高校野球 (Kokoyakyu)

Well, that was slighty better in terms of a competitive game. Perhaps we're rounding into form.
Both of these schools are making their first appearance, and their form doesn't really have any landmark games except for Hiroshima Shinjyou defeating Jyosuikan. Both teams were dominant in prefecture, but again versus weaker competition it's hard to find a favorite.

Hiroshima Shinjyou (Hiroshima)
2B Sugimura Hiroyoshi
LF Ogasawara Shin (#14)
SS Iwamoto Takuya
CF Fujimoto Tatsuki
C Toumetsuka Takashi
1B Sadanaga Masaaki
RF Kitatani Shougo (#17)
3B Koizumi Tokio
P Hori Mizuki

Kasumigaura (Ibaraki)
LF Satou Takumi
1B Hotate Ryou (#13)
RF Sekiguchi Jyunosuke
CF Shimizu Tatsuki
P Ayabe Shou
SS Ogawa Shouhei
C Saitou Tomonori
2B Mashiko Yuuya
3B Iimura Shouta

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10:30 - First pitch!

Top 1st
Ayabe working really quickly, needs just 10 pitches to get a 1-2-3 inning. Fastball pretty much average in speed.

Bottom 1st
Not a good start for Hori on the flipside. Leadoff walk, and then when Hotate can't lay down the bunt, he singles to center instead.

But after a sac bunt, it's another contact play. The result leaves the runners in place as Iwamoto starts the rundown, but it's all not necessary.

Worse yet, Ayabe is walked to load the bases.

Somehow though Hori gets Ogawa to chase a ball outside to end the inning.

Top 2nd
Man, those leadoff walks will get you every time. Ayabe issues one, and then after several attempts at a hit-and-run including a scorcher just foul past the 3rd base bag, Sadanaga drives a ball to the right center field wall for a triple And Hiroshima Shinjyou is up 1-0.

Kitatani with a single to center! That scores Sadanaga and it's 2-0 just like that. Takahashi-kantoku calls for time.

Ayabe limits the damage to just that, but as we've seen so far the team that falls behind has work to do.

3rd Inning
Sugimura with a leadoff hit to right that gets him to 2nd after Sekiguchi fails to field the ball cleanly. But when Ogasawara whifs on a bunt, he's caught too far off the bag and thrown out.
Sakoda-kantoku responds by replacing him with #89 Katou, who doubles to center.

Despite an error that allows a runner to get on base, Ayabe gets away with no damage.

However, the offense is unable to get the timely hit. Hotate adds a double to his single, but can't advance any further.

4th Inning
Ayabe seemingly flirting with disaster every inning. A 1-out and 2-out single put him at risk again, but he sneaks out of it with a flyout to right.

Kasumigaura at risk of a 1-2-3 inning when Saitou bounces one off the top of the padding in dead center for a double.

Mashiko singles to left, and new LF Katou flubs the ball! Saitou comes around to score and it's 2-1!

That's all they get, but Kasumigaura is starting to boom he ball, as shown in Iimura's loud 3rd out to center.

Bottom 5th
After a quick 1-2-3 inning for Shinjyou, Kasumigaura continues their booming ways. Hotate gets his 3rd hit of the game, and 2nd double, when he pounds a ball to left center. Sekiguchi follows that up with a single through the right side. Runners at the corners, and Sakoda-kantoku calling time again.

Shinjyou looks for the squeeze, but instead Shimizu takes the ball the other way to left for a game tying single! We're  at 2-2 and Shinjyou looks like they're on their heels now!

Throw in an error and it would be manrui with 2 out. Saitou grounds to 2nd though and Hori prevents Kasumigaura from taking the lead.

I believe we have our first decent game of the tournament.

Top 6th
That break came at the right time for Hiroshima Shinjyou. Back-to-back base hits by Toumetsuka and Sadanaga put Kasumigaura in a bind.

Now on 2nd and 3rd, Shinjyou does the contact play, and this time it pays off. Runner scores to give them back the lead at 3-2.

They then try the squeeze, but Hotate alertly pushed the ball home with his glove and gets the tag at home.

But they press on and Sugimura re-establishes the 2-run lead.as he singles to center. That knocks Ayabe out of the game as #10 Adaka comes in. He closes out the inning, but they're back to where they started.

Bottom 6th
Mashiko gets on thanks to an error, but while he's advanced to 2nd, he goes no further. Even Hotate, who was 3-3 is retired to end the inning.

7th-8th Inning
The lucky 7 is anything but as Fujimoto is caught napping off of 1st, and Shimizu gets on base, but ends up in a strike em out throw em out double play.

The game is now at the point where it is just marching to the end with Kasumigaura on the wrong side of the ledger. The 8th comes and goes with the only thing to report being ace Hori cramping up.

Bottom 9th
With a walk to lead off the 9th, Kasumigaura presses on. #16 Katou runs for Iimura, and #18 Nemoto bats for Satou. He almost hits into a DP, but beats out the throw.

Hotate gives more hope when he gets his 4th hit. But they're down to their last out needing a base hit  The tying run now at 2nd after Sekiguchi grounds to 1st.

Shimizu flies out to center though, and while there is some drama, Hiroshima Shinjyou advances with a 4-2 win.