高校野球 (Kokoyakyu)

Sadly the first 2 games haven't been all that exciting. given these 2 histories, maybe we can finish the day with one. Only thing is, Ueda Nishi has certainly been tested more during the prefecturals.

Ueda Nishi (Nagano)
SS Kouno Seiya
2B Saitou Takashi
1B Mitsui Shuuhei
3B Ooyabu Shouya
C Noguchi Masahi
CF Matsumoto Daisuke
LF Kobayashi Ryouta
P Kusagai Kouki
RF Sekiguchi Daisuke

Miyazaki Nichidai (miyazaki)
RF Maeda Yoshifumi (#7)
CF Yoshino Shouhei
2B Masutomi Hiroshi
3B Misogami Kenya
SS Kihara Shin
P Sugio Takeshi
1B Kuroki Takashi (#10)
C Sonoda Atsushi
LF Tomori Takumi (#9)

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16:10 - First Pitch!

Top 1st
Oh boy, single for Kouno to start, and after a sac bunt Mitsui singles to right. Ooyabu draws a walk and it's manrui alrady.

Chopper for Matsumoto over a leaping Mizogami and Kouno scores! Mitsui waved around... he scores! 2-0 Ueda Nishi already!

And Sugio is pulled! He goes to 1B while Kuroki takes the hill.

Things get dicey when Kobayashi gets a gunt hit to lead the bases with 2 down, but Takashi performs self-defense on a line by Kusagai for the 3rd out. It's not good, but it could have been worse.

Bottom 1st
Meanwhile Kusagai has a clean 1-2-3 inning as he goes quickly on the mound and hits his spots with a fastball in the high 130-low 140.

Top 2nd
Ueda Nishi seems to be based on speed as Saitou is either fooled or tries the drag swing and beats out the dribbler to the right side. He's stranded there when Mitsui Ks swinging, but I think they're taking a page from Kendai Takasaki.

Bottom 2nd
I really like what Kusagai is bringing to the plate here. He's working around the strike zone, but never in it. He's also getting contact, and his pitch count after his 2nd 1-2-3 inning is very low.

Top 3rd
Kuroki has locked it down since taking the hill. He's given up 2 infield hits, but nothing solid in nature.

Bottom 3rd
Kusagai is pitching like a pro. Last batter Tomori has the longest AB against him at 6 pitches, with the last a base hit through the right side. Guess I jinxed it there.

Top 4th
Ueda Nishi threatening again when Kusagai and Sekiguchi get back to back hits at the bottom of the lineup. But Kouno quickly flies out to shallow right, and Mizogami makes a great diving stop on a ball from Saitou and goes to 2nd for the 3rd out - easily saving a run.

Bottom 4th
Masutomi has a long AB, but that's all Miyazaki Nichidai can muster.

Top 5th
After a one out blooper by Ooyabu, Sakakibara-kantoku switches his pitchers again.

Matsumoto hits a line shot that Yoshino manages to run down in right center. A walk makes things a little dicey, but he gets the groundout to end the inning.

Bottom 5th
Miyazaki Nichidai playing to Ueda Nishi's pace it seems. It is another quick 1-2-3 inning, and he's faced 1 more than the minimum!

Top 6th
Some good luck comes Ueda Nishi's way when Sekiguchi's bunt after a leadoff single gains backspin and goes away from Sonoda who was trying to field it. That allows a slow chopper to score a run extending the lead to 3-0.

Bottom 6th
Tomori with both of Miyazaki Nichidai's hits as he chops one just over a leaping Kusagai, and Kouno can't get it there in time.

Despite being down 3 runs, Sakaibara-kantoku bunts the runner over. It doesn't pay off as Yoshino grounds to 2nd to end the inning.

Bottom 7th
Masutomi and Mizogami get back-to-back hits to give Miyazaki Nichidai a chance. A bunt means a base hit can make it a 1-run game. But Sugio pops out and Kuroki chases the slider, and just like that the inning is over!

Top 8th
Kuroki's K might have translated to the field as Sekiguchi's hit goes right by him. But with him at 3rd and the squeeze on, Kuroki (now on the mound) makes a great toss home to get the out and mitigate the threat.

Bottom 8th
Sonoda plays the bunt game and gets a leadoff hit. Then Ooyabu takes too much time looking the runner back and his throw to 1st is late!

But Yoshino's bunt isn't good enought and gets the lead runner cut down! Masutomi pops out and the inning is over!

Top 9th
Looks like Sakikibara-kantoku is getting players in as Yokoyama, Hamasaki enter the game. Eventually the rotation of pitchers goes away when Kuroki is replaced.

Bottom 9th
The last out is finally recorded as moodmaker Iwakiri grounds back to Kusagai to end the game.

Miyazaki Nichidai falls, and once again it's the first inning that is the culprit. If not for that, they played a good game. They just couldn't find a way to get to Kusagai.

Things do not get any easier as they will have to play Sakushin Gakuin. Yikes.