(Writeup to come later)
Saga Kita (Saga)
CF Kinoshita Masato
2B Shima Kenta
1B Taniguchi Takashi
3B Morotomi Takahiro
RF Tanaka Akita
LF Koyanagi Masatoshi
C Ida Tomohiro
P Fukui Ichirou
SS Ikegami Touma
Rifu (Miyagi)
LF Manjyoume Kouta
CF Ueno Mikio
2B Hamada Keita
1B Seto Miki
C Ono Keita
RF Takeuchi Mikiya
3B Suzuki Yuuto
P Nasuno Seiya
SS Katsuramaki Kouta
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13:30 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Nasuno not a hard thrower by any means, yet he freezes Kinoshita with a slider on the outside corner.
Kenta hits a ball right to short, but Katsuramaki rushes the throw and it takes Taniguchi off the bag. E6.
Yet Nasuno continues to locate the ball well as Taniguchi is left watching a fastball hit the inside corner for another K.
Morotomi weakly grounds to first, but Nasuno off to a good start.
Bottom 1st
One out, Yokoo hits Ueno and Kokuta-kantoku actually calls for the bunt. That's curious given their offensive numbers...
Seto winds up popping out to Kenta to end the inning. So are we expecting another low scoring game?
Top 2nd
Tanaka gets Kitakou's first it with a clean single through the left side. Koyanagi tries to bunt him along, but Nansuno quickly gets tot he ball and fires to 2nd! He gets Tanaka for the force, 1 down!
It's a hit-and-run! Momozaki-kantoku calls for it as Ida hits the ball to 1st! Seto goes to the bag, but Koyanagi is busting his way to 3rd, and gets no throw! Heads up play by Koyanagi!
But it all goes for naught when Nasuno gets Yokoo to chase an outside fastball for strike 3!
Bottom 2nd
Rifu's Ono gets their own leadoff runner with a clean single also through the left side. Takeuchi goes to 2 strikes trying to bunt, but lays it down and advances the runner for Suzuki.
He takes the ball the other way on a groundout, and at least advances the runner to 3rd.
I notice that Yokoo's pitches aren't fast either. He's in the mid 120s. Which means its a battle of attrition to see whose control breaks down first, though Kitakou does have their other "ace".
WHAT???????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yokoo fires a throw home, and Ono is thrown out! 3 out, but even more important - they were trying a straight steal of home!!! I have not seen that tried in my years watching. That takes a lot of balls to call for that play. It far from worked, but it means that Rifu has more tricks up their sleeve.
Top 3rd
Last batter Ikegami with a liner to center for a leadoff single. He's bunted over as expected by Kinoshita. And on Keita's fly to deep right center he tags up to 3rd.
Liner! But right at Suzuki and the side is retired!
Bottom 3rd
Nasuno line shot past a diving Morotomi and down the line! He's in with a leadoff double! Katsuramaki with a great bunt to move the runner over.
Manjyoume thinks he has ball 4 on a full count pitch outside, but no! He's rung up and there's 2 out!
Ueno grounds out to Taniguchi and we're scoreless through 3!
Top 4th
One down, Tanaka takes a very high pitch and manages to line it over Suzuki for a base hit. He's bunted to 2nd to try for a one-timer bu Ida.
But he flies out to Takeuchi, who easily snags it and we're still deadlocked at 0.
Bottom 4th
Rifu is having a devil of a time getting the bat square on Yokoo's pitches. Hamada and Seto with easy pop flies before Ono (one of the only one hitting), lining a single to left.
Takeuchi flies out to right, and we're just flying through the innings here with neither team really getting anything going.
Top 5th
What's this? Rifu is taking a page out of Saga Kita's book! Nasuno is out of the game and in comes lefty Yamauchi!
And boy are Kitakou's batters all turned about. Yokoo hits a swinging bunt that Ono fields, Ikegami tries the push bunt, but Yamauchi corrects and makes the play, and Kinoshita just hits it right back to him for the 3rd out!
Bottom 5th
Suzuki manages to bloop one into right center for a base hit. But Yamauchi's bunt attempt is too hard and Morotomi throws Suzuki out at 2nd!
Katsuramaki lays down another but and moves the runner over, but with 2 out now.
Manjyoume with a drive to left center! Kinoshita, who was shifted over to the right, goes on a dead sprint to left center! Puts the glove up...
AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He overran it and it falls in behind him! Yamauchi scores and Rifu has the 1-0 lead!
Ueno with a looper, Kenta leaps, but it's over his head! Manjyoume scores and Rifu leads 2-0!
Hamada with a single to left center! Ueno takes 3rd on the play and Yokoo is getting roughed up!
And he knows what's next. #1 Fukui comes in to relieve him on the mound.
What's this?! Rifu is PH their cleanup batter! #16 Abe Kouya comes in to hit for Seto! Not sure what's going on here, but Kokuta-kantoku must know something.
However, Abe flies out to center, ending the inning. Yokoo gets roughed up before the break and now Saga Kita is chasing 2 heading into the break.
Top 6th
#13 Inomata in for PH Abe and takes over at 1B.
Kenta made to look like a ballerina they way he twirled swinging at a pitch way outside
Taniguchi though revenges him with a single to left. And now Yamauchi hits Morotomi! Kokuta-kantoku calls time.
STEAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Taniguchi gets a great jump and the throw goes to 3rd, but not in time! It's a double steal and the douten runner is in scoring position!
Tanaka meanwhile is fouling every conceivable pitch, even some almost on the ground!
All that so he can hit it right to Katsuramaki! He looks home, but takes the sure out at 1st! Saga Kita is on the board at 2-1, and now the douten run is 90 feet away!
Momozaki-kantoku pulls his own trump card, sending in #13 Matsuo to hit for Koyanagi.
And he drives a ball to deep right center! Ueno reaches up, but it's over their heads! Morotomi scores on the PH RBI double and we're all square at 2-2!!
Ida strikes out to end the inning, but we have a new ball game!
Bottom 6th
Matsuo stays in the game to play LF.
Fukui throwing much more gas than Yokoo, and counters that with a very slow curve. Ono can't catch up to the high 130s fastball and goes down swinging.
Takeuchi hits a chopper to the right side, but Taniguchi doesn't pick the ball cleanly and that allows Takeuchi to reach safely!
Suzuki showing bunt, but doesn't even offer on a single pitch, instead drawing a 4-pitch walk!
Yamauchi showing bunt, and the curve is outside for ball 1. Momozaki-kantoku sees something to call time.
Another bunt shown, but another ball taken. Is Rifu trying to bait Fukui into throwing non-strikes? Well, he gets a curve across for a strike, so it's 2-1. But another ball and it's 3-1! I think they're baiting him!
Fastball inside gets the strike call, and the count is full.
Fukui calls Rifu's bluff, but he lays down the bunt and the runners advance!
But now Fukui is just having trouble throwing a strike! He's behind Katsuramaki 2-0 before he pumps in a fastball. Still the count goes 3-1and it's ball 4! The ball gets away from Ida, but the runners don't advance. Manrui for leadoff batter Manjyoume!
Fukui going explicitly away to start, and Manjyoume has the right idea booming a ball foul to the left side.
Manjyoume liner up the middle! Takeuchi scores! Suzuki being waved around... the throw is high and Suzuki scores! Manjyoume comes through again and Rifu again leads 4-2, and still threatening!
Ueno strikes out looking to end the inning, but Rifu fires right back and retakes their 2-run lead!
Top 7th
Rifu going to their bullpen again, this time sending out #11 Watanabe to take the hill.
After a quick flyout by Fukui, he ends up walking Ikegami.
None of the pitchers are overpowering, they're just another arm it seems.
Kinoshita with a comebacker to Watanabe! 2nd for 1, throw by Katsuramaki in time for the double play!
Bottom 7th
Hamada grounder to short, but Ikegami stumbles! That allows Hamada to reach safely!
Inomata showing bunt throughout the entire AB, but winds up striking out looking. Odd.
Ono actually bunts the runner along to 2nd. But Takeuchi grounds out to 2nd to end the inning.
Top 8th
Katsuramaki with a great pick on a short hop by Kenta. Throws to 1st, 1 down.
Watanabe falls behind Taniguchi 3-0 and he lines a ball down the 3rd base line for a double! Kokuta-kanoku decides to call time.
Morotomi also playing the attrition game, fouling off pitches until he can find something he likes... but this time he strikes out swinging. The ball is the dirt however, and that allows Taniguchi to take 3rd on the play.
Tanaka up to try and cut into the deficit.
SANSHIN!!!!!!!!!! He chases the slider away and like Morotomi goes down swinging! Saga Kita is denied and they'll be down to their final 3 outs!
Bottom 8th
Suzuki with a base hit to right center, and he cruises in with a leadoff double! He's bunted to 3rd for Katsuramaki.
He's showing bunt, but can't seem to put it into play. Count goes to 2-2, and he tries it! But it goes foul and he's out!
That brings up Manjyoume, but with 2 bases open, I don't think they're going to pitch to him. And all the pitches are borderline at best as the count goes to 3-0... and ball 4.
And up 0-2 on Ueno, Fukui plunks him! It's manrui for Rifu with Hamada up to bat!
Hamada just waiting for now, and Fukui misses on his first 2 pitches before getting a fastball over for a strike.
But Fukui gets Hamada to bounce one up the line right to Taniguchi who goes to the bag for the 3rd out. No damage done, but Saga Kita needs 2 to stay alive!
Top 9th
Takahashi stays in the game to play 3B.
Matsuo once again comes through with a blooper over Hamada's head for a leadoff single! But Ida swings on the first pitch and pops it up! Katsuramaki under it for the first out.
Captain #10 Shima Ryuutarou comes in to hit for Fukui, but too pops it up. Suzuki under it in shallow left for the 2nd out.
It's up to Ikegami... and he lines a single to left! Douten runner is on for Kitakou! And we're back to the top of the order and Kinoshita!
I don't know if Watanabe is trying to nibble, but he's fallen behind Kinoshita 3-1... and walks him!! The sayonara runner is on base!
(And of course, the announcers are bringing parallels of the game 7 years ago)
Kenta grounder to short! Katsuramaki throws to 1st... OUT!
Kenta slams the helmet into the ground as Rifu advanes with a 4-2 win!
I won't belabor the point about the head-sliding into first, but I'd keep that in mind for the last play. Saga Kita's magic of 7 years ago unfortunately doesn't carry over as they fall just short.
Saga Kita certainly had their chances late against the Rifu bullpen, but were not able to capitalize after the 2-run 6th. And unfortunately for them, both pitchers had 1 bad inning that combined cost them the game. I don't know if they were the first ones to win using a pitching tandem, but I think they showed that it could be done. Unfortunately, it didn't work out this year.
As for Rifu, they manage to advance, but the pitching staff past Nasuno looks a bit shaky, and the offense is a bit more inconsistent than I was expecting. It'll take a little more work for them to continue and advance.
Notable Players
Nasuno Seiya (Rifu) - 4 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 3 K
Manjyoume Kouta (Rifu) - 2-4, 3B, R, 3 RBI, BB
Suzuki Yuuto (Rifu) - 2-3, 2B, R
Matsuo Naoki (Saga Kita) - 2-2, 2B, RBI
Taniguchi Takashi (Saga Kita) - 2-4, 2B, R, SB
Showing posts with label Saga Kita. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Saga Kita. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Day 1, Game 3 - Saga Kita (Saga) vs. Sendai Ikuei (Miyagi)
So, after 2 relatively close games, the crowd may be expecting one more to round out the day.
5 years ago, Saga Kita shocked the world (well, Japan anyways) by going all the way - playing one extra game no less, and hitting a gyakuten manrui home run to defeat Kouryou for the title. Now they find themselves back at Koushien perhaps looking to recreate the magic they had before.
Unlike 2007, Saga Kita is dependent on one pitcher, ace Sueyoshi to carry the day. While he threw 2 shutouts early, he did start yielding runs in later rounds. Whether that will affect how he does here with stiffer compeition or in early rounds is hard to say. Offensively, they were fairly consistent, hitting a respectable 0.316, and got a little stronger as the tournament progressed.
Sendai Ikuei need to survive a 2-1 battle with Tohoku to earn their bid back to Koushien. While Watanabe is the ace, Sasaki-kantoku did lean up on #10 Suzuki in the quarters and semis to keep Watanabe fresh. The team showed great offensive output against weaker compeition, so the 0.342 average may be inflated. The 9-for-33 performance may be closer to expected if not a little understated.
It should be a great matchup to round up the opening day...
Saga Kita (Saga)
LF Baba
SS Tsukahara
CF Motomura
1B Sanematsu
3B Furukawa
C Yamada
2B Fujita
P Suetsugu
RF Uchikawa
Sendai Ikuei (Miyagi)
SS Takahashi Ryuunosuke
2B Kashiwagi
LF Hoshi
CF Uebayashi
RF Hayasaka
P Watanabe
3B Inazawa
1B Itou
C Tanaka
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15:31 - First Pitch
Top 1st
Baba gets the leadof walk to start the game, with Tsukahara free bunting to move him along. However, Watanabe shuts it down, getting a flyout to left, and a flail from Sanematsu to end the inning.
Bottom 1st
Oh, so Suetsugu is a sidearmer, but he's fairly upright in his delivery.
And before I can finish writing the lineup, 4 pitches is all it takes for Suetsugu to get a 1-2-3 inning!
Top 2nd
This game is going at ludicrous speed!! Watanabe is working fast, striking out Furukawa swinging, catching Yamada looking on 3 straight and Fujita fouls one off before lining out to short to end the inning!
Bottom 2nd
Uebayashi with the first hit, a ball past a diving Fujita into right! Uebayashi presses for 2nd, and just beats the throw! Scoring chance immediately for Sendai Ikuei!
Hayasaka up, but Sasaki-kantoku is not asking for the bunt. Count level at 2-2, he's fouling off all the pitches away. He should look to take one the other way to advance the runner, but instead he takes one and pulls it instead! It works out as a diving Tsukahara can't make the diving grab! Pinch early here for Suetsugu!
And now Sasaki-kantoku sends Hayasaka! The throw from Yamada is high and Sendai Ikuei has 2 runners in scoring position!
Watanabe with a chopper back up the middle! Tsukahara can't make the diving stop and Uebayashi scores to make it 1-0!
Runners at the corners and now Inazawa hits a hot grounder through to right! That plates yet another and it's 2-0 Sendai Ikuei! Momozaki-kantoku calls for time.
It seems to work as Itou immediately grounds into the 4-6-3 double play.
Tanaka hits a hard liner, but it's right at Tsukahara for the 3rd out. No futher damage, but there were some hard hit balls there against Suetsugu.
Top 3rd
So now that the game has slowed down a bit, Sendai Ikuei ace Watanabe appears to have a cutter, slider, fork and curveball to go along with his fastball which sits in the mid 130's.
And after ringing up Suetsugu for his 4th K, Uchikawa sneaks one under the glove of a diving Ryuunosuke for Saga Kita's first base hit.
Baba hits a hard ball to 1st, and while Itou can't field it cleanly, he does make the putout at 1st for the 2nd out.
Watanabe ends the inning by getting Tsukahara to swing at a ball in the dirt. He's not that accurate and does miss in the wrong places at times, but the fast tempo certainly seems to be helping him.
Bottom 3rd
Ryuunousuke lays down a safety bunt that starts foul but spins fair down the 3rd base line??!! Now that's something new!
But perhaps in a sort of baseball justice, Sasaki-kantoku starts the hit-and-run only to have Kashiwagi hit it hard right to Fujita who turns the pretty 4-6-3 double play!!
Suetsugu jams Hoshi who hits a short fly to Tsukahara to end the inning and there's no damage done.
Top 4th
Motomura smokes one through the infield into center for a leadoff single! And cleanup batter Sanematsu is showing bunt? Yes, he attempts one, but pushes it foul.
But it's a feint! Ahead 2-1, he swings away and lines one to center! Motomura, running on the play makes it to 3rd easily! Sasaki-kantoku quickly calls for time.
Now Furukawa shows bunt as Sanematsu takes off! Furukawa does not bunt and Sanematsu takes 2nd!
Watanabe is not deterred though, as he goes after Furukawa and gets him looking on a fastball down the middle!
Yamada does go for the squeeze! Watanabe charging in makes the glove toss to Tanaka, and he blocks the plate beautifully for the 2nd out! However, he still isn't out of the woods yet as Fujita steps in.
And Fujita takes a ball the other way into left to plate Sanematsu and get one of the runs back! It's 2-1!
Suetsugu goes down swinging for the 2nd time, but Saga Kita pulls within one here in the 4th!
Bottom 4th
Uebayashi reaches out and pokes a ball to right for his 2nd hit. Hayasaka bunts him along.
As for Suetsugu, his max seems to be in the low 130's with some form of changeup, but I can't tell which.
Watanabe gets around on a ball inside and drives it to right center! Uchikawa gives chase, but it lands in front of the wall! Uebayashi easily scores on the RBI triple and Watanabe gets his run back! 3-1!
Inazawa with a hot shot to 3rd! Furukawa makes a spectacular diving stop, checks the runner and makes the putout at 1st! 2 down!
Itou swings again at the first pitch and he grounds out to short to end the inning, but not before the lead is stretched back up to 2!
Top 5th
Watanabe is back to his fast tempo as Uchikawa tries unsuccessfully to bunt his way on.
Back to the top of the order and Watanabe misses on a ball outside leaving it over the plate allowing Baba to take it the other way for a base hit.
2-2 count to Tsukahara and Momosaki-kantoku sends Baba! Tanaka double-clutches and Baba easily takes the base! But Tsukuhara can't drive him in, or even advance him as he grounds out to 3rd for the 2nd out.
And a comebacker from Motomura is blocked by Watanabe and he makes the play at 1st for the 3rd out!
Bottom 5th
Suetsugu gets his first clean 1-2-3 inning since the 1st inning and he keeps the deficit at 2 heading into the break.
Top 6th
Out of the break, Watanabe continues to pump strikes to the Saga Kita batters, daring them to hit it. They're obliging, but Watanabe is winning the battle as he gets yet another 1-2-3 inning.
Bottom 6th
One down for Sendai Ikuei and it must be Uebayashi's day as he dribbles one to the left side. Suetsugu can't field and it an Tsukahara's throw is late! Sasaki-kantoku will go for the one-timer as Hayasaka lays down his 2nd sac bunt.
And it appears they will not pitch to Watanabe and they will unintentionall intentionally walk him forcing Inazawa to try and drive the run home.
On the 1-2 pitch, Yamada frames outside asking for inside, but the ball is too inside and Yamada loses it! The runners advance on the passed ball!
But no harm done as Suetsugu gets Inazawa to ground to 2nd to end the inning.
Top 7th
Will the 7th be lucky for Saga Kita?
Not so far as Fujita grounds to 3rd. Watanabe gets ahead of Suetsugu quickly 0-2 and after a borderline pitch trying to get him to chase, Suetsugu rolls another ball to Inazawa for out #2.
Uchikawa breaks up the hitless streak with a comebacker up the middle for a single. More importantly, it turns over the lineup.
And now Baba drives the first pitch to left center! Hoshi keeps the ball in front of him, preventing Uchikawa from scoring on the play, but now the douten run is in scoring position!
But the troubles continue for Tsukahara at the plate! He hits a grounder right to 2nd where Kashiwagi scoops it up and makes the play at 1st to deny Saga Kita any runs!
Bottom 7th
After Itou quickly goes down on 3 pitches, Tanaka connects on another Suetsugu pitch and drives it to left center! Motomura runs back to the wall, but can't get there in time and it bounces off of the padding on the fly for a double! That gets a conference from Momosaki-kantoku.
Ryuunosuke gets his first solid base hit, a liner to left. Tanaka can't score on the shallow liner so there's runners at the corners for Kashiwagi.
Suetsugu doesn't help his cause any now as he walks Kashiwagi to load the bases for Hoshi.
He takes the first pitch and takes it back up the middle! It gets past a diving Tsukahara and into center! Tanaka scores to make it 4-1 and now the last person you want up if you're Suetsugu is up... Uebayashi.
And Uebayashi scoots it through a drawn in infield and into left, scoring Ryuunosuke to make it 5-1! Still manrui for Hayasaka, but outside of his hit in the 2nd, has not had success.
However, he does hit a fly to right. While Uchikawa is able to camp under it, it's deep enough to score another to make it 6-1. This with the other person you don't want up today - ace Watanabe.
But instead, they try for more and send Uebayashi to 2nd. But perhaps that was pushing it too much as Yamada throws him out to end the inning.
Top 8th
Motomura gets Saga Kita off to a great start as he drives one over Uebayashi's head and to the wall for a double. Sanematsu grounds to 2nd, and Sendai Ikuei will gladly trade 90 feet for the out.
Furukawa can't get any traction either as he waves at a fastball outside for his 3rd K today.
Yamada, on the other hand, finally does breakthrough with a single to left scoring Motomura to make it a 6-2 ballgame.
Fujita though hits a weak grounder to 2nd. Kashiwagi makes the play at 1st for the 3rd out. Saga Kita gets one back, but will need at least 4 more with just 3 outs to go.
Bottom 8th
Now that Watanabe is leading off an inning with nobody on, Suetsugu is more careful with him, and ends up walking him to lead off the inning. Inazawa tries to sac him along, but Furukawa makes a great throw to 2nd to cut down the lead runner.
Itou finally gets his first hit as he inside outs one to right field. That leaves just Kashiwagi without a base hit.
Once again, Sasaki-kantoku asks for and gets the bunt looking for another one-timer from Ryuunosuke.
And he drives one to center! Motomura sprints back, but the ball lands scattering the birds and making it an 8-2 ballgame.
That gives Kashiwagi a chance to give every starter a base hit, but he flies out to left to end the inning. Still, each person did reach safely in the game.
Top 9th
#15 Sonoda comes in to hit for Suetsugu, but grounds out to 2nd for the first out. Uchikawa grounds out to Watanabe for the 2nd out, and Watanabe closes the game with a groundout by Baba.
It was the 5-year anniversary of the miraculous run by the boys from Saga, but this time around they will be going home after just one game. They did hang in there for a good part of the game, but the 3-run 7th was their downfall.
As for Sendai Ikuei, the offense did come to play today, but what may slip up them going forward is Watanabe's pitching. The tempo certainly threw off the Saga Kita batters, but he missed his location with several pitches today in areas that against perhaps better opposition would get punished.
Notable Players
Watanabe Fumiya (Sendai Ikuei) - CG, 2 ER, 9 H, 8 K, BB
Watanabe Fumiya (Sendai Ikuei) - 2-2, 3B, RBI, 2 BB
Uebayashi Seichi (Sendai Ikuei) - 4-4, 2B, 2 R, RBI
Motomura Shouji (Saga Kita) - 2-4, 2B, R
5 years ago, Saga Kita shocked the world (well, Japan anyways) by going all the way - playing one extra game no less, and hitting a gyakuten manrui home run to defeat Kouryou for the title. Now they find themselves back at Koushien perhaps looking to recreate the magic they had before.
Unlike 2007, Saga Kita is dependent on one pitcher, ace Sueyoshi to carry the day. While he threw 2 shutouts early, he did start yielding runs in later rounds. Whether that will affect how he does here with stiffer compeition or in early rounds is hard to say. Offensively, they were fairly consistent, hitting a respectable 0.316, and got a little stronger as the tournament progressed.
Sendai Ikuei need to survive a 2-1 battle with Tohoku to earn their bid back to Koushien. While Watanabe is the ace, Sasaki-kantoku did lean up on #10 Suzuki in the quarters and semis to keep Watanabe fresh. The team showed great offensive output against weaker compeition, so the 0.342 average may be inflated. The 9-for-33 performance may be closer to expected if not a little understated.
It should be a great matchup to round up the opening day...
Saga Kita (Saga)
LF Baba
SS Tsukahara
CF Motomura
1B Sanematsu
3B Furukawa
C Yamada
2B Fujita
P Suetsugu
RF Uchikawa
Sendai Ikuei (Miyagi)
SS Takahashi Ryuunosuke
2B Kashiwagi
LF Hoshi
CF Uebayashi
RF Hayasaka
P Watanabe
3B Inazawa
1B Itou
C Tanaka
__________________________________________________
15:31 - First Pitch
Top 1st
Baba gets the leadof walk to start the game, with Tsukahara free bunting to move him along. However, Watanabe shuts it down, getting a flyout to left, and a flail from Sanematsu to end the inning.
Bottom 1st
Oh, so Suetsugu is a sidearmer, but he's fairly upright in his delivery.
And before I can finish writing the lineup, 4 pitches is all it takes for Suetsugu to get a 1-2-3 inning!
Top 2nd
This game is going at ludicrous speed!! Watanabe is working fast, striking out Furukawa swinging, catching Yamada looking on 3 straight and Fujita fouls one off before lining out to short to end the inning!
Bottom 2nd
Uebayashi with the first hit, a ball past a diving Fujita into right! Uebayashi presses for 2nd, and just beats the throw! Scoring chance immediately for Sendai Ikuei!
Hayasaka up, but Sasaki-kantoku is not asking for the bunt. Count level at 2-2, he's fouling off all the pitches away. He should look to take one the other way to advance the runner, but instead he takes one and pulls it instead! It works out as a diving Tsukahara can't make the diving grab! Pinch early here for Suetsugu!
And now Sasaki-kantoku sends Hayasaka! The throw from Yamada is high and Sendai Ikuei has 2 runners in scoring position!
Watanabe with a chopper back up the middle! Tsukahara can't make the diving stop and Uebayashi scores to make it 1-0!
Runners at the corners and now Inazawa hits a hot grounder through to right! That plates yet another and it's 2-0 Sendai Ikuei! Momozaki-kantoku calls for time.
It seems to work as Itou immediately grounds into the 4-6-3 double play.
Tanaka hits a hard liner, but it's right at Tsukahara for the 3rd out. No futher damage, but there were some hard hit balls there against Suetsugu.
Top 3rd
So now that the game has slowed down a bit, Sendai Ikuei ace Watanabe appears to have a cutter, slider, fork and curveball to go along with his fastball which sits in the mid 130's.
And after ringing up Suetsugu for his 4th K, Uchikawa sneaks one under the glove of a diving Ryuunosuke for Saga Kita's first base hit.
Baba hits a hard ball to 1st, and while Itou can't field it cleanly, he does make the putout at 1st for the 2nd out.
Watanabe ends the inning by getting Tsukahara to swing at a ball in the dirt. He's not that accurate and does miss in the wrong places at times, but the fast tempo certainly seems to be helping him.
Bottom 3rd
Ryuunousuke lays down a safety bunt that starts foul but spins fair down the 3rd base line??!! Now that's something new!
But perhaps in a sort of baseball justice, Sasaki-kantoku starts the hit-and-run only to have Kashiwagi hit it hard right to Fujita who turns the pretty 4-6-3 double play!!
Suetsugu jams Hoshi who hits a short fly to Tsukahara to end the inning and there's no damage done.
Top 4th
Motomura smokes one through the infield into center for a leadoff single! And cleanup batter Sanematsu is showing bunt? Yes, he attempts one, but pushes it foul.
But it's a feint! Ahead 2-1, he swings away and lines one to center! Motomura, running on the play makes it to 3rd easily! Sasaki-kantoku quickly calls for time.
Now Furukawa shows bunt as Sanematsu takes off! Furukawa does not bunt and Sanematsu takes 2nd!
Watanabe is not deterred though, as he goes after Furukawa and gets him looking on a fastball down the middle!
Yamada does go for the squeeze! Watanabe charging in makes the glove toss to Tanaka, and he blocks the plate beautifully for the 2nd out! However, he still isn't out of the woods yet as Fujita steps in.
And Fujita takes a ball the other way into left to plate Sanematsu and get one of the runs back! It's 2-1!
Suetsugu goes down swinging for the 2nd time, but Saga Kita pulls within one here in the 4th!
Bottom 4th
Uebayashi reaches out and pokes a ball to right for his 2nd hit. Hayasaka bunts him along.
As for Suetsugu, his max seems to be in the low 130's with some form of changeup, but I can't tell which.
Watanabe gets around on a ball inside and drives it to right center! Uchikawa gives chase, but it lands in front of the wall! Uebayashi easily scores on the RBI triple and Watanabe gets his run back! 3-1!
Inazawa with a hot shot to 3rd! Furukawa makes a spectacular diving stop, checks the runner and makes the putout at 1st! 2 down!
Itou swings again at the first pitch and he grounds out to short to end the inning, but not before the lead is stretched back up to 2!
Top 5th
Watanabe is back to his fast tempo as Uchikawa tries unsuccessfully to bunt his way on.
Back to the top of the order and Watanabe misses on a ball outside leaving it over the plate allowing Baba to take it the other way for a base hit.
2-2 count to Tsukahara and Momosaki-kantoku sends Baba! Tanaka double-clutches and Baba easily takes the base! But Tsukuhara can't drive him in, or even advance him as he grounds out to 3rd for the 2nd out.
And a comebacker from Motomura is blocked by Watanabe and he makes the play at 1st for the 3rd out!
Bottom 5th
Suetsugu gets his first clean 1-2-3 inning since the 1st inning and he keeps the deficit at 2 heading into the break.
Top 6th
Out of the break, Watanabe continues to pump strikes to the Saga Kita batters, daring them to hit it. They're obliging, but Watanabe is winning the battle as he gets yet another 1-2-3 inning.
Bottom 6th
One down for Sendai Ikuei and it must be Uebayashi's day as he dribbles one to the left side. Suetsugu can't field and it an Tsukahara's throw is late! Sasaki-kantoku will go for the one-timer as Hayasaka lays down his 2nd sac bunt.
And it appears they will not pitch to Watanabe and they will unintentionall intentionally walk him forcing Inazawa to try and drive the run home.
On the 1-2 pitch, Yamada frames outside asking for inside, but the ball is too inside and Yamada loses it! The runners advance on the passed ball!
But no harm done as Suetsugu gets Inazawa to ground to 2nd to end the inning.
Top 7th
Will the 7th be lucky for Saga Kita?
Not so far as Fujita grounds to 3rd. Watanabe gets ahead of Suetsugu quickly 0-2 and after a borderline pitch trying to get him to chase, Suetsugu rolls another ball to Inazawa for out #2.
Uchikawa breaks up the hitless streak with a comebacker up the middle for a single. More importantly, it turns over the lineup.
And now Baba drives the first pitch to left center! Hoshi keeps the ball in front of him, preventing Uchikawa from scoring on the play, but now the douten run is in scoring position!
But the troubles continue for Tsukahara at the plate! He hits a grounder right to 2nd where Kashiwagi scoops it up and makes the play at 1st to deny Saga Kita any runs!
Bottom 7th
After Itou quickly goes down on 3 pitches, Tanaka connects on another Suetsugu pitch and drives it to left center! Motomura runs back to the wall, but can't get there in time and it bounces off of the padding on the fly for a double! That gets a conference from Momosaki-kantoku.
Ryuunosuke gets his first solid base hit, a liner to left. Tanaka can't score on the shallow liner so there's runners at the corners for Kashiwagi.
Suetsugu doesn't help his cause any now as he walks Kashiwagi to load the bases for Hoshi.
He takes the first pitch and takes it back up the middle! It gets past a diving Tsukahara and into center! Tanaka scores to make it 4-1 and now the last person you want up if you're Suetsugu is up... Uebayashi.
And Uebayashi scoots it through a drawn in infield and into left, scoring Ryuunosuke to make it 5-1! Still manrui for Hayasaka, but outside of his hit in the 2nd, has not had success.
However, he does hit a fly to right. While Uchikawa is able to camp under it, it's deep enough to score another to make it 6-1. This with the other person you don't want up today - ace Watanabe.
But instead, they try for more and send Uebayashi to 2nd. But perhaps that was pushing it too much as Yamada throws him out to end the inning.
Top 8th
Motomura gets Saga Kita off to a great start as he drives one over Uebayashi's head and to the wall for a double. Sanematsu grounds to 2nd, and Sendai Ikuei will gladly trade 90 feet for the out.
Furukawa can't get any traction either as he waves at a fastball outside for his 3rd K today.
Yamada, on the other hand, finally does breakthrough with a single to left scoring Motomura to make it a 6-2 ballgame.
Fujita though hits a weak grounder to 2nd. Kashiwagi makes the play at 1st for the 3rd out. Saga Kita gets one back, but will need at least 4 more with just 3 outs to go.
Bottom 8th
Now that Watanabe is leading off an inning with nobody on, Suetsugu is more careful with him, and ends up walking him to lead off the inning. Inazawa tries to sac him along, but Furukawa makes a great throw to 2nd to cut down the lead runner.
Itou finally gets his first hit as he inside outs one to right field. That leaves just Kashiwagi without a base hit.
Once again, Sasaki-kantoku asks for and gets the bunt looking for another one-timer from Ryuunosuke.
And he drives one to center! Motomura sprints back, but the ball lands scattering the birds and making it an 8-2 ballgame.
That gives Kashiwagi a chance to give every starter a base hit, but he flies out to left to end the inning. Still, each person did reach safely in the game.
Top 9th
#15 Sonoda comes in to hit for Suetsugu, but grounds out to 2nd for the first out. Uchikawa grounds out to Watanabe for the 2nd out, and Watanabe closes the game with a groundout by Baba.
It was the 5-year anniversary of the miraculous run by the boys from Saga, but this time around they will be going home after just one game. They did hang in there for a good part of the game, but the 3-run 7th was their downfall.
As for Sendai Ikuei, the offense did come to play today, but what may slip up them going forward is Watanabe's pitching. The tempo certainly threw off the Saga Kita batters, but he missed his location with several pitches today in areas that against perhaps better opposition would get punished.
Notable Players
Watanabe Fumiya (Sendai Ikuei) - CG, 2 ER, 9 H, 8 K, BB
Watanabe Fumiya (Sendai Ikuei) - 2-2, 3B, RBI, 2 BB
Uebayashi Seichi (Sendai Ikuei) - 4-4, 2B, 2 R, RBI
Motomura Shouji (Saga Kita) - 2-4, 2B, R
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