Our final game of the day is our first full matchup of 1st round winners.
Iidzuka scored early against Hiroshima Kougyou and while they gave up their lead, they managed to regain it and hold on for the victory. However, they had 4 errors in the game which led to 2 of 4 of Hiroshima's runs.
Also, ace Koga was ineffective and was pulled after 3 innings after giving up 3 runs. Nishi did a much better job on the mound, scattering 3 hits the rest of the way.
Now, Nishi is a righty, and Sendai Ikuei's good hitters are lefties. But if Koga is ineffective, it doesn't matter if it's R vs R.
Offensively, Iiduzka showed some good hitting, but the bulk of the hitting was done early, and then late when Hiroshima ace Tsujikoma ran out of steam.
Sendai Ikuei had a bit of trouble with Saga Kita in the early going as the middle of the order was the only group having success against ace Suetsugu. But they pulled away with 5 late runs for the 8-2 win. The lack of production in the lineup early may be a problem as the level of competition increases.
Meanwhile, ace Watanabe scattered 9 hits and struck out 8 in his complete game effort.
The game tracks for both teams appear to be the same, but Sendai Ikuei may have the better pitcher on the mound. For that reason, I expect Sendai Ikuei to have the advantage in this matchup.
Sendai Ikuei (Miyagi)
SS Takahashi Ryuunosuke
2B Kashiwagi
LF Hoshi
CF Uebayashi
RF Hayasaka
P Watanabe
3B Inazawa
1B Itou
C Tanaka
Iidzuka (Fukuoka)
SS Kitano
2B Marumoto
3B Hinoki
CF Ishida
1B Shiraishi
C Hori
LF Kuroiwa
P Nishi (#9)
RF Ezaki (#10)
__________________________________________________
15:29 - First Pitch
Top 1st
Ryuunosuke first pitch grounds to short.
Kashiwagi though singles to left. And a passed ball by Hori sends him to 2nd!
Hoshi liner back up the middle into center! Kashiwagi holds up at 3rd.
Liner to 1st by Uebayashi! Shiraishi with the catch and Hoshi is doubled off 1st to end the inning!
Bottom 1st
Kitano tries a safety bunt up the first base line. Itou there to tag Kitano, but fortunately for Kitano, it's foul.
Count goes full, and Kitano walks to first, but is rung up by the home plate umpire on a fastball at the knees.
Marumoto fights off an inside pitch and bloops it over Takahashi into center!
Then he takes off on the 1-1 pitch and Tanaka's throw is high!
Now, Hinoki with a comebacker to Watanabe and he immediately looks to Marumoto who's between bases! He starts the rundown, but his toss to Takahashi is high! That allows Marumoto to advance to 3rd!
Sasaki-kantoku calling for time as he needs the team to settle down...
But Ishida with a hot shot to 1st! Itou blocks it, but can't field it cleanly. Has to go to 1st for the out allowing Marumoto to score! It's 1-0 Iidzuka!
Shiraishi with a ball through the left side! Hinoki's being waved around! Throw from Hoshi... Tanaka can't field it! It bounces away as Hinoki scores to make it 2-0!
Hori was a ball deep to center! Uebayashi running back, but has to play it off the wall! He's in with an RBI double and it's 3-0 Iidzuka as Sasaki-kantoku has to call time once again.
Kuroiwa flies to left and the inning is over, but Iidzuka jumps out here in the 1st and hits Watanabe for a 3-spot!
Top 2nd
Hayasaka with a ball to left. Ishida running back, running back?!
HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hayasaka with a HR about 15 rows up in the left field bleachers!! It didn't sound solid off the bat, but it still found its way out of the ballpark! He puts Sendai Ikuei on the board at 3-1!
One down now and Inazawa hits one to left. Kuroiwa there, but the ball takes a high hop and off his glove! Inazawa goes for 2 and reaches on the error.
So a base hit can cut the deficit even further. But Itou, behind 0-2, hits a slow grounder to short for the 2nd out though he advances the runner.
It's up to last batter Tanaka to drive in the run, or at least keep the inning going.
He hits a fly to right, and the strong wind blowing in (8 m/s) hangs it up for an easy catch from Ezaki for the 3rd out. Still, Hayasaka is able to chip into the lead.
Bottom 2nd
Watanabe settling down as Nishi goes down on three straight, swinging at an fastball on the outside half. And then Ezaki does the same.
But then Kitano lays down a safety bunt. Watanabe running over to field it, throws to 1st, and it's not in time and not where Itou can field it! It gets past backup Hayasaka and Kitano advances to 2nd.
No matter though, as Marumoto bites on a fork in the dirt for the 3rd out.
Top 3rd
Ryuunosuke starts off the inning with a single through to right. Kashiwagi looks to bunt him over. He lays it down and almost beats the throw from Nishi.
Hoshi with a ball back up the middle for a single! Ryuunosuke holds at 3rd, so there's runners at the corners as Uebayashi stands in.
Uebayashi gets a hold of one, but it's way foul. So he takes one and lines it into the left center field gap! Ryuunosuke scores on the double and Sendai Ikuei trails by just one as Yoshida-kantoku calls for time.
Hayasaka up with a run-scoring opportunity. He swings and lifts one to right. Ezaki is there for the catch, but Hoshi scores the douten run easily as we're all level at 3-3!
Watanabe with a drive to right! He's thinking it's a home run! He blasted that one!
But it falls at the wall, as the wind blowing in from right knocks it down! But he's still in with a double and it's 4-3!
Inazawa goes chasing for strike 3, but Sendai Ikuei sees right through Nishi's pitches and surges ahead of Iidzuka!
Bottom 3rd
Hinoki works the count full on Watanabe, but the home plate umpire is calling the low strike and he's rung up.
Ishida with a drive to right, but as he's going to learn, the wind's going to knock that down today as Hayasaka catches that in front of the wall.
Shiraishi becomes Watanabe's 6th K victim as he chases a high outside fastball to end the inning.
Top 4th
Nishi hits Itou up in the shoulders with his first pitch of the 4th. Tanaka showing bunt, pulls it back for a ball. He lays down the bunt and advances Itou for the top of the order.
The Ikuei batters are really seeing the ball well, as Ryuunosuke is just ahead of a pitch and drives it down the line foul. After a survival foul, Nishi uncorks a wild pich off Hori's glove to the backstop allowing Itou to reach 3rd.
Another wild pitch!! Hori can't block it and Itou makes for home! Throw from Hori is high and Itou scores to make it a 5-3 ballgame! Itou was rather slow getting home and a better throw would have gotten him, but as it stands the run scores.
Ryuunosuke with a hard single to right! Nishi is getting battered on the mound!
Hit-and-run! Kashiwagi connects and hits it to left! That's over Kuroiwa's head and to the wall! Ryuunosuke running all the way is sent home to make it 6-3!
And that's it for Nishi. He's mercifully removed for 2nd year #17 Noda who throws in the mid 130s with a curve, slider and forkball.
But it's the high fastball the Hoshi succumbs to for the second out.
Uebayashi holds up on some close pitches and works a walk... which brings up Hayasaka.
Noda puts in two sliders for strikes and almost gets Hayasaki on a fastball. He goes back to the slider and Hayasaka gets baited for the 3rd out. He stops the bleeding, but there's a lot of work to be done.
Bottom 4th
Kuroiwa stays patient at the plate, even taking a low strike that had been getting called and works a walk. He goes for 2nd on the 0-2 pitch to Noda and steals successfully though Noda strikes out looking.
Wild pitch from Watanabe! Kuroiwa takes off for 3rd, and Tanaka can't find the ball! Kuroiwa heads for home, but the ball goes into the dugout! It's a dead ball, and unfortunately for Iidzuka, Kuroiwa is sent back to 3rd! Yoshida-kantoku asks for the explanation, and it's that since the ball went into the dugout, the runner is awarded one base from where he was, whis means 3rd.
Ezaki grounds out to 3rd and it's bad luck for Iidzuka as Watanabe get out of the pinch unscathed.
Top 5th
Watanabe with a solid single through the right side.
But Inazawa bunt is right to Hinoki who turns the 5-6-3 double play. And a pop from Itou gives him a 1-2-3 inning (kinda).
Bottom 5th
Two quick outs for Watanabe as Kitano grounds to 2nd, and Ryuunosuke chases a foul fly down near the bullpen.
Hinoki breaks up the clean inning by sneaking one under Watanabe's glove.
Ishida with one under Itou's dive and into right. Hinoki headed for 3, Ishida running through 1st for 2nd! Throw from Hayasaka not in time!
Shiraishi up and Watanabe walks him on 4 straight! Manrui for Iidzuka as Tanaka comes out to have a brief word with him.
Hori in, takes strike 1. Swings on a fastball on the outside half and falls behind 0-2.
Goes for the high curve, but no call!
Hori with a ball to right! but it hangs in the air and Hayasaka is there for the catch. Watanabe gets out of the pinch and Sendai Ikuei heads into the break doubling up Iidzuka 6-3.
Noda's doing a good job managing the game so far in relief, but they'll need to make progress against Watanabe otherwise the game may run away from them again.
Top 6th
Tanaka goes down on a slider for Noda's 3rd K. Ryuunosuke tries the safety bunt, but Noda handles that easily. And Kashiwagi pops out to Kitano for a quick inning for Noda.
Bottom 6th
Watanabe seems to have settled down after the break. Kuroiwa softly lines to 2nd. Noda goes fishing on an inside fastball, and Ezaki grounds to 1st.
Top 7th
Hoshi with a fly to deep left. Kuroiwa taking a bit of a circuitous route there, but makes the catch in front of the wall.
Uebayashi with a long AB against Noda fouling off several pitches before earning his 9 pitch walk. Hayasaka showing bunt but the first two pitches are way high. Finally takes one for a strike, and then has the pitch run in on him as he fouls it off.
Another high pitch and the count runs full as ace Koga warms up.
Uebayashi goes for 2nd as Hayasaka takes strike 3. Hori can't get the ball out his glove and Uebayashi has the base.
Watanabe with another hard hit, but right to Ezaki to end the inning.
Bottom 7th
Iidzuka's Lucky 7 goes out with a whimper as the top of the order is retired.
Top 8th
Ace Koga takes the mound for Iidzuka as Noda's day is done.
Chopper by Inazawa to Marumoto is thrown away for an error.
Itou not bunting goes down swinging on a change for the 1st out. Tanaka then goes for the sac bunt, and Koga almost throws it away after he bobbles it in his hand.
Ryuunosuke with a single to left! Inazawa is being sent home, but I can see how this one turns out. It's a deliberate replay 7-6-2 for the 3rd out.
Bottom 8th
#13 Takahashi Yuuta comes in for Itou and takes over at 1B.
Ishida with a drive to right. That lands just in front of the wall and he's in with a leadoff double.
Then Watanabe falls behind Shiraishi 3-0 before throwing a strike. But he walks him anyways, putting the douten run at the plate. Sasaki-kantoku calls for time.
Watanabe gets ahead of Hori 0-2, then gets him swinging on a 1-2 slider for the 1st out.
Kuroiwa attacks the first pitch, but flies out to center.
Koga trying to help his own cause, but can only show his frustration as he's rung up on an inside fastball to end the inning.
Top 9th
Kashiwagi with a first pitch drive into the right center field gap! It goes all the way to the wall for a stand-up triple!
Hoshi is unable to drive him in as he grounds out to 1st. Koga next retires Uebayashi by jamming him into a foulout.
Hayasaka with a grounder to the left side. Kitano cuts it off, makes the throw to 1st, and Shiraishi makes a great stretch and pick for the 3rd out.
Bottom 9th
#18 Gouko in for Hayasaka in right.
But Iidzuka is down to their final 3 outs. #13 Yoshida comes in to hit for Ezaki. He hits a hard grounder to 3rd, but Ryuunosuke is there to make the play and throw for the 1st out.
Kitano does down swinging and they're down to their last out.
Marumoto goes down swining and Sendai Ikuei defeats Iidzuka 6-3!
Iidzuka unfortunately suffered from what Fukui Koudai Fukui did - an ineffective starter. After jumping out to a 3-0 lead, Nishi gave it all back and then some. By the time Noda was sent in, it was too late. They certainly had their chances to try and narrow the margin, but were unable to capitalize and were thus eliminated in the 2nd round. It was a good showing, just not good enough today.
As for Sendai Ikuei, there were able to recover from a shaky 1st inning from Watanabe and advance. Even when he was racking up the Ks he wasn't necessarily near the zone and struggled a little bit with his control. But the continued offensive output is good to see as they are able to punish pitches their opponents leave over the plate.
So Sendai Ikuei advances to the 3rd round and will hope to advance to the Best 8, something they have failed to do the last 2 appearances.
Notable Players
Watanabe Fumiya (Sendai Ikuei) - CG, 3 ER, 7 H, 12 K, 3 BB
Kashiwagi Yuuto (Sendai Ikuei) - 3-4, 2B, 3B, RBI
Takahashi Ryuunosuke (Sendai Ikuei) - 3-3, 2 R
Noda Keisuke (Iidzuka) - 3.2 IP, 0 ER, H, 4 K, 2 BB
Ishida Kenta (Iidzuka) - 2-4, 2 2B, RBI
Showing posts with label Iidzuka. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Iidzuka. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Day 1, Game 2 - Hiroshima Kougyou (Hiroshima) vs. Iidzuka (Fukuoka)
Iidzuka finally returns to Koushien after several years of struggling within the prefecture (thanks to schools like Kyushu Kokusaidai Fuzoku). It was also in part thanks to the fact that they didn't have to face any of the stronger teams in the prefecture either.
Despite averaging just a shade over 5 runs a game in their title run, the team batted a strong 0.359. Again though, it will depend now on how good Hiroshima Kougyou's ace is. Though as usual, look at the 3-4-5 batters of Hinoki-Ishida-Shiraishi to generate a good part of the offense.
On the mound, Yoshida-kantoku depended on a combination of ace Koga and reliever Nishi (who is the RF) to carry the last couple of games. Expect more of the same here should the situation warrant.
Hiroshima Kougyou's exploits were mentioned earlier as both favorites Kouryou and Jyosuikan were eliminated. They had offense for days hitting a blistering 0.352 and scoring at least 8 runs a game. Look out for leadoff batter Kohira and cleanup batter Kubota.
On the mound, Okimoto-kantoku will rely heavily on ace Tsujikoma Yuuta throughout the tournament as they do not appear to have many other options on the mound.
Hiroshima Kougyou (Hiroshima)
CF Kohira
RF Imanaka
3B Usami
1B Kubota
LF Kodama Takaya
SS Kinoshita
C Takata
P Tsujikoma
2B Shigemori
Iidzuka (Fukuoka)
SS Kitano
2B Marumoto
3B Hinoki
CF Ishida
1B Shiraishi
LF Kuroiwa
C Hori
P Koga
RF Ezaki (#10)
__________________________________________________
12:56 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Kohira, after working the count full lines one down the right field line for a leadoff double!
Imanaka, not bunting swings away, but goes down looking for the 1st out.
Usami grounds a 3-1 pitch just foul down the 3rd base line, though Hinoki had it stopped.
He tries a sharp liner past Hinoki, but he snags it instead for the 2nd out. That brinds up cleanup batter Kubota.
But Koga gets him to pop it up! Hori camps under it in foul territory for the 3rd out!
Bottom 1st
Kitano showing patience at the plate, working the count full without even swinging. He tries to foul one off, but it stays in play as Kodama catches it at the wall for the first out.
Iidzuka is doing the opposite of Tokoha Tachibana in that it is sitting back on Tsujikoma's pitches, swinging only when the pitch seems good or when they have to. Marumoto works the count full and this time earns the walk.
Yoshida-kantoku calls for the hit-and-run! Hinoki hits one to short. Kinoshita dives, blocks, but can't secure the ball and everyone's safe. The hit-and-run got Kinoshita hopping the wrong way and as a result was just out of position on that ball.
Ishida hits a slider to the right side. That takes a hop and gets past a diving Shigemori! Marumoto rounds 3rd and scores easily giving Iidzuka the early 1-0 lead! Heads-up running by Hinoki allows him to take 3rd.
And Shirashi booms a first pitch strike to center. Kohira is under it, but it's deep enough to score Hinoki easily to make it 2-0 Iidzuka.
Huh, Iiduzka's oen-dan plays a faster tempo version of Chiben Wakayama's "Jock Rock"...
Kuroiwa looks to have connected hard on a ball from Tsujikoma, but it turns out to be a lazy liner to right to end the inning.
But much like the first game, Iidzuka jumps out early here in the 1st.
Top 2nd
One down, and Kinoshita hits a swinging bunt to 3rd. Hinoki charges, but his throw is late and there's a man on. Takata follows that up with a single just in front of Ishida, putting the douten runner on base.
And now on a 2-2 count to Tsujikoma, the pitch from Koga gets past Hori and the runners advance!
Tsujikoma with a liner back up the middle! Kinoshita scores! Takata rounds for home, and Ishida's throw is high! Tsujikoma's gotten the runs back and we're level at 2-2!
Shigemori tries for the safety bunt but is thrown out at 1st. Koga gets out of the inning inducing a flyout from Kohira, but the damage is done. We're back to even!
Bottom 2nd
Hori is able to inside-out a fastbal and single to center leading off the inning. Koga is looking to bunt as usual. But he takes a strike and fouls a bunt off. A high fastball finishes him off.
Tsujikoma is not much of a fireballer throwing in the low-mid 130's, along with a shuuto roughly in the same range, and a change in the 100-110s.
After a heavy diet of shuutos, Ezaki is retired on a fastball away.
Kitano doesn't wait for a pitch this time around and hits one that lands just in front of Imanaka. Hori advances to 3rd on the play and Tsujikoma is in another pinch.
Ah! The pitch gets away from Takata, but the ball doesn't go far. Hori can't score, but Kitano advances to 2nd.
And wouldn't you know it, after a wild pitch - this time by Tsujikoma, Marumoto singles past Usami into left. Hori and Kitano both score easily giving Iidzuka back their 2-run lead at 4-2!
Yoshida-kantoku presses the inititative, sending Marumoto! Takata double-clutches and Marumoto is in easily!
But Hinoki hits a ball back up the middle which is easily fielded by Kinoshita for the 3rd out. Still, Iidzuka reclaims the lead.
Top 3rd
Imanaka with a routine grounder to 2nd, but while the throw from Marumoto is not ideal, Shiraishi can't make the routine play and the leadoff runner is on!
Usami with a comeback to Koga, he whirls to throw to 2nd, but it's high and in between both fielders! Everyone's safe as Yoshida-kantoku calls for time.
Come to think of it, I haven't seen the southpaw Koga get over 130 kph. His fastball seems to be on the high 120s with a curve in the 110's and change in the 100's.
Cleanup batter Kubota steps in, but he hits a grounder to short! Kitano starts the 6-4-3 double play and there's 2 down!
But Takaya cues a ball to the left side! Hinoki stumbles as the ball sneaks into left! Imanaka scores to make it a 4-3 game!
Yoshida-kantoku in a bold move goes to his bullpen early, sending Nishi out to relieve Koga!
And while Hinoki has trouble fielding the grounder from Kinoshita, he makes the play to get out of the inning. Still, Hiroshima Kougyou has narrowed the margin.
Bottom 3rd
Cleanup batter Ishida collects his 2nd hit on a clean base hit to left. Shiraishi is allowed to swing away. And while he hits a comebacker to Tsujikoma, he can't field it cleanly and has to go to 1st for the out.
Clearly though, Tsujikoma is pitching backwards, throwing his off-speed stuff for strikes and using his fastball for the hammer.
But another wild pitch from Tsujikoma allows Ishida to advance to 3rd!
Kuroiwa bails Tsujikoma out as he can't hold off on the 2-2 pitch and is rung up for the 2nd out.
However, he doesn't escape damage as Hori collects his 2nd hit with a single the opposite way to get the 2 run lead back once again. It's 5-3!
Nishi grounds out to 2nd to end the inning, but Hiroshima Kougyou continues to spin it's wheels here making no progress against Iidzuka!
Top 4th
Nishi appears to be a right-handed, slightly faster version of Koga. Just add about 5 kph to everything and you have Nishi.
After a lineout by Takata, Tsujikoma gets his 2nd hit, a solid liner to left.
And apparently Hiroshima Kougyou has their own "Jock Rock" in that instead of the notes ascending in the beat, they're descending??!
Shigemori not bunting this time around with 1 down, but winds up striking out leaving it up to Kohira. However, he grounds out to Kitano and they stay down 2 runs.
Bottom 4th
Ezaki connects on a fastball and singles to center for another leadoff runner on. Kitano showing bunt, but Tsujikoma not finding the zone, falling behind 3-0! Kitano waits it out and earns a walk, which earns Tsujikoma a conference from the dugout.
But he'd better find it out quickly, because he's pretty much all Okimoto-kantoku's got.
And Ezaki almost bails him out at 2nd by being caught off base. He scurries back, just in time.
Marumoto lays down a great bunt and almsot beats out the throw from Usami. Up to Hinoki to plate the runners.
Tsujikoma resorting to throwing fastballs earlier in the count, and catches Hinoki on a 1-2 pitch which catches the inside corner for the 2nd out!
A pitchout to Ishida is followed by a ball outside, and it looks like they're unintentionally intentionally walking him.
And they are to load the bases.
But it's not much better as Shiraishi steps in...
Slider just catches the outside corner, and then a fastball inside jams Shiraishi to get ahead 0-2. Shiraishi defends one pitch, and hits a liner back at Tsujikoma that he backhands for the 3rd out!
A great play by Tsujikoma gives him his first 0! Can his offense capitalize?
Top 5th
Imanaka with a grounder to 2nd, but Marumoto makes another error with the ball and he's on safely! (I couldn't switch to the ABC feed fast enough to figure out what the error actually was... doh.)
And Usami drives one to deep left center! That's off the base of the wall! Imanaka rounds the bases and scores to make it 5-4!
Nishi with a wild pitch and now the douten run is 90 feet away!
But Kitano catches Usami off 3rd on a grounder and throws him out! Worse yet, Takaya grounds into the 4-3 double play to end the inning! Hiroshima Kougyou gets one run back, but could have had 2!
Bottom 5th
Tsujikoma is finally able to retire Hori as he grounds out to 2nd. In fact, Tsujikoma works a quick 1-2-3 inning (his first one!) and as we hit the break his team find themselves just down by a run.
Top 6th
Not to be outdone, Nishi gets his own quick 1-2-3 inning thanks in part to a great stop in the hole by Kitano on a hard hit ball by Tsujikoma. Kitano denies him his 3rd hit of the game, and Iidzuka is back on the bats.
Bottom 6th
The game seems to have settled down after the frenetic first couple of innings. Tsujikoma gets 3 flyouts, albeit the third had to be run down by Imanaka, nevertheless he gives his team a chance again in the lucky 7.
Top 7th
Despite just a 1-run lead, Nishi goes after last batter Shigemori betting he can't hit the fastball, and is proven right as he gets the K. However, Kohira gets a hit past Hinoki who is slightly drawn in.
But Okimoto tries to press the initiative, sending him, but Hori makes a great throw to get him out by a good margin. Imanaka grounds out to 3rd, and the lucky 7 for Hiroshima Kougyou dissapates in a flash.
Bottom 7th
After ringing up Hinoki, Tsujikoma lets 3 balls fly to Ishida before pumping in 2 strikes to fill up the count. Now Ishida is the one fouling it off before Tsujikoma uncorks a high pitch for the 2nd walk to Ishida.
And while he gets a popup from Shiraishi, it is evident by the pitches way up and away, and the subsequent wild pitch that Tsujikoma is running out of steam. So they elect to walk Kuroiwa while behind 3-0 and pitch to Hori - which is questionable given his success today.
And true to form he singles through the left side. The runners can only advance 90 feet, but it is manrui for Nishi with 2 down. A base hit here can be deadly.
Nishi makes great contact, but it's a fly ball to right! Imanaka running to his left is able to track it down and Tsujikoma is out of the jam!
Temporarily at least. He's quickly running out of gas and there's still 2 innings to go...
Top 8th
Usami had worked the count in his favor, but ends up getting jammed and popping up to 2nd. Kubota continues his struggles at the plate, also getting jammed and popping up to 2nd.
And finally, Nishi gets Takaya to get under a low pitch and harmlessly fly out to left for the 3rd out. No runs, 3 outs left and a tiring pitcher on the mound.
Bottom 8th
#15 Yamada comes in for Takaya and goes to RF. Imanaka shifts to LF here in the 8th.
After getting 2 relatively quick outs, he once again loses control, throwing 3 way out of the zone to Marumoto before eventually walking him.
Yoshida-kantoku is looking for an insurance run and immediately sends Marumoto, who successfully takes 2nd.
And Hinoki drives one to left! Imanaka goes back, then turns around and sprints! The ball is over his head! Marumoto scores easily on the play, and while Hinoki is thrown out trying to stretch the hit to a triple, Yoshida-kantoku gets the key insurance run and lead 6-4 heading into the 9th!
Top 9th
Kinoshita quickly falls behind 0-2 and winds up flying out to 3rd for the 1st out.
Takada with a comebacker, knocks Nishi's glove off, but the ball stays put and Nishi makes the putout! It's down to Tsujikoma to keep the game going!
And despite his desparate attempts to keep the game going fouling off several pitches, he is caught looking for the final out.
And so, after a 20 year absencse, Hiroshima Kougyou's stint at Koushien ends on day 1 at the hands of Iidzuka 6-4. And much like the first game, the team behind couldn't come back from the early deficit in the very first inning.
Meanwhile, Iidzuka despite 4 errors on the day, earn their first victory at Koushien. However, they'll need to clean it up if they want to advance for a chance at the Best 8.
Notable Players
Ishida Kenta (Iidzuka) - 2-2, R, RBI, 2 BB
Hori Yuuki (Iidzuka) - 3-4, R, RBI
Tsujikoma Yuuta (Hiroshima Kougyou) - 2-4, 2 RBI, K
Despite averaging just a shade over 5 runs a game in their title run, the team batted a strong 0.359. Again though, it will depend now on how good Hiroshima Kougyou's ace is. Though as usual, look at the 3-4-5 batters of Hinoki-Ishida-Shiraishi to generate a good part of the offense.
On the mound, Yoshida-kantoku depended on a combination of ace Koga and reliever Nishi (who is the RF) to carry the last couple of games. Expect more of the same here should the situation warrant.
Hiroshima Kougyou's exploits were mentioned earlier as both favorites Kouryou and Jyosuikan were eliminated. They had offense for days hitting a blistering 0.352 and scoring at least 8 runs a game. Look out for leadoff batter Kohira and cleanup batter Kubota.
On the mound, Okimoto-kantoku will rely heavily on ace Tsujikoma Yuuta throughout the tournament as they do not appear to have many other options on the mound.
Hiroshima Kougyou (Hiroshima)
CF Kohira
RF Imanaka
3B Usami
1B Kubota
LF Kodama Takaya
SS Kinoshita
C Takata
P Tsujikoma
2B Shigemori
Iidzuka (Fukuoka)
SS Kitano
2B Marumoto
3B Hinoki
CF Ishida
1B Shiraishi
LF Kuroiwa
C Hori
P Koga
RF Ezaki (#10)
__________________________________________________
12:56 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Kohira, after working the count full lines one down the right field line for a leadoff double!
Imanaka, not bunting swings away, but goes down looking for the 1st out.
Usami grounds a 3-1 pitch just foul down the 3rd base line, though Hinoki had it stopped.
He tries a sharp liner past Hinoki, but he snags it instead for the 2nd out. That brinds up cleanup batter Kubota.
But Koga gets him to pop it up! Hori camps under it in foul territory for the 3rd out!
Bottom 1st
Kitano showing patience at the plate, working the count full without even swinging. He tries to foul one off, but it stays in play as Kodama catches it at the wall for the first out.
Iidzuka is doing the opposite of Tokoha Tachibana in that it is sitting back on Tsujikoma's pitches, swinging only when the pitch seems good or when they have to. Marumoto works the count full and this time earns the walk.
Yoshida-kantoku calls for the hit-and-run! Hinoki hits one to short. Kinoshita dives, blocks, but can't secure the ball and everyone's safe. The hit-and-run got Kinoshita hopping the wrong way and as a result was just out of position on that ball.
Ishida hits a slider to the right side. That takes a hop and gets past a diving Shigemori! Marumoto rounds 3rd and scores easily giving Iidzuka the early 1-0 lead! Heads-up running by Hinoki allows him to take 3rd.
And Shirashi booms a first pitch strike to center. Kohira is under it, but it's deep enough to score Hinoki easily to make it 2-0 Iidzuka.
Huh, Iiduzka's oen-dan plays a faster tempo version of Chiben Wakayama's "Jock Rock"...
Kuroiwa looks to have connected hard on a ball from Tsujikoma, but it turns out to be a lazy liner to right to end the inning.
But much like the first game, Iidzuka jumps out early here in the 1st.
Top 2nd
One down, and Kinoshita hits a swinging bunt to 3rd. Hinoki charges, but his throw is late and there's a man on. Takata follows that up with a single just in front of Ishida, putting the douten runner on base.
And now on a 2-2 count to Tsujikoma, the pitch from Koga gets past Hori and the runners advance!
Tsujikoma with a liner back up the middle! Kinoshita scores! Takata rounds for home, and Ishida's throw is high! Tsujikoma's gotten the runs back and we're level at 2-2!
Shigemori tries for the safety bunt but is thrown out at 1st. Koga gets out of the inning inducing a flyout from Kohira, but the damage is done. We're back to even!
Bottom 2nd
Hori is able to inside-out a fastbal and single to center leading off the inning. Koga is looking to bunt as usual. But he takes a strike and fouls a bunt off. A high fastball finishes him off.
Tsujikoma is not much of a fireballer throwing in the low-mid 130's, along with a shuuto roughly in the same range, and a change in the 100-110s.
After a heavy diet of shuutos, Ezaki is retired on a fastball away.
Kitano doesn't wait for a pitch this time around and hits one that lands just in front of Imanaka. Hori advances to 3rd on the play and Tsujikoma is in another pinch.
Ah! The pitch gets away from Takata, but the ball doesn't go far. Hori can't score, but Kitano advances to 2nd.
And wouldn't you know it, after a wild pitch - this time by Tsujikoma, Marumoto singles past Usami into left. Hori and Kitano both score easily giving Iidzuka back their 2-run lead at 4-2!
Yoshida-kantoku presses the inititative, sending Marumoto! Takata double-clutches and Marumoto is in easily!
But Hinoki hits a ball back up the middle which is easily fielded by Kinoshita for the 3rd out. Still, Iidzuka reclaims the lead.
Top 3rd
Imanaka with a routine grounder to 2nd, but while the throw from Marumoto is not ideal, Shiraishi can't make the routine play and the leadoff runner is on!
Usami with a comeback to Koga, he whirls to throw to 2nd, but it's high and in between both fielders! Everyone's safe as Yoshida-kantoku calls for time.
Come to think of it, I haven't seen the southpaw Koga get over 130 kph. His fastball seems to be on the high 120s with a curve in the 110's and change in the 100's.
Cleanup batter Kubota steps in, but he hits a grounder to short! Kitano starts the 6-4-3 double play and there's 2 down!
But Takaya cues a ball to the left side! Hinoki stumbles as the ball sneaks into left! Imanaka scores to make it a 4-3 game!
Yoshida-kantoku in a bold move goes to his bullpen early, sending Nishi out to relieve Koga!
And while Hinoki has trouble fielding the grounder from Kinoshita, he makes the play to get out of the inning. Still, Hiroshima Kougyou has narrowed the margin.
Bottom 3rd
Cleanup batter Ishida collects his 2nd hit on a clean base hit to left. Shiraishi is allowed to swing away. And while he hits a comebacker to Tsujikoma, he can't field it cleanly and has to go to 1st for the out.
Clearly though, Tsujikoma is pitching backwards, throwing his off-speed stuff for strikes and using his fastball for the hammer.
But another wild pitch from Tsujikoma allows Ishida to advance to 3rd!
Kuroiwa bails Tsujikoma out as he can't hold off on the 2-2 pitch and is rung up for the 2nd out.
However, he doesn't escape damage as Hori collects his 2nd hit with a single the opposite way to get the 2 run lead back once again. It's 5-3!
Nishi grounds out to 2nd to end the inning, but Hiroshima Kougyou continues to spin it's wheels here making no progress against Iidzuka!
Top 4th
Nishi appears to be a right-handed, slightly faster version of Koga. Just add about 5 kph to everything and you have Nishi.
After a lineout by Takata, Tsujikoma gets his 2nd hit, a solid liner to left.
And apparently Hiroshima Kougyou has their own "Jock Rock" in that instead of the notes ascending in the beat, they're descending??!
Shigemori not bunting this time around with 1 down, but winds up striking out leaving it up to Kohira. However, he grounds out to Kitano and they stay down 2 runs.
Bottom 4th
Ezaki connects on a fastball and singles to center for another leadoff runner on. Kitano showing bunt, but Tsujikoma not finding the zone, falling behind 3-0! Kitano waits it out and earns a walk, which earns Tsujikoma a conference from the dugout.
But he'd better find it out quickly, because he's pretty much all Okimoto-kantoku's got.
And Ezaki almost bails him out at 2nd by being caught off base. He scurries back, just in time.
Marumoto lays down a great bunt and almsot beats out the throw from Usami. Up to Hinoki to plate the runners.
Tsujikoma resorting to throwing fastballs earlier in the count, and catches Hinoki on a 1-2 pitch which catches the inside corner for the 2nd out!
A pitchout to Ishida is followed by a ball outside, and it looks like they're unintentionally intentionally walking him.
And they are to load the bases.
But it's not much better as Shiraishi steps in...
Slider just catches the outside corner, and then a fastball inside jams Shiraishi to get ahead 0-2. Shiraishi defends one pitch, and hits a liner back at Tsujikoma that he backhands for the 3rd out!
A great play by Tsujikoma gives him his first 0! Can his offense capitalize?
Top 5th
Imanaka with a grounder to 2nd, but Marumoto makes another error with the ball and he's on safely! (I couldn't switch to the ABC feed fast enough to figure out what the error actually was... doh.)
And Usami drives one to deep left center! That's off the base of the wall! Imanaka rounds the bases and scores to make it 5-4!
Nishi with a wild pitch and now the douten run is 90 feet away!
But Kitano catches Usami off 3rd on a grounder and throws him out! Worse yet, Takaya grounds into the 4-3 double play to end the inning! Hiroshima Kougyou gets one run back, but could have had 2!
Bottom 5th
Tsujikoma is finally able to retire Hori as he grounds out to 2nd. In fact, Tsujikoma works a quick 1-2-3 inning (his first one!) and as we hit the break his team find themselves just down by a run.
Top 6th
Not to be outdone, Nishi gets his own quick 1-2-3 inning thanks in part to a great stop in the hole by Kitano on a hard hit ball by Tsujikoma. Kitano denies him his 3rd hit of the game, and Iidzuka is back on the bats.
Bottom 6th
The game seems to have settled down after the frenetic first couple of innings. Tsujikoma gets 3 flyouts, albeit the third had to be run down by Imanaka, nevertheless he gives his team a chance again in the lucky 7.
Top 7th
Despite just a 1-run lead, Nishi goes after last batter Shigemori betting he can't hit the fastball, and is proven right as he gets the K. However, Kohira gets a hit past Hinoki who is slightly drawn in.
But Okimoto tries to press the initiative, sending him, but Hori makes a great throw to get him out by a good margin. Imanaka grounds out to 3rd, and the lucky 7 for Hiroshima Kougyou dissapates in a flash.
Bottom 7th
After ringing up Hinoki, Tsujikoma lets 3 balls fly to Ishida before pumping in 2 strikes to fill up the count. Now Ishida is the one fouling it off before Tsujikoma uncorks a high pitch for the 2nd walk to Ishida.
And while he gets a popup from Shiraishi, it is evident by the pitches way up and away, and the subsequent wild pitch that Tsujikoma is running out of steam. So they elect to walk Kuroiwa while behind 3-0 and pitch to Hori - which is questionable given his success today.
And true to form he singles through the left side. The runners can only advance 90 feet, but it is manrui for Nishi with 2 down. A base hit here can be deadly.
Nishi makes great contact, but it's a fly ball to right! Imanaka running to his left is able to track it down and Tsujikoma is out of the jam!
Temporarily at least. He's quickly running out of gas and there's still 2 innings to go...
Top 8th
Usami had worked the count in his favor, but ends up getting jammed and popping up to 2nd. Kubota continues his struggles at the plate, also getting jammed and popping up to 2nd.
And finally, Nishi gets Takaya to get under a low pitch and harmlessly fly out to left for the 3rd out. No runs, 3 outs left and a tiring pitcher on the mound.
Bottom 8th
#15 Yamada comes in for Takaya and goes to RF. Imanaka shifts to LF here in the 8th.
After getting 2 relatively quick outs, he once again loses control, throwing 3 way out of the zone to Marumoto before eventually walking him.
Yoshida-kantoku is looking for an insurance run and immediately sends Marumoto, who successfully takes 2nd.
And Hinoki drives one to left! Imanaka goes back, then turns around and sprints! The ball is over his head! Marumoto scores easily on the play, and while Hinoki is thrown out trying to stretch the hit to a triple, Yoshida-kantoku gets the key insurance run and lead 6-4 heading into the 9th!
Top 9th
Kinoshita quickly falls behind 0-2 and winds up flying out to 3rd for the 1st out.
Takada with a comebacker, knocks Nishi's glove off, but the ball stays put and Nishi makes the putout! It's down to Tsujikoma to keep the game going!
And despite his desparate attempts to keep the game going fouling off several pitches, he is caught looking for the final out.
And so, after a 20 year absencse, Hiroshima Kougyou's stint at Koushien ends on day 1 at the hands of Iidzuka 6-4. And much like the first game, the team behind couldn't come back from the early deficit in the very first inning.
Meanwhile, Iidzuka despite 4 errors on the day, earn their first victory at Koushien. However, they'll need to clean it up if they want to advance for a chance at the Best 8.
Notable Players
Ishida Kenta (Iidzuka) - 2-2, R, RBI, 2 BB
Hori Yuuki (Iidzuka) - 3-4, R, RBI
Tsujikoma Yuuta (Hiroshima Kougyou) - 2-4, 2 RBI, K
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