And finally we have Osaka Touin retaking the field, licking their chops perhaps because there are some teams that are not here that might make their title defense all that much easier.
Their opening game was a non-starter really. Against Nihon Bunri they pounded out 10 runs on 14 hits, including a pair of HRs by Mori and another from Kinden. No surprise that the team can hit.
About the only weakness they have is their pitching. Kuzukawa did not look all that impressive, but even if his location wasn't good, he wasn't missing in the wrong spots.
Hikawa had a 4-2 win over Minoshima in the first game, blasting HRs of their own. But outside of those, hits were hard to come by. And with Yamada only doing average, they've turned the ball over to lefty #11 Saigusa. They'll need all the help they can get against the defending champions...
Hikawa (Yamanashi)
1B Sano Yuugo
3B Mikami ?
SS Hirose Katsumi
LF Yamagata Shouichi
RF Yamada Motoki (#1)
CF Sano Takuya
P Saigusa Ryouji (#11)
C Yamamoto Yuuga
2B Teramoto Shunya
Osaka Touin (Osaka)
LF Minemoto Takumi (#4)
CF Takagi Toshiki
C Mori Tomoya
1B Kinden Takuya
2B Katsuki Kazuya (#14)
3B Kasamatsu Yuuya
RF Fukumori Hiroto (#7)
SS Mizutani Yukiya
P Kuzukawa Tomoya
____________________________________________________________
15:45 - First Pitch
Top 1st
Well, the control issues still seem to be there. Yuugo stands in works count full before flying out to center. Mikami also works the count as best he can but grounds out to Kasamatsu. Hirose with another grounder to Katsuki ends the inning.
Bottom 1st
Oh this is scary. Saigusa with average velo (low-mid 130s) and throwing a lot of offspeed pitches (curve, forkball, slider).
Minemoto out in front, grounds out to Yuugo for the first out.
Takagi gets a hold of a slider, but right to Teramoto for the 2nd out.
Now it gets interesting as Mori steps in.
No fastballs for Mori, oh there's one. Saigusa manages to get to 2-2.
SANSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mori way out and front of a forkball and spins into the ground! Well, at least for one inning Saigusa looks good!
Top 2nd
Yamagata with drive to right! Fukumori going back towards the fence, lays out! Goes off the fence! He scrambles to get it back in but Yamagata is in with a leadoff double!
No bunt from cleanup batter Yamada, but chops on to the left side allowing Yamagata to advance.
And it looks like Hikawa's not going to squeeze as Takuya takes a couple of pitches.
SQUEEZE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was wrong! He pops a bunt that goes over a charging Kuzukawa! It falls behind him! Mizutani behind play bobbles ball and everyone's safe! 1-0 Hikawa!
Saigusa with a comebacker to Kuzukawa that he knocks down but briefly loses sight of! Finds it and goes to 1st for the 2nd out.
Ah, but Ikeya-kantoku presses action! Takuya heads for 3rd, but Mori has the strong arm, and he's thrown out to end the inning.
Bottom 2nd
Kinden with drive to right! Yamada running back, reaches out, off the glove!
But he recovers to make the catch! He actually tips it to himself! Nice play!
Katsuki not impressed singles though the left side. Then takes off for 2nd right when Saigusa uncorks a wild pitch. Stays at 2nd though.
Kasamatsu goes after a forkball, but grounds to short.
And Fukumori with a soft liner up the 1st base line, Yuugo leaps and makes the catch to retire the side.
Top 3rd
Bottom of the order attacking Kuzukawa. Well, trying anyways.
Yamamoto goes on the first pitch and grounds out to Kinden. Teramoto soon follows with a flyout to center.
Yuugo though gets the 2nd hit for Hikawa with a single to left. That is short lived because Mikami tries for the safety bunt and is thrown out to end the inning.
Bottom 3rd
Mizutani another K victim of Saigusa's forkball as he's out in front.
Kuzukawa makes contact, but just a grounder to 3rd. And Kuzukawa connects on a slider, but hits easy fly to Yamada to end inning
Top 4th
Hirose up and he gets caught looking on a slider over the heart of the plate for the first out.
Yamagata up and no fatsballs for him now as Kuzukawa slowly works count full.
...Then puts a fastball right over for his 2nd K this inning.
Yamada also working the count, runs it full, but becomes Kuzukawa's 3rd K victim as he chases the high fastball.
Bottom 4th
Takagi patient against Saigusa, works count full, but goes after slider inside and grounds right to Yuugo for out #1.
Mori up for his 2nd AB, Saigusa not giving him a whole lot to go on, but on a 3-1 slider Saigusa leaves it too much inside and Mori is able to chop it past a diving Teramoto for a base hit.
Against Kinden, Saigusa is the same way, nothing in the middle of the plate, everything on the edges. And once again behind 3-0 catches 2 strikes to fill up the count.
SANSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kinden reaches out and spins on a forkball and there's 2 out!
Ah, but now it gets a little dicier as Saigusa throws one away! Mori heads to 2nd!
Hohohohoho!!!
Katsuki can only sigh as he heads back to the dugout, yet another victim of Saigusa's forkball!
Top 5th
Takuya with a bounder over Kuzukawa for a base hit!
Oh! Saigusa hit on the hand by a pitch as he goes for the bunt! Chance for Hikawa but which hand did Saigusa get hit?
Yamamoto trying to lay down the bunt, but fails to and falls behind 1-2.
Hit-and-run!! Yamamoto barely spoils the pitch!
Sanshin! Kuzukawa gets him on a curve for the first out. #9 batter Teramoto up, what will they do?
Doesn't look like a bunt now.
But Kuzukawa missing with his pitches goes behind 3-0 before finally getting a strike.
Hit-and-run!! Teramoto makes contact, but it's a chopper to 3rd. Kasamatsu goes to 1st for the out.
And Kuzukawa gets out of the inning! Yuugo jammed grounds to Katsuki and the inning is over!
Bottom 5th
The list of names succumbing to the forkball increases as Kasamatsu swings and misses on one.
Fukumori collects just the team's 3rd hit with a single to left.
Mizutani feigning both bunt and swing. Which one is it?
Hit-and-run! Mizutani singles down the right field line... fair!! Yamada quickly runs it down and gets it in, but there's 2 runners in scoring position! Ikeya-kantoku calls time...
Hikawa playing with napalm here as they basically intentionally walk Kuzukawa to create the force.
But it turns over the lineup to Minemoto.
Grounder to 3rd! Mikami double clutches!! Goes to 2nd for 1, relay from Teramoto, Yuugo goes full splits....
OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
They get Minemoto by the slimmest of margins and the side is retired!!!
WOW.
Hikawa heads into the dugout leading 1-0 over defending champions Osaka Touin as we hit the mid-game break!
But you have to figure there will be pressure on Hikawa the rest of the game...
Top 6th
Mikami with grounder to 2nd, takes high hop and goes by Katsuki for a base hit!
Wait, they just smoothed out the dirt out there.. how did that happen?
Hirose bunts him along for Yamagata.
Gets a slider off the end of the bat and still powers it to center for a base hit! Mikami stops at 3rd and Osaka Touin in a pinch!
Yamada up and Osaka Touin expecting pinch, wastes 2 pitches.
Swinging!
But he's way out in front of a slider and grounds right to Mizutani! 6-4...
3! Double play! Yamada can't get to 1st in time and the chance goes begging!
Bottom 6th
Saigusa falls behind 3-0, then once again gets 2 pitches in the zone to fill up the count.
But he throws a 55' ball that fools no one and gives up his first leadoff runner...
...with Mori and Kinden coming up.
They've been able to pitch around one of them, but with a runner on base, they can't do it.
Nevertheless Saigusa doesn't give in to Mori, despite falling behind and walks him.
But that will be the end of Saigusa as Yamada comes in from RF to take the hill. #9 Saitou comes in for Saigusa to play right.
AH! And he hits Kinden! Manrui Osaka Touin!
Yamada really behind it now as he falls behind Kasamatsu 3-0! But he fights back to fill up the count.
Grounder to 2nd, AHHH!!!!
Teramoto, spins away from a collision with Kinden but then he misses the ball and it goes into right! Takagi and Mori score and Osaka Touin takes 2-1 lead! What a bad break!
Oddly enough, had Teramoto collided with Kinden, runner interference might have been called.
Still no out for Osaka Touin, but that changes when Kasamatsu tries to bunt, and fails...
Fukumori swinging away lines out to 3rd, Mikami then doubles off Kinden for the double play, but the damage has been done.
Top 7th
Hikawa in the wrong part of their lineup to mount a comeback. Takuya is 1-2 on the day, but flies out to center.
Saitou and Yamamoto go down quickly thereafter and the upset looks to be over.
Bottom 7th
Yes, the game has turned into Osaka Touin favor for good it looks like.
Kuzukawa draws a 1-out walk and takes 2nd on a wild pitch. Minemoto singles to left and there's runners at the corners.
Takagi with a short bounder to the left side, Hirose charges in, but his throw to 1st is late and everyone's safe! Kuzukawa scores to make it a 3-1 ballgame.
Yamada strikes out Mori and Kinden to end the inning, but it is of little consequence at this point.
Top 8th
Teramoto up, drives one to center. Takagi coming in, scrambles back, leaps! It's over his head! Teramoto headed to 2nd and he stops there! Wait, it went over his head and he only got a double out of it?
Yuugo showing bunt, but winds up swinging and grounds to 2nd. Does advance runner to 3rd.
Mikami swinging away, grounder up middle! Past the drawn in defense and into center! Teramoto scores to make it a 3-2 ballgame!
Hirose up, not bunting, but it's a hit-and-run! Mikami misses on the fastball, but Mori's throw to 2nd is offline!
Yamagata drive to left... FOUL! Now behind 1-2.
SANSHIN!!!
Yamagata can only show exasperation as the douten run is left at 2nd.
Bottom 8th
Katsuki opens the 8th with a blooper just beyond both Hirose and Yamagata.
Nishitani-kantoku goes for the hit-and-run, but Kasamatsu lines to 1st! Yuugo tags Katsuki for the double play!
However Fukumori bloops his own ball, this time to the right side.
Mizutani gets his first hit, hitting a ball back up the middle! Fukumori goes to 3rd, and Takuya's throw is errant! Mizutani heads to 2nd and now the force is only at 1st as Ikeya-kantoku calls time.
Kuzukawa up looking to help his own cause.
But Yamada freezes him on a fastball to retire the side.
Top 9th
However, Hikawa is down to their last 3 outs...
Yamada chops a grounder that gets by Kinden and into right! Douten runner on for Hikawa!
Bunt-and-run! Takuya barely gets a piece of it.
Safety bunt! But he fouls it off and is now behind 1-2.
Buster!!
He just makes contact and sends it to the left side! Mizutani was heading to 2nd and the ball goes through! Runners at 1st and 2nd for Hikawa for Saitou.
And he's not bunting!
Oh wait, shows it at 1-1 and takes ball 2.
Hit and run! But Saitou misses!! Mori goes to 2nd and Yamada gives up! Takuya is able to advance to 2nd but there's 1 down!
Takes a close ball 3. Full count!
Check swing, goes around! 2 out!
It comes down to Yamamoto.
Grounder to 2nd. Katsuki with it, no, fumbles it, and again... AND AGAIN!!
He loses the play at first, but doesn't notice Takuya coming home!! Throw from Kasuki...
SAFE!!!! SAFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OMG WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!?!?!?!?
A routine grounder turns into a tie game! Hikawa gambles and wins on the error! We're tied at 3-3!!
Teramoto flies out to left, but more importantly for Hikawa... they're still alive!!
Bottom 9th
Yamada to hold the tie.
Minemoto goes down swinging... Takagi on a bad swing softly lines out to Hirose.
Osaka Touin pressing it seems, Mori with a ball to center, but the park holds it and Takuya makes the catch for the 3rd out!
We're headed to enchousen!
Top 10th
One down for Hikawa and Mikami lines a single over Mizutani for a base hit!
Hirose not bunting, but pops it up! Kinden in foul territory makes the catch for the 2nd out!
BAM! Yamagata with a ball to deep left... FOUL! Whoo~~
Yamagata behind 1-2 again...
SANSHIN!!!!
Once again he lets out a sigh as he chases another ball outside for the 3rd out.
Bottom 10th
Kinden also pressing, gets jammed and fouls out to Mikami.
Ah! Yamada hits Katsuki and the sayonara runner is on base!
Hit-and-run!!
Kasamatsu single to right! Katsuki heads to 3rd and the sayonara run is 90 feet away!
Ikeya-kantoku calls time.
Looks like they're going to pitch to Fukumori.
Jammed! But Teramoto scrambles back... dives...
Falls in! Katsuki comes in, sayonara Osaka Touin!!
Osaka Touin survives a scare from Hikawa (twice!) to win 4-3 in 10 innings. Perhaps one could argue that Osaka Touin should have won in 9. One could have said that Hikawa might have had interference had Teramoto and Kinden collided.
Sadly for Hikawa, they wind up on the losing end of a game where they certainly had a chance, and perhaps could have/should have won.
Yeah, I know, it's really sad for the Hikawa players because their season is over. But really, all things considered they played a really great game and should not be disappointed in their result.
For Osaka Touin, this was a fight that perhaps they weren't expecting. A team from Yamanashi? Challenging them?
And yet they almost lost.
Will this be a wakeup call?
It'd better be, because they draw Mietoku Gijyuku in their next game!
Notable Players
Kuzukawa Tomoya (Osaka Touin) - 10 IP, 10 H, 7 K, HBP
Fukumori Hiroto (Osaka Touin) - 3-5, GW RBI
Mizutani Yukiya (Osaka Touin) - 2-4, 2B
Saigusa Ryouji (Hikawa) - 5+ IP, 2 R, 0 ER, 4 H, 5 K, 3 BB
Yamada Motoki (Hikawa) - 4.1+IP, 2 ER, 7 H, 5 K, BB, 2 HBP
Mikami ? (Hikawa) - 3-5, RBI, SB
Sano Takuya (Hikawa) - 2-4, R, RBI
Showing posts with label Hikawa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hikawa. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Day 1 - Game 3 - Hikawa (Yamanashi) vs. Minoshima (Wakayama)
..
Hikawa (Yamanashi)
SS Hirose Katsumi
3B Mikami ?
P Yamada Motoki
LF Yamagata Shouichi
1B Sano Yuugo
CF Sano Takuya
RF Saitou Susumu
C Yamamoto Yuuga
2B Teramoto Shunya
Minoshima (Wakayama)
CF Morishita Yuuto
3B Ageto Ryouta
SS Nakanishi Akito
RF Yamashita Takuma
LF Ueno Kouki
2B Izumi Hiromu
1B Murata Takumi
P Susami Shouma
C Kenjyou Shuuin
____________________________________________________________
15:40 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Not a bad start for Susami as he gets Hirose to chase for the first out. Mikami though follows that up with a hard liner that Ueno needs to track down..
Uh oh...
Ace Yamada with a drive to left! Ueno running back to the wall..
HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Must be a day for HR's as Yamada gives Hikawa the 1-0 lead as the ball lands in the netting!
Yamagata flies out to fairly deep right, and I wonder if Susami might be in a bit of trouble today...
Bottom 1st
Not a good start either for Yamada as he seems to be flying open and his balls are going wide and he walks Morishita after running the count full. Ageto bunts him promptly to 2nd.
Yamada seems the run of the mill ace with a fastball in the high 130s-low 140s and a slider that Nakanishi just chased for the 2nd out in the low 120s.
Yamada's wildness continues as he goes up and in hitting Yamashita. Chance for Minoshima, but Ueno prefers not to wait - swinging on the first pitch and grounding to Hirose who goes the short way to 2nd for the 3rd out.
Top 2nd
Outside of the HR, Susami hasn't looked that bad. Fastball in the mid-upper 130s, as Yuugo strikes out swinging... and a slider in the high 110s-low 120s.
Takuya gets frozen on a fastball for the 2nd out, and Saitou pops out to Kenjyou near the back screen for the 3rd out.
Bottom 2nd
On the other hand, Yamada's control still seems a bit off. After inducing a groundout to Izumi, he falls behind Murata before working the count full and getting him to chase a slider down and in for the 2nd out.
Susami is not waiting for Yamada to hang himself, he's swinging away, fouling pitches but not necessarily making good contact. And what happens instead? He's frozen on a fastball on the outside corner for strike 3. Side retired.
Top 3rd
Yamamoto starts off the 3rd with a liner back up the middle into center. Ikeya-kantoku calls for the bunt for #9 batter Teramoto, who obliges.
Hikawa meanwhile plays their own version of "Keio Chance" as Hirose steps in.
After a rather patient AB, Hirose singles back up the middle! Morishita fires it home, but way high! Susami backing up play catches it, but the throw allows Hirose to advance to 2nd. Susami in a pinch early...
Mikami up and has been feigning squeeze bunt to put pressure on the Minoshima battery. When he does swing away though he fouls the ball off and thus the count goes to 2-2 and he probably will swing away.
OR NOT.
Ikeya-kantoku goes for the squeeze, the pitch is way outside so that Mikami can't get it and it's a strike em out, run em out double play to end the inning. *sighs*
Bottom 3rd
For those wondering why I sigh, it's not because I'm rooting for Hikawa. It's because the squeeze bunt is used way too often for my liking in kokoyakyu. I don't mind it, but it's not a surprise when teams use it. In fact I think it's more expected.
Anywaya, Minoshima not wasting much time against Yamada. If you blinked, you missed the bottom of the 3rd.
Kenjyou flies out to left on the first pitch, Morishita grounds out to 1st and Ageto grounds to 3rd on a nice pick by Mikami. 6 pitches for 3 outs.
Top 4th
Susami cruising along as Yamada pops out to Murata in foul territory.
あ。
Yamagata with a blast to left center! Morishita chases it back to the wall.. looks up!
HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What is with Hikawa and HR's?! Yamada in the 1st and now Yamagata putting up some fireworks with a solid shot to left center and it's 2-0 Hikawa!
Yuugo follows that up with a ball to the left side! Nakanishi can only knock it down in the hole as his recovery and throw is late.
Ikeya-kantoku not going for the bunt this time, but instead goes for the hit-and-run as Takuya fouls it off. It's put on again, and fouled off again, and again.
This time, no hit-and-run, Yuugo takes off and the pitch is outside! Kenjyou has no throw! Now a base hit can possibly score a run!
Instead though Susami gets him to ground to short for the 2nd out. And Saitou flies out to center to end the inning. But Hikawa perhaps knowing if they win they have to play Osaka Touin are showing the bats themselves - though if they had them, perhaps they should have waited to spring it on them instead.
Bottom 4th
Nakanishi with a hard liner... right at Mikami for the first out. Yamada has a "look what I found" moment when a comebacker from Yamashita ends up in his glove.
Ueno though wants none of it! He hits a ball that goes through the left side for Minoshima's first hit! And a wild pitch from Yamada puts him into scoring position!
Izumi works the count full looking for a timely hit, but all he can do is look back at the umpire as he's called out on a fastball on the outside corner yet again! Yamada has settled down quite a bit since the opening innings.
Top 5th
Hikawa's ouen-dan plays Train-Train as Susami now has trouble finding the zone going behind 3-0 before firing a strike. He does get Yamamoto to ground to Nakanishi to start off the inning.
Teramoto, swinging away for the first time, goes down to hit the ball, and it's a decent liner - but it's right to Yamashita for the 2nd out.
えええええ？？！！
Hirose with a blast to left! No way. Not even possible.
HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now leadoff batter Hirose hits a HR into the alley in left and Susami can only shake his head as 3 of the 6 hits he's given up have been HRs. 3-0 Hikawa!
Mikami grounds out to 2nd, but if you can believe it, Hikawa has more HR's than Osaka Touin. Read that again.
Bottom 5th
So, a bit of work for Minoshima now. Murata with a gapper to left center gives his team a leadoff double! Bitou-kantoku will play for the run as Susami bunts the runner along.
Oh! Kenjyou with a blast to right center! Yakuya sprinting back, goes into a slide and makes the catch! He almost overruns it, but slides to slow down and make the great catch! Murata easily tags up to make it a 3-1 game.
Uh oh! Morishita with a low scorcher to the right side splits the defense and goes all the way to the wall for a triple! Minoshima in business once again!
あ！！！！！！！！！！！！
Yamada uncorks a wild pitch and Morishita comes in from 3rd to make it a 3-2 ballgame! Things are going all wrong for Hikawa here in the 5th!
And perhaps the break is coming at the right time as Ageto lines out to Teramoto to end the inning. But Minoshima has found something here, the question now is - can they continue it?
Top 6th
With new life (of sorts), Susami once again buckles down, jamming Yamada into a 6-3 groundout. Yamagata meanwhile continues his hot hitting with a liner to left.
And with 2 out, Yamagata is caught off 1st, but the throw from Kenjyou is dropped by Murata and he reaches 2nd safely!
AH!! Kenjyou throws it away! Yamagata going for 3rd and the throw goes into left! Yamagata comes home and it's 4-2 Hikawa!
Now Takuya grounds out to end the inning, but this has been a bit of a bizarre game.
Bottom 6th
Nakanishi with a ball down the right field line.. fair! He hurries into 2nd and Minoshima looks to rally yet again! Yamashita bunts him along to 3rd.
But Ueno, who is swinging away grounds to 3rd! Nakanishi has to hold as Ueno is retired at 1st.
And Izumi goes after the first pitch and flies out to Saitou to end the inning! Yamada gets out of the pinch!
Top 7th
Susami continuing to get routine outs despite the poor defense. Saitou flies out to right, Yamamoto swings and misses on a high changeup, and Teramoto grounds to short. 1-2-3 inning versus the bottom of the order and he gives his team a chance to come back again on the bats.
Bottom 7th
Perhaps though their chances have already passed. Murata grounds out to 1st where Yuugo takes it himself.
#12 Nakao to hit for Susami, his day is done.
Nakao with a comebacker through to center for a base hit! Bitou-kantoku tries the bust-and-run, but when it fails, he has Kenjyou bunt him to 2nd looking for a one-timer from Morishita.
But Yamada clamps down and gets Morishita to swing and miss on a change outside for the 3rd out! Minoshima running out of time with just 2 innings to go...
Top 8th
#10 Takagawa comes in for PH Nakao and takes the hill. He's not a fireballer by any means, as I'm not sure he even hits 130 and he has a curve in the mid 100s.
In fact he's in the 120s as he walks Hirose to start the inning. But he turns around and gets Mikami to ground into a neat 4-6-3 double play (which included a nice flip from Izumi).
Yamada out in front of a ball, grounds to short and perhaps now the bats are too fast for Takagawa's pitches as they go 1-2-3 once again!
Bottom 8th
Still, they need 2 runs in the next 2 innings...
And the offense is spinning their wheels.
Ageto with a decent drive to center, but it hangs up and Takuya runs it down. Nakanishi's timing is way off and hits a dribbler back to Yamada.
Yamashita not playing desperate, takes his pitches and earns a 2-out walk. Ueno steps in now to try and continue the inning.
Down two, Bitou-kantoku tries to put pressure with the hit-and-run, but Ueno winds up chasing a high pitch and flies out to left to end the inning. Just one set of ABs left...
Top 9th
Yamagata putting on a clinic with a ball past a diving Ageto into left. Yuugo squaring to bunt, takes a couple and falls behind 1-2. And yet he executes a perfect three-bunt to move Yamagata along.
Back to "Keio Chance" as Takuya feigns a safety bunt, causing Bitou-kantoku to call time.
That gets Ikeya-kantoku to send in #14 Maeda to run for his cleanup batter.
The bunt is off for Takuya, as he gets ahead 3-0. But he doesn't swing as Takagawa fires 2 in there to fill up the count.
Grounder to 3rd! Ageto tags Maeda sprinting to 3rd, throws to 1st... But Murata is off the bag and backs into foul territory allowing Takuya to get into 1st safely! Almost a great DP there!
The inning only goes one pitch longer as Saitou grounds to short.
Bottom 9th
Last chance for Minoshima! Maeda stays in to play left.
Izumi up, 0-3 on the day. He works the count full... hits a hard liner, but right at Yuugo for the first out!
Murata, 1-3 with that double to left center... He laces one to right! Saitou takes it on the high hop and the douten runner will come to bat! #14 Morikawa comes in to run for Murata.
Takagawa in to bat, watches 2 strikes go by... then swings at a pitch way out and high and knows he messed up... 2 outs!
Last chance in #9 batter Kenjyou. Wild pitch from Yamada allows Morikawa to advance, but the concern should be at home plate.
And Yamada falls behind 3-0. He doesn't want to face Morishita and fires a strike in.
Kenjyou with a drive to right! Saitou heading back... heading back... and it dies in deep right as Saitou makes the catch and Hikawa moves on!
Despite the loss, Susami didn't do that bad of a job. Yes, he gave up 3 HRs, but otherwise kept Hikawa at bay. And the 4th run came on defensive miscues that would have wiped out the runner. Yes, the pictures have him crying, but he really did a great job on the mound.
Offensively, they had their chances too. They didn't hit homeruns, but they did have a span there in the 5th and 6th where they had several extra base hits. So they may have lost, but they played fairly well.
As for Hikawa, perhaps they let the cat out of the bag early with 3 solo HRs to make people think that perhaps they can compete with Osaka Touin.
Okay, that's a bit of a stretch, but still, 3 HRs in one game is rather impressive. The rest of the time though they were pretty much limited to singles and didn't threaten otherwise.
I think they know though that this will be just as much of an uphill battle as it was for Nihon Bunri. They'll have 5 days to plan, which might help.
Notable Players
Yamada Motoki (Hikawa) - CG, 2 ER, 6 H, 5 K, 2 BB, HBP
Yamagata Shouichi (Hikawa) - 3-4, HR, 2 R, RBI
Hirose Katsumi (Hikawa) - 2-3, HR, R, RBI
Yamada Motoki (Hikawa) - 1-4, HR, R, RBI
Susami Shouma (Minoshima) - 7 IP, 4 R, 3 ER, 7 H, 5 K
Murata Takumi (Minoshima) - 2-4, 2B, R
Morishita Yuuto (Minoshima) - 1-3, 3B, R, BB
Hikawa (Yamanashi)
SS Hirose Katsumi
3B Mikami ?
P Yamada Motoki
LF Yamagata Shouichi
1B Sano Yuugo
CF Sano Takuya
RF Saitou Susumu
C Yamamoto Yuuga
2B Teramoto Shunya
Minoshima (Wakayama)
CF Morishita Yuuto
3B Ageto Ryouta
SS Nakanishi Akito
RF Yamashita Takuma
LF Ueno Kouki
2B Izumi Hiromu
1B Murata Takumi
P Susami Shouma
C Kenjyou Shuuin
____________________________________________________________
15:40 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Not a bad start for Susami as he gets Hirose to chase for the first out. Mikami though follows that up with a hard liner that Ueno needs to track down..
Uh oh...
Ace Yamada with a drive to left! Ueno running back to the wall..
HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Must be a day for HR's as Yamada gives Hikawa the 1-0 lead as the ball lands in the netting!
Yamagata flies out to fairly deep right, and I wonder if Susami might be in a bit of trouble today...
Bottom 1st
Not a good start either for Yamada as he seems to be flying open and his balls are going wide and he walks Morishita after running the count full. Ageto bunts him promptly to 2nd.
Yamada seems the run of the mill ace with a fastball in the high 130s-low 140s and a slider that Nakanishi just chased for the 2nd out in the low 120s.
Yamada's wildness continues as he goes up and in hitting Yamashita. Chance for Minoshima, but Ueno prefers not to wait - swinging on the first pitch and grounding to Hirose who goes the short way to 2nd for the 3rd out.
Top 2nd
Outside of the HR, Susami hasn't looked that bad. Fastball in the mid-upper 130s, as Yuugo strikes out swinging... and a slider in the high 110s-low 120s.
Takuya gets frozen on a fastball for the 2nd out, and Saitou pops out to Kenjyou near the back screen for the 3rd out.
Bottom 2nd
On the other hand, Yamada's control still seems a bit off. After inducing a groundout to Izumi, he falls behind Murata before working the count full and getting him to chase a slider down and in for the 2nd out.
Susami is not waiting for Yamada to hang himself, he's swinging away, fouling pitches but not necessarily making good contact. And what happens instead? He's frozen on a fastball on the outside corner for strike 3. Side retired.
Top 3rd
Yamamoto starts off the 3rd with a liner back up the middle into center. Ikeya-kantoku calls for the bunt for #9 batter Teramoto, who obliges.
Hikawa meanwhile plays their own version of "Keio Chance" as Hirose steps in.
After a rather patient AB, Hirose singles back up the middle! Morishita fires it home, but way high! Susami backing up play catches it, but the throw allows Hirose to advance to 2nd. Susami in a pinch early...
Mikami up and has been feigning squeeze bunt to put pressure on the Minoshima battery. When he does swing away though he fouls the ball off and thus the count goes to 2-2 and he probably will swing away.
OR NOT.
Ikeya-kantoku goes for the squeeze, the pitch is way outside so that Mikami can't get it and it's a strike em out, run em out double play to end the inning. *sighs*
Bottom 3rd
For those wondering why I sigh, it's not because I'm rooting for Hikawa. It's because the squeeze bunt is used way too often for my liking in kokoyakyu. I don't mind it, but it's not a surprise when teams use it. In fact I think it's more expected.
Anywaya, Minoshima not wasting much time against Yamada. If you blinked, you missed the bottom of the 3rd.
Kenjyou flies out to left on the first pitch, Morishita grounds out to 1st and Ageto grounds to 3rd on a nice pick by Mikami. 6 pitches for 3 outs.
Top 4th
Susami cruising along as Yamada pops out to Murata in foul territory.
あ。
Yamagata with a blast to left center! Morishita chases it back to the wall.. looks up!
HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What is with Hikawa and HR's?! Yamada in the 1st and now Yamagata putting up some fireworks with a solid shot to left center and it's 2-0 Hikawa!
Yuugo follows that up with a ball to the left side! Nakanishi can only knock it down in the hole as his recovery and throw is late.
Ikeya-kantoku not going for the bunt this time, but instead goes for the hit-and-run as Takuya fouls it off. It's put on again, and fouled off again, and again.
This time, no hit-and-run, Yuugo takes off and the pitch is outside! Kenjyou has no throw! Now a base hit can possibly score a run!
Instead though Susami gets him to ground to short for the 2nd out. And Saitou flies out to center to end the inning. But Hikawa perhaps knowing if they win they have to play Osaka Touin are showing the bats themselves - though if they had them, perhaps they should have waited to spring it on them instead.
Bottom 4th
Nakanishi with a hard liner... right at Mikami for the first out. Yamada has a "look what I found" moment when a comebacker from Yamashita ends up in his glove.
Ueno though wants none of it! He hits a ball that goes through the left side for Minoshima's first hit! And a wild pitch from Yamada puts him into scoring position!
Izumi works the count full looking for a timely hit, but all he can do is look back at the umpire as he's called out on a fastball on the outside corner yet again! Yamada has settled down quite a bit since the opening innings.
Top 5th
Hikawa's ouen-dan plays Train-Train as Susami now has trouble finding the zone going behind 3-0 before firing a strike. He does get Yamamoto to ground to Nakanishi to start off the inning.
Teramoto, swinging away for the first time, goes down to hit the ball, and it's a decent liner - but it's right to Yamashita for the 2nd out.
えええええ？？！！
Hirose with a blast to left! No way. Not even possible.
HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now leadoff batter Hirose hits a HR into the alley in left and Susami can only shake his head as 3 of the 6 hits he's given up have been HRs. 3-0 Hikawa!
Mikami grounds out to 2nd, but if you can believe it, Hikawa has more HR's than Osaka Touin. Read that again.
Bottom 5th
So, a bit of work for Minoshima now. Murata with a gapper to left center gives his team a leadoff double! Bitou-kantoku will play for the run as Susami bunts the runner along.
Oh! Kenjyou with a blast to right center! Yakuya sprinting back, goes into a slide and makes the catch! He almost overruns it, but slides to slow down and make the great catch! Murata easily tags up to make it a 3-1 game.
Uh oh! Morishita with a low scorcher to the right side splits the defense and goes all the way to the wall for a triple! Minoshima in business once again!
あ！！！！！！！！！！！！
Yamada uncorks a wild pitch and Morishita comes in from 3rd to make it a 3-2 ballgame! Things are going all wrong for Hikawa here in the 5th!
And perhaps the break is coming at the right time as Ageto lines out to Teramoto to end the inning. But Minoshima has found something here, the question now is - can they continue it?
Top 6th
With new life (of sorts), Susami once again buckles down, jamming Yamada into a 6-3 groundout. Yamagata meanwhile continues his hot hitting with a liner to left.
And with 2 out, Yamagata is caught off 1st, but the throw from Kenjyou is dropped by Murata and he reaches 2nd safely!
AH!! Kenjyou throws it away! Yamagata going for 3rd and the throw goes into left! Yamagata comes home and it's 4-2 Hikawa!
Now Takuya grounds out to end the inning, but this has been a bit of a bizarre game.
Bottom 6th
Nakanishi with a ball down the right field line.. fair! He hurries into 2nd and Minoshima looks to rally yet again! Yamashita bunts him along to 3rd.
But Ueno, who is swinging away grounds to 3rd! Nakanishi has to hold as Ueno is retired at 1st.
And Izumi goes after the first pitch and flies out to Saitou to end the inning! Yamada gets out of the pinch!
Top 7th
Susami continuing to get routine outs despite the poor defense. Saitou flies out to right, Yamamoto swings and misses on a high changeup, and Teramoto grounds to short. 1-2-3 inning versus the bottom of the order and he gives his team a chance to come back again on the bats.
Bottom 7th
Perhaps though their chances have already passed. Murata grounds out to 1st where Yuugo takes it himself.
#12 Nakao to hit for Susami, his day is done.
Nakao with a comebacker through to center for a base hit! Bitou-kantoku tries the bust-and-run, but when it fails, he has Kenjyou bunt him to 2nd looking for a one-timer from Morishita.
But Yamada clamps down and gets Morishita to swing and miss on a change outside for the 3rd out! Minoshima running out of time with just 2 innings to go...
Top 8th
#10 Takagawa comes in for PH Nakao and takes the hill. He's not a fireballer by any means, as I'm not sure he even hits 130 and he has a curve in the mid 100s.
In fact he's in the 120s as he walks Hirose to start the inning. But he turns around and gets Mikami to ground into a neat 4-6-3 double play (which included a nice flip from Izumi).
Yamada out in front of a ball, grounds to short and perhaps now the bats are too fast for Takagawa's pitches as they go 1-2-3 once again!
Bottom 8th
Still, they need 2 runs in the next 2 innings...
And the offense is spinning their wheels.
Ageto with a decent drive to center, but it hangs up and Takuya runs it down. Nakanishi's timing is way off and hits a dribbler back to Yamada.
Yamashita not playing desperate, takes his pitches and earns a 2-out walk. Ueno steps in now to try and continue the inning.
Down two, Bitou-kantoku tries to put pressure with the hit-and-run, but Ueno winds up chasing a high pitch and flies out to left to end the inning. Just one set of ABs left...
Top 9th
Yamagata putting on a clinic with a ball past a diving Ageto into left. Yuugo squaring to bunt, takes a couple and falls behind 1-2. And yet he executes a perfect three-bunt to move Yamagata along.
Back to "Keio Chance" as Takuya feigns a safety bunt, causing Bitou-kantoku to call time.
That gets Ikeya-kantoku to send in #14 Maeda to run for his cleanup batter.
The bunt is off for Takuya, as he gets ahead 3-0. But he doesn't swing as Takagawa fires 2 in there to fill up the count.
Grounder to 3rd! Ageto tags Maeda sprinting to 3rd, throws to 1st... But Murata is off the bag and backs into foul territory allowing Takuya to get into 1st safely! Almost a great DP there!
The inning only goes one pitch longer as Saitou grounds to short.
Bottom 9th
Last chance for Minoshima! Maeda stays in to play left.
Izumi up, 0-3 on the day. He works the count full... hits a hard liner, but right at Yuugo for the first out!
Murata, 1-3 with that double to left center... He laces one to right! Saitou takes it on the high hop and the douten runner will come to bat! #14 Morikawa comes in to run for Murata.
Takagawa in to bat, watches 2 strikes go by... then swings at a pitch way out and high and knows he messed up... 2 outs!
Last chance in #9 batter Kenjyou. Wild pitch from Yamada allows Morikawa to advance, but the concern should be at home plate.
And Yamada falls behind 3-0. He doesn't want to face Morishita and fires a strike in.
Kenjyou with a drive to right! Saitou heading back... heading back... and it dies in deep right as Saitou makes the catch and Hikawa moves on!
Despite the loss, Susami didn't do that bad of a job. Yes, he gave up 3 HRs, but otherwise kept Hikawa at bay. And the 4th run came on defensive miscues that would have wiped out the runner. Yes, the pictures have him crying, but he really did a great job on the mound.
Offensively, they had their chances too. They didn't hit homeruns, but they did have a span there in the 5th and 6th where they had several extra base hits. So they may have lost, but they played fairly well.
As for Hikawa, perhaps they let the cat out of the bag early with 3 solo HRs to make people think that perhaps they can compete with Osaka Touin.
Okay, that's a bit of a stretch, but still, 3 HRs in one game is rather impressive. The rest of the time though they were pretty much limited to singles and didn't threaten otherwise.
I think they know though that this will be just as much of an uphill battle as it was for Nihon Bunri. They'll have 5 days to plan, which might help.
Notable Players
Yamada Motoki (Hikawa) - CG, 2 ER, 6 H, 5 K, 2 BB, HBP
Yamagata Shouichi (Hikawa) - 3-4, HR, 2 R, RBI
Hirose Katsumi (Hikawa) - 2-3, HR, R, RBI
Yamada Motoki (Hikawa) - 1-4, HR, R, RBI
Susami Shouma (Minoshima) - 7 IP, 4 R, 3 ER, 7 H, 5 K
Murata Takumi (Minoshima) - 2-4, 2B, R
Morishita Yuuto (Minoshima) - 1-3, 3B, R, BB
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