.  That at least puts the douten run at the plate in Kido.

Kido's looking to drive one, but whiffs on a knuckle curve.  Hironobu then takes off for 2nd, but Kido swings and fouls it off when he might have had the base.

Instead Kido goes down swinging as Hironobu takes 2nd.

Now it's down to reliever Takahashi to keep the game alive.

And he does!  He takes the ball the other way through the infield for a base hit!  Hironobu wisely holds up at 3rd.  Things become slightly more interesting as Masuda steps in.

He holds up on a curve outside to get ahead 2-1, but then chases one and fouls it off for strike 2.  Down to their last strike...

And perhaps fittingly, he's fooled on a curveball and hits a grounder to short.  Fujimura flips it to Baba for the final out!  Fukui Koudai Fukui wins the opening game 4-2 and will advance to face Akita Shougyou!

Tokoha Tachibana made it at least compelling in the 9th, but for the most part the batters looked lost against Sugahara.  If not for 2 battery mistakes they would have been shutout.  However, the majority of their struggles happened in the 1st when Fukui scored on consecutive base hits.  If not for that inning too, the game would definitely look much different.

As it stands though, Tokoha Tachibana becomes the first team eliminated here in the 94th version of Natsu Koushien.


Notable Players
Sugawara Shuu (Fukui Koudai Fukui) - CG, 2 R, 0 ER, 5 H, 10 K, 2 BB
Ueda Teppei (Fukui Koudai Fukui) - 3-5, R, K
Sugano Masashi (Fukui Koudai Fukui) - 3-5, 2B
Takahashi Haruto (Tokoha Tachibana) - 4.1 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 4 R, BB