And then there were 2...
And who saw this coming? If you did, you can take over my blog because you know a heck of a lot more than I do apparently (I could also just watch games again to watch games, but I digress.)
First of all Nobeoka Gakuen. 32 year old kantoku Shigemoto Kouji let out one hell of a scream after the final out was recorded. It has been a long road, one that almost didn't happen because St. Ursula battled with them the entire game before Nobeoka finally prevailed in the 10th.
Nobeoka has been the master of the mid-game adjustment. They have scored 15 of their 21 runs after the mid-game break. If you include the 5th inning, it becomes 19 of 21 runs.
I don't know what it is either, whether they spend the first time or so through the lineup assessing the pitcher and then striking, or if they know the mid-game break could affect a pitcher's rhythm and thus are somehow able to take advantage of it when other schools can't, but 9 of their 21 runs scored were scored in the 6th.
It's so prevailing that it may have been the reason why Hanamaki Higashi tried to attack ace Yokose Takahiro early in counts to try and get a lead before the eventual strike. But changing your strategy to something you're not used to just to try and preempt someone else's strategy doesn't generally lead to victory.
The last thing you need is to give ace Yokose an easy time on the mound. Hanamaki Higashi swung themselves to 9 Ks and 2 walks with a grand total of 3 hits. But in the Toyama Dai-ichi game, he was not as effective, giving up 6 hits, 2 walks and 3 runs in just 3 IP before Ide finished it out.
If we are to believe his interview after the Hanamaki Higashi win, Yokose will start the final - and why not? His one time he came out of he pen was his worst performance.
Maebashi Ikuei gets here having dominated Nichidai Yamagata from start to finish. They took my questions regarding their ability to score runs, laughed, and tore up my sheets. It's not that they scored a lot of runs, it's just that they scored them early so as to try and demoralize Nichidai Yamagata - who showed resiliency in the game against Meitoku Gijyuku.
Arai-kantoku made a key move before the game as Takahashi Tomoya went from the bottom of the lineup to 2nd and immediately rewarded him with a 3-3 effort with a 2B, a SB and 2 runs. Driving him in is the manager's son Arai Kaito, who only went 1-3, but has a sac fly and an effective groundout showing that he knows the situation and what he needs to do.
Interestingly the former #2 batter Tamura Hayato, moved down to #8 in the order and went 2-4 with a triple down the right field line.
On the mound, Takahashi Kouna has pitched all but the first 5 innings against Jyousou Gakuin. He's not the dominating ace that you'd associate with a championship team, but he scatters hits and walks and when he does get into a pinch he shuts the door.
However, I wonder if they'll send out their ace to start the game. It is the final, so perhaps he starts and then Kitagawa comes in. But chances are Kitagawa starts like the Jyousou Gakuin game and then Kouna would come in to close it out. The risk you run is much like their game against Jyousou Gakuin, and more prominently the 2006 final replay where Kikuchi Shouta started for Komadai Tomakomai instead of Tanaka Masahiro. Waseda Jitsugyou would score the opening run in the first, knock Kikuchi out and stay ahead for the rest of the game.
We just don't know a whole lot about their bullpen, unlike Nobeoka - who has 2 other pitchers that in the event of an emergency Shigemoto-kantoku can break the glass and go to. That's a comforting thought for a kokoyakyu kantoku.
I don't think there is a clear favorite, but if it does come down to the pitching - just from what we've seen in terms of depth, Nobeoka Gakuen has the advantage.
It's time for the final! This Natsu Koushien has been very enjoyable from start to finish, and I don't expect anything less from this game either! Play ball!
Maebashi Ikuei (Gunma)
CF Kudou Youhei
2B Takahashi Tomoya
SS Tsuchiya Keisuke
3B Arai Kento
C Ogawa Toshiki
RF Itagaki Fumiya
P Takahashi Kouna
LF Tamura Hayato
1B Kusunoki Hiroki
Nobeoka Gakuen (Miyazaki)
2B Kajiwara Shouto
SS Matsumoto Masaya
CF Sakamoto Ryougo
RF Iwashige Akihito
LF Hamada Shintarou
1B Tanaka Yuuki
3B Usuda Ryou (#14)
C Yanase Naoya
P Yokose Takahiro
____________________________________________________________
12:01 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
First pitch Kudou swings at and grounds right to Kajiwara for the first out.
Ah, and it looks like Kajiwara was injured in the last game, and he can't go. #5 Watarai comes in to take 3rd and Usuda goes to 2nd.
Tomoya looking for a pitch from Yokose, but Yokose looks to be careful around him. He walks him!
Yokose working outside to Tsuchiya, but he takes one back up the middle past Usuda into center!
Arai also working the count on Yokose, gets it full.
Single through to right! Tomoya being held at 3rd as Iwashige's throw goes right home on the fly! But still manrui for Maebashi with 1 out!
Oh no! Ogawa's swing is basically a bunt in front of home! Yanase picks it up, stands on home, goes to 1st, double play!!
Big chance for Maebashi Ikuei lost by an unlucky swing!
Bottom 1st
Watarai up, probably expecting to come in for Kajiwara, quickly grounds out to short.
Kouna falls behind Matsumoto 3-0, but comes back to fill up the count. Comes with another fastball and Matsumoto rolls one to Kusunoki for the 3rd out.
Sakamoto flies out to right and it's a 0 for both aces to start.
Top 2nd
Maebashi having to start from scratch against Yokose now here in the 2nd. Itasaka gets a hold of a fastball, but it's off the end of his bat and he flies out to center.
Kouna ahead in the count early, sees Yokose even it up and then goes after an inside fastball and roll it to short for the 2nd out.
And Tamura too can't get level on a low fastball and grounds to short. No problem for Matsumoto and the side is retired. That first inning though has to hurt.
Bottom 2nd
Kouna gets ahead quickly on Iwashige 0-2, then cant get him to chase on any of the next 3 balls. Has to put him away with a slider over the plate looking.
Hamada takes a close pitch outside for ball 3, gets jammed inside and hits a slow liner to short.
Tanaka with a grounder to the gap in short, Tsuchiya cuts it off in the gap, throws a 3 or 4 bouncer to 1st and Kusunoki makes the pick for the 3rd out!
Top 3rd
Kusunoki slow chopper up middle over Yokose's head! Usuda ranging over, but misses handle and won't have a play at 1st! Idfield hit for Maebashi!
No bunting from Kusunoki.
Kusunoki picked off! No! He's called for a balk! Kusunoki advances to scoring position!
But Kudou can't even advance him! He goes after the slow curve but pops out to Iwashige in shallow right.
EH? 1-1 to Tomoya and he tries the safety bunt, but fouls it off! Yokose tries the outside pitch to get him to chase, but NG. Then a slow curve and he just makes a late swing to foul it off.
And so with that, Yokose goes up and in and Tomoya has no chance.
Tsuchiya with a base hit past Tanaka, but Kusunoki can't go home because it's hit to Iwashige and he fires one back home for the 3rd out.
Arai comebacker up middle! It hits Yokose and stays near the mound! He recovers, throws to 1st and that's 3 outs! Another unfortunate event for Maebashi!
Bottom 3rd
あ。 Kouna hits Usuda to start the inning. Yanase lays down the bunt, but Kouna is right there on it, fires to 2nd, just gets Usuda, throw to 1st late.
Yokose bunting too. But falls behind 0-2. Does it anyways! Arai charges in throws to 2nd again, and they just get Yanase! Again late at 1st.
Watarai grounder to 1st and that's the inning. Wonder if part of the bunting strategy is to try and put stress on the defense for later?
Top 4th
Ogawa can't check his swing on a fastball high and is called out.
Itagaki gets around on a fastball inside and singles to left. As expected no bunting.
But there's a hit-and-run on 2-2! Ball way inside and Kouna still manages to foul it off! Yokose goes fastball down and away and Kouna can't reach out to it.
Tamura down quickly 0-2 on a curve and slider in the zone. And Arai-kantoku decides instead to send Itagaki! Throw from Yanase, not even close! Itagaki is out by a mile and the inning is over.
Bottom 4th
Matsumoto being a thorn in Kouna's side. Behind 0-2, he spoils several of Kouna's pitches and works the count full.
Ball back up middle. Tsuchiya with the great pick, turn and throw to 1st... nice play!
Matsumoto liner to 3rd, Arai puts a glove on it, but can't secure the catch! Prevents a possible double though.
And that's key! Iwashige fists one to right and it gets over Tomoya for a base hit! Nobeoka Gakuen threatening!
He gets one of the 2 outs! Hamada hits a pop to Arai, infield fly called for the 2nd out.
Kouna though can't find the strike zone on Tanaka! He walks him and it's manrui for Nobeoka!
Arai-kantoku calls time.
Usuda chopper to 3rd! Arai has to wait for it... throws to AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
His throw right off the hand is high and goes over everything!! Sakamoto already in, Iwashige comes in and it's 2-0 Nobeoka Gakuen!
Kona can't find the outer half on Yanase and he walks him to load the bases again for counterpart Yokose.
Single to right! Tanaka scores! Usuda coming home, throw from Itagaki... in time!
But Nobeoka extends the lead to 3-0! That's usually death for the opponent, but how will Maebashi respond?
Top 5th
Tamura with a ball to left! Hamada running back to the wall! Still running... Looking up!!
HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That's how they respond. #8 batter Tamura with a leadoff HR and it's 3-1!
Kusunoki with the safety bunt. Bobbled by Yokose! He has no play!
Kudou with a base hit to the right side! Kusunoki taking 3rd and the douten runner is in scoring position!
That's going to be it for Yokose! Shigemoto-kantoku sends in #11 Ide in relief.
SQUEEZE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tomoya lays down the perfect squeeze and the defense is caught off guard! Ide can only go to 1st and it's now 3-2!! And the douten runner is at 2nd!!
Oh? What's this! Ide walks Tsuchiya on 4 pitches! Pinch for Nobeoka!
And now he's 3-0 to Arai!
Arai with one off the bat, but it's looks like he got it caught at the end of the bat and flies out to center! Kudou was halfway and did not tag up! 2 down!
Ogawa ahead in the AB, works the count full...
Single through to right! Kudou rounding 3rd... he scores with no throw!
WE'RE DOUTEN AT 3-3!!!
And that's it for Ide! Shigemoto-kantoku scrambling as #10 Nasu comes in.
No help! He walks Itagaki on 4 straight and it's manrui for Maebashi Ikuei! Shigemoto-kantoku calling time, anything to stop the bleeding.
And it works! Kouna hits a grounder to 3rd. Watarai goes to 1st and the inning is finally over, but not before Maebashi counters to tie the game!!
Bottom 5th
Two quick outs from the top of the Nobeoka order. Watarai pulls one right to Kusunoki for the first out, then Matsumoto tries the drag bunt to the right side with no success.
Sakamoto with a line shot that tips off Kouna's glove and up the middle to center for a base hit!
But Kouna shuts the door with a slider up and in and we're at the break!
In a surprising development Nobeoka strikes earlier than expected, only to give it right back with interest as they're on their 3rd pitcher! The pitching advantage has disappeared for Nobeoka! How will it play out!
Top 6th
Tamura, with a ball off the end of the bat, back to Nasu for the 1st out.
Nasu with a rare K as Kusunoki goes after a fastball down and in. 2 down!
Kudou with ball off end of bat, drives it the other way all the way down the line and hits off the top of the padding in front of the foul pole! He's in with a double!
Tomoya grounder to short, Masumoto can't field it cleanly! Goes to 3rd...
OUT!!!!
Kudou caught rounding 3rd too far and Matsumoto alertly goes there for the out! Side retired!!!
Bottom 6th
Once again Kouna falls behind a batter 3-0, this time Hamada, gets back to full and hits comebaker to Kouna for the first out.
He gets ahead of Tanaka and gets a flyout to left.
And it's a 1-2-3 inning for Kouna post-break! Usuda weak grounder to 2nd and the side is retired!
Top 7th
Tsuchiya with a rip down the right field line... FAIR!! Takes a hop to the wall, and Iwashige fumbles with the ball at the wall! Tsuchiya in with a 3B and Maebashi Ikuei has a great scoring chance!
Arai scorcher up the 3rd base line... FAIR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Tsuchiya comes home and Maebashi Ikuei has the 4-3 lead!!!
Ah, but Arai-kantoku tries to steal a base, and Arai's attempt is about as bad as Itagaki's earlier. 1 out...
And now Ogawa goes down swinging on the slider for the 2nd out.
Working to Itagaki, he can't seem to find either the outer or upper parts of the zone and he walks Itagaki!
AHHH!!! Wild pitch from Nasu gets under Yanase and Itagaki advances to 2nd!
And now behind 1-2, Kouna works the count full and works another walk from Nasu! That brings up Tamura...
Ball back up middle, Usuda caught leaning the wrong way, dives... makes the stop! Takes it to 2nd for the out, but Maebashi has the lead!
Bottom 7th
Nobeoka looks to be in trouble. Yanase with a regular grounder to 2nd. Nasu goes down on high away fastball...
And Watarai swings and misses on the forkball! They must be in red alert mode now!!
Top 8th
It's a 1-2-3 inning for Nasu as he settles down getting Kusunoki to fly to right, Kudou a routine grounder to 2nd, and another fly to right by Tomoya. He's trying to give his team a chance to get back in the game.
Bottom 8th
Matsumoto with a pop fly to Tsuchiya for the first out.
Ah, but Sakamoto works a walk! Douten runner on base!
Iwashige ball back up middle! Tsuchiya with an awkward toss to 2nd for 1, Tomoya's throw to 1st...
OUT!!!
Kusunoki stumbles after contorting to make the catch and the 6-4-3 double play ends the inning!
Top 9th
Nasu starting the inning off with a 4 pitch walk to Tsuchiya.
And now he's behind Arai 3-0! Shigemoto-kantoku gives a couple of words to Nasu from the bench...
Strike 1... and a fly ball! Hamada camps under it for the 1st out.
Tsuchiya takes off for 2nd! Throw from Yanase... hits Tsuchiya and bounds into left! Tsuchiya takes 3rd with a key insurance run!
Ogawa up to try and get the run in.
Nasu laboring out there as he goes from ahead 1-2 to a full count.
Ogawa dribbler back up the middle! Nasu blocks it with his arm, and keeps the runner at 3rd! Goes to 1st and there's 2 down!
Itagaki works count full after taking a just low strike at 2-2...
Gets the walk!Runners at the corners now for Kouna!
Grounder to short! Matsumoto goes to 2nd for the force and we're headed to the bottom of the 9th!
Bottom 9th
Kouna after getting ahead 0-2 to Hamada throws 3 straight balls... and then hits him! Douten runner on and Arai-kantoku calls time!
Tanaka liner down the left field line... FOUL! Shigemoto-kantoku gives him a smile and a clap for good effort.
Tanaka ball back up middle for a base hit! Runners on 1st and 2nd no out for Nobeoka Gakuen!
#13 Nozaki to hit for Usuda...
Pops it up! Tamura under it in shallow left center for the 1st out!
Yanase up now looking for timely.
Hit-and-run! But Yanase pulls it just foul!
Pops it up! Ogawa scrambling to the Nobeoka dugout, slides... makes catch!!! 2 out!
And now it's P vs. P as Nasu steps in!!
1-1, Kouna goes 141 to get strike 2 on Nasu!!
Fork outside, emergency fouled off by Nasu!
SANSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kouna with his arms in the air as he strikes out Nasu to win the game! Maebashi Ikuei in their first ever Koushien appearance wins the 95th Natsu Koushien tournament!
And in the hardest part of Natsu Koushien, the losing team is crying at the loss given their opportunity. Even Shigemoto-kantoku is crying... that's hard to take, but I loved the emotion he showed. It made it feel like he cared as much about it as the players. And I bet it makes the players play hard for him as well.
It's hard. It's the hardest part about Koushien, the fact that these kids may have their only shot at Koushien just to fall short. Whether it's in the first round, in the Best 8, or in the finals, to lose and have to deal with your emotions and the reporters and the loss. It's something the media can easily capitalize on. But remember, these are just high school kids that fight with their teammates throughout the year, throughout 3 years, working for this goal. Only 49 get the chance to come here, and only 1 can be the champion.
おめでとうございます前橋育英！
おつかれさまでした延岡学園！
みなさん、本当にありがとうございました!!
Final Lines
Maebashi Ikuei
Kudou Youhei - 2-5, 2B, R
Takahashi Tomoya - 0-3, RBI, BB, K
Tsuchiya Keisuke - 3-3, 3B, R, 2 BB, SB
Arai Kaito - 2-5, RBI
Ogawa Toshiki - 1-5, RBI, 2 K
Itagaki Fumiya - 1-2, 3 BB
Takahashi Kouna - 0-4, K, BB
Tamura Hayato - 1-4, HR, R, RBI
Kusunoki Hiroki - 2-4, R, RBI, K
Takahashi Kouna - CG, 3 ER, 7 H, 5 K , 3 BB, 2 HBP
Nobeoka Gakuen
Kajiwara Shouto - 0-0 (Removed after 1st batter due to injury)
Watarai Akihiro - 0-4, K
Matsumoto Masaya - 1-4
Sakamoto Ryougo - 2-3, R, BB
Iwashige Akihito - 1-4, R, 2K
Hamada Shintarou - 0-3, HBP
Tanaka Yuuki - 1-3, R, BB
Usuda Ryou - 1-2, RBI, HBP
Nozaki Kouji - 0-1
Yanase Naoya - 0-3, BB
Yokose Takahiro - 1-2, RBI
Ide Ichirou, - 0-0
Nasu Ryouto - 0-2, 2K
Yokose Naoya - 5+ IP, 3 ER, 8 H, 3 K, BB
Ide Ichirou - 0.2+ IP, 0 R, H, BB
Nasu Ryouto - 4.1 IP, 3 H, 2 K, 5 BB
Showing posts with label Nobeoka Gakuen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nobeoka Gakuen. Show all posts
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Day 14 - Semifinal 2 - Hanamaki Higashi (Iwate) vs. Nobeoka Gakuen (Miyazaki)
With Maebashi Ikuei in the final, who will face them? Hanamaki Higashi has the offense on their side, while Nobeoka seemingly has the pitching on their side.
Hanamaki Higasahi (Iwate)
2B Yagi Hikaru (#14)
CF Chiba Shouta
LF Kishisato Ryousuke (#1)
RF Oota Ryousuke
3B Tadano Shouta (#3)
C Yamashita Hayato
SS Mogi Kazuhiro
1B Oguma Yuuki (#16)
P Nakazato Yuusuke (#11)
Nobeoka Gakuen (Miyazaki)
2B Kajiwara Shouto
SS Matsumoto Masaya
CF Sakamoto Ryougo
RF Iwashige Akihito
LF Hamada Shintarou
1B Tanaka Yuuki
3B Usuda Ryou (#14)
C Yanase Naoya
P Yokose Takahiro
____________________________________________________________
13:30 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Yagi up, goes full count, and grounds to 2nd.
Chiba up, and he's not trying to work the count? Swings 1-0 and grounds to 3rd...
Oof... then collides with Tanaka at 1st. He's shaken up a bit, but eventually gets up and heads to dugout. Though, given his stature there's not a lot he won't win in a collision.
Apparently the patience game is being played by Chiba's teammates, because Kishisato goes full, fouls off a couple and takes a walk.
Oota, behind 1-2, fouls off one... and another... and another, and another!
Yokose finally gets him to ground to 1st, but that's 25 pitches in the inning. Chiba would be proud.
Bottom 1st
And there's Ama-chan's OP theme.
Kajiwara though chops one to short, Mogi makes the play for the 1st out.
Matsumoto hard ball to Oguma, gets in front and takes it to the bag for the 2nd out.
And Matsumoto way out in front of a curve, grounds to Mogi again. Short hops throw, but Oguma makes pitch for a 1-2-3 innning.
Top 2nd
After pitching Tadano low, Yokose goes up and in and Tadano can only roll it to Tanaka for the 1st out.
Yokose doesn't pull out the slider, but the changeup as Yamashita goes down for his first K.
And Mogi first pitch flies out to Sakamoto and the inning is over.
Bottom 2nd
Iwashige short ball to the left side, Mogi charges, gets the throw off and gets Iwashige for out #1.
Hamada swings over a slider letter high for the 2nd out.
Tanaka rolls one to 2nd and... AH!
Yagi whiffs on the ball and it goes 5-hole! Inning continues!
Usuda, after falling 1-2 works the count full. Next pitch... ball!
Oh... that was close... But the inning continues as Yanase steps in with runners at 1st and 2nd.
Sanshin!!!
Nakazato gets Yanase to swing and miss on a slider and the inning is over, but not before he has to throw 11 more pitches.
Top 3rd
Oguma goes after yet another curve, and grounds out to Matsumoto up the middle.
Once again the battery does the ol' setup outside pitch over the plate to get Nakazato.
Yagi with the 6th groundout for Yokose as he hits one to Kajiwara for the 3rd out. Right now he has the Hanamaki batters all fouled up in their timing.
Bottom 3rd
Nakazato doing a great job matching Yokose on the mound, first of all getting his counterpart to pull an outside slider weakly to 2nd and Kajiwara to fly to center on the same.
Matsumoto, though hits a hard grounder up the middle. Yagi makes the great stop, but throws it to 1st when he has no play and throws it away! Sensei (先制) runner on at 2nd base!
But once again Nakazato picks up his 2B. Matsumoto grounds to short and the inning is over!
Top 4th
Wait, who is this person batting as Chiba? He's swinging to put the ball in play!
Slaps one to the left side, takes a high hop that Matsumoto fields, throws to 1st... beats a diving Chiba!
(RUN THROUGH THE BAG!!!!) (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻
Kishisato, attacking the 3-1 pitch whizzes it by Tanaka for a base hit.
Hit-and-run! Oota swings, but hits it right to Matsumoto. Has no play at 2nd so goes to 1st for the 2nd out.
Tadano can't get level on a high fastball and flies out t o right and we're still scoreless.
Bottom 4th
This game is whizzing by at a quick pace. Iwashige gets caught on an inside fastball and flies out to Chiba.
Hamada trying to attack first pitch, gets ahead of the changeup and grounds to Mogi.
Tanaka with a slicing liner that Kishisato runs down and we're already to the 5th inning at a neat 40 minutes!
Top 5th
Yamashita with a curve off the end of the bat drops it in center. Mogi laying down bunt, Yokose fields, AHHHHH!!!!!
Yokose falls over and his throw to 1st from the seat of his pants pulls Tanaka off the bag!
Shigemoto-kantoku call for time.
Oguma bunts, but it dies right at home! Yanase goes to 3rd for one, throw to 1st... Oguma just beats it out!
Nakazato up trying to give himself a lead...
But Yokose gets the generous outside strike call! 2 out!
And perhaps with that ouside pitch in mind, Yagi chases a fastball outside to close out the inning!
Bottom 5th
As if to "give back" to Nobeoka, Nakazato gets his own K on the outside corner.
Yanase a blooper to right, Yagi and Oota coming in... Yagi jumps, but can't get and it falls in for a single (he's having a rough day).
Yokose lays down the bunt, Tadano with it goes it 1st, AH!!
Throws it away! Yanase heads to 3rd, but Yagi is backing up the play! Throws to 3rd... and they got him! Nice cover by Yagi! (There you go!)
But man they're not making it easy on themselves! Nakazato uncorks a wild pitch and Yokose heads to 2nd!
Now a base hit from Kajiwara can give Nobeoka the lead!
But he goes after a high slider and hits a comebacker to Nakazato! Tosses it to 1st and the inning is over!
We hit the break with both teams with chances to score, but the starters closing the door. he game is going at breakneck speed... who will wipeout first?
Top 6th
This is not the Chiba I remember! He tries for the safety bunt and is thrown out by Yokose as he dives into 1st. (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻
Kishisato gets setup with a fastball after a curve and pops out to Yanase for the 2nd out.
And before I can really even finish these recaps, Oota looks at an outside fastball for strike 3!
Bottom 6th
One down, and Sakamoto grounds one back up the middle for a base hit.
2-2, Sakamoto takes off for 2nd! Yamashita with the throw but it's high and Yagi cuts it off...
Chance for a base hit here to take the lead, but Iwashige pops it up! Mogi behind 2nd makes the catch for the 2nd out.
Hamada ball to right side, through for a base hit!! Sakamoto being waved around as Oota throws it in, but it's not going to be in time! Hamada breaks the deadlock as he advances on the throw and Nobeoka Gakuen leads 1-0! Once again, Nobeoka is the master of mid-game adjustments!
Tanaka blast to right center! No one's going to get that! Chiba chasing that to the wall, but Tanaka's going to get in with a RBI triple to make it 2-0!
Sasaki-kantoku calls for time...
Usuda grounds out to Mogi to end the inning, but now Hanamaki Higashi will be on the clock.
Top 7th
But they're playing like a team under a lot of pressure instead of digging in.
Tadano unable to pull trigger on fastball outside, goes down looking.
Yamashita an easy comeback to Yokose for the 2nd out..
And Mogi tries to take a fastball the other way, but it's not hit very hard and Kajiwara makes the play at 1st to retire the side!
Bottom 7th
Two quick outs against the bottom of Nobeoka's order as Yanase grounds to short and Yokose gets a taste of his own cooking as he chases an ouside fastball.
Kajiwara grounds out to 2nd and the inning is over.
Top 8th
Ahh....
Kajiwara injures himself running to 1st base and has to be carried off the field. He's crying so it looks like he won't be returning.
And #5 Kajiwara takes his spot, and goes to 3B, Usuda goes to 2B.
Oguma still not recognizing the outside strike goes down looking.
#15 Takeda hitting for Nakazato first pitch grounds to short.
Yagi finally gets a base runner for Hanamaki Higashi as he singles up the middle past Usuda.
Chiba up with a chance to work the count and get on base... maybe?
He swinging away! Hard shot to 2nd, but Usuda is there to block it! Takes it to 2nd and the inning is over!
Bottom 8th
#17 Hosokawa in for PH Takeda to take the hill.
Matsumoto welcomes him with a base hit to center.
But Hosokawa has him picked off! Rundown... oh...
Hosokawa called for the balk, and now Sasaki-kantoku calls for time.
Sakamoto expectedly bunts Matsumoto to 3rd.
SQUEEZE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But it's a pitchout! Iwashige throws the bat at the ball (which isn't legal anyways), misses, and Matsumoto is run down 2-5-1-6 for the 2nd out!
It almost becomes a 1-2-3 inning of sorts, but Hosokawa walks Iwashige.
Hamada flies out to left and the inning is over...
Top 9th
But they're just 3 outs away from defeat and they haven't played gritty all game!
3-4-5 batters up for Hanamaki Higashi...
Kishisato, first pitch jammed, flies out to center.
Oota flails at the outside fastball and there's 2 outs.
Last chance in Tadano.
He's quickly behind 0-2, now 1-2 fouls off a pitch before holding up on a slider. Works count full... and earns a walk!
Yokose gets up quickly on Yamashita 0-2.
SANSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!
Yokose gets Yamashita to swing on an outside slider and Nobeoka Gakuen wins 2-0!
Wow, did not expect this game. Nobeoka Gakuen did everything they normally do in a ballgame, made their mid-game adjustments and won the game.
But I am very surprised at Hanamaki Higashi and how they played their game. Instead of playing gritty, they played like Yasuda Gakuen a couple of years back who looked like they had somewhere else to go to.
And the poster boy for Hanamaki Higashi, Chiba Shouta, who can be visibly heard crying, is where I point the style blame to - not necessarily him.
Chiba was good in setting up the rest of the lineup, by taking pitches and getting on base. And yet today, he was swinging away like everyone else. I just didn't understand what their strategy was against Yokose. If it was to score before they made their adjustments, simply willy-nilly swinging wasn't going to get it done. If this was Sasaki-kantoku's doing then he loses a couple of managerial points in how he played this opportunity today.
I won't necessarily go so far as to say that a team deserved a loss, because all these teams worked hard to get here, but they did themselves no favors with how they played today.
Yokose and Yanase did exactly what they were supposed to do. Once they identified that the home plate umpire was giving the outside strike, they went there time and again with Hanamaki unable to adjust.
That's not to take everything away from Yokose's performance. He located his pitches well and hit the spots that Yanase was spotting. The question will be if he can do it on 0 days rest.
Hanamaki Higasahi (Iwate)
2B Yagi Hikaru (#14)
CF Chiba Shouta
LF Kishisato Ryousuke (#1)
RF Oota Ryousuke
3B Tadano Shouta (#3)
C Yamashita Hayato
SS Mogi Kazuhiro
1B Oguma Yuuki (#16)
P Nakazato Yuusuke (#11)
Nobeoka Gakuen (Miyazaki)
2B Kajiwara Shouto
SS Matsumoto Masaya
CF Sakamoto Ryougo
RF Iwashige Akihito
LF Hamada Shintarou
1B Tanaka Yuuki
3B Usuda Ryou (#14)
C Yanase Naoya
P Yokose Takahiro
____________________________________________________________
13:30 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Yagi up, goes full count, and grounds to 2nd.
Chiba up, and he's not trying to work the count? Swings 1-0 and grounds to 3rd...
Oof... then collides with Tanaka at 1st. He's shaken up a bit, but eventually gets up and heads to dugout. Though, given his stature there's not a lot he won't win in a collision.
Apparently the patience game is being played by Chiba's teammates, because Kishisato goes full, fouls off a couple and takes a walk.
Oota, behind 1-2, fouls off one... and another... and another, and another!
Yokose finally gets him to ground to 1st, but that's 25 pitches in the inning. Chiba would be proud.
Bottom 1st
And there's Ama-chan's OP theme.
Kajiwara though chops one to short, Mogi makes the play for the 1st out.
Matsumoto hard ball to Oguma, gets in front and takes it to the bag for the 2nd out.
And Matsumoto way out in front of a curve, grounds to Mogi again. Short hops throw, but Oguma makes pitch for a 1-2-3 innning.
Top 2nd
After pitching Tadano low, Yokose goes up and in and Tadano can only roll it to Tanaka for the 1st out.
Yokose doesn't pull out the slider, but the changeup as Yamashita goes down for his first K.
And Mogi first pitch flies out to Sakamoto and the inning is over.
Bottom 2nd
Iwashige short ball to the left side, Mogi charges, gets the throw off and gets Iwashige for out #1.
Hamada swings over a slider letter high for the 2nd out.
Tanaka rolls one to 2nd and... AH!
Yagi whiffs on the ball and it goes 5-hole! Inning continues!
Usuda, after falling 1-2 works the count full. Next pitch... ball!
Oh... that was close... But the inning continues as Yanase steps in with runners at 1st and 2nd.
Sanshin!!!
Nakazato gets Yanase to swing and miss on a slider and the inning is over, but not before he has to throw 11 more pitches.
Top 3rd
Oguma goes after yet another curve, and grounds out to Matsumoto up the middle.
Once again the battery does the ol' setup outside pitch over the plate to get Nakazato.
Yagi with the 6th groundout for Yokose as he hits one to Kajiwara for the 3rd out. Right now he has the Hanamaki batters all fouled up in their timing.
Bottom 3rd
Nakazato doing a great job matching Yokose on the mound, first of all getting his counterpart to pull an outside slider weakly to 2nd and Kajiwara to fly to center on the same.
Matsumoto, though hits a hard grounder up the middle. Yagi makes the great stop, but throws it to 1st when he has no play and throws it away! Sensei (先制) runner on at 2nd base!
But once again Nakazato picks up his 2B. Matsumoto grounds to short and the inning is over!
Top 4th
Wait, who is this person batting as Chiba? He's swinging to put the ball in play!
Slaps one to the left side, takes a high hop that Matsumoto fields, throws to 1st... beats a diving Chiba!
(RUN THROUGH THE BAG!!!!) (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻
Kishisato, attacking the 3-1 pitch whizzes it by Tanaka for a base hit.
Hit-and-run! Oota swings, but hits it right to Matsumoto. Has no play at 2nd so goes to 1st for the 2nd out.
Tadano can't get level on a high fastball and flies out t o right and we're still scoreless.
Bottom 4th
This game is whizzing by at a quick pace. Iwashige gets caught on an inside fastball and flies out to Chiba.
Hamada trying to attack first pitch, gets ahead of the changeup and grounds to Mogi.
Tanaka with a slicing liner that Kishisato runs down and we're already to the 5th inning at a neat 40 minutes!
Top 5th
Yamashita with a curve off the end of the bat drops it in center. Mogi laying down bunt, Yokose fields, AHHHHH!!!!!
Yokose falls over and his throw to 1st from the seat of his pants pulls Tanaka off the bag!
Shigemoto-kantoku call for time.
Oguma bunts, but it dies right at home! Yanase goes to 3rd for one, throw to 1st... Oguma just beats it out!
Nakazato up trying to give himself a lead...
But Yokose gets the generous outside strike call! 2 out!
And perhaps with that ouside pitch in mind, Yagi chases a fastball outside to close out the inning!
Bottom 5th
As if to "give back" to Nobeoka, Nakazato gets his own K on the outside corner.
Yanase a blooper to right, Yagi and Oota coming in... Yagi jumps, but can't get and it falls in for a single (he's having a rough day).
Yokose lays down the bunt, Tadano with it goes it 1st, AH!!
Throws it away! Yanase heads to 3rd, but Yagi is backing up the play! Throws to 3rd... and they got him! Nice cover by Yagi! (There you go!)
But man they're not making it easy on themselves! Nakazato uncorks a wild pitch and Yokose heads to 2nd!
Now a base hit from Kajiwara can give Nobeoka the lead!
But he goes after a high slider and hits a comebacker to Nakazato! Tosses it to 1st and the inning is over!
We hit the break with both teams with chances to score, but the starters closing the door. he game is going at breakneck speed... who will wipeout first?
Top 6th
This is not the Chiba I remember! He tries for the safety bunt and is thrown out by Yokose as he dives into 1st. (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻
Kishisato gets setup with a fastball after a curve and pops out to Yanase for the 2nd out.
And before I can really even finish these recaps, Oota looks at an outside fastball for strike 3!
Bottom 6th
One down, and Sakamoto grounds one back up the middle for a base hit.
2-2, Sakamoto takes off for 2nd! Yamashita with the throw but it's high and Yagi cuts it off...
Chance for a base hit here to take the lead, but Iwashige pops it up! Mogi behind 2nd makes the catch for the 2nd out.
Hamada ball to right side, through for a base hit!! Sakamoto being waved around as Oota throws it in, but it's not going to be in time! Hamada breaks the deadlock as he advances on the throw and Nobeoka Gakuen leads 1-0! Once again, Nobeoka is the master of mid-game adjustments!
Tanaka blast to right center! No one's going to get that! Chiba chasing that to the wall, but Tanaka's going to get in with a RBI triple to make it 2-0!
Sasaki-kantoku calls for time...
Usuda grounds out to Mogi to end the inning, but now Hanamaki Higashi will be on the clock.
Top 7th
But they're playing like a team under a lot of pressure instead of digging in.
Tadano unable to pull trigger on fastball outside, goes down looking.
Yamashita an easy comeback to Yokose for the 2nd out..
And Mogi tries to take a fastball the other way, but it's not hit very hard and Kajiwara makes the play at 1st to retire the side!
Bottom 7th
Two quick outs against the bottom of Nobeoka's order as Yanase grounds to short and Yokose gets a taste of his own cooking as he chases an ouside fastball.
Kajiwara grounds out to 2nd and the inning is over.
Top 8th
Ahh....
Kajiwara injures himself running to 1st base and has to be carried off the field. He's crying so it looks like he won't be returning.
And #5 Kajiwara takes his spot, and goes to 3B, Usuda goes to 2B.
Oguma still not recognizing the outside strike goes down looking.
#15 Takeda hitting for Nakazato first pitch grounds to short.
Yagi finally gets a base runner for Hanamaki Higashi as he singles up the middle past Usuda.
Chiba up with a chance to work the count and get on base... maybe?
He swinging away! Hard shot to 2nd, but Usuda is there to block it! Takes it to 2nd and the inning is over!
Bottom 8th
#17 Hosokawa in for PH Takeda to take the hill.
Matsumoto welcomes him with a base hit to center.
But Hosokawa has him picked off! Rundown... oh...
Hosokawa called for the balk, and now Sasaki-kantoku calls for time.
Sakamoto expectedly bunts Matsumoto to 3rd.
SQUEEZE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But it's a pitchout! Iwashige throws the bat at the ball (which isn't legal anyways), misses, and Matsumoto is run down 2-5-1-6 for the 2nd out!
It almost becomes a 1-2-3 inning of sorts, but Hosokawa walks Iwashige.
Hamada flies out to left and the inning is over...
Top 9th
But they're just 3 outs away from defeat and they haven't played gritty all game!
3-4-5 batters up for Hanamaki Higashi...
Kishisato, first pitch jammed, flies out to center.
Oota flails at the outside fastball and there's 2 outs.
Last chance in Tadano.
He's quickly behind 0-2, now 1-2 fouls off a pitch before holding up on a slider. Works count full... and earns a walk!
Yokose gets up quickly on Yamashita 0-2.
SANSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!
Yokose gets Yamashita to swing on an outside slider and Nobeoka Gakuen wins 2-0!
Wow, did not expect this game. Nobeoka Gakuen did everything they normally do in a ballgame, made their mid-game adjustments and won the game.
But I am very surprised at Hanamaki Higashi and how they played their game. Instead of playing gritty, they played like Yasuda Gakuen a couple of years back who looked like they had somewhere else to go to.
And the poster boy for Hanamaki Higashi, Chiba Shouta, who can be visibly heard crying, is where I point the style blame to - not necessarily him.
Chiba was good in setting up the rest of the lineup, by taking pitches and getting on base. And yet today, he was swinging away like everyone else. I just didn't understand what their strategy was against Yokose. If it was to score before they made their adjustments, simply willy-nilly swinging wasn't going to get it done. If this was Sasaki-kantoku's doing then he loses a couple of managerial points in how he played this opportunity today.
I won't necessarily go so far as to say that a team deserved a loss, because all these teams worked hard to get here, but they did themselves no favors with how they played today.
Yokose and Yanase did exactly what they were supposed to do. Once they identified that the home plate umpire was giving the outside strike, they went there time and again with Hanamaki unable to adjust.
That's not to take everything away from Yokose's performance. He located his pitches well and hit the spots that Yanase was spotting. The question will be if he can do it on 0 days rest.
Monday, August 19, 2013
Day 12 - Quarterfinal 4 - Toyama Dai-ichi (Toyama) vs. Nobeoka Gakuen (Miyazaki)
Well, with that completely... um... conflicting end to that game, we come to our final matchup.
Toyama Dai-ichi has gotten here by defeating a weaker Akita Shougyou team, then routing Kisaradzu Sougou late. Again though they did not pull starter Miyamoto for that game and as a result #10 Ishikawa will be starting.
Their offense seems to come in bunches as they can string hits together as if they can feel the momentum.
For Nobeoka Gakuen, they followed a close 4-2 win over Jiyuugaoka with a rout of first timers Seiai 10-0. The two pitcher system seems to be working for Shigemoto-kantoku, but Nasu went 8 innings and one wonders how many innings he can go before giving way.
Except that they too are changing pitchers. #11 Ide, who finished the game, will be starting this one.
But both teams are somewhere between their first and second games, I just don't know where.
Toyama Dai-ichi (Toyama)
CF Hirata Masazumi
RF Nishida Yuuki
3B Kuroda Masataka
LF Kouyama Kazuhiro
SS Nakamura Jyunka
1B Fujii Shintarou
C Takamori Hiroyuki
2B Terasaki Hikaru
P Ishikawa Tatsuya (#10)
Nobeoka Gakuen (Miyazaki)
2B Kajiwara Shouto
SS Matsumoto Masaya
CF Sakamoto Ryougo
RF Iwashige Akihito
LF Hamada Shintarou
1B Nozaki Kouji (#13)
3B Watarai Akihiro
C Yanase Naoya
P Ide Ichirou (#11)
____________________________________________________________
16:30 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Two quick outs from Ide as Hirata grounds to 2nd and Nishida pops up to Nozaki.
And Kuroda goes down on a well placed fastball inside by Ide!
Bottom 1st
Kajiwara with grounder up the middle, Terasaki is there, but he boots it and the leadoff runner is on.
Matsumoto bunts him along for Sakamoto.
Uh oh, he walks Sakamoto on 4 straight.
But Iwashige rolls one to 3rd! Kuroda steps on 3rd, goes to 1st... double play! Nice work by Kuroda and the side is retired!
Top 2nd
Kouyama liner down the left field line fair! He's in with a leadoff double!
So about Ide, he's a sidearm pitcher with a fastball in the low 130s and a slider(?) in the 110s. He's been throwing predominantly fastballs, so I haven't really seen a whole lot.
Nakamura moves him to 3rd with a grounder to 2nd.
Fujii with a fly ball to left! Hamada under it as Kouyama sets to tag up.
Coming! Throw home... not in time! Toyama Dai-ichi leads 1-0!
Ah, now Takamori gets hit in his arm. He's a bit hurt, but works his way to 1st.
Terasaki with a shot to the left side! Matsumoto ranging, makes the great diving stop! Throw to 1st...
Beats a diving Terasaki for the 3rd out!But a leadoff double by Kouyama gives the first timers the lead!
Bottom 2nd
Hamada on a full count, hits grounder past a diving Nakamura into center. No bunting from Shigemoto-kantoku.
That's fine as Nozaki gets ahead 3-1.
But he hits a fly ball to right which Nishida secures.
Now Shigemoto-kantoku has Watarai bunt him along for Yanase, who has quite a bit of success hitting in the 8-hole.
Ishikawa shuts the door though as Yanase grounds to 2nd to end the inning!
Top 3rd
Ishikawa probably not known for his hitting as he goes down on 3 straight.
Hirata grounder to right side, Terasaki makes a great diving stop and throw to 1st for the 2nd out.
And it's a quick inning fro Ide as he retires the side in just 6 pitches!
Bottom 3rd
Ide with a grounder past a lunging Kuroda for a base hit!
Well, Ishikawa throws a fastball in the high 120s. There's also seeming something in the high 110s, a slider in the lower 110s, and then a slow curve in the 100s.
Kajiwara grounder to Nakamura! He goes to 2nd for one, but Kajiwara beats the throw to 1st.
Hit-and-run! Matsumoto bloops one to center! Hirata charging, but it falls in! Kajiwara only gets to 2nd worried about the catch.
Sakamoto singles back up the middle! Kajiwara being sent home!! Throw from Hirata...
Apparently he has a direct line to home plate because that throw hits Takamori on a dime and Kajiwara is meat at the plate! 2 out!
Iwashige with a deep drive down the right side, but Nishida is there for the catch! Side retired with no damage!
Top 4th
Ide now showing off the slider to to the opposition as Kuroda and Kouyama become his 3rd and 4th K victims.
Nakamura, not wanting to suffer the same fate swings on the first pitch and flies out to center.
Bottom 4th
Meanwhile Ishikawa looks to be working up and down in the zone and it seems to be working as neither Hamada, Nozaki or Watarai can get the ball out of the infield.
Top 5th
#3 Tanaka comes in for Nozaki and takes over at 1B.
Fujii with a ball to deep right! Iwashige running back plays it off the wall! Fujii rounding 2nd, going for 3! Relay from Kajiwara...
OUT!!!!!
It's a perfect relay to get Fujii and prevent a good chance for Toyama Dai-ichi!
Takamori with a grounder to the left side, Ide lets it go! Matsumoto with it, but his throw is high!
Ah, Ide gets helped out as Terasaki flies out to center on the first pitch.
And it looks like ace Miyamoto will enter as #13 Sawamura hits for Ishikawa. He does down swinging and the inning is over.
Bottom 5th
Kouna comes in for PH Sawamura to take the hill.
Right off the bat Yanase can't check his swing and is called out by the umpire.
Ide too goes down to the slider.
Kajiwara with a soft liner, Terasaki stumbles, but makes the catch to retire the side.
We hit the break with both teams getting chances here and there but otherwise we're stuck in a pitching duel to end the quarterfinals!
Top 6th
One down and Nishida hits a ball to short. Matsumoto fields, throws to 1st... wide! It gets by Tanaka and Nishida is safe at 1st!
Eh? Shigemoto-kantoku decides now to put in ace Yokose. Seems a bit odd timing, as Ide didn't look like he was in trouble yet.
First pitch Kuroda liner to center! Sakamoto has to stretch up but he makes the catch.
But then Yokose walks Kouyama on 4 straight which gets Shigemoto-kantoku to call a quick conference.
That seems to help as he gets Nakamura to ground to short to end the inning.
Bottom 6th
Matsumoto with the drag bunt up the first base line! Fujii hast to charge in, goes for the swipe tag, misses! Leadoff single for Nobeoka!
Sakamoto groudner to 3rd! Kuroda goes to 2nd, but Terasaki stumbles covering 2nd and can't secure the ball! All safe!
Cleanup batter Iwashige bunts the runner along.
SQUEEZE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
They go for the sqeeze but Hamada fouls it off!
Hitting!
Hamada with a ball to right that gets by the defense! It goes all the way to the wall as Hamada slides in with a 2-RBI triple! Nobeoka Gakuen takes the 2-1 lead!!
SQUEEZE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This time they do it as Tanaka puts down the safety squeeze! There's no play home and Nakamura has to go to 1st for the out! 3-1 Nobeoka Gakuen!
Watarai goes down swinging, but the 1st timers will have their work cut out for them.
Top 7th
Fujii with liner to left center, Sakamoto sprinting over lunges...
But he misses it as he tumbles! It goes to the wall as Hamada has to cover! Fujii's in with a double!
Now Yokose walks Takamori and there's 2 runners on now for Terasaki. He's not bunting.
Single through the opening in short! Fujii coming around and the throw home is cutoff! It's 3-2, runners on 1st and 2nd still with no out!
Miyamoto flies out to deep center for the first out, but Takamori moves to 3rd. Douten run 90 feet away.
Yokose gets key 2nd out as Hirata gets under a fastball and pops out to Kajiwara!
Nishida, ball to the left side will get through the infield! Takamori scores and we're all tied at 3-3!
Not for long! Kuroda lines a ball to left! Terasaki rounding 3rd, throw from Iwashige... not in time! Toyama Dai-ichi has taken the lead back at 4-3!!
Kouyama goes down swinging on a full count fastball, but we're right back to where we started with Toyama Dai-ichi holding a 1-run lead!!
Bottom 7th
Hoping for a lucky 7 of their own, Miyamoto tries to squash it as Yanase goes down swinging on the slider for the first out.
Yanase chopper to short, Kouyama has to wait for it, throw to 1st... high, and it pulls Fujii off the bag!
Hit-and run! But Kajiwara misses! Takamori goes to 2nd and Yanase is out for the double play!
Top 8th
Tamura and Fujii are retired quickly enough, but Takamori works the count full before striking out swinging on the slow curve.
Bottom 8th
Things not easy for each pitcher as Miyamoto walks Matsmoto.
Shigemoto-kantoku goes for the hit-and-run, and still manages to advance the runner despite grounding to short.
Down 1-2, Iwashige works count full, fights off 3 pitches..
Gets the slider and lines it down the 3rd base line, fair!! Matsumoto scores and we're tied once again this time at 4-4!
Wild pitch from Miyamoto and Iwashige takes 3rd! Now a sac fly can give Nobeoka the lead again!
SANSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Miyamoto goes inside on Hamada and gets the K!
Up to Tanaka now...
Miyamoto gets out of it! Tanaka grounds to 2nd and we head to the last inning of regulation tied at 4-4!!
Top 9th
We're going back and forth here as Terasaki singles to left.
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wild pitch from Yokose sends the gyakuten run to 2nd! Shigemoto-kantoku callse for time.
Miyamoto ball off end of bat, back up the middle past Yokose into center! Terasaki at 3B and Toyama Dai-ichi threatens again!
Fly to left! Hamada under it, caught, but Terasaki doesn't go!
And now Shigemoto-kantoku pulls Yokose for #10 Nasu!!
Grounder to 2nd! Kajiwara goes to 2nd for one, Matsumoto to 1st... Double play!!
Ah, what is this?!
There was a practice ball that went into the field of play. The LF umpire called time, but it wasn't seen by the home plate umpire! They discuss and call it a no play!
Count 2-0 to Nishida, Nasu fires one, two... and 3 strikes as Nishida swings and misses!
Nasu pissed throws 2 more strikes to Kuroda.
SANSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nasu gets it all himself as he fires a pitch on the outside corner to retire the side!!
Bottom 9th
#14 Usuda to hit for Watarai, chops one back to Miyamoto for the 1st out.
Yanase grounder to the left side, Kuroda with a great diving stop, stands, fires to 1st... 2 out!
SANSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As pissed as Nasu is he still can't hit Miyamoto's slider! He goes down and we're off to enchousen... again!!
Top 10th
Nasu on a roll, Kouyama with a "I can't believe I swung at that" face as he chases the slider for out #1.
Nakamura with his first hit, a single back up the middle.
Fujii grounder back up middle. Matsumoto flips to Kajiwara for 1, but Fujii beats out throw to keep the inning alive.
Takamori grounder to 3rd! Usuda with the great stop, throws to 2nd... gets Fujii to end the inning!
Bottom 10th
Miyamoto matching Nasu batter for batter, induces Kajiwara and Matsumoto to ground out.
Sakamoto pops out to Fujii and we're to the 11th!
Top 11th
Nasu starts off by getting Terasaki to hit a comebacker for the 1st out.
Miyamoto with a deep drive to center! Sakamoto backing up, backing up!
Makes the catch right at the fence for the 2nd ou!
And Hirata lazily flies to left and now Toyama Dai-ichi has to hold serve!
Bottom 11th
One down, Hamada singles to right!
And now Tanaka singles through the right side as well! Shigemoto-kantoku calls time...
Grounder to 2nd! Nakamura goes to 2nd for one, NO! It's safe! Throw to 1st,
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nakamura throws it away at 1st! Hamada comes in to score and Nobeoka Gakuen has the sayonara victory 5-4 in 11 innings!!
But man, you see how hard Toyama Dai-ichi is taking it, and it's understandable. The team was in their first appearance at Koushien, they were the first team from Toyama to reach the Best 8 since 1973, and could've been the first team to reach the Best 4. They certainly fought the entire game and had like Nobeoka Gakuen left everything on the field. They were 6 outs away from moving on, and wound up on the wrong end. Sadly it was not to be - and it doesn't make the loss hurt any less.
For Nobeoka Gakuen, they certainly fought, and perhaps that reversed double play turned on a switch on both sides because both teams wanted to win this on their own merit. And they did.
So now they advance to the semifinals where they will face a game Hanamaki Higashi squad. Rest up boys, your job isn't done yet!
Toyama Dai-ichi has gotten here by defeating a weaker Akita Shougyou team, then routing Kisaradzu Sougou late. Again though they did not pull starter Miyamoto for that game and as a result #10 Ishikawa will be starting.
Their offense seems to come in bunches as they can string hits together as if they can feel the momentum.
For Nobeoka Gakuen, they followed a close 4-2 win over Jiyuugaoka with a rout of first timers Seiai 10-0. The two pitcher system seems to be working for Shigemoto-kantoku, but Nasu went 8 innings and one wonders how many innings he can go before giving way.
Except that they too are changing pitchers. #11 Ide, who finished the game, will be starting this one.
But both teams are somewhere between their first and second games, I just don't know where.
Toyama Dai-ichi (Toyama)
CF Hirata Masazumi
RF Nishida Yuuki
3B Kuroda Masataka
LF Kouyama Kazuhiro
SS Nakamura Jyunka
1B Fujii Shintarou
C Takamori Hiroyuki
2B Terasaki Hikaru
P Ishikawa Tatsuya (#10)
Nobeoka Gakuen (Miyazaki)
2B Kajiwara Shouto
SS Matsumoto Masaya
CF Sakamoto Ryougo
RF Iwashige Akihito
LF Hamada Shintarou
1B Nozaki Kouji (#13)
3B Watarai Akihiro
C Yanase Naoya
P Ide Ichirou (#11)
____________________________________________________________
16:30 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Two quick outs from Ide as Hirata grounds to 2nd and Nishida pops up to Nozaki.
And Kuroda goes down on a well placed fastball inside by Ide!
Bottom 1st
Kajiwara with grounder up the middle, Terasaki is there, but he boots it and the leadoff runner is on.
Matsumoto bunts him along for Sakamoto.
Uh oh, he walks Sakamoto on 4 straight.
But Iwashige rolls one to 3rd! Kuroda steps on 3rd, goes to 1st... double play! Nice work by Kuroda and the side is retired!
Top 2nd
Kouyama liner down the left field line fair! He's in with a leadoff double!
So about Ide, he's a sidearm pitcher with a fastball in the low 130s and a slider(?) in the 110s. He's been throwing predominantly fastballs, so I haven't really seen a whole lot.
Nakamura moves him to 3rd with a grounder to 2nd.
Fujii with a fly ball to left! Hamada under it as Kouyama sets to tag up.
Coming! Throw home... not in time! Toyama Dai-ichi leads 1-0!
Ah, now Takamori gets hit in his arm. He's a bit hurt, but works his way to 1st.
Terasaki with a shot to the left side! Matsumoto ranging, makes the great diving stop! Throw to 1st...
Beats a diving Terasaki for the 3rd out!But a leadoff double by Kouyama gives the first timers the lead!
Bottom 2nd
Hamada on a full count, hits grounder past a diving Nakamura into center. No bunting from Shigemoto-kantoku.
That's fine as Nozaki gets ahead 3-1.
But he hits a fly ball to right which Nishida secures.
Now Shigemoto-kantoku has Watarai bunt him along for Yanase, who has quite a bit of success hitting in the 8-hole.
Ishikawa shuts the door though as Yanase grounds to 2nd to end the inning!
Top 3rd
Ishikawa probably not known for his hitting as he goes down on 3 straight.
Hirata grounder to right side, Terasaki makes a great diving stop and throw to 1st for the 2nd out.
And it's a quick inning fro Ide as he retires the side in just 6 pitches!
Bottom 3rd
Ide with a grounder past a lunging Kuroda for a base hit!
Well, Ishikawa throws a fastball in the high 120s. There's also seeming something in the high 110s, a slider in the lower 110s, and then a slow curve in the 100s.
Kajiwara grounder to Nakamura! He goes to 2nd for one, but Kajiwara beats the throw to 1st.
Hit-and-run! Matsumoto bloops one to center! Hirata charging, but it falls in! Kajiwara only gets to 2nd worried about the catch.
Sakamoto singles back up the middle! Kajiwara being sent home!! Throw from Hirata...
Apparently he has a direct line to home plate because that throw hits Takamori on a dime and Kajiwara is meat at the plate! 2 out!
Iwashige with a deep drive down the right side, but Nishida is there for the catch! Side retired with no damage!
Top 4th
Ide now showing off the slider to to the opposition as Kuroda and Kouyama become his 3rd and 4th K victims.
Nakamura, not wanting to suffer the same fate swings on the first pitch and flies out to center.
Bottom 4th
Meanwhile Ishikawa looks to be working up and down in the zone and it seems to be working as neither Hamada, Nozaki or Watarai can get the ball out of the infield.
Top 5th
#3 Tanaka comes in for Nozaki and takes over at 1B.
Fujii with a ball to deep right! Iwashige running back plays it off the wall! Fujii rounding 2nd, going for 3! Relay from Kajiwara...
OUT!!!!!
It's a perfect relay to get Fujii and prevent a good chance for Toyama Dai-ichi!
Takamori with a grounder to the left side, Ide lets it go! Matsumoto with it, but his throw is high!
Ah, Ide gets helped out as Terasaki flies out to center on the first pitch.
And it looks like ace Miyamoto will enter as #13 Sawamura hits for Ishikawa. He does down swinging and the inning is over.
Bottom 5th
Kouna comes in for PH Sawamura to take the hill.
Right off the bat Yanase can't check his swing and is called out by the umpire.
Ide too goes down to the slider.
Kajiwara with a soft liner, Terasaki stumbles, but makes the catch to retire the side.
We hit the break with both teams getting chances here and there but otherwise we're stuck in a pitching duel to end the quarterfinals!
Top 6th
One down and Nishida hits a ball to short. Matsumoto fields, throws to 1st... wide! It gets by Tanaka and Nishida is safe at 1st!
Eh? Shigemoto-kantoku decides now to put in ace Yokose. Seems a bit odd timing, as Ide didn't look like he was in trouble yet.
First pitch Kuroda liner to center! Sakamoto has to stretch up but he makes the catch.
But then Yokose walks Kouyama on 4 straight which gets Shigemoto-kantoku to call a quick conference.
That seems to help as he gets Nakamura to ground to short to end the inning.
Bottom 6th
Matsumoto with the drag bunt up the first base line! Fujii hast to charge in, goes for the swipe tag, misses! Leadoff single for Nobeoka!
Sakamoto groudner to 3rd! Kuroda goes to 2nd, but Terasaki stumbles covering 2nd and can't secure the ball! All safe!
Cleanup batter Iwashige bunts the runner along.
SQUEEZE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
They go for the sqeeze but Hamada fouls it off!
Hitting!
Hamada with a ball to right that gets by the defense! It goes all the way to the wall as Hamada slides in with a 2-RBI triple! Nobeoka Gakuen takes the 2-1 lead!!
SQUEEZE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This time they do it as Tanaka puts down the safety squeeze! There's no play home and Nakamura has to go to 1st for the out! 3-1 Nobeoka Gakuen!
Watarai goes down swinging, but the 1st timers will have their work cut out for them.
Top 7th
Fujii with liner to left center, Sakamoto sprinting over lunges...
But he misses it as he tumbles! It goes to the wall as Hamada has to cover! Fujii's in with a double!
Now Yokose walks Takamori and there's 2 runners on now for Terasaki. He's not bunting.
Single through the opening in short! Fujii coming around and the throw home is cutoff! It's 3-2, runners on 1st and 2nd still with no out!
Miyamoto flies out to deep center for the first out, but Takamori moves to 3rd. Douten run 90 feet away.
Yokose gets key 2nd out as Hirata gets under a fastball and pops out to Kajiwara!
Nishida, ball to the left side will get through the infield! Takamori scores and we're all tied at 3-3!
Not for long! Kuroda lines a ball to left! Terasaki rounding 3rd, throw from Iwashige... not in time! Toyama Dai-ichi has taken the lead back at 4-3!!
Kouyama goes down swinging on a full count fastball, but we're right back to where we started with Toyama Dai-ichi holding a 1-run lead!!
Bottom 7th
Hoping for a lucky 7 of their own, Miyamoto tries to squash it as Yanase goes down swinging on the slider for the first out.
Yanase chopper to short, Kouyama has to wait for it, throw to 1st... high, and it pulls Fujii off the bag!
Hit-and run! But Kajiwara misses! Takamori goes to 2nd and Yanase is out for the double play!
Top 8th
Tamura and Fujii are retired quickly enough, but Takamori works the count full before striking out swinging on the slow curve.
Bottom 8th
Things not easy for each pitcher as Miyamoto walks Matsmoto.
Shigemoto-kantoku goes for the hit-and-run, and still manages to advance the runner despite grounding to short.
Down 1-2, Iwashige works count full, fights off 3 pitches..
Gets the slider and lines it down the 3rd base line, fair!! Matsumoto scores and we're tied once again this time at 4-4!
Wild pitch from Miyamoto and Iwashige takes 3rd! Now a sac fly can give Nobeoka the lead again!
SANSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Miyamoto goes inside on Hamada and gets the K!
Up to Tanaka now...
Miyamoto gets out of it! Tanaka grounds to 2nd and we head to the last inning of regulation tied at 4-4!!
Top 9th
We're going back and forth here as Terasaki singles to left.
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wild pitch from Yokose sends the gyakuten run to 2nd! Shigemoto-kantoku callse for time.
Miyamoto ball off end of bat, back up the middle past Yokose into center! Terasaki at 3B and Toyama Dai-ichi threatens again!
Fly to left! Hamada under it, caught, but Terasaki doesn't go!
And now Shigemoto-kantoku pulls Yokose for #10 Nasu!!
Grounder to 2nd! Kajiwara goes to 2nd for one, Matsumoto to 1st... Double play!!
Ah, what is this?!
There was a practice ball that went into the field of play. The LF umpire called time, but it wasn't seen by the home plate umpire! They discuss and call it a no play!
Count 2-0 to Nishida, Nasu fires one, two... and 3 strikes as Nishida swings and misses!
Nasu pissed throws 2 more strikes to Kuroda.
SANSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nasu gets it all himself as he fires a pitch on the outside corner to retire the side!!
Bottom 9th
#14 Usuda to hit for Watarai, chops one back to Miyamoto for the 1st out.
Yanase grounder to the left side, Kuroda with a great diving stop, stands, fires to 1st... 2 out!
SANSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As pissed as Nasu is he still can't hit Miyamoto's slider! He goes down and we're off to enchousen... again!!
Top 10th
Nasu on a roll, Kouyama with a "I can't believe I swung at that" face as he chases the slider for out #1.
Nakamura with his first hit, a single back up the middle.
Fujii grounder back up middle. Matsumoto flips to Kajiwara for 1, but Fujii beats out throw to keep the inning alive.
Takamori grounder to 3rd! Usuda with the great stop, throws to 2nd... gets Fujii to end the inning!
Bottom 10th
Miyamoto matching Nasu batter for batter, induces Kajiwara and Matsumoto to ground out.
Sakamoto pops out to Fujii and we're to the 11th!
Top 11th
Nasu starts off by getting Terasaki to hit a comebacker for the 1st out.
Miyamoto with a deep drive to center! Sakamoto backing up, backing up!
Makes the catch right at the fence for the 2nd ou!
And Hirata lazily flies to left and now Toyama Dai-ichi has to hold serve!
Bottom 11th
One down, Hamada singles to right!
And now Tanaka singles through the right side as well! Shigemoto-kantoku calls time...
Grounder to 2nd! Nakamura goes to 2nd for one, NO! It's safe! Throw to 1st,
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nakamura throws it away at 1st! Hamada comes in to score and Nobeoka Gakuen has the sayonara victory 5-4 in 11 innings!!
But man, you see how hard Toyama Dai-ichi is taking it, and it's understandable. The team was in their first appearance at Koushien, they were the first team from Toyama to reach the Best 8 since 1973, and could've been the first team to reach the Best 4. They certainly fought the entire game and had like Nobeoka Gakuen left everything on the field. They were 6 outs away from moving on, and wound up on the wrong end. Sadly it was not to be - and it doesn't make the loss hurt any less.
For Nobeoka Gakuen, they certainly fought, and perhaps that reversed double play turned on a switch on both sides because both teams wanted to win this on their own merit. And they did.
So now they advance to the semifinals where they will face a game Hanamaki Higashi squad. Rest up boys, your job isn't done yet!
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Day 11 - Game 2 - Round of 16 - Seiai (Aomori) vs. Nobeoka Gakuen (Miyazaki)
Game 2, and the first of our 3 first-timers will battle for a spot in the Best 8.
Seiai like Jyousou Gakuin, dominated Tamano Kounan in the first game, with ace Ono pitched a 4-hit shutout. In their next game against fall Kyushu champ Okinawa Shougaku, Ono went 6 strong, then had to hold on for dear life as Okinawa mounted a late-game rally.
It's possible, that with on just 1 days rest we may see 1B Ichinohe come onto the mound in relief of Ono or to start as certainly he will not be able to be effective for a full game.
Seiai's offense seemingly knows how to hit bad pitching, as they knocked around the 3 pitchers all over the place, despite not scoring a lot of runs. But in their first game against Tamano Kounan, it was really all captain Ichinohe and Narita with the majority of the hitting - which might raise some red flags if not for it being their first ever game at Koushien.
For Nobeoka Gakuen, they opened the 2nd round with a solid 4-2 victory over Jiyuugaoka. The two pitcher strategy for Shigemoto-kantoku working perfectly with relief starter Nasu giving 3 inning of mostly nothing, 2 hits, 1 K, 1 BB and 1 ER to show for it. It's like he's out there as a block for their opponents so that when ace Yokose comes in, its like the opposition did nothing statistically at all.
Now, Shigemoto-kantoku also knows that because Nasu doesn't do anything really, that he has the quick hook to pull him at the first sign of trouble - something most kantoku fail to do.
Offsensively, the team is patient and puts a lot of stress on opposing pitchers. In each of the first 7 innings of their game, they had a runner in scoring position (yes, I realize an opening hit and a bunt puts a runner there, but still), and most batters were at least in some way productive.
I think a lot of the game may depend on the relief staff in some form or another but both put the pressure on Seiai. They need to get to Nasu before ace Yokose comes into the game, and they will probably need to rely on Ichinohe or someone else to give them innings.
Seiai (Aomori)
LF Sotokawa Kazumi (#11)
2B Fujimoto Ren
P Ichinohe Shou (#3)
CF Narita Takuya
1B Yamazaki Shouta (#13)
C Wajima Koutarou
3B Moriyama Hiroto
SS Sasaki Shimon (#15)
RF Kitabatake Kanto (#16)
Nobeoka Gakuen (Miyazaki)
2B Kajiwara Shouto
SS Matsumoto Masaya
CF Sakamoto Ryougo
RF Iwashige Akihito
LF Hamada Shintarou
1B Nozaki Kouji (#13)
3B Watarai Akihiro
C Yanase Naoya
P Nasu Ryouto (#10)
____________________________________________________________
10:45 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
A good first inning for Nasu, 7 pitches and the side is retired with a lazy fly to center and 2 groundouts.
Bottom 1st
As expeted, Harada-kantoku will start with Ichinohe on the mound
Not bad, but the Nobeoka Gakuen batters will take a good look at him apparently.
Kajiwara goes full before pulling an outside slider to 2nd. Matsumoto goes after a slow curve and grounds to short.
And just to flash some control, he pounds a fastball in to Sakamoto for the 3rd out.
Top 2nd
Narita late on a high fastball and grounds to short.
Yamazaki spoiling a couple of pitches at 2-2 works count full.
9th pitch lines up the slow curve and lines one down the left field line for a single.
Harada-kantoku calls hit-and-run! Ah, but Wajima pulls the ball foul.
Wajima going on slow cuve as well, but lifts it to center for the 2nd out.
Moriyama grounds to short, Matsumoto goes the short way for the 3rd out.
Bottom 2nd
Nothing special about Ichinohe on the mound, low-mid 130s fastball with a slider and slow curve.
Iwashige lifts fly to center for 1st out.
Control though is hit and miss though, as he walks Hamada.
Hm, that's another skied fly, this time from Nozaki. Sotokawa has it in left center for the 2nd out.
And Watarai chases a slider in the opposing batter's box. 3 down.
Top 3rd
Sasaki fouls of several of Nasu's pitches, but again, nothing to show for it as he pops out to Matsumoto.
There's a solid base hit from Kitabatake. Just out of the reach of Nasu into center.
But I think Seiai is just leaning into balls and generating upswing, because Sotogawa hits yet another high popup that Nozaki takes while running into Yanase. Fujimoto grounds to short and the side is retired.
Bottom 3th
Yanase chopper back up middle! It's off Ichinohe's glove! Sasaki redirects to the ball, but can't field it! 1st base hit for Nobeoka! Nasu lays down bunt, Wajima looks at 2, but thinks again, goes to 1st.
Kajiwara single to left! Sotogawa goes home even though Yanase held at 3rd and now Kajiwara takes 2nd! Defensive mistake by Seiai!
Ichinohe goes to 2nd, but he throws it away! Yanase scores on error by Ichinohe! 1-0 Nobeoka Gakuen!
Now Masumoto bunts Kajiwara along for Sakamoto.
Sakamoto flies to center to end the inning, but a costly run for Seiai!
Top 4th
Ichinohe fighting at the plate to try and start getting that run back.
But while Sakamoto stumbles and falls, Ichinohe lifted the ball high enough that he had time to recover.
Narita inside jammed pops out to short.
Yamazaki catches one at the end of the bat and its a popup to Kajiwara for the 3rd out.
Bottom 4th
Iwashige drive to deep cener! Narita going back and to his left, makes the catch near the wall for the out.
Hamada watches the fastball catch the bottom edge of the zone, 2 down.
Allows just his 3rd runner in Nozaki after a 4-pitch walk.
Wild pitch from Ichinohe moves the runner to 2nd, but Watarai chases the slider for his 2nd K to end the inning.
Top 5th
One down for Seiai and Moriyama draws a walk, just their 3rd baserunner.
あら？ Nasu falls behind Sasaki 3-1. Yokose is scrambled out of the dugout.
Hit-and-run! Ah, but Sasaki flies out to left. 2 out.
Grounder the 2nd base side by Kitabatake, Kajiwara comes in but can't field the ball! Tries to snap throw to 2nd to catch Moriyama off, but he throws it away! Runners hold as Sakamoto backs up.
Shigemoto-kantoku calling time.
Back to the top of the order and Sotogawa.
After a first pitch strike, Harada-kantoku passes a message to Sotokawa.
1-1, pitch way outside and the umpire deems Sotokawa to have swung. Can't make Harada-kantoku happy.
Goes after yet another slider outside, just gets a piece of it, grounds to short for the 3rd out.
Bottom 5th
Yanase drive to deep center! Narita back to the wall, but it's over his head! Yanase in with a double, and looks like Harada-kantoku has the hook. Ace Ono comes in for Yamazaki and takes the hill, Ichinohe goes to 1st.
Ichinohe was pretty much in the same boat Nasu is in on the mound.
Nasu puts the bunt down to move him to 3rd.
Ah, but Kajiwara hits a fly to shallow center! Narita charging in... makes the catch! Yanase can't come home and there's 2 down!
Matsumoto tries safety bunt, then feigns one, but now falls behind 1-2.
Drive to right! Kitabatake running back, leaps! No chance! Matsumoto in at 3rd and Nobeoka Gakuen leads 2-0!
Ah... it looks like Ono is NG out of the pen as he hits Sakamoto...
And now Iwashige singles through short and Matsumoto can walk home, 3-0 Nobeoka Gakuen!
Oh dear. Hamada drive to deep left center, that's off the wall. Sakamoto and Iwashige all the way from 1st score to make it 5-0.
Ono hits his 2nd batter of the inning and Harada-kantoku calls time.
Watarai flies out to center to end the inning, but as we head to the break it all goes horribly wrong for Seiai as Ono off the bench is completely ineffective. A 5-0 deficit may be too much to overcome considering ace Yanase is a couple of warmup pitches from the mound at any point in time.
Top 6th
Fujimoto trying anything to get on base, tries safety bunt. Then short-circuits own effort by head-sliding into 1st and is called out (just).
Narita gets a two out single to right.
Ono though quickly flies out to center, inning over.
Bottom 6th
#7 Uniwa comes in for Sotogawa to play LF.
Yanase chops one over out of the reach of Sasaki for a base hit. Nasu bunts him over.
Kajiwara singles to left..
And Harada-kantoku admits making a mistake as Ono and Ichinohe switch places.
Bunt up the 1st base line from Matsumoto. Ono waits, waits, goes for the tag... SAFE! He waited too long! Yanase scores and it's 6-0.
Sakamoto scoots one past the feet of Ichinohe to center. Kajiwara scores and it's 7-0.
Iwashige grounder to short, Sasaki going home, throw is high and Matsumoto slides around swipe tag, 8-0.
Hamada single through right side, Sakamoto scores, Iwashige run down 9-5-6 for 2nd out.
Nozaki strikes out to end inning, but the collapse continues for Seiai.
Top 7th
#3 Tanaka comes in for Nozaki to play 1B.
Wajima ball to the left side, takes high hop over Matsumoto for a base hit.
Nasu hits Moriyama, and Seiai finally has a decent scoring chance, though a bit late.
Sasaki though hits a foul fly to new 1B Tanaka for the 1st out.
Kitabatake grounder to 1st, Tanaka goes to 2nd for 1, but that's it.
Uniwa flies out to right, and Seiai remains shutout.
Bottom 7th
#6 Ishizawa now in for Sasaki at SS.
Now the game is well in hand, Ichinohe strikes out the side.
Top 8th
#14 Usuda in for Watarai at 3B.
Narita breaks the 1-2-3 inning with a single to right, but otherwise we're just moving towards the end.
Bottom 8th
Kajiwara practing bunt, Wajima stumbles when spinning around and he's safe. Matsumoto bunts him along to 2nd.
Sakamoto walks on 4 straight and Harada-kantoku switches Ono and Hachinohe back.
Iwashige back up the middle for a base hit, Kajiwara scores to make it 10-0, throw goes to 3rd then 2nd and they get Iwashige trying to take 2nd.
Top 9th
Nasu finally pulled, #11 Ide comes in to pitch.
Wajima and Moriyama down, #14 Kimura (moodmaker for the team) comes in to hit for Ishizawa.
He's certainly fighting at the plate... and just lines a pitch foul down the line.
He's milked the AB to 9 pitches now, and checks a swing to make it full.
Sadly on pitch 10, he fouls out to Usuda for the final out.
This game at least the flow of the game went as expected. Score not necessarily as much.
But man, while they lost badly here, they still won 2 games, including Okinawa Shougaku - all in their first effort! Can't take that away from them.
Nobeoka Gakuen meanwhile breaks into the Best 8 for the first time in their history!
Notable Players
Nasu Ryouto (Nobeoka Gakuen) - 8 IP, 0 ER, 6 H, K, BB, HBP
Iwashige Akihito (Nobeoka Gakuen) - 3-5, R, 2 RBI
Matsumoto Masaya (Nobeoka Gakuen) - 2-3, 3B, 2 R, 2 RBI
Yanase Naoya (Nobeoka Gakuen) - 3-4, 2B, 3 R
Narita Takuya (Seiai) - 2-4
Kitabatake Kanto (Seiai) - 2-3
Seiai like Jyousou Gakuin, dominated Tamano Kounan in the first game, with ace Ono pitched a 4-hit shutout. In their next game against fall Kyushu champ Okinawa Shougaku, Ono went 6 strong, then had to hold on for dear life as Okinawa mounted a late-game rally.
It's possible, that with on just 1 days rest we may see 1B Ichinohe come onto the mound in relief of Ono or to start as certainly he will not be able to be effective for a full game.
Seiai's offense seemingly knows how to hit bad pitching, as they knocked around the 3 pitchers all over the place, despite not scoring a lot of runs. But in their first game against Tamano Kounan, it was really all captain Ichinohe and Narita with the majority of the hitting - which might raise some red flags if not for it being their first ever game at Koushien.
For Nobeoka Gakuen, they opened the 2nd round with a solid 4-2 victory over Jiyuugaoka. The two pitcher strategy for Shigemoto-kantoku working perfectly with relief starter Nasu giving 3 inning of mostly nothing, 2 hits, 1 K, 1 BB and 1 ER to show for it. It's like he's out there as a block for their opponents so that when ace Yokose comes in, its like the opposition did nothing statistically at all.
Now, Shigemoto-kantoku also knows that because Nasu doesn't do anything really, that he has the quick hook to pull him at the first sign of trouble - something most kantoku fail to do.
Offsensively, the team is patient and puts a lot of stress on opposing pitchers. In each of the first 7 innings of their game, they had a runner in scoring position (yes, I realize an opening hit and a bunt puts a runner there, but still), and most batters were at least in some way productive.
I think a lot of the game may depend on the relief staff in some form or another but both put the pressure on Seiai. They need to get to Nasu before ace Yokose comes into the game, and they will probably need to rely on Ichinohe or someone else to give them innings.
Seiai (Aomori)
LF Sotokawa Kazumi (#11)
2B Fujimoto Ren
P Ichinohe Shou (#3)
CF Narita Takuya
1B Yamazaki Shouta (#13)
C Wajima Koutarou
3B Moriyama Hiroto
SS Sasaki Shimon (#15)
RF Kitabatake Kanto (#16)
Nobeoka Gakuen (Miyazaki)
2B Kajiwara Shouto
SS Matsumoto Masaya
CF Sakamoto Ryougo
RF Iwashige Akihito
LF Hamada Shintarou
1B Nozaki Kouji (#13)
3B Watarai Akihiro
C Yanase Naoya
P Nasu Ryouto (#10)
____________________________________________________________
10:45 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
A good first inning for Nasu, 7 pitches and the side is retired with a lazy fly to center and 2 groundouts.
Bottom 1st
As expeted, Harada-kantoku will start with Ichinohe on the mound
Not bad, but the Nobeoka Gakuen batters will take a good look at him apparently.
Kajiwara goes full before pulling an outside slider to 2nd. Matsumoto goes after a slow curve and grounds to short.
And just to flash some control, he pounds a fastball in to Sakamoto for the 3rd out.
Top 2nd
Narita late on a high fastball and grounds to short.
Yamazaki spoiling a couple of pitches at 2-2 works count full.
9th pitch lines up the slow curve and lines one down the left field line for a single.
Harada-kantoku calls hit-and-run! Ah, but Wajima pulls the ball foul.
Wajima going on slow cuve as well, but lifts it to center for the 2nd out.
Moriyama grounds to short, Matsumoto goes the short way for the 3rd out.
Bottom 2nd
Nothing special about Ichinohe on the mound, low-mid 130s fastball with a slider and slow curve.
Iwashige lifts fly to center for 1st out.
Control though is hit and miss though, as he walks Hamada.
Hm, that's another skied fly, this time from Nozaki. Sotokawa has it in left center for the 2nd out.
And Watarai chases a slider in the opposing batter's box. 3 down.
Top 3rd
Sasaki fouls of several of Nasu's pitches, but again, nothing to show for it as he pops out to Matsumoto.
There's a solid base hit from Kitabatake. Just out of the reach of Nasu into center.
But I think Seiai is just leaning into balls and generating upswing, because Sotogawa hits yet another high popup that Nozaki takes while running into Yanase. Fujimoto grounds to short and the side is retired.
Bottom 3th
Yanase chopper back up middle! It's off Ichinohe's glove! Sasaki redirects to the ball, but can't field it! 1st base hit for Nobeoka! Nasu lays down bunt, Wajima looks at 2, but thinks again, goes to 1st.
Kajiwara single to left! Sotogawa goes home even though Yanase held at 3rd and now Kajiwara takes 2nd! Defensive mistake by Seiai!
Ichinohe goes to 2nd, but he throws it away! Yanase scores on error by Ichinohe! 1-0 Nobeoka Gakuen!
Now Masumoto bunts Kajiwara along for Sakamoto.
Sakamoto flies to center to end the inning, but a costly run for Seiai!
Top 4th
Ichinohe fighting at the plate to try and start getting that run back.
But while Sakamoto stumbles and falls, Ichinohe lifted the ball high enough that he had time to recover.
Narita inside jammed pops out to short.
Yamazaki catches one at the end of the bat and its a popup to Kajiwara for the 3rd out.
Bottom 4th
Iwashige drive to deep cener! Narita going back and to his left, makes the catch near the wall for the out.
Hamada watches the fastball catch the bottom edge of the zone, 2 down.
Allows just his 3rd runner in Nozaki after a 4-pitch walk.
Wild pitch from Ichinohe moves the runner to 2nd, but Watarai chases the slider for his 2nd K to end the inning.
Top 5th
One down for Seiai and Moriyama draws a walk, just their 3rd baserunner.
あら？ Nasu falls behind Sasaki 3-1. Yokose is scrambled out of the dugout.
Hit-and-run! Ah, but Sasaki flies out to left. 2 out.
Grounder the 2nd base side by Kitabatake, Kajiwara comes in but can't field the ball! Tries to snap throw to 2nd to catch Moriyama off, but he throws it away! Runners hold as Sakamoto backs up.
Shigemoto-kantoku calling time.
Back to the top of the order and Sotogawa.
After a first pitch strike, Harada-kantoku passes a message to Sotokawa.
1-1, pitch way outside and the umpire deems Sotokawa to have swung. Can't make Harada-kantoku happy.
Goes after yet another slider outside, just gets a piece of it, grounds to short for the 3rd out.
Bottom 5th
Yanase drive to deep center! Narita back to the wall, but it's over his head! Yanase in with a double, and looks like Harada-kantoku has the hook. Ace Ono comes in for Yamazaki and takes the hill, Ichinohe goes to 1st.
Ichinohe was pretty much in the same boat Nasu is in on the mound.
Nasu puts the bunt down to move him to 3rd.
Ah, but Kajiwara hits a fly to shallow center! Narita charging in... makes the catch! Yanase can't come home and there's 2 down!
Matsumoto tries safety bunt, then feigns one, but now falls behind 1-2.
Drive to right! Kitabatake running back, leaps! No chance! Matsumoto in at 3rd and Nobeoka Gakuen leads 2-0!
Ah... it looks like Ono is NG out of the pen as he hits Sakamoto...
And now Iwashige singles through short and Matsumoto can walk home, 3-0 Nobeoka Gakuen!
Oh dear. Hamada drive to deep left center, that's off the wall. Sakamoto and Iwashige all the way from 1st score to make it 5-0.
Ono hits his 2nd batter of the inning and Harada-kantoku calls time.
Watarai flies out to center to end the inning, but as we head to the break it all goes horribly wrong for Seiai as Ono off the bench is completely ineffective. A 5-0 deficit may be too much to overcome considering ace Yanase is a couple of warmup pitches from the mound at any point in time.
Top 6th
Fujimoto trying anything to get on base, tries safety bunt. Then short-circuits own effort by head-sliding into 1st and is called out (just).
Narita gets a two out single to right.
Ono though quickly flies out to center, inning over.
Bottom 6th
#7 Uniwa comes in for Sotogawa to play LF.
Yanase chops one over out of the reach of Sasaki for a base hit. Nasu bunts him over.
Kajiwara singles to left..
And Harada-kantoku admits making a mistake as Ono and Ichinohe switch places.
Bunt up the 1st base line from Matsumoto. Ono waits, waits, goes for the tag... SAFE! He waited too long! Yanase scores and it's 6-0.
Sakamoto scoots one past the feet of Ichinohe to center. Kajiwara scores and it's 7-0.
Iwashige grounder to short, Sasaki going home, throw is high and Matsumoto slides around swipe tag, 8-0.
Hamada single through right side, Sakamoto scores, Iwashige run down 9-5-6 for 2nd out.
Nozaki strikes out to end inning, but the collapse continues for Seiai.
Top 7th
#3 Tanaka comes in for Nozaki to play 1B.
Wajima ball to the left side, takes high hop over Matsumoto for a base hit.
Nasu hits Moriyama, and Seiai finally has a decent scoring chance, though a bit late.
Sasaki though hits a foul fly to new 1B Tanaka for the 1st out.
Kitabatake grounder to 1st, Tanaka goes to 2nd for 1, but that's it.
Uniwa flies out to right, and Seiai remains shutout.
Bottom 7th
#6 Ishizawa now in for Sasaki at SS.
Now the game is well in hand, Ichinohe strikes out the side.
Top 8th
#14 Usuda in for Watarai at 3B.
Narita breaks the 1-2-3 inning with a single to right, but otherwise we're just moving towards the end.
Bottom 8th
Kajiwara practing bunt, Wajima stumbles when spinning around and he's safe. Matsumoto bunts him along to 2nd.
Sakamoto walks on 4 straight and Harada-kantoku switches Ono and Hachinohe back.
Iwashige back up the middle for a base hit, Kajiwara scores to make it 10-0, throw goes to 3rd then 2nd and they get Iwashige trying to take 2nd.
Top 9th
Nasu finally pulled, #11 Ide comes in to pitch.
Wajima and Moriyama down, #14 Kimura (moodmaker for the team) comes in to hit for Ishizawa.
He's certainly fighting at the plate... and just lines a pitch foul down the line.
He's milked the AB to 9 pitches now, and checks a swing to make it full.
Sadly on pitch 10, he fouls out to Usuda for the final out.
This game at least the flow of the game went as expected. Score not necessarily as much.
But man, while they lost badly here, they still won 2 games, including Okinawa Shougaku - all in their first effort! Can't take that away from them.
Nobeoka Gakuen meanwhile breaks into the Best 8 for the first time in their history!
Notable Players
Nasu Ryouto (Nobeoka Gakuen) - 8 IP, 0 ER, 6 H, K, BB, HBP
Iwashige Akihito (Nobeoka Gakuen) - 3-5, R, 2 RBI
Matsumoto Masaya (Nobeoka Gakuen) - 2-3, 3B, 2 R, 2 RBI
Yanase Naoya (Nobeoka Gakuen) - 3-4, 2B, 3 R
Narita Takuya (Seiai) - 2-4
Kitabatake Kanto (Seiai) - 2-3
Monday, August 12, 2013
Day 5 - Game 3 - Nobeoka Gakuen (Miyazaki) vs. Jiyuugaoka (Fukuoka)
Well, two 1-0 games to finish out the first round. Will we start off the 2nd round in the same way?
It's another Kyushu matchup (what's up with that considering the blind draw?).
Nobeoka Gakuen makes their 7th Natsu Koushien appearance, and sadly (at least to me) they defeated St. Ursula (whom I've been rooting for the last couple of years) in the finals to punch their ticket to Natsu Koushien.
According to the numbers, they are more offensively minded than most schools, but are not outside taking walks either - so perhaps they are a selectively offensive squad as opposed to just swinging away. The hits are across the board, but not surprisingly the most consistent player is cleanup batter Iwashige Akihito.
On the mound, Shigemoto-kantoku uses a partial 2-pitcher strategy. I say partial because #10 Nasu Ryouto starts games but is pulled quickly when he struggles. Ace Yokose Takahiro does pitch the majority of the innings, though I haven't been able to pull information on him.
I was actually surprised when I found out that this was Jiyuugaoka's first trip to Natsu Koushien. I guess with Fukuoka so mixed up generally I figured they had gone more times than just one spring appearance.
Jiyuugaoka actually was challenged early in the 2nd stage and not later on. They had to defeat both Kurume Shougyou and Toukai Dai-go, both relative mainstays near the top of Fukuoka, and both pulling away late.
Offensively, their best player may be leadoff batter Ozaki Yuuta. So because of that, it will fall to the pitching staff. But from the records, it's not ace Nagamatsu. It's 2nd year P #11 Kubo who takes the hill for Jiyuugaoka?! And when he's relieved, it's still not Nagamatsu, but SS Noda! If you don't use your ace #, something is generally wrong or the pitching is not that good. I can't find any info on Jiyuugaoka's pitchers, so that might be a bit concerning.
Nobeoka Gakuen (Miyazaki)
2B Kajiwara Shouto
SS Matsumoto Masaya
CF Sakamoto Ryougo
RF Iwashige Akihito
LF Hamada Shintarou
1B Nozaki Kouji (#13)
3B Watarai Akihiro
C Yanase Naoya
P Nasu Ryouto (#10)
Jiyuugaoka (Fukuoka)
LF Ozaki Yuuta
SS Noda Daisuke
2B Yoshioka Yuuki
RF Watanabe Noriyuki (#8)
3B Nakayama Itsuki (#12)
1B Tanaka Daisuke
CF Shima Koumei (#9)
P Kubo Takuma (#12)
C Ishida Satoshi
____________________________________________________________
14:15 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Kajiwara with a routine grounder to 3rd to start the game.
Matsumoto goes after the slow curve and grounds to short. EH?
On a very routine grounder Noda just plain fails to field it!
No bunting from Sakamoto, but he flies ot to center.
Iwashige chopper up the middle, over a leaping Kubo and into center! 1st and 2nd with 2 out.
Hamada goes after the first pitch and grounds to short! Noda has it this time around and flips to 2nd to end the inning.
Bottom 1st
Jiyuugaoka ouen-dan out in full force today with their first Natsu Koushien appearance.
Ozaki patient and goes 3-1... and a walk!
Noda showing bunt, takes a strike, then fouls one off. Well, will he three-bunt?
Swings away, but grounder to the right side. Kajiwara charging in flips to Matsumoto who goes to 1st for the double play.
Yoshioka catches a change at the end of the bat and softly lines to Matsumoto for the 3rd out.
Top 2nd
Nozaki ahead of a slow curve and hits an easy liner to right.
Watarai with a hard liner to the left side, Nakayama reaches up and to tip it and keep it near! Fires to 1st and Tanaka makes a great pick on the bounce for the out!
Yanase attacks the first pitch and sends it to the gap in right center! He's in with a double!
But Nasu tries the same thing with much less success grounding to short to end the inning.
Bottom 2nd
Watanabe going after a curve, but out in front and flies out to center.
Up next is Nakayama, one of the few switch hitters.
He also goes after the curve, but chops one to 2nd.
Tanaka with the high chopper. Nasu waits for it and throws to 1st for the 3rd out. Looks like they're going to attack the curveball.
Top 3rd
NO WAY!!
Kajiwara grounder to 3rd. It goes Nakayama's glove and in the air! He recovers in foul territory, barehands and rips it to 1st... and still gets the out! Not sure if he really beat him, but man that's cool.
Kubo falls behind Matsumoto 3-1 and issues his first walk. Shigemoto-kantoku calls for the bunt which Sakamoto executes.
But Iwashige goes after the first pitch and flies out to right.
Bottom 3rd
Shima with a grounder to the right side, Kajiwara with the great stop, but poor throw pulls off Nozaki and he can't recover in time! Kajiwara had a lot of time and is charged with the error.
Kubo with the bunt and it spins back to Yanase! Goes to 2nd, but Matsumoto can't make the pick and the ball pops in the air! All safe!
Things compounding on themselves as Shigemoto-kantoku calls time.
Ishida lays down the bunt and the runners advance 90 feet.
First pitch looking out for squeeze. But Ozaki fouls off the 2nd pitch and it looks like it's not on.
And it isn't as he chases the fastball high and away.
Ozaki gets the bat around an inside fastball and lines it just into the outfield grass! Shima scores on the play and Jiyuugaoka takes the 1-0 lead!
Noda up, and still no bunt, despite the pitchout. Takes a curve for strike 2.
Another pitchout... Perhaps this team doesn't squeeze?
Noda gets fooled and skies a ball into the open skies. Nozaki comes in on the 1st base line to make the catch. 2 out.
Yoshioka waiting for his pitch takes a curve for strike one. Gets ahead 2-1 though.
Ozaki takes off! Yoshioka swings and misses, but the throw is late and now a base hit could score a couple!
But Yoshioka goes after a curveball inside and the side is retired. An error comes back to hurt them as Ozaki comes through with the timely!
Top 4th
Kubo gives Nobeoka a leadoff runner when he hits Hamada with a curve.
No bunt either from Nozaki and though he works the count full, he hits a high popup that Ozaki runs down at the foul line.
No bunt from Watarai, instead a hit-and-run, though Watarai hits it off himself. He winds up going for a curve and flies out to right.
Hamada takes off on the first pitch and since it's a curve Ishida doesn't throw!
Nobeoka Gakuen playing some song that is really really catchy, that I've never heard of, and I like.
Anyways, after the SB, they seem to unintentionally intentionally walk Yanase to get to Nasu.
Nasu with a grounder to the right side, it goes under Tanaka's glove!! Hamada being sent home and is safe!!
Yanase tries to press his luck going to 3rd and is thrown out by Yoshioka backing up the play.
But Tanaka's inability to field the ball ties the game at 1-1!
Bottom 4th
Watanabe with a ball to left center for a base hit! He's gunning for 2nd! Throw in from Sakamoto... SAFE!!
How did that happen! The throw came in way ahead, but did Watanabe somehow slide around the tag??!!
Well, the hook is finally pulled on Nasu. Yokose comes in to finish out the game.
Again no sign of a squeeze so far from Akamine-kantoku as Tanaka is swinging away.
Tanaka skies one to right, but it's way too shallow and Watanabe can't tag up.
After a ball, Shima finally shows a bunt, but quickly pulls it back. And again, with the curve coming in for a strike.
WHAT???!!
Yokose throws to 1st and Watanabe breaks for home! Throw in to Yanase and he can't field it!! Watanabe scores!! 2-1 Jiyuugaoka!! And Tanaka takes 2nd on the steal!
Shima draws the walk thereafter.
Kubo up to try and get the lead, but he pops it up! Yanase catches it for the 2nd out.
And Ishida grounds to 3rd to end the inning, but what imagination to steal home as it gives Jiyuugaoka the lead!
Top 5th
Kajiwara with drive to left! Hamada going back, it's over his head! He's in with a double!
Matsumoto with the bunt attempt, but he's called out for being out of the box! One down!
No matter! Sakamoto first pitch singles through short! Kajiwara coming home, throw form Ozaki... SAFE!! And the ball pops out of Ishida's glove on the swipe allowing Sakamoto to advance! Gyakuten runner in scoring position! We're tied at 2-2!!
Iwashige up, but he grounds to short! It does allow the runner to advance as Noda goes to 1st.
Hamada with blast to left! Ozaki running back, then to his right then gets twisted around...
Lands on top of the padding! He fires it back in, but Hamada with a timely RBI double and Nobeoka Gakuen takes the 3-2 lead!!
#3 Tanaka comes in to hit for Nozaki and grounds to short to end the inning, but Nobeoka Gakuen has fired right back at Jiyuugaoka!
Bottom 5th
Tanaka stays in the game to play 1B.
Compared to the last couple of half-innings, it starts off rather uneventful.
Ozaki chases a high fastball for the first out, then Noda grounds to short.
But Yoshioka refuses to have a 1-2-3 inning! He drive a ball to left center and is in with a double!
That's all they get as Watanabe grounds to Tanaka to end the inning.
Top 6th
One down and Yanase singles to left for a base hit! Shigemoto-kantoku will play for the single run as Yokose bunts him along.
But Kajiwara hits a fly to right and the inning is over.
Bottom 6th
Things settling down with Yokose on the mound.
Top 7th
Matsumoto with a flyout to center to start the 7th.
Sakamoto hard liner, Nakayama with the great lunging catch for the 2nd out!
Iwashige with drive to center! Shima running to fence, catches, NO!!!
He collides with the wall and the ball pops out of the glove! Iwashige in at 3B. Aw... that was a great effory by Shima done in by an inanimate object.
And now Hamada singles to left scoring Iwashige to make it 4-2.
Things may be collapsing for Jiyuugaoka as Tanaka singles to the left side!
But Kubo finally gets the last out as Watarai grounds to 2nd. But Nobeoka gets an insurance run.
Bottom 7th
#15 Yoshimaru to hit for Kubo as his day is done. Gets ahead 3-1 before Yokose fills up the count...
Drive to left center! That gets past the defense and to the wall for a leadoff double! He's replaced by #16 Umeno on the bases.
Ishida up and he's showing bunt! But he takes it back both times, both called for strikes. Looks like he's hitting now.
Man, he's got a good eye. Takes a couple of pitches inside and works the count full.
Pulls the trigger on another one and just fouls it off.
Gets a fat curve, but is ahead of it and pulls it foul....
Fastball outside, fouled off....
Fastball inside, pulled foul...
10th pitch of the AB... another foul... Ishida certainly making Yokose work.
Curve! But Ishida is ahead of it! Tries to slow down swing but flies out to right!
Ozaki chases after the first pitch but skies it! Matsumoto under it for the 2nd out!
It's up to Noda now to keep the inning going...
Gets ahead 2-0, but Yokose puts in 2 fastballs, the second fouled off, to level the count... Noda patient though taking ball 3.
Fastball, fouled off... Fastball outside, fouled back again...
Jammed! Noda jammed and he pops it up! Tanaka under it to make the catch for the 3rd out!
Top 8th
Noda comes from SS to pitch with #14 Tomooka comes in for Umeno and takes over at SS.
First pitch Yanase swings and flies out to right.
Then Yokose chases a high fastball for the 2nd out.
Noda hitting high 130s on the gun, stature reminds me of Imamiya from Meihou a while back.
Kajiwara grounds to 2nd and the inning is over! Noda with a great first inning of relief!
Bottom 8th
Now if the offense can just pick it up.
Safety bunt from Yoshioka! Watarai charging in, throws to 1st, just late to a diving Yoshioka!
Cleanup batter Watanabe up and he's called to bunt the runner along, which he does.
But Nakayama can't bring him in! He flies out to right for the 2nd out!
Tanaka up looking to give it a go...
But he goes after a slider away and the side is retired!!
Top 9th
Noda throwing strikes and getting outs. Matsumoto and Sakamoto both grounds out, and Iwashige can't check his swing. 6 up, 6 down for Noda as we head to the bottom of the 9th!
Bottom 9th
But... bottom of the order against Yokose.
Shima up to try his luck.
He gets around on a fastball, but he flies out to right for the first out.
Tomooka in for his first AB, takes a fastball on the outer half for strike one. Fastball on inner half for strike 2.
Of course the slider next, which he fouls off. And a fastball outside which Tomooka doesn't bite.
But he can't pull the trigger on another outside fastball and is called out.
#5 Kajiwara comes in to hit for Ishida... quickly behind 1-2...
Drive to left center!! Sakamoto sprinting towards the gap..
Makes the great diving catch to end the game!! Nobeoka Gakuen wins 4-2!!
Jiyuugaoka starter Kubo is crying a bit, but he's got nothing to be sad about. Yes, he gave up all 4 runs, but his team behind him did their darnest to help him out when he wasn't sharp. Watanabe They had their opportunities early when facing Nasu, but as soon as Yokose came in, they never got back on track.
Still I liked their style. No squeeze bunts, and a steal of home on a pickoff. That's entertaining stuff.
Nobeoka Gakuen though was able to get to starter Kubo thanks to some timely hitting with their relief ace shutting the door. The offense isn't consistent, but they do hit for extra bases and put pressure on the defense. They too didn't squeeze, which made the game that more entertaining.
And so we begin the 2nd round with a wonderful game. This has been one of the more entertaining Koushien tournaments as a whole in my memories so far. I hope this continues!
Notable Players
Yokose Takahiro (Nobeoka Gakuen) - 6 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 4 K, BB
Hamada Shintarou (Nobeoka Gakuen) - 2-3, 2B, R, 2 RBI, HBP
Yanase Naoya (Nobeoka Gakuen) - 2-3, 2B, BB
Iwashige Akihito (Nobeoka Gakuen) - 2-5, 3B, R
Watanabe Noriyuki (Jiyuugaoka) - 1-3, 2B, R, SB (Home!)
Yoshioka Yuuki (Jiyuugaoka) - 2-4, 2B
Yoshimaru Masato (Jiyuugaoka) - 1-1, 2B
It's another Kyushu matchup (what's up with that considering the blind draw?).
Nobeoka Gakuen makes their 7th Natsu Koushien appearance, and sadly (at least to me) they defeated St. Ursula (whom I've been rooting for the last couple of years) in the finals to punch their ticket to Natsu Koushien.
According to the numbers, they are more offensively minded than most schools, but are not outside taking walks either - so perhaps they are a selectively offensive squad as opposed to just swinging away. The hits are across the board, but not surprisingly the most consistent player is cleanup batter Iwashige Akihito.
On the mound, Shigemoto-kantoku uses a partial 2-pitcher strategy. I say partial because #10 Nasu Ryouto starts games but is pulled quickly when he struggles. Ace Yokose Takahiro does pitch the majority of the innings, though I haven't been able to pull information on him.
I was actually surprised when I found out that this was Jiyuugaoka's first trip to Natsu Koushien. I guess with Fukuoka so mixed up generally I figured they had gone more times than just one spring appearance.
Jiyuugaoka actually was challenged early in the 2nd stage and not later on. They had to defeat both Kurume Shougyou and Toukai Dai-go, both relative mainstays near the top of Fukuoka, and both pulling away late.
Offensively, their best player may be leadoff batter Ozaki Yuuta. So because of that, it will fall to the pitching staff. But from the records, it's not ace Nagamatsu. It's 2nd year P #11 Kubo who takes the hill for Jiyuugaoka?! And when he's relieved, it's still not Nagamatsu, but SS Noda! If you don't use your ace #, something is generally wrong or the pitching is not that good. I can't find any info on Jiyuugaoka's pitchers, so that might be a bit concerning.
Nobeoka Gakuen (Miyazaki)
2B Kajiwara Shouto
SS Matsumoto Masaya
CF Sakamoto Ryougo
RF Iwashige Akihito
LF Hamada Shintarou
1B Nozaki Kouji (#13)
3B Watarai Akihiro
C Yanase Naoya
P Nasu Ryouto (#10)
Jiyuugaoka (Fukuoka)
LF Ozaki Yuuta
SS Noda Daisuke
2B Yoshioka Yuuki
RF Watanabe Noriyuki (#8)
3B Nakayama Itsuki (#12)
1B Tanaka Daisuke
CF Shima Koumei (#9)
P Kubo Takuma (#12)
C Ishida Satoshi
____________________________________________________________
14:15 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Kajiwara with a routine grounder to 3rd to start the game.
Matsumoto goes after the slow curve and grounds to short. EH?
On a very routine grounder Noda just plain fails to field it!
No bunting from Sakamoto, but he flies ot to center.
Iwashige chopper up the middle, over a leaping Kubo and into center! 1st and 2nd with 2 out.
Hamada goes after the first pitch and grounds to short! Noda has it this time around and flips to 2nd to end the inning.
Bottom 1st
Jiyuugaoka ouen-dan out in full force today with their first Natsu Koushien appearance.
Ozaki patient and goes 3-1... and a walk!
Noda showing bunt, takes a strike, then fouls one off. Well, will he three-bunt?
Swings away, but grounder to the right side. Kajiwara charging in flips to Matsumoto who goes to 1st for the double play.
Yoshioka catches a change at the end of the bat and softly lines to Matsumoto for the 3rd out.
Top 2nd
Nozaki ahead of a slow curve and hits an easy liner to right.
Watarai with a hard liner to the left side, Nakayama reaches up and to tip it and keep it near! Fires to 1st and Tanaka makes a great pick on the bounce for the out!
Yanase attacks the first pitch and sends it to the gap in right center! He's in with a double!
But Nasu tries the same thing with much less success grounding to short to end the inning.
Bottom 2nd
Watanabe going after a curve, but out in front and flies out to center.
Up next is Nakayama, one of the few switch hitters.
He also goes after the curve, but chops one to 2nd.
Tanaka with the high chopper. Nasu waits for it and throws to 1st for the 3rd out. Looks like they're going to attack the curveball.
Top 3rd
NO WAY!!
Kajiwara grounder to 3rd. It goes Nakayama's glove and in the air! He recovers in foul territory, barehands and rips it to 1st... and still gets the out! Not sure if he really beat him, but man that's cool.
Kubo falls behind Matsumoto 3-1 and issues his first walk. Shigemoto-kantoku calls for the bunt which Sakamoto executes.
But Iwashige goes after the first pitch and flies out to right.
Bottom 3rd
Shima with a grounder to the right side, Kajiwara with the great stop, but poor throw pulls off Nozaki and he can't recover in time! Kajiwara had a lot of time and is charged with the error.
Kubo with the bunt and it spins back to Yanase! Goes to 2nd, but Matsumoto can't make the pick and the ball pops in the air! All safe!
Things compounding on themselves as Shigemoto-kantoku calls time.
Ishida lays down the bunt and the runners advance 90 feet.
First pitch looking out for squeeze. But Ozaki fouls off the 2nd pitch and it looks like it's not on.
And it isn't as he chases the fastball high and away.
Ozaki gets the bat around an inside fastball and lines it just into the outfield grass! Shima scores on the play and Jiyuugaoka takes the 1-0 lead!
Noda up, and still no bunt, despite the pitchout. Takes a curve for strike 2.
Another pitchout... Perhaps this team doesn't squeeze?
Noda gets fooled and skies a ball into the open skies. Nozaki comes in on the 1st base line to make the catch. 2 out.
Yoshioka waiting for his pitch takes a curve for strike one. Gets ahead 2-1 though.
Ozaki takes off! Yoshioka swings and misses, but the throw is late and now a base hit could score a couple!
But Yoshioka goes after a curveball inside and the side is retired. An error comes back to hurt them as Ozaki comes through with the timely!
Top 4th
Kubo gives Nobeoka a leadoff runner when he hits Hamada with a curve.
No bunt either from Nozaki and though he works the count full, he hits a high popup that Ozaki runs down at the foul line.
No bunt from Watarai, instead a hit-and-run, though Watarai hits it off himself. He winds up going for a curve and flies out to right.
Hamada takes off on the first pitch and since it's a curve Ishida doesn't throw!
Nobeoka Gakuen playing some song that is really really catchy, that I've never heard of, and I like.
Anyways, after the SB, they seem to unintentionally intentionally walk Yanase to get to Nasu.
Nasu with a grounder to the right side, it goes under Tanaka's glove!! Hamada being sent home and is safe!!
Yanase tries to press his luck going to 3rd and is thrown out by Yoshioka backing up the play.
But Tanaka's inability to field the ball ties the game at 1-1!
Bottom 4th
Watanabe with a ball to left center for a base hit! He's gunning for 2nd! Throw in from Sakamoto... SAFE!!
How did that happen! The throw came in way ahead, but did Watanabe somehow slide around the tag??!!
Well, the hook is finally pulled on Nasu. Yokose comes in to finish out the game.
Again no sign of a squeeze so far from Akamine-kantoku as Tanaka is swinging away.
Tanaka skies one to right, but it's way too shallow and Watanabe can't tag up.
After a ball, Shima finally shows a bunt, but quickly pulls it back. And again, with the curve coming in for a strike.
WHAT???!!
Yokose throws to 1st and Watanabe breaks for home! Throw in to Yanase and he can't field it!! Watanabe scores!! 2-1 Jiyuugaoka!! And Tanaka takes 2nd on the steal!
Shima draws the walk thereafter.
Kubo up to try and get the lead, but he pops it up! Yanase catches it for the 2nd out.
And Ishida grounds to 3rd to end the inning, but what imagination to steal home as it gives Jiyuugaoka the lead!
Top 5th
Kajiwara with drive to left! Hamada going back, it's over his head! He's in with a double!
Matsumoto with the bunt attempt, but he's called out for being out of the box! One down!
No matter! Sakamoto first pitch singles through short! Kajiwara coming home, throw form Ozaki... SAFE!! And the ball pops out of Ishida's glove on the swipe allowing Sakamoto to advance! Gyakuten runner in scoring position! We're tied at 2-2!!
Iwashige up, but he grounds to short! It does allow the runner to advance as Noda goes to 1st.
Hamada with blast to left! Ozaki running back, then to his right then gets twisted around...
Lands on top of the padding! He fires it back in, but Hamada with a timely RBI double and Nobeoka Gakuen takes the 3-2 lead!!
#3 Tanaka comes in to hit for Nozaki and grounds to short to end the inning, but Nobeoka Gakuen has fired right back at Jiyuugaoka!
Bottom 5th
Tanaka stays in the game to play 1B.
Compared to the last couple of half-innings, it starts off rather uneventful.
Ozaki chases a high fastball for the first out, then Noda grounds to short.
But Yoshioka refuses to have a 1-2-3 inning! He drive a ball to left center and is in with a double!
That's all they get as Watanabe grounds to Tanaka to end the inning.
Top 6th
One down and Yanase singles to left for a base hit! Shigemoto-kantoku will play for the single run as Yokose bunts him along.
But Kajiwara hits a fly to right and the inning is over.
Bottom 6th
Things settling down with Yokose on the mound.
Top 7th
Matsumoto with a flyout to center to start the 7th.
Sakamoto hard liner, Nakayama with the great lunging catch for the 2nd out!
Iwashige with drive to center! Shima running to fence, catches, NO!!!
He collides with the wall and the ball pops out of the glove! Iwashige in at 3B. Aw... that was a great effory by Shima done in by an inanimate object.
And now Hamada singles to left scoring Iwashige to make it 4-2.
Things may be collapsing for Jiyuugaoka as Tanaka singles to the left side!
But Kubo finally gets the last out as Watarai grounds to 2nd. But Nobeoka gets an insurance run.
Bottom 7th
#15 Yoshimaru to hit for Kubo as his day is done. Gets ahead 3-1 before Yokose fills up the count...
Drive to left center! That gets past the defense and to the wall for a leadoff double! He's replaced by #16 Umeno on the bases.
Ishida up and he's showing bunt! But he takes it back both times, both called for strikes. Looks like he's hitting now.
Man, he's got a good eye. Takes a couple of pitches inside and works the count full.
Pulls the trigger on another one and just fouls it off.
Gets a fat curve, but is ahead of it and pulls it foul....
Fastball outside, fouled off....
Fastball inside, pulled foul...
10th pitch of the AB... another foul... Ishida certainly making Yokose work.
Curve! But Ishida is ahead of it! Tries to slow down swing but flies out to right!
Ozaki chases after the first pitch but skies it! Matsumoto under it for the 2nd out!
It's up to Noda now to keep the inning going...
Gets ahead 2-0, but Yokose puts in 2 fastballs, the second fouled off, to level the count... Noda patient though taking ball 3.
Fastball, fouled off... Fastball outside, fouled back again...
Jammed! Noda jammed and he pops it up! Tanaka under it to make the catch for the 3rd out!
Top 8th
Noda comes from SS to pitch with #14 Tomooka comes in for Umeno and takes over at SS.
First pitch Yanase swings and flies out to right.
Then Yokose chases a high fastball for the 2nd out.
Noda hitting high 130s on the gun, stature reminds me of Imamiya from Meihou a while back.
Kajiwara grounds to 2nd and the inning is over! Noda with a great first inning of relief!
Bottom 8th
Now if the offense can just pick it up.
Safety bunt from Yoshioka! Watarai charging in, throws to 1st, just late to a diving Yoshioka!
Cleanup batter Watanabe up and he's called to bunt the runner along, which he does.
But Nakayama can't bring him in! He flies out to right for the 2nd out!
Tanaka up looking to give it a go...
But he goes after a slider away and the side is retired!!
Top 9th
Noda throwing strikes and getting outs. Matsumoto and Sakamoto both grounds out, and Iwashige can't check his swing. 6 up, 6 down for Noda as we head to the bottom of the 9th!
Bottom 9th
But... bottom of the order against Yokose.
Shima up to try his luck.
He gets around on a fastball, but he flies out to right for the first out.
Tomooka in for his first AB, takes a fastball on the outer half for strike one. Fastball on inner half for strike 2.
Of course the slider next, which he fouls off. And a fastball outside which Tomooka doesn't bite.
But he can't pull the trigger on another outside fastball and is called out.
#5 Kajiwara comes in to hit for Ishida... quickly behind 1-2...
Drive to left center!! Sakamoto sprinting towards the gap..
Makes the great diving catch to end the game!! Nobeoka Gakuen wins 4-2!!
Jiyuugaoka starter Kubo is crying a bit, but he's got nothing to be sad about. Yes, he gave up all 4 runs, but his team behind him did their darnest to help him out when he wasn't sharp. Watanabe They had their opportunities early when facing Nasu, but as soon as Yokose came in, they never got back on track.
Still I liked their style. No squeeze bunts, and a steal of home on a pickoff. That's entertaining stuff.
Nobeoka Gakuen though was able to get to starter Kubo thanks to some timely hitting with their relief ace shutting the door. The offense isn't consistent, but they do hit for extra bases and put pressure on the defense. They too didn't squeeze, which made the game that more entertaining.
And so we begin the 2nd round with a wonderful game. This has been one of the more entertaining Koushien tournaments as a whole in my memories so far. I hope this continues!
Notable Players
Yokose Takahiro (Nobeoka Gakuen) - 6 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 4 K, BB
Hamada Shintarou (Nobeoka Gakuen) - 2-3, 2B, R, 2 RBI, HBP
Yanase Naoya (Nobeoka Gakuen) - 2-3, 2B, BB
Iwashige Akihito (Nobeoka Gakuen) - 2-5, 3B, R
Watanabe Noriyuki (Jiyuugaoka) - 1-3, 2B, R, SB (Home!)
Yoshioka Yuuki (Jiyuugaoka) - 2-4, 2B
Yoshimaru Masato (Jiyuugaoka) - 1-1, 2B
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Nobeoka Gakuen prevails for 2nd bid!
The Miyazaki final between Nobeoka Gakuen and St. Ursula was expected to be a close affair. Nobeoka Gakuen had represented Miyazaki in recent years, and St. Ursula is always a contender but has only summitted the top back in 2005.
St. Ursula continuously had to play from behind, but somehow found an answer each time. When Nobeoka scored 3 in the 3rd, Ursula replied with 3 of their own, 2 in the 4th and 1 in the 7th were also replied in kind one inning later.
And so the game would head into extras. But ace Hamauzu from St. Ursula could not last. With 2 outs and runners on 1st and 2nd, leadoff batter Kajiwara (who earlier caused an error that tied the game) would deliver the go-ahead run. Yokose in his 7th inning of work would close it out to give Nobeoka Gakuen the title! It would be their 7th title and first in 3 years.
St. Ursula alas once again falls just short, and will have to wait for the fall tournament for another shot at Koushien...
St. Ursula continuously had to play from behind, but somehow found an answer each time. When Nobeoka scored 3 in the 3rd, Ursula replied with 3 of their own, 2 in the 4th and 1 in the 7th were also replied in kind one inning later.
And so the game would head into extras. But ace Hamauzu from St. Ursula could not last. With 2 outs and runners on 1st and 2nd, leadoff batter Kajiwara (who earlier caused an error that tied the game) would deliver the go-ahead run. Yokose in his 7th inning of work would close it out to give Nobeoka Gakuen the title! It would be their 7th title and first in 3 years.
St. Ursula alas once again falls just short, and will have to wait for the fall tournament for another shot at Koushien...
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