Kanoya Chuo caught one of the biggest (and most heartbreaking for the opponent) breaks in it's first round game. After tying the game in the 8th to send it to enchousen, in the 12th with runners on 1st and 3rd with 1 out, Shiritsu Wakayama's 2B Yamane accidentally goes to 1st on a contact play and they sayonara run scores, shocking everyone in the stadium and completely crushing Yamane.
Nanashima and Yonezawa were effective enough on the mound, but this will be a tougher task in Seiryou.
For their part Seiryou was involved in a close game with Shizuoka though on the losing end. But poor defense from Shizuoka let ace Tsujimoto down, and when you're a contact pitcher that is the worst feeling to have.
Seiryou was far from stellar. The 3-4-5 hitters went a combined 2-11, and ace Iwashita gave 5 free passes.
Seiryou (Ishikawa)
LF Fukushige Tatsumi
2B Nakamura Hayato
CF Tanigawa Touma
3B Murakami Kazuma (#3)
RF Satake Kaito
P Iwashita Daiki
1B Imamura Haruki (#11)
SS Toratani Takaya
C Yokoyama Shouta
Kanoya Chuo (Kagoshima)
LF Kawasaki Kenshirou
SS Hakiai Shunichirou
3B Tokushige Jin
RF Kihara Satoshi
C Kawauchi Daiki
1B Oota Takeshi
2B Kanda Kouta
CF Yamashita Ryouta
P Nanashima Takuya
____________________________________________________________
12:50 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
One down for Seiryou and Nakamura hits a blooper to right. Kihara charges in, dives, but it's off the end of his glove for a single.
Tanigawa swinging away, but grounds to short. Hakiai gets the force at 2nd.
Hit and run! Murakami takes a fastball left up the other way as Tanigawa goes into 3rd. Small chance for Seiryou here in the 1st.
Satake grounder past diving Tokushige! Tanigawa comes in and Seiryou takes the lead right off the bat 1-0!
Iwashita goes down swinging, but they have done something they haven't done in 2 games, take an early lead!
Bottom 1st
Iwashita begins the game with hitting Kawasaki. Hakiai bunts him along to 2nd.
But, despite the full count he strikes out Tokushige on a slider inside at his feet, 2 down.
Kimura sharp hit to the right side, Nakamura makes a dive for it, but can't get it! Kawasaki rounding 3rd and scores without a throw! We're tied at 1-1!
Kawauchi goes down swinging on another inside slider, but Kanoya Chuo strikes right back!
Top 2nd
Imamura with a huge fly to left, Kawasaki has to wait for it near the foul pole before making the catch.
Toratani with a ball back up the middle, Hakiai makes the diving stop behind 2nd, but his throw from the grass is easily not in time.
Hayashi-kantoku goes for the hit and run, but Yokoyama flies out to center.
Nanashima not out of the pinch yet as he walks Fukushige to continue the inning.
Nakamura slow grounder to short, Hakiai charging in, throw to 1st... Oota with the nice pick gets the out!
Bottom 2nd
Oota completely swings over the forkball for the first out. Kanda with a weak grounder back up the middle. Nakamura charges it down, throws and beats a diving Kanda. *sighs*
Iwashita closes out the frame by freezing Yamashita on an outside fastball.
Top 3rd
Tanigawa turns on an inside fastball (that was meant to be outside) and singles through the left side.
Murakami lays down the bunt, Kawauchi goes to 2nd, but that's late! Throw to 1st, over everything! It's into the camera well and everyone advances a base!
The umpires confer again, and award the runner home! 2-1 Seiryou! Since the runner was on 2nd when the throw was made, the 2-base award sent him home.
With one down, Seiryou starts the engine again. Iwashita with a sharp hit to 3rd that Tokushige can block, but not field cleanly. Imamura follows that with a clean single through the left side.
Nanashima gets out of the inning though when he gets Toratani to hit into the 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.
Bottom 3rd
Nanashima can't lay off the outside slider and becomes Iwashita's 4th K victim. After a groundout to 2nd by Kawasaki, Iwashita gives up a walk to Hakiai. It leads to nothing as Tokushige also grounds to 2nd to end the inning.
Top 4th
Yokoyama starts the inning with a slicer down the right field line for a single. He's bunted to 2nd, and a slow grounder to short by Nakamura moves him to 3rd.
Tanigawa can't get the timely hit as he grounds to Hakiai as well to end the inning.
Bottom 4th
Just when you think Kanoya Chuo is getting some traction, Seiryou takes it right back.
Kawauchi with a grounder back up the middle for a base hit, but Oota grounds into the inning-ending 6-4-3 double play...
Top 5th
After Murakami goes down swinging, Satake takes the first pitch deep to left center. The fielders have to chase the ball to the wall and he's in with a double.
Iwashita tries to check his swing, but winds up hitting the ball. It's effectively a bunt as it dies in front of the plate and Kawauchi goes to 1st.
Imamura with a sharp liner, but right at Tokushige who makes the catch for the 3rd out.
Bottom 5th
Kanoya Chuo manages a runner when Nanashima reaches base on a wild pitch on his K.
And Nanashima's day is done! #15 Okadome comes in to run for him!
Kawasaki strikes out to end the inning, but Nanashima is done, and so far so does Kanoya Chuo.
Top 6th
#10 Yonezawa comes in for PR Okudome to take the hill.
Seiryou rudely welcomes him. After he gives up a leadoff walk and is bunted over, Fukushige singles to center scoring Toratani to make it 4-1.
Nakamura lays down a bunt and Yonezawa can't field it cleanly. Throw to 1st not in time.
Thankfully he gets out of the inning as Tanigawa grounds into the 4-6-3 double play.
Bottom 6th
Well to sum up the game, Kimura hits 2-out double to left center. Kawauchi hits a ball hard to 3rd, Yanase fumbles the ball. But Kimura is heading to 3rd and Yanase just tags him for 3rd out.
Going through the motions...
7-9th InningsThis game is pretty much over, so here are just some changes that happened.
Bottom 7th
Seiryou rest's Iwashita's arm, they send him to LF. Fukushige goes to center and Tanigawa takes the hill.
At least I get to hear Cruel Angel's Thesis (With Justin.tv no more hearing the ouen-dan it's a little harder)
Bottom 8th
With #10 Nakamura running for Imamura, he takes 2B, Nakamura goes to SS and #5 Yanase comes in for Toratani and goes to 3B
Top 9th
With Nishimura hitting for Yonezawa (and subsequently Hiromori running for him), #11 Sorachi comes in to finish out the game for Kanoya Chuo.
Bottom 9th
Fukushige comes in from CF to take the hill, Tanigawa goes back to CF and now #15 Takeya comes in for Satake in RF.
Well, I guess after Fukushige gives up a walk, a loud line out to short, and then a gapper to left center to put the douten runner at the plate, Hayashi-kantoku stops messing around.
Iwashita takes the hill and Fukushige goes back to LF.
One last timeout by Hayashi-kantoku and Iwashita will close out the game.
And so he does.
Seiryou decided to get some work in with their players at Kanoya Chuo's expense knowing that if things went bad like it did in the 9th, Iwashita could close it out.
And it did and he did.
That's really about it. Kanoya Chuo was just outmatched in the game, and unfortunately heads home. But at least they were able to enjoy a victory before going home.
Showing posts with label Kanoya Chuo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kanoya Chuo. Show all posts
Monday, August 18, 2014
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Day 3, Game 2 - Kanoya Chuo (Kagoshima) v. Shiritsu Wakayama (Wakayama)
Kanoya Chuo's signature win came when it really mattered, a 3-1 victory over Kamimura Gakuen which I was luckily able to watch. A lot of that was because of ace Nanashima Takuya.
Chiben Wakayama's grip on Wakayama prefecture may be nearing an end. Last year they couldn't even get out of the round of 16, then this year Shiritsu Wakayama - perhaps with more confidence then usual given last year's result went toe-to-toe, staving off elimination in enchousen before winning in 12 innings. That meant that Chiben failed to reach Koushien for the 2nd straight year, and the last time that happened was back in 1994-95!
Shiritsu Wakayama (Wakayama)
SS Nishiyama Shouma
CF Yamaguchi Seigo
1B Setoguchi Rei
LF Kokubo Kyoushou (#9)
3B Nakayama Shouta
RF Abe Kazumasa (#13)
C Tanaka Yuuta
P Akao Chihiro
2B Yamane Shouki
Kanoya Chuo (Kagoshima)
LF Kawasaki Kenshirou
SS Hakiai Shunichirou
3B Tokushige Jin
RF Kihara Satoshi
C Kawauchi Daiki
1B Oota Takeshi
2B Kanda Kouta
CF Yamashita Ryouta
P Nanashima Takuya
____________________________________________________________
10:45 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Nishiyama with a ball to left center! He's in with a leadoff double! Handa-kantoku has Yamaguchi bunt him over to 3rd.
Things are shaky for Nanashima early as he walks Tokushige.
He takes off for 2nd! Throw from Kawauchi in plenty of time, and the dancing around won't help! 2 down!
And Kokubo grounds back to Nanashima and Nishiyama is stranded at 3rd!
Bottom 1st
One down and Hakiai reaches down on a slider and lines one to left for a base hit.
Tokushige though with a grounder to short. Nishiyama goes to 2nd, throws it away! It goes to right and Hakiai goes to 3rd! Kanoya threatening right back with runners at the corners!
And now Akao hits Kihara! Manrui for Kanoya Chuo as Kawauchi steps in!
But he hits a grounder to 2nd! Yamane starts the 4-6-3 double play and the side is retired! Both aces are in trouble in the opening frame but both get out of the jam!
Top 2nd
It's a real quick inning for Nanashima in the 2nd. He needs just 8 pitches to retire the side in order, and he puts his team back on the sticks.
Bottom 2nd
Oota tries to inside out a ball, but flies out to Abe for the 1st out.
Kanda with a solid single past a diving Nishiyama for a base hit.
Yamamoto-kantoku tries the hit-and-run! But Yamashita hits it right to 2nd! Yamane again starts the 4-6-3 double play and the side is retired once again!
Top 3rd
Akao looks to help his own cause with a leadoff single through the left side.
Yamane lays down a great bunt, but Nanashima fires to 2nd! He cuts down the lead runner with a great play!
Handa-kantoku puts on the hit-and-run, but Nishiyama flies out to left for the 2nd out.
Yamaguchi straightens out his swing after just lining one foul, and it goes fair down the left field line! Yamane heading to 3rd, being waved home! Relay throw... in plenty of time and he's thrown out to end the inning!
Boy, that was a base running mistake there by Shiritsu Wakayama...
Bottom 3rd
The game is flying along as Kanoya tries to scrap together a base hit. Kawasaki tries a safety bunt with one down, but that fails as Akao has a 9 pitch inning.
Top 4th
One down for Kokubo and he hits a single to left. No wait! He's heading for 2nd! Kihara scrambles to get the ball in, but Kokubo catches the defense off guard and he's in with a hustle double!
Nakayama slicer down the left field line.. fair! Kawasaki has to run it down, but Kokubo scores from 2nd and Shiritsu Wakayama takes the lead! 1-0!
Nanashima retires the next 2 batters, but back-to-back doubles give Wakayama the lead!
Bottom 4th
One down, Kihara goes into a long AB vs Akao. He finally wins, drawing a walk on the 10th pitch of the AB.
Kawauchi trying to lay down the bunt, fails, and now there's 2 strikes.
They try the hit-and-run, but Kawauchi reaches down and lines one right to Nishiyama who doubles off Kihara for another inning-ending double play!
Top 5th
After recording his 3rd K, Nanashima leaves a slider over the plate and Yamane takes it down the right field line for a double!
Comebacker by Nishiyama! Nanashima snags it! He looks Yamane back and goes to 1st for the out!
Another comebacker to Nanashima! He gets a glove on it, it deflects to Kanda who makes the play at 1st for the 3rd out!
Bottom 5th
Oota fooled mightily on a slider, just gets the bat on the ball and grounds to 2nd. Akao gets his 2nd K as put a fastball perfectly on the outside corner to get Kanda.
Yamashita goes for the safety bunt, and Nishiyama has too much ground to cover! He's in safe with a head-sliding bunt single!
Handa-kantoku continues trying for the hit-and-run, but Nanashima grounds to short to end the inning.
It's actually been a clean games, with the sending home of Yamane being the only blemish. Shiritsu Wakayama holds a tenuous 1-0 lead as we hit the break.
Top 6th
Nanashima seems to have settled down after the break as none of the balls hit by the 4-5-6 batters gets out of the infield.
Bottom 6th
Meantime Akao is continuing to keep the Kanoya batters off the bases, striking out Kawasaki on a fastball cutting the outside corner. He then gets some help when Yamane ranges behind 2nd to grab a hit from Hakiai. The throw takes a bounce, but the head-slide buys it more time for it to get there for the out.
Tokushige manages to get a 2-out hit to center, but can't make anything of it as Kihara grounds to 2nd for the 3rd out
Top 7th
Nanashima has really found his tempo as he's hitting his spots and getting bad contact. Yes, he backs Abe out with a ball inside, but its the old in and out trick and Abe just waves at a ball outside for the 1st out.
Tanaka and Akao follow right behind and Nanashima has his 2nd consecutive clean inning.
Bottom 7th
One down in Kanoya's lucky 7, and Oota turns the ball back up the middle for a base hit. Yamamoto-kantoku elects to go for the one time shot with a sac bunt.
Ah, but Yamashita rolls a ball over to 2nd and the side is retired! Nothing doing in the lucky 7 and they're down to their last 6 outs.
Top 8th
Nanashima's streak of retired batters ends at 10 when he walks Yamaguchi with 2 down. He quickly turns around and gets Setoguchi to fly out to right to end the inning.
Bottom 8th
That'll be it for Nanashima, #13 Nishimura comes in to PH for him to lead off the 8th.
The strategy pays off as Nishimura lines a fastball to left for a base hit! He's replaced immediately by #17 Hiromori at 1B. Kawasaki lays a bunt up the 1st base line and the douten runner is in scoring position.
Hakiai goes after the first pitch, grounds to 3rd. Hiromori can't advance and there's 2 down.
Tokushige base hit up the middle! They're sending Hiromori home! Throw from Yamaguchi cut off! He scores, but Akao goes back to 2nd where they get Tokushige for the 3rd out.
BUT! We have a whole new ballgame as we head to the 9th!
Top 9th
With Nanashima gone, #10 Yonezawa comes in for PR Moriyama and takes the hill.
Kokubo shot to 3rd, Tokushige tries to backhand, but it deflects away and Kokubo is on with a base hit. Nakayama bunts him along.
And now it's Shiritsu Wakayama's turn to send in a PH. #7 Ooshima comes to hit for Abe.
Ooshima goes down swinging, but the ball gets away from Kawauchi! He scrambles to get the ball up the 3rd base line and fires wide! Oota makes the catch and tag though an d there's 2 down. But Kokubo advances another 90 feet to 3rd...
That brings up Tanaka to try and break the tie...
Grounder to short! Hakiai with the grab, throw to 1st... Oota makes a great stretch to get the ball and the side is retired!
Bottom 9th
Ooshima stays in the game at RF.
Kihara and Kawauchi both retired quickly and we look to be headed for enchousen when Oota hits a single to left.
And now Kanda hits a ball back up the middle and the sayonara run is in scoring position!
Yamashita doesn't seem anxious to swing, gets ahead 2-1 before going after a ball inside to level the count.
Base hit to left! Oota being waved around??!!
Throw home from Kokubo... easily in time and while Oota evades the tag the first time, he's got nowhere to go and we're headed to enchousen!
Top 10th
Yonezawa doing well in relief so far, getting Akao to swing over a slider for the first out.
Of course I say that and then he loses Yamane to a walk. And now Nishiyama singles through the left side! Gyakuten runner in scoring position as Yamamoto-kantoku calls time. #11 Sorachi is scrambled to the bullpen.
Liner from Nishiyama! Right to Hakiai! Yamane can only look up in frustration as he's doubled off to end the inning!!
Bottom 10th
Yonezawa hard hit to right side, but Yamane make a great pick! Throw to 1st and there's 1 down! Nice play on the bad hop!
Akao retires Kawasaki and Hakiai for a clean inning, and we're headed to the 11th.
Top 11th
Setoguchi gives the ball a ride, but right to Yamashita. Kokubo does the same, but this time to Kihara.
It's not a clean inning though because Yonezawa issues his 2nd walk to Nakayama.
Handa-kantoku with the hit-and-run again, but Ooshima grounds to Hakiai to end the inning.
Bottom 11th
Tokushige with another base hit back up the middle and Kanoya Chuo is in business!
Kihara swinging, but it's a ball right to Setoguchi! He goes to 2nd for one, throw back to Setoguchi, double play! Kihara hits into the 3-6-3 double play and there's suddenly 2 outs!
Kawauchi flies out to center and we move onto the 12th!
Top 12th
The teams are searching for any momentum as Tanaka takes the first pitch and flies out to left.
Akao can't get anything going and goes down swinging.
It's 1-2-3 for Wakayama as Yamane hits a swinging bunt that Kawauchi fields for the 3rd out.
Bottom 12th
Oota grounder to short, but Nishiyama muffs the ball! Nakayama backs up, but it's too late!
Kanda lays down a hard bunt, but Akao's play is still to 1st. Sayonara runner on in scoring position.
Yamashita base hit through the right side! Oota rounding 3rd, is held up as Ooshima gets the ball in. Sayonara runner 90 feet away as Handa-kantoku calls time...
Yonezawa grounder to 2nd!! Yamane with the ball, goes to 1st??!!
Yamane goes to 1st and Oota scores the sayonara run...
Oh boy....
What do you even say? It's obvious what happened. Yamane lost track of the outs, threw to the wrong bag, and Kanoya Chuo walks off 2-1...
There isn't any joy in this win either. Kanoya Chuo got a break, and Yamane is completely broken. The cameras are all focused on him for obvious reasons, but all he wants to do is hide.
You just never want to see a game end this way. 12 hard fought innings with both sides playing great baseball... and then the game ends on something like this. All he can do is apologize, and probably wonder that his legacy will be remembered for that one play.
It shouldn't. It really shouldn't...
Notable Players
Nanashima Takuya (Kanoya Chuo) - 8 IP, ER, 6 H, 4 K, 2 BB
Yonezawa Yuuya (Kanoya Chuo) - 4 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 3 K, 2 BB
Yamashita Ryouta (Kanoya Chuo) - 3-5
Tokushige Jin (Kanoya Chuo) - 3-5, RBI
Akao Chihiro (Shiritsu Wakayama) - 11.2 IP, 2 ER, 12 H, 2 K, BB, HBP
Kokubo Kyoushou (Shiritsu Wakayama) -2-5, 2B, R
Chiben Wakayama's grip on Wakayama prefecture may be nearing an end. Last year they couldn't even get out of the round of 16, then this year Shiritsu Wakayama - perhaps with more confidence then usual given last year's result went toe-to-toe, staving off elimination in enchousen before winning in 12 innings. That meant that Chiben failed to reach Koushien for the 2nd straight year, and the last time that happened was back in 1994-95!
Shiritsu Wakayama (Wakayama)
SS Nishiyama Shouma
CF Yamaguchi Seigo
1B Setoguchi Rei
LF Kokubo Kyoushou (#9)
3B Nakayama Shouta
RF Abe Kazumasa (#13)
C Tanaka Yuuta
P Akao Chihiro
2B Yamane Shouki
Kanoya Chuo (Kagoshima)
LF Kawasaki Kenshirou
SS Hakiai Shunichirou
3B Tokushige Jin
RF Kihara Satoshi
C Kawauchi Daiki
1B Oota Takeshi
2B Kanda Kouta
CF Yamashita Ryouta
P Nanashima Takuya
____________________________________________________________
10:45 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Nishiyama with a ball to left center! He's in with a leadoff double! Handa-kantoku has Yamaguchi bunt him over to 3rd.
Things are shaky for Nanashima early as he walks Tokushige.
He takes off for 2nd! Throw from Kawauchi in plenty of time, and the dancing around won't help! 2 down!
And Kokubo grounds back to Nanashima and Nishiyama is stranded at 3rd!
Bottom 1st
One down and Hakiai reaches down on a slider and lines one to left for a base hit.
Tokushige though with a grounder to short. Nishiyama goes to 2nd, throws it away! It goes to right and Hakiai goes to 3rd! Kanoya threatening right back with runners at the corners!
And now Akao hits Kihara! Manrui for Kanoya Chuo as Kawauchi steps in!
But he hits a grounder to 2nd! Yamane starts the 4-6-3 double play and the side is retired! Both aces are in trouble in the opening frame but both get out of the jam!
Top 2nd
It's a real quick inning for Nanashima in the 2nd. He needs just 8 pitches to retire the side in order, and he puts his team back on the sticks.
Bottom 2nd
Oota tries to inside out a ball, but flies out to Abe for the 1st out.
Kanda with a solid single past a diving Nishiyama for a base hit.
Yamamoto-kantoku tries the hit-and-run! But Yamashita hits it right to 2nd! Yamane again starts the 4-6-3 double play and the side is retired once again!
Top 3rd
Akao looks to help his own cause with a leadoff single through the left side.
Yamane lays down a great bunt, but Nanashima fires to 2nd! He cuts down the lead runner with a great play!
Handa-kantoku puts on the hit-and-run, but Nishiyama flies out to left for the 2nd out.
Yamaguchi straightens out his swing after just lining one foul, and it goes fair down the left field line! Yamane heading to 3rd, being waved home! Relay throw... in plenty of time and he's thrown out to end the inning!
Boy, that was a base running mistake there by Shiritsu Wakayama...
Bottom 3rd
The game is flying along as Kanoya tries to scrap together a base hit. Kawasaki tries a safety bunt with one down, but that fails as Akao has a 9 pitch inning.
Top 4th
One down for Kokubo and he hits a single to left. No wait! He's heading for 2nd! Kihara scrambles to get the ball in, but Kokubo catches the defense off guard and he's in with a hustle double!
Nakayama slicer down the left field line.. fair! Kawasaki has to run it down, but Kokubo scores from 2nd and Shiritsu Wakayama takes the lead! 1-0!
Nanashima retires the next 2 batters, but back-to-back doubles give Wakayama the lead!
Bottom 4th
One down, Kihara goes into a long AB vs Akao. He finally wins, drawing a walk on the 10th pitch of the AB.
Kawauchi trying to lay down the bunt, fails, and now there's 2 strikes.
They try the hit-and-run, but Kawauchi reaches down and lines one right to Nishiyama who doubles off Kihara for another inning-ending double play!
Top 5th
After recording his 3rd K, Nanashima leaves a slider over the plate and Yamane takes it down the right field line for a double!
Comebacker by Nishiyama! Nanashima snags it! He looks Yamane back and goes to 1st for the out!
Another comebacker to Nanashima! He gets a glove on it, it deflects to Kanda who makes the play at 1st for the 3rd out!
Bottom 5th
Oota fooled mightily on a slider, just gets the bat on the ball and grounds to 2nd. Akao gets his 2nd K as put a fastball perfectly on the outside corner to get Kanda.
Yamashita goes for the safety bunt, and Nishiyama has too much ground to cover! He's in safe with a head-sliding bunt single!
Handa-kantoku continues trying for the hit-and-run, but Nanashima grounds to short to end the inning.
It's actually been a clean games, with the sending home of Yamane being the only blemish. Shiritsu Wakayama holds a tenuous 1-0 lead as we hit the break.
Top 6th
Nanashima seems to have settled down after the break as none of the balls hit by the 4-5-6 batters gets out of the infield.
Bottom 6th
Meantime Akao is continuing to keep the Kanoya batters off the bases, striking out Kawasaki on a fastball cutting the outside corner. He then gets some help when Yamane ranges behind 2nd to grab a hit from Hakiai. The throw takes a bounce, but the head-slide buys it more time for it to get there for the out.
Tokushige manages to get a 2-out hit to center, but can't make anything of it as Kihara grounds to 2nd for the 3rd out
Top 7th
Nanashima has really found his tempo as he's hitting his spots and getting bad contact. Yes, he backs Abe out with a ball inside, but its the old in and out trick and Abe just waves at a ball outside for the 1st out.
Tanaka and Akao follow right behind and Nanashima has his 2nd consecutive clean inning.
Bottom 7th
One down in Kanoya's lucky 7, and Oota turns the ball back up the middle for a base hit. Yamamoto-kantoku elects to go for the one time shot with a sac bunt.
Ah, but Yamashita rolls a ball over to 2nd and the side is retired! Nothing doing in the lucky 7 and they're down to their last 6 outs.
Top 8th
Nanashima's streak of retired batters ends at 10 when he walks Yamaguchi with 2 down. He quickly turns around and gets Setoguchi to fly out to right to end the inning.
Bottom 8th
That'll be it for Nanashima, #13 Nishimura comes in to PH for him to lead off the 8th.
The strategy pays off as Nishimura lines a fastball to left for a base hit! He's replaced immediately by #17 Hiromori at 1B. Kawasaki lays a bunt up the 1st base line and the douten runner is in scoring position.
Hakiai goes after the first pitch, grounds to 3rd. Hiromori can't advance and there's 2 down.
Tokushige base hit up the middle! They're sending Hiromori home! Throw from Yamaguchi cut off! He scores, but Akao goes back to 2nd where they get Tokushige for the 3rd out.
BUT! We have a whole new ballgame as we head to the 9th!
Top 9th
With Nanashima gone, #10 Yonezawa comes in for PR Moriyama and takes the hill.
Kokubo shot to 3rd, Tokushige tries to backhand, but it deflects away and Kokubo is on with a base hit. Nakayama bunts him along.
And now it's Shiritsu Wakayama's turn to send in a PH. #7 Ooshima comes to hit for Abe.
Ooshima goes down swinging, but the ball gets away from Kawauchi! He scrambles to get the ball up the 3rd base line and fires wide! Oota makes the catch and tag though an d there's 2 down. But Kokubo advances another 90 feet to 3rd...
That brings up Tanaka to try and break the tie...
Grounder to short! Hakiai with the grab, throw to 1st... Oota makes a great stretch to get the ball and the side is retired!
Bottom 9th
Ooshima stays in the game at RF.
Kihara and Kawauchi both retired quickly and we look to be headed for enchousen when Oota hits a single to left.
And now Kanda hits a ball back up the middle and the sayonara run is in scoring position!
Yamashita doesn't seem anxious to swing, gets ahead 2-1 before going after a ball inside to level the count.
Base hit to left! Oota being waved around??!!
Throw home from Kokubo... easily in time and while Oota evades the tag the first time, he's got nowhere to go and we're headed to enchousen!
Top 10th
Yonezawa doing well in relief so far, getting Akao to swing over a slider for the first out.
Of course I say that and then he loses Yamane to a walk. And now Nishiyama singles through the left side! Gyakuten runner in scoring position as Yamamoto-kantoku calls time. #11 Sorachi is scrambled to the bullpen.
Liner from Nishiyama! Right to Hakiai! Yamane can only look up in frustration as he's doubled off to end the inning!!
Bottom 10th
Yonezawa hard hit to right side, but Yamane make a great pick! Throw to 1st and there's 1 down! Nice play on the bad hop!
Akao retires Kawasaki and Hakiai for a clean inning, and we're headed to the 11th.
Top 11th
Setoguchi gives the ball a ride, but right to Yamashita. Kokubo does the same, but this time to Kihara.
It's not a clean inning though because Yonezawa issues his 2nd walk to Nakayama.
Handa-kantoku with the hit-and-run again, but Ooshima grounds to Hakiai to end the inning.
Bottom 11th
Tokushige with another base hit back up the middle and Kanoya Chuo is in business!
Kihara swinging, but it's a ball right to Setoguchi! He goes to 2nd for one, throw back to Setoguchi, double play! Kihara hits into the 3-6-3 double play and there's suddenly 2 outs!
Kawauchi flies out to center and we move onto the 12th!
Top 12th
The teams are searching for any momentum as Tanaka takes the first pitch and flies out to left.
Akao can't get anything going and goes down swinging.
It's 1-2-3 for Wakayama as Yamane hits a swinging bunt that Kawauchi fields for the 3rd out.
Bottom 12th
Oota grounder to short, but Nishiyama muffs the ball! Nakayama backs up, but it's too late!
Kanda lays down a hard bunt, but Akao's play is still to 1st. Sayonara runner on in scoring position.
Yamashita base hit through the right side! Oota rounding 3rd, is held up as Ooshima gets the ball in. Sayonara runner 90 feet away as Handa-kantoku calls time...
Yonezawa grounder to 2nd!! Yamane with the ball, goes to 1st??!!
Yamane goes to 1st and Oota scores the sayonara run...
Oh boy....
What do you even say? It's obvious what happened. Yamane lost track of the outs, threw to the wrong bag, and Kanoya Chuo walks off 2-1...
There isn't any joy in this win either. Kanoya Chuo got a break, and Yamane is completely broken. The cameras are all focused on him for obvious reasons, but all he wants to do is hide.
You just never want to see a game end this way. 12 hard fought innings with both sides playing great baseball... and then the game ends on something like this. All he can do is apologize, and probably wonder that his legacy will be remembered for that one play.
It shouldn't. It really shouldn't...
Notable Players
Nanashima Takuya (Kanoya Chuo) - 8 IP, ER, 6 H, 4 K, 2 BB
Yonezawa Yuuya (Kanoya Chuo) - 4 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 3 K, 2 BB
Yamashita Ryouta (Kanoya Chuo) - 3-5
Tokushige Jin (Kanoya Chuo) - 3-5, RBI
Akao Chihiro (Shiritsu Wakayama) - 11.2 IP, 2 ER, 12 H, 2 K, BB, HBP
Kokubo Kyoushou (Shiritsu Wakayama) -2-5, 2B, R
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