Well, we're past the flurry of games that brought us from 49 teams to 8. And now the real test begins. Even more so given the draw that has come out.
Our first game could have easily been a semifinal game. But the draw is the draw, and both teams are in the fight of their lives.
Kousei Gakuin has been on course to yet another final. After a bit of an unimpressive 4-0 win over Yuugakukan, they bats came out to play against Kamimura Gakuen. But ace number Kanazawa lasted just 5.1 innings and as a result Jyouma had to come in relief to finish the game. Neither have shown to be a K master, so again it's up to getting not so good contact.
But to get to the finals, they will have to face the hottest pitcher right now at Koushien - Matsui Yuuki of Toukou Gakuen.
He struck out 22, then 19, and then 12 against Urasoe Shougyou. The last performance though was not the dominance we saw out of the first two games. And not just because of the K's.
Urasoe Shougyou tested Matsui. They made him throw pitches in the strike zone and rarely chased. Batters went deep into counts and either appeared to swing at pitches they were looking for or when they had to protect the plate.
It certainly had an effect. Batters started walking, getting better pitches to hit, and more importantly, kept Matsui on the mound. Because in the 9th, while they were down by a good margin, they managed to get the tying run to be plate before being retired to end the game.
Now while Urasoe lost the game, it may be Toukou Gakuen that loses the war. Because while they have advanced, they have to turn around the next day and play against Kousei Gakuin.
Kousei Gakuin (Aomori)
RF Ameku
LF Murase
C Tamura
SS Houjyou
3B Oosugi
2B Jyouma
1B Takeda
CF Kimura
P Kanazawa
Toukou Gakuen (Kanagawa)
2B Suzuki Takumu
C Ukawa
CF Mizukai
RF Uekusa
LF Yamaguchi
1B Tanaka
P Matsui
SS Take
3B Nakano
____________________________________________________________
9:00 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Already Ameku with a drive down the left field line! Yaamguchi right at the foul pole! No catch! It bounces down in front of the wall as Ameku is in with a leadoff double!
And it does look like they're waiting when they can. Murase was down 0-2, took an inside fastball and was rung up. Wasn't his pitch.
Unfortunately for Kousei, the plate umpire is very loose when it comes to going around. Tamura, count full, 8th pitch of the AB, looks to have checked, but the umpire calls him going around.
Furthermore, he's calling the inside strike.
So Ameku steals 3rd on the 1-1 pitch, hoping that any base hit will get him home.
Houjyou goes down on a high inside fastball though, and Matsui has struck out the side. Kousei is taking their pitches when they can, but the zone seems very liberal today. And that's not a good thing for Kousei,
Bottom 1st
Well, that's strange. #18 Sekiguchi is already in for Murase in LF.
After a routine grounder to 1st by Takumu, Ukawa works a walk. Mizukai not bunting, but not able to at least move the runner as he goes down swinging on a slow curve.
Uekusa with a comebacker to Kanazawa, goes to 2nd (thinking he needs a DP, I assume) and gets the 3rd out.
Top 2nd
Despite the wide strike zone, Kousei is sticking to the plan. Oosugi runs the count full, but grounds out to 1st.
Jyouma attacks early on a pitch I guess he likes, but pop sup to Tanaka in foul terrirory.
Takeda gets a 4-pitch walk as Matsui has a small loss of control.
Kimura can't hold up on a slider in the dirt, tries to make a mad dash to 1st, but is just thrown out by Ukawa to retire the side.
Bottom 2nd
Kanazawa at 2-2 to Yamaguchi, hits him to start the inning. Tanaka with the bunt, pops it up! Tamura right there at home for the catch, and there's 1 down!
Matsui grounds to short. Houjyou goes to 2nd for one, but Jyouma throw is high and Matsui is safe.
Now Take hits a single through the left sdie! Runners now at 1st and 2nd now for Toukou!
But Nakano pops it up. Houjyou doesn't really move and makes the catch for the 3rd out.
Top 3rd
Kanazawa up and he tries to wait Matsui out, but he takes a fastball at the knees for strike 3.
Back to the top of the order and Ameku, and no dice this time around as he grounds to 2nd.
Sekiguchi up for his first AB, shows bunt a couple of times, but Matsui can't find the plate. 2-out walk.
Tamura up and takes a big swing at 1-0. Takes the inside strike for 0-2. But he grounds out to 2nd to end the inning.
They're trying to take pitches that's for sure, but their pitch recognition I'm not sure is as good. Plus I don't think the umpire is giving the outside corner as much as opposed to the inside corner.
Bottom 3rd
Takumu leading off again here in the 3rd, gets fooled on a curve and goes down swinging. Ukawa gets jammed and grounds weakly to Oosugi.
And Mizukai swings late on a fastball and grounds to 2nd.
Top 4th
Houjyou continuing the trend of K's as he goes down swinging on a bad slider.
Oosugi gets a hold of a fastball, but is under it and hits a high fly to left.
And Jyouma goes down on another slider. 7 K's for Matsui through 4. It doesn't look good for Kousei as they can't even work the pitch count at all given they're swinging at bad pitches.
Bottom 4th
Huh, now the plate umpire isn't calling the "Go arounds" on strike 3 instead deferring to the base umpires.
Uekusa tries to check his swing, but is rung up but the 1st base umpire. Yamaguchi tries to check his swing, but is rung up by the 3rd base umpire.
And then Tanaka decides to forgo the checking and just gets rung up on a curve.
Kanazawa strikes out the side, but he's better not get too over-confident.
Top 5th
Because his offense, while they may try to tire Matsui out, are doing a worse job than Urasoe Shougyou.
Takeda displays this point, swinging on a high 2-2 fastball for the strikeout.
Kimura, behind 1-2, has to swing away and grounds to 2nd.
And Kanazawa rightly takes a slider, but this time should tip his cap as Matsui actaully puts it over the plate for strike 3.
Bottom 5th
Matsui goes down swinging on a curve, but the ball gets away from Tamura allowing him to reach base. Take puts down the sac bunt and the sensei (先制) runner is in scoring position.
And so does Nakano. So runner on 3rd, 2 out. My bet is that they're doing this to try and remove the curve from the equation. Because a wild pitch or passed ball here causes a run.
But Takumu walks away in disgust as he swings on a slider. The gamble doesn't pay off and we're at the break with an expected pitchers' duel on our hands.
Here's the question. Who will give? Will Matsui tire from going back to back? Will they stay with Kanazawa a batter too late? Will it be Jyouma who actaully gives up the run in relief?
Top 6th
Ameku up and he just can't hold up on the slider in the dirt.
Sekiguchi falls behind 1-2 and makes contact with a slider that just misses the dirt. But he too falls victim.
Matsui's slider is fairly easy to figure out for the most part. He'll generally bury it when the count isn't 2 strikes, and almost certainly bury it when it IS two strikes.
Tamura in one of the rare cases gets up 3-1, gets a good swing on it, but it's to right and Uekusa is there for the catch in deep right. Doesn't look like the wind is blowing in from right though to knock it down.
Bottom 6th
This was the inning Kanazawa started to fail on the mound last game.
And he starts out Ukawa falling behind 3-1. Manages to fill up the count.
OH! The plate umpire gives a VERY LOW strike to Kanazawa and Ukawa goes down looking! Wow. That was ball 4.
Mizukai with a drive to right! Ameku backing up, backing up... makes the catch near the fence for the 2nd out.
Uekusa with a grounder up the middle. Houjyou makes a great stop, turns and throws! And that's expectedly high and into the camera well! Uekusa is awarded 2nd.
Will this be when one side finally cracks?
No! Yamaguchi grounds to 2nd. Jyouma makes the play at 1st and we're still scoreless.
But the Kousei batters are starting to hit Kanazawa hard. It may be wise to preempt a possible late pull by putting in Jyouma.
Top 7th
Houjyou a stubborn cleanup hitter is not taking pitches and swinging away. And once again he falls behind in the count.
But he hears me typing about him and he lines a ball to left for a leadoff single. Oosugi obviously bunting despite his 0.500 average at Koushien.
On a 1-1 pitch he offers at a slider. What he should've noticed is that prior to that pitch, Matsui had thrown to 1st and Oosugi had dropped his bat as if to bunt. So they knew he was going to offer.
Anways, 1-2 and he has to swing away. Well, he doesn't "have" to, but still.
And Oosugi just reaches out, puts the bat on the slider and pokes it over Nakano into left for a base hit! Two on and no out for Jyouma!
He's for sure bunting, but he fouls it off at 1-2! Now what? Well, Nakai-kantoku sends a message to Jyouma.
It's a hit and run! But Jyouma chases a high fastball for strike 3! Ukawa goes to 3rd and they gun down Houjyou!
Oh, that's a bad gamble on Nakai-kantoku's part. If you can't even hit the ball half the time, what makes you think a hit-and-run is a good thing? Especially to 3rd??!! Yes, you're trying for the 1 run, but that's a bad percentage play against Matsui.
Well, Oosugi advances to 2nd so there is still a runner in scoring position, but there's 2 outs. Takeda stepping in.
He falls behind, but manages to work the count full. At this point, just continue the inning.
But he falls to a fastball on the outside corner for strike 3. Matsui gets out of the jam, but that's more in thanks to the Kousei Gakuin kantoku more than anything else.
Bottom 7th
Now Kousei has to be careful. Momentum is on their side, and Kanazawa looked a bit more hittable in the 6th.
Tanaka swinging early, grounds to 3rd. Matsui hits the ball very hard, but it's a grounder to short. And Take hits a comebacker to Kanazawa, who goes to 1st to retire the side.
Top 8th
Kimura not doing too much with the slider, and takes it back up the middle for a base hit. Matsui didn't quite bury that, but the count was full so he couldn't be too obvious with it.
Kanazawa trying to lay down the bunt, pops it off foul! Nakai-kantoku with some instructions for Kanzawa, and he lays it down the next pitch.
Now it's Noro-kantoku with a conference on the mound as we're back to the top of the lineup and Ameku.
I don't think they're going to give him much to hit, but the first pitch is not far out enough and Ameku fouls it down the left field line!
After another outside pitch for a ball, they do go after him with a slider inside! Ameku swings and misses for strike 2. Matsui buries one, but Ameku doesn't bite. 2-2. Slider outside, misses the corner, full count.
Fastball down and away and Ameku walks! Ukawa goes to the mound as Sekiguchi steps in. He's not one to shy away from a walk.
But he's showing bunt?
No, he pulls back but hits it foul away from the 3rd base side.
He does the same at 0-2 and grounds to 2nd. Take goes to 2nd for one, but the throw is a bit off. Takumu decides to not go for 2.
So there's 2 down with runners at the corners for Tamura, who just has been lost for the most part at the plate.
Ball hit to the left side! There's no one in view! It's through to left! Kimura comes in to score and Kousei Gakuin has broken through here in the 8th! 1-0!!!
Houjyou with a drive to left center!! The outfield is in and has to run back! It's in the gap! Sekiguchi scores!! Tamura all the way from 1st... he scores!!
Matsui leaves a slider up in the zone and Houjyou knows what to do with it! Matsui can only look up with a sigh as Houjyou gives Kousei the 3-0 lead!
Oosugi goes down swinging to end the inning, but it is Matsui who gives in first!
Bottom 8th
And now they have just 6 outs to try and mount a comeback.
Nakano with a liner to left. Sekiguchi running in, makes the catch.
Takumu with the bunt. Kanazawa with a late start off the mound! Throw to 1st... beats a diving Takumu!
I suppose most teams will never learn...
Ukawa chases after a curve and rolls a chopper to 3rd to retire the side.
Top 9th
All Matsui can do is to try and preserve the deficit and give his team a chance.
Two balls to Jyouma to start, but the body language is starting to look like someone running out of gas.
Jyouma with a ball down the 3rd base line, Nakano makes a great backhanded stop at the line and makes a strong throw to 1st to get the out.
Takeda also makes contact, hits the ball to the left side. Nakano fields that one too and throws to 1st for the out.
And Kimura goes down swinging for Matsui's 15th K.
Bottom 9th
But right now the more important thing is that there's a 0 for Toukou Gakuen, and a 3 for Kousei Gakuin.
The 3-4-5 batters are due up for Toukou.
Mizukai with a grounder to 3rd. Oosugi fumbles with the ball on the bag, makes an ill-advised throw to 1st that flies over everyone! Mizukai advances to 2nd.
Time for Kousei as Nakai-kantoku calls time.
Uekusa with a drive to left! Sekiguchi running to his left, goes back... and makes the catch! Just not far enough for Uekusa!
Yamaguchi up for Toukou.
HE CRUSHES ONE!
But it's on a liner right to Ameku for the 2nd out!
Kanazawa clearly approaching his last legs as Tanaka steps in. Nakai-kantoku better be careful.
Whoo... fastball on the outside part gets called for a strike. 2-2 to Tanaka. Curve on the corner, no go! Full count!
Slider fouled off...
SANSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tanaka goes down swinging as Matsui can only watch from the batters circle!
And aw man, Matsui is really taking this hard.
Matsui unfortunately is like the first iteration of Shimabukuro where he just wasn't able to fulfill what he wanted to do, despite striking out 22-19-12-15 for 68 batters.
He's just a 2nd year, but he's really distraught. Because there's never a guarantee that you'll be able to return, especially from a prefecture like Kanagawa.
He put the team on his back for so long, for him and for his seniors, but just couldn't go 9 more innings.
But while he couldn't carry his team to victory, he helped make a mark at Koushien and his team, and especially this game will not be forgotten.
It just so happened that perhaps they tried to get in the way of a finals matchup that may be destined to be.
For Kousei Gakuin, they were able to successfully wear down Matsui and score right at the end. Their timely hitting was just enough to pull off the victory. It's well earned, and they get a day off before the semifinal match.
Notable Players
Kanazawa Yuuki (Kousei Gakuin) - CG, 0 ER, 3 H, 9 K, BB, HBP
Houjyou Fumiya (Kousei Gakuin) - 2-4, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 K
Matsui Yuuki (Toukou Gakuen) - CG, 3 ER, 6 H, 15 K, 3 BB
Showing posts with label Toukou Gakuen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Toukou Gakuen. Show all posts
Monday, August 20, 2012
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Day 11, Game 2 - Toukou Gakuen (Kanagawa) vs. Urasoe Shougyou (Okinawa)
Realistically, this game feels more like a Best 8 game or better in my opinion, and the fact that it's a 3rd round game is a shame really.
Because on one hand, you have the guy that broke and tied the old record for Ks in a 9-inning game in Matsui Yuuki of Toukou Gakuen (22 - 19), versus an Urasoe Shougyou squad who seems to do well at Koushien when they do actually qualify.
Toukou Gakuen (Kanagawa)
2B Suzuki Takumu
C Ukawa
CF Mizukai
RF Uekusa
LF Yamaguchi
1B Tanaka
P Matsui
SS Take
3B Nakano
Urasoe Shougyou (Okinawa)
1B Agarie
CF Ooshiro Rishuu
P Miyazato
LF Goya
C Iraha
2B Touma
RF Teruya (#10)
3B Kise
SS Uchima
____________________________________________________________
10:16 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Takumu with a drive to right center!! Rishuu runnin back but gives up!!
HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Another leadoff homerun! This time by Toukou's Suzuki Takumu! Toukou leads 1-0!
Miyazato then strikes out Ukawa swinging, but then walks Mizukai on a full count, then turns around and strikes out Uekusa looking.
2 down and now Yamaguchi singles to center! Miyazato certainly looking a bit shaky in the early going.
He goes full on Tanaka before getting him to chase on a slider away to finally end the inning.
Bottom 1st
Agarie on an 0-2 pitch reaches out on a slider and pokes it to center for a base hit!
Rishuu not bunting, and flies out to right. Miyazato not bunting either, and he too flies out to right.
So Miyara-kantoku sends Agarie to 2nd, and no one's at 2nd for the throw from Ukawa! It's into center and Agarie into's 3rd!
But Goya grounds out to 2nd and the inning is over. Notice what's missing? Yep, a K.
Top 2nd
One down and Take singles to right center. Nakano going to bunt, and he's hit! Runners at 1st and 2nd as Takumu comes in.
After a ball, Miyara-kantoku calls for a conference.
Takumu is way ahead of a slow change and pops it up! Infield fly is called as Touma makes the catch.
And Ukawa can't hold off on a forkball and the side is retired.
Bottom 2nd
Iraha stands in and is very patient, taking some close pitches, including the 3-2 one that gives him the walk.
Touma tries the safety bunt up the right side, but Toukou's defense adjusts as Takumu tosses to Tanaka for the out.
Teruya being patient at the plate taking a lot of pitches. And once again, he holds off on the 3-2 pitch at the knees and takes the walk!
Kise up and he's just defending the plate. Down 0-2, he fouls one off before lining a soft one to 2nd! Takumu quick tosses to 2nd and they have the double play to end the inning!
Top 3rd
Mizukai with a drive to left! Goya running back to the fence!!
HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Two HR's now for Toukou Gakuen and they lead 2-0!
Uekusa with a drive to right center! Rishuu sprinting over, dives, but misses it near the wall! Goya throws it in as Uekusa has a double!
Yamaguchi with a pop up! Uchima running back, gets turned around, but makes the catch! And Uekusa is caught way off 2nd and is thrown out! Bad baserunning there as he's doubled up. You prevent the out first and foremost, then take the base.
Tanaka pops out to Iraha in foul territory to end the inning, but Toukou has another run!
Bottom 3rd
But their strategy is clear. Make Matsui prove he's the K pitcher he is. Take as many pitches as possible, swing only when you have to. Make him throw strikes, and make him stay on the mound as long as possible.
In other words, it's a battle of attrittion.
After two more non-K outs, Rishuu singles to right! And on a pickoff move by Matsui, he's called for a balk! Rishuu advances to 2nd!
He wants more! He takes off on the 1-0 pitch and slides in safely! Their first run 90 feet away!
SANSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Matsui finally records his first K on an inside slider!
Top 4th
2 down and Nakano singles through the middle to center and he reaches safely for the 2nd time.
But that's all they get as Takumu hits a comebacker to Miyazato to end the inning.
Bottom 4th
Goya falls behind 0-2, and grounds out to short.
Iraha works the count full yet again, but freezes on a slider.
Touma works the count full after going behind 0-2, but chases the slider for Matsui's 3rd K.
Top 5th
Ukawa tuns the tables on Miyazato a bit and works the count full, drawing a walk. Mizukai bunts him to 2nd.
But Uekusa falls behind 1-2, and flies out to center.
Conference on the mound as Yamaguchi stands in.
He hits a ball to shallow center! Goya running in, dives, and makes the catch!! Great diving catch by Goya saves another run from scoring and ends the inning!
Bottom 5th
Urashou's strategy might be unraveling here in the 5th. Teruya swings on the first pitch and grounds to short. Kise works the count full, but chases a slider again for a K.
And Uchima tries to bloop one over Takumu, but he makes a great leaping catch to retire the side!
We hit the break with 2 HR's from Toukou Gakuen being the difference in the game, but will Matsui be able to finish the game?
Top 6th
One down, Matsui hits a foul fly down the right field side, Teruya down the 1st base fence makes the leaping catch.
Take with a squibbler up the right side. Agarie fields it, but his toss to Miyazato is late!
Now Nakano follows that with a single to left! Small chance for Toukou as Miyara-kantoku calls for time.
Top of the order and Takumu steps in. Miyazato misses on the first two, and now Agarie goes to talk to him.
Pitch outisde, but Takumu swings! Now a change now at the knees for strike 2!
But Takumu drives a ball to the opposite field! Goya and Rishuu both try and chase it down in left center! No good! It falls in front of the wall! Take scores! Nakano from 1st, he comes around to score! Takumu slides in with a triple and it's now 4-0!!
And perhaps a batter too late, Miyara-kantoku sends in Teruya from the outfield to replace Miyazato on the hill. He gets Ukawa to groundout to 2nd to end the inning, but the damage has been done. Now Urashou faces a 4-run deficit.
I didn't think that when I was talking about a pitcher fatiguing, it'd be Urashou's ace.
Bottom 6th
It's really coming apart for Urashou now. Agarie swings on the first pitch and flies to center. Rishuu, behind 1-2, swings and misses on the slider. And Miyazato works the count full, but can only watch a fastball down the middle for strike 3.
Top 7th
Teruya doing what he can in relief. Mizukai fouls out to right, Uekusa drives a ball to deep left, but Goya is there in front of the fence for the 2nd out.
Almost gets a 1-2-3 inning, but "gently" hits Yamaguchi.
...Then walks Tanaka on 4 straight.
But Matsui grounds out to 2nd and no damage done.
Bottom 7th
With a 4-run lead, Matsui is attacking the zone more. Goya falls behind 1-2, flies to left. Iraha goes to 2-2 and flies out right. And Touma falls behind 1-2, grounds to 2nd.
Top 8th
After recording 2 outs Takumu is hit by Teruya. Doubt it's on purpose or frustration, just trying to pitch inside.
Ukawa flies to center and that's the inning.
Bottom 8th
Teruya with a drive to left! Yamaguchi running back to the fence!
HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well! Teruya gets a run back all by himself with a HR off of what may be considered the most dominating pitcher at Koushien so far! It's 4-1!
#15 Ooshiro Shou comes in to hit for Kise. He works the count full.
SANSHIN!!! Shou chases a fastball high and away for the first out!
Well, I think Matsui is just rearing back and throwing the fastball. Uchima is fed a diet of them and cannot catch up to a 145 and goes down swinging.
And Agarie cannot do much either. Down a quick 0-2, he chases a high fastball and goes down for the 9th K.
They get a run, but there's a long ways to go.
Top 9th
Shou stays in the game to play 3B.
One down and Uekusa checks in with his 2nd hit, a simple liner to right.
Yamaguchi hits a grounder to 2nd, but Touma double clutches and then thows it away! Everyone's safe!
Tanaka with a grounder to Touma again! He fumbles it again, but manages to make the toss to 2nd.
Uekusa not stopping is sent home! He tries to catch the Urasoe defense off-guard, but Uchima makes the throw home for the out.
Bottom 9th
Last ups as the oen-dan whistles Haisai Oji-san. Rishuu though goes down swinging.
Miyazato get a hold of a slider and drives it to left! Yamaguchi chasing it to the left field line, off the padding! He's in with a double!
Cleanup batter Goya standing in now. Behind 2-2, watches a fastball just miss outside!
Slider in the dirt! He walks! Now the douten run will be stepping into the box! Noro-kantoku will call time.
#13 Kinjyou Kai will hit for Iraha.
Full swing fouls it off of Ukawa's mask!
Swings on a slider and is behind 0-2! Can you be that clutch cold against a guy like Matsui?
NO! He, like many before him, chase a slider in the dirt and goes down for the 2nd out.
One last out for Matsui. Another conference on the mound, as Touma steps in. He's 1-9. His only hit? A homerun.
Matsui falls behind 2-0. Takes a fastball outside for ball 3!
Takes a little off and catches the outside edge. And Touma chases a high fastball! Full count!
SANSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Touma is ahead of a 136 kph fastball and Toukou Gakuen advances to the Best 8!
Urasoe's strategy was the best I've seen, and it almost worked even though it looked like all was lost in the late innings. They made Matsui work as hard as I've ever seen him work in the early innings. And near the end, he almost gave out. But they gave themselves a chance, and that's all you can ask for. Yeah, Miyazato taking it about as hard if not more than I've seen anyone. But you know what, you did very well, even if the score or the stats don't show it.
For Toukou Gakuen, Matsui will have to recover as they will have to turn around quickly as they will face a Kousei Gakuin team that is determined to make the finals more than I think any other team. Matsui has carreid this team further than any prior team, and he'll need to dig deep tomorrow.
Notable Players
Matsui Yuuki (Toukou Gakuen) - CG, ER, 4 H, 12 K, 3 BB
Suzuki Takumu (Toukou Gakuen) - 2-4, 3B, HR, R, 3 RBI
Mizukai Shouta (Toukou Gakuen) - 1-3, HR, R, RBI, BB
Uekusa Yuuta (Toukou Gakuen) - 2-5, 2B, K
Teruya Hikaru (Urasoe Shougyou) - 3.1 IP, H, K, BB, 2 HBP
Miyazato Taiyuu (Urasoe Shougyou) - 1-4, 2B, 2 K
Teruya Hikaru (Urasoe Shougyou) - 1-2, HR, R, RBI, BB
Because on one hand, you have the guy that broke and tied the old record for Ks in a 9-inning game in Matsui Yuuki of Toukou Gakuen (22 - 19), versus an Urasoe Shougyou squad who seems to do well at Koushien when they do actually qualify.
Toukou Gakuen (Kanagawa)
2B Suzuki Takumu
C Ukawa
CF Mizukai
RF Uekusa
LF Yamaguchi
1B Tanaka
P Matsui
SS Take
3B Nakano
Urasoe Shougyou (Okinawa)
1B Agarie
CF Ooshiro Rishuu
P Miyazato
LF Goya
C Iraha
2B Touma
RF Teruya (#10)
3B Kise
SS Uchima
____________________________________________________________
10:16 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Takumu with a drive to right center!! Rishuu runnin back but gives up!!
HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Another leadoff homerun! This time by Toukou's Suzuki Takumu! Toukou leads 1-0!
Miyazato then strikes out Ukawa swinging, but then walks Mizukai on a full count, then turns around and strikes out Uekusa looking.
2 down and now Yamaguchi singles to center! Miyazato certainly looking a bit shaky in the early going.
He goes full on Tanaka before getting him to chase on a slider away to finally end the inning.
Bottom 1st
Agarie on an 0-2 pitch reaches out on a slider and pokes it to center for a base hit!
Rishuu not bunting, and flies out to right. Miyazato not bunting either, and he too flies out to right.
So Miyara-kantoku sends Agarie to 2nd, and no one's at 2nd for the throw from Ukawa! It's into center and Agarie into's 3rd!
But Goya grounds out to 2nd and the inning is over. Notice what's missing? Yep, a K.
Top 2nd
One down and Take singles to right center. Nakano going to bunt, and he's hit! Runners at 1st and 2nd as Takumu comes in.
After a ball, Miyara-kantoku calls for a conference.
Takumu is way ahead of a slow change and pops it up! Infield fly is called as Touma makes the catch.
And Ukawa can't hold off on a forkball and the side is retired.
Bottom 2nd
Iraha stands in and is very patient, taking some close pitches, including the 3-2 one that gives him the walk.
Touma tries the safety bunt up the right side, but Toukou's defense adjusts as Takumu tosses to Tanaka for the out.
Teruya being patient at the plate taking a lot of pitches. And once again, he holds off on the 3-2 pitch at the knees and takes the walk!
Kise up and he's just defending the plate. Down 0-2, he fouls one off before lining a soft one to 2nd! Takumu quick tosses to 2nd and they have the double play to end the inning!
Top 3rd
Mizukai with a drive to left! Goya running back to the fence!!
HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Two HR's now for Toukou Gakuen and they lead 2-0!
Uekusa with a drive to right center! Rishuu sprinting over, dives, but misses it near the wall! Goya throws it in as Uekusa has a double!
Yamaguchi with a pop up! Uchima running back, gets turned around, but makes the catch! And Uekusa is caught way off 2nd and is thrown out! Bad baserunning there as he's doubled up. You prevent the out first and foremost, then take the base.
Tanaka pops out to Iraha in foul territory to end the inning, but Toukou has another run!
Bottom 3rd
But their strategy is clear. Make Matsui prove he's the K pitcher he is. Take as many pitches as possible, swing only when you have to. Make him throw strikes, and make him stay on the mound as long as possible.
In other words, it's a battle of attrittion.
After two more non-K outs, Rishuu singles to right! And on a pickoff move by Matsui, he's called for a balk! Rishuu advances to 2nd!
He wants more! He takes off on the 1-0 pitch and slides in safely! Their first run 90 feet away!
SANSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Matsui finally records his first K on an inside slider!
Top 4th
2 down and Nakano singles through the middle to center and he reaches safely for the 2nd time.
But that's all they get as Takumu hits a comebacker to Miyazato to end the inning.
Bottom 4th
Goya falls behind 0-2, and grounds out to short.
Iraha works the count full yet again, but freezes on a slider.
Touma works the count full after going behind 0-2, but chases the slider for Matsui's 3rd K.
Top 5th
Ukawa tuns the tables on Miyazato a bit and works the count full, drawing a walk. Mizukai bunts him to 2nd.
But Uekusa falls behind 1-2, and flies out to center.
Conference on the mound as Yamaguchi stands in.
He hits a ball to shallow center! Goya running in, dives, and makes the catch!! Great diving catch by Goya saves another run from scoring and ends the inning!
Bottom 5th
Urashou's strategy might be unraveling here in the 5th. Teruya swings on the first pitch and grounds to short. Kise works the count full, but chases a slider again for a K.
And Uchima tries to bloop one over Takumu, but he makes a great leaping catch to retire the side!
We hit the break with 2 HR's from Toukou Gakuen being the difference in the game, but will Matsui be able to finish the game?
Top 6th
One down, Matsui hits a foul fly down the right field side, Teruya down the 1st base fence makes the leaping catch.
Take with a squibbler up the right side. Agarie fields it, but his toss to Miyazato is late!
Now Nakano follows that with a single to left! Small chance for Toukou as Miyara-kantoku calls for time.
Top of the order and Takumu steps in. Miyazato misses on the first two, and now Agarie goes to talk to him.
Pitch outisde, but Takumu swings! Now a change now at the knees for strike 2!
But Takumu drives a ball to the opposite field! Goya and Rishuu both try and chase it down in left center! No good! It falls in front of the wall! Take scores! Nakano from 1st, he comes around to score! Takumu slides in with a triple and it's now 4-0!!
And perhaps a batter too late, Miyara-kantoku sends in Teruya from the outfield to replace Miyazato on the hill. He gets Ukawa to groundout to 2nd to end the inning, but the damage has been done. Now Urashou faces a 4-run deficit.
I didn't think that when I was talking about a pitcher fatiguing, it'd be Urashou's ace.
Bottom 6th
It's really coming apart for Urashou now. Agarie swings on the first pitch and flies to center. Rishuu, behind 1-2, swings and misses on the slider. And Miyazato works the count full, but can only watch a fastball down the middle for strike 3.
Top 7th
Teruya doing what he can in relief. Mizukai fouls out to right, Uekusa drives a ball to deep left, but Goya is there in front of the fence for the 2nd out.
Almost gets a 1-2-3 inning, but "gently" hits Yamaguchi.
...Then walks Tanaka on 4 straight.
But Matsui grounds out to 2nd and no damage done.
Bottom 7th
With a 4-run lead, Matsui is attacking the zone more. Goya falls behind 1-2, flies to left. Iraha goes to 2-2 and flies out right. And Touma falls behind 1-2, grounds to 2nd.
Top 8th
After recording 2 outs Takumu is hit by Teruya. Doubt it's on purpose or frustration, just trying to pitch inside.
Ukawa flies to center and that's the inning.
Bottom 8th
Teruya with a drive to left! Yamaguchi running back to the fence!
HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well! Teruya gets a run back all by himself with a HR off of what may be considered the most dominating pitcher at Koushien so far! It's 4-1!
#15 Ooshiro Shou comes in to hit for Kise. He works the count full.
SANSHIN!!! Shou chases a fastball high and away for the first out!
Well, I think Matsui is just rearing back and throwing the fastball. Uchima is fed a diet of them and cannot catch up to a 145 and goes down swinging.
And Agarie cannot do much either. Down a quick 0-2, he chases a high fastball and goes down for the 9th K.
They get a run, but there's a long ways to go.
Top 9th
Shou stays in the game to play 3B.
One down and Uekusa checks in with his 2nd hit, a simple liner to right.
Yamaguchi hits a grounder to 2nd, but Touma double clutches and then thows it away! Everyone's safe!
Tanaka with a grounder to Touma again! He fumbles it again, but manages to make the toss to 2nd.
Uekusa not stopping is sent home! He tries to catch the Urasoe defense off-guard, but Uchima makes the throw home for the out.
Bottom 9th
Last ups as the oen-dan whistles Haisai Oji-san. Rishuu though goes down swinging.
Miyazato get a hold of a slider and drives it to left! Yamaguchi chasing it to the left field line, off the padding! He's in with a double!
Cleanup batter Goya standing in now. Behind 2-2, watches a fastball just miss outside!
Slider in the dirt! He walks! Now the douten run will be stepping into the box! Noro-kantoku will call time.
#13 Kinjyou Kai will hit for Iraha.
Full swing fouls it off of Ukawa's mask!
Swings on a slider and is behind 0-2! Can you be that clutch cold against a guy like Matsui?
NO! He, like many before him, chase a slider in the dirt and goes down for the 2nd out.
One last out for Matsui. Another conference on the mound, as Touma steps in. He's 1-9. His only hit? A homerun.
Matsui falls behind 2-0. Takes a fastball outside for ball 3!
Takes a little off and catches the outside edge. And Touma chases a high fastball! Full count!
SANSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Touma is ahead of a 136 kph fastball and Toukou Gakuen advances to the Best 8!
Urasoe's strategy was the best I've seen, and it almost worked even though it looked like all was lost in the late innings. They made Matsui work as hard as I've ever seen him work in the early innings. And near the end, he almost gave out. But they gave themselves a chance, and that's all you can ask for. Yeah, Miyazato taking it about as hard if not more than I've seen anyone. But you know what, you did very well, even if the score or the stats don't show it.
For Toukou Gakuen, Matsui will have to recover as they will have to turn around quickly as they will face a Kousei Gakuin team that is determined to make the finals more than I think any other team. Matsui has carreid this team further than any prior team, and he'll need to dig deep tomorrow.
Notable Players
Matsui Yuuki (Toukou Gakuen) - CG, ER, 4 H, 12 K, 3 BB
Suzuki Takumu (Toukou Gakuen) - 2-4, 3B, HR, R, 3 RBI
Mizukai Shouta (Toukou Gakuen) - 1-3, HR, R, RBI, BB
Uekusa Yuuta (Toukou Gakuen) - 2-5, 2B, K
Teruya Hikaru (Urasoe Shougyou) - 3.1 IP, H, K, BB, 2 HBP
Miyazato Taiyuu (Urasoe Shougyou) - 1-4, 2B, 2 K
Teruya Hikaru (Urasoe Shougyou) - 1-2, HR, R, RBI, BB
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Day 8, Game 2 - Jyousou Gakuin (Ibaraki) vs. Toukou Gakuen (Kanagawa)
Next up on Day 8 is a matchup people want to see - because of one person.
That would be ace Matsui Yuuki of Toukou Gakuen.
I don't think I need to tell you, but I will anyways. A 9-inning strikeout record of 22 batters in a 2-hit complete game shutout of Imabari Nishi.
Now, Imabari Nishi this year wasn't the Imabari Nishi of prior years. But still, 22 is 22 no matter how you look at it.
So the question will be, how many will he strike out this time around?
But the question really should be, can they win?
Obviously, if he strikes out 22 again, of course there's a good chance they will. But I did notice he was effectively wild, kinda like Hifumi Shinta with better control. Offensively, the team looked fairly solid right from the get-go, but they turned it on in the middle innings.
Jyousou Gakuin should be a stronger opponent than Imbari Nishi. A 14-0 wiping of Kitsuki would seem to indicate this. But it's really hard to say because they scored their runs early then just cruised the rest of the way to probably lessen the time they spent on the field under the baking sun. I can say this with relative certainty because near the end of the 10-run 3rd inning, baserunners were not taking extra bases.
So it's hard to still to gauge Jyousou Gakuin's competitive level with one good baseline game to go off of. Plus, from my experience teams that score a lot of runs in a blowout struggle in the next game.
I'm pretty sure Toukou is still the favorite in the matchup, but Matsui will probably revert back down to the low double digits in Ks.
Jyousou Gakuin (Ibaraki)
CF Oozaki
RF Takashima
3B Uchida
C Sugimoto
LF Sakai
SS Yoshizawa
P Sugawara (#3)
2B Tayama
1B Ishii (#13)
Toukou Gakuen (Kanagawa)
2B Suzuki Takumu
C Ukawa
RF Mizukai (#8)
LF Uekusa (#9)
CF Sakamoto (#15)
1B Tanaka
P Matsui
SS Take
3B Nakano
____________________________________________________________
10:40 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
First batter, Oozaki, watches a fastball on the outside corner... for a K.
Takahsima hits a grounder to the right side. Tanaka flips it to Matsui who just beats a stride-for-stride Takashima to the bag.
And Uchida... frozen on a slider for another K.
Bottom 1st
Grounder to 1st by Takumu. Yoshizawa fumbles with the ball and his throw to 1st is late! E6 right off the bat. Ukawa bunts the Takumu into scoring position.
Sugihara trying to work out of the jam, gets the call on the inside slider to Mizukai. 2 down for cleanup batter Uekusa.
He takes 3 straight balls. Does he have the green light? Nope. Takes ball 4, bringing up Sakamoto.
But he grounds to 3rd. Uchida takes it to the bag for the out and Sugawara is out of the early pinch.
Top 2nd
Matsui hasn't missed a beat. Slider to Sugimoto is waved at and missed for a K. He falls behind Sakai 3-1, fills up the count, but loses him on a high fastball.
Matsui gets him back! He catches him off 1st and he's run down 1-3-6-1. 2 down.
1-2 pitch to Yoshizawa looks good but called a ball. Count goes full...
...and he goes down on a fastball outside for the 3rd out.
Bottom 2nd
Sugawara walks Tanaka on 4 straight, but Matsui not bunting and winds up fouling out to Tayama in foul territory.
Take tries for a bunt, but can't lay it down, has to swing away and goes down for the 2nd out. Wild pich to Nomura though advances him to 2nd.
Ball to 2nd. Tayama with it, throws to Ishii who's sidestepping back towards 1st, and the throw is wide! He has to reach back to his left and the tag of Nomura isn't in tim! Tanaka, on a dead sprint rounds 3rd and scores on the play! The defense lapse leads to the opening run! It's 1-0 Toukou Gakuen!
Takumu up and he takes what is called ball 4 (though that looked good too), and that puts runners on 1st and 2nd for Ukawa as Sasaki-kantoku calls for time.
Ukawa with a grounder to 3rd. Uchida also fumbles the ball, throw to 1st... just in time for the 3rd out!
A very shaky 2nd inning both on the mound and on the defense. They should be lucky it's only 1 run.
Top 3rd
Sugawara becomes Matsui's 5th victim with a slider outside.
Tayama waves on a high fastball for K #6.
#18 Hisamichi to hit for Ishii. He chases the high fastball too - that's 7 K's. Oy.
Bottom 3rd
#1 Itou enters the game for PH Hisamichi. But he goes to 1B and not the mound.
After a grounder to 3rd by Mizukai, Uekusa reaches base again, this time with a single to right center.
Sakamoto with a liner to right for the 2nd out as Uekusa scrambles back to 1st.
Tanaka with a ball to the right-center field gap! Takashima up with the ball as Uekusa is being waved home. Tanaka meanwhile going for 3rd and Tayama decides to go there with the throw. But the throw goes by Uchida and to the fence! Tanaka walks home on the error and now Toukou leads 3-0!!
Matsui grounds to 1st to end the inning, but he has some breating room to work with.
Top 4th
Oozaki chases yet another high fastball and becomes the 8th K.
Takashima down 0-2 makes contact, but it's a grounder right to Tanaka who waits at 1st for the out.
Matsui goes 0-2 for the 3rd straight batter, tries the outside fastball, no dice. But on a slider, Uchida waits for it and sends it through the opposite side for a base hit.
Sugimoto hits the ball in the air, but it's an easy fly for Mizukai for the 3rd out.
Bottom 4th
Take tries an unsuccessful safety bunt for the 1st out. Nakano meanwhile shoots a ball through the infield into left for a base hit.
Lineup flips back to Takumu.
Noro-kantoku puts on the hit and run, but Takumu fouls it off himself. He winds up unable to get around on an inside fastball and is retired.
Ukawa with a grounder to 3rd. Uchida with the nice pick and throw to retire the side.
Top 5th
Jyousou's batters at least making contact the 2nd time through as Sakai grounds out to 2nd.
Yoshizawa though can't help but chase the fastball down and away for the 2nd out.
Sugawara too chases a slider out of the zone. That's the 10th K for Matsui through 5.
Bottom 5th
Itou now takes the mound as he switches places with Sugawara.
Mizukai records his first hit as he sends a ball the other way to right for a base hit.
Uekusa up 2-0 and showing bunt, but pulling back for ball 3. Up and in for ball 4 and that gets Sasaki-kantoku to call a conference.
Sakamoto wait for a couple of pitches then lays down the bunt to advance the runners.
SQUEEZE!!!! Pitch down and away and he just puts the bat on the ball though it rolls foul!
Now down 0-2, he has to swing away, but is able to take a couple of pitches to level the count.
Grounder to the left side! Uchida, playing in dives, bu can't get to it! Mizukai scores and Uekusa is being waved home! Throw from Sakai is up the 1st base line a little and they have no play! Toukou Gakuen now leads 5-0!
And now Matsui draps a walk which brings up Take. Itou falls behind him 3-0 before taking a strike. Another one was right there for strike 2, and then Take goes down swinging for the 2nd time.
Nakano grounds to 2nd to end the inning, but Toukou Gakuen increases the margin as we head to the break. Can Jyousou stop Matsui?
Top 6th
Tayama certainly can't right now as he swings and misses on a slider for strike 3.
Itou sits and waits, walking on 4 straight. Sasaki-kantoku has Oozaki bunt him along for a one-timer.
Takashima reaches down and lines one to left center! Sakamoto takes a bad route and the ball scoots by him! Itou scores easily as Takashima eases in with a triple! Jyousou on the board at 5-1!
AH!!! Wild pitch from Matsui bounds away towards the 3rd base dugout and Takashima comes in to score making it a 5-2 ballgame!
Uchida goes down swinging to end the inning, but they are on the board and get the two runs they gave up in the 5th back!
Bottom 6th
Takumu with a first pitch single to center. Ukawa not bunting quickly turns around on one and shoots it through into left as Toukou prepares a counterattack.
Mizukai lays down the bunt, Itou there quickly, but loses the handle when going to 3rd. Had to change and go to 1st for the out.
Uekusa with a grounder to 1st! Sugawara with it, but double clutches going home! Throw in is high and late and everyone's safe! 6-2 Toukou as Takumu scores.
Sakamoto with a liner to right. Takashima with it and Ukawa breaks for home! Throw from Takashima not on line and he scores easily to make it 7-2!
Itou finally retires Tanaka with a fastball on the outside corner to retire the side, but Toukou reclaims the two runs yet again!
Top 7th
Sugimoto starts the lucky 7 with a single to right. Down 5 they're not bunting, but Sakai gets caught looking on a slider over the plate for Matsui's 13th K.
Yoshizawa too falls victim to the 2 strike slider and goes down swinging.
Sugawara gets behind 2-2. He makes contact, but right to Tanaka who takes it himself for the 3rd out. Matsui still averaging 2 K's an inning.
Bottom 7th
One down and Take is grazed by a pitch. Nakano bunts him over for the top of the lineup and Takumu.
After falling behind 3-1, Itou throws a 143 kph fastball to fill the count. Two pitches late his fastball is just low and inside for a walk.
Sasaki-kantoku sees Itou laboring on the mound and sends in #11 Iida to take the mound. Iida enters into Sakai's spot in the lineup while Itou moves from the mound to LF.
Iida gets Ukawa to ground to short. Yoshizawa tosses to 2nd for the 3rd out.
Top 8th
Tanaka backs away from a slider over the plate for yet another K.
Itou out in front of a slider, but dribbles the ball up the 3rd base line! Matsui running to it, turns and throws, but not in time.
Matsui now walks Oozaki on 4 straight, prompting Noro-kantoku to call time.
Itou takes off for 3rd! Throw from Ukawa not in time! Runners at the corners now.
Takashima falls victim to a slider way down and away for his first K, and Matsui's 16th.
Oozaki takes off on the 1-0 pitch to Uchida and there's no throw as the ball is in the dirt.
Uchida with a chopper back up the middle! That's by Matsui into center! Itou scores! Oozaki rounding 3rd... he scores! Uchida makes it 7-4!
Sugimoto with a shallow fly to center! Sakamoto charging in... can't get there! Now it takes a high hop and gets past him! He has to double back as Uchida flies around the bases! The throw in is cut off as Uchida's run makes it just a 2-run deficit! It's 7-5 as Sugimoto is able to reach 2nd on the overrun!
Iida up, but he foul tips into Ukawa's glove to retire the side! Matsui records his 17th K, but the game just got a little more interesting!
Bottom 8th
Mizukai with a comebacker that Iida blocks with his glove. He gets the ball and goes to 1st for the out.
Iida picking up the tempo perhaps throwing the Toukou batters off a bit. Uekusa grounds out to 3rd for the 2nd out.
Sakamoto with another grounder to 3rd and the side is retired. He's done what he can.
Top 9th
Matsui showing signs of fatigue in the last couple of innings here as he's starting to throw more and more balls.
But Jyousou's batters perhaps pressing. Yoshizawa earns the golden sombrero swinging on a 50 foot pitch for the 1st out.
Sugiwara with a replay of Yoshizawa's AB, swinging on a pitch in the dirt for Matsui's 19th K.
Last chance for Jyousou in the 9th in Tayama.
He makes contact, but lines out to Mizukai to end the game!
Matsui is able to hold out until the end and give his team the 7-5 win over Jyousou Gakuin! He ties the old record of K's in a 9-inning game, the one he broke in his first game. It also makes 41 K's over 2 games.
Yet the problems for Toukou Gakuen are becoming appparent. Already in game 2, he started to fatigue allowing the opposition base hit and more importantly runs. If not for the extra runs they put together in the 5th and 6th, they may have been in trouble. So Matsui's stamina will be put in question in the next game.
For Jyousou Gakuin, they certainly gave it a good fight despite the 19 strikeouts. They still managed to put rallies together and make the game interesting. It was certainly frustrating, but they can at least be proud of their efforts today despite the loss.
Notable Players
Matsui Yuuki (Toukou Gakuen) - CG, 5 ER, 6 H, 19 K, 3 BB
Tanaka Yorito (Toukou Gakuen) - 2-3, 3B, 2 R, 3 RBI, K, BB
Uchida Yasuhito (Jyousou Gakuin) - 2-4, R, 2 RBI, 2 K
Sugimoto Tomoya (Jyousou Gakuin) - 2-4, RBI, K
That would be ace Matsui Yuuki of Toukou Gakuen.
I don't think I need to tell you, but I will anyways. A 9-inning strikeout record of 22 batters in a 2-hit complete game shutout of Imabari Nishi.
Now, Imabari Nishi this year wasn't the Imabari Nishi of prior years. But still, 22 is 22 no matter how you look at it.
So the question will be, how many will he strike out this time around?
But the question really should be, can they win?
Obviously, if he strikes out 22 again, of course there's a good chance they will. But I did notice he was effectively wild, kinda like Hifumi Shinta with better control. Offensively, the team looked fairly solid right from the get-go, but they turned it on in the middle innings.
Jyousou Gakuin should be a stronger opponent than Imbari Nishi. A 14-0 wiping of Kitsuki would seem to indicate this. But it's really hard to say because they scored their runs early then just cruised the rest of the way to probably lessen the time they spent on the field under the baking sun. I can say this with relative certainty because near the end of the 10-run 3rd inning, baserunners were not taking extra bases.
So it's hard to still to gauge Jyousou Gakuin's competitive level with one good baseline game to go off of. Plus, from my experience teams that score a lot of runs in a blowout struggle in the next game.
I'm pretty sure Toukou is still the favorite in the matchup, but Matsui will probably revert back down to the low double digits in Ks.
Jyousou Gakuin (Ibaraki)
CF Oozaki
RF Takashima
3B Uchida
C Sugimoto
LF Sakai
SS Yoshizawa
P Sugawara (#3)
2B Tayama
1B Ishii (#13)
Toukou Gakuen (Kanagawa)
2B Suzuki Takumu
C Ukawa
RF Mizukai (#8)
LF Uekusa (#9)
CF Sakamoto (#15)
1B Tanaka
P Matsui
SS Take
3B Nakano
____________________________________________________________
10:40 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
First batter, Oozaki, watches a fastball on the outside corner... for a K.
Takahsima hits a grounder to the right side. Tanaka flips it to Matsui who just beats a stride-for-stride Takashima to the bag.
And Uchida... frozen on a slider for another K.
Bottom 1st
Grounder to 1st by Takumu. Yoshizawa fumbles with the ball and his throw to 1st is late! E6 right off the bat. Ukawa bunts the Takumu into scoring position.
Sugihara trying to work out of the jam, gets the call on the inside slider to Mizukai. 2 down for cleanup batter Uekusa.
He takes 3 straight balls. Does he have the green light? Nope. Takes ball 4, bringing up Sakamoto.
But he grounds to 3rd. Uchida takes it to the bag for the out and Sugawara is out of the early pinch.
Top 2nd
Matsui hasn't missed a beat. Slider to Sugimoto is waved at and missed for a K. He falls behind Sakai 3-1, fills up the count, but loses him on a high fastball.
Matsui gets him back! He catches him off 1st and he's run down 1-3-6-1. 2 down.
1-2 pitch to Yoshizawa looks good but called a ball. Count goes full...
...and he goes down on a fastball outside for the 3rd out.
Bottom 2nd
Sugawara walks Tanaka on 4 straight, but Matsui not bunting and winds up fouling out to Tayama in foul territory.
Take tries for a bunt, but can't lay it down, has to swing away and goes down for the 2nd out. Wild pich to Nomura though advances him to 2nd.
Ball to 2nd. Tayama with it, throws to Ishii who's sidestepping back towards 1st, and the throw is wide! He has to reach back to his left and the tag of Nomura isn't in tim! Tanaka, on a dead sprint rounds 3rd and scores on the play! The defense lapse leads to the opening run! It's 1-0 Toukou Gakuen!
Takumu up and he takes what is called ball 4 (though that looked good too), and that puts runners on 1st and 2nd for Ukawa as Sasaki-kantoku calls for time.
Ukawa with a grounder to 3rd. Uchida also fumbles the ball, throw to 1st... just in time for the 3rd out!
A very shaky 2nd inning both on the mound and on the defense. They should be lucky it's only 1 run.
Top 3rd
Sugawara becomes Matsui's 5th victim with a slider outside.
Tayama waves on a high fastball for K #6.
#18 Hisamichi to hit for Ishii. He chases the high fastball too - that's 7 K's. Oy.
Bottom 3rd
#1 Itou enters the game for PH Hisamichi. But he goes to 1B and not the mound.
After a grounder to 3rd by Mizukai, Uekusa reaches base again, this time with a single to right center.
Sakamoto with a liner to right for the 2nd out as Uekusa scrambles back to 1st.
Tanaka with a ball to the right-center field gap! Takashima up with the ball as Uekusa is being waved home. Tanaka meanwhile going for 3rd and Tayama decides to go there with the throw. But the throw goes by Uchida and to the fence! Tanaka walks home on the error and now Toukou leads 3-0!!
Matsui grounds to 1st to end the inning, but he has some breating room to work with.
Top 4th
Oozaki chases yet another high fastball and becomes the 8th K.
Takashima down 0-2 makes contact, but it's a grounder right to Tanaka who waits at 1st for the out.
Matsui goes 0-2 for the 3rd straight batter, tries the outside fastball, no dice. But on a slider, Uchida waits for it and sends it through the opposite side for a base hit.
Sugimoto hits the ball in the air, but it's an easy fly for Mizukai for the 3rd out.
Bottom 4th
Take tries an unsuccessful safety bunt for the 1st out. Nakano meanwhile shoots a ball through the infield into left for a base hit.
Lineup flips back to Takumu.
Noro-kantoku puts on the hit and run, but Takumu fouls it off himself. He winds up unable to get around on an inside fastball and is retired.
Ukawa with a grounder to 3rd. Uchida with the nice pick and throw to retire the side.
Top 5th
Jyousou's batters at least making contact the 2nd time through as Sakai grounds out to 2nd.
Yoshizawa though can't help but chase the fastball down and away for the 2nd out.
Sugawara too chases a slider out of the zone. That's the 10th K for Matsui through 5.
Bottom 5th
Itou now takes the mound as he switches places with Sugawara.
Mizukai records his first hit as he sends a ball the other way to right for a base hit.
Uekusa up 2-0 and showing bunt, but pulling back for ball 3. Up and in for ball 4 and that gets Sasaki-kantoku to call a conference.
Sakamoto wait for a couple of pitches then lays down the bunt to advance the runners.
SQUEEZE!!!! Pitch down and away and he just puts the bat on the ball though it rolls foul!
Now down 0-2, he has to swing away, but is able to take a couple of pitches to level the count.
Grounder to the left side! Uchida, playing in dives, bu can't get to it! Mizukai scores and Uekusa is being waved home! Throw from Sakai is up the 1st base line a little and they have no play! Toukou Gakuen now leads 5-0!
And now Matsui draps a walk which brings up Take. Itou falls behind him 3-0 before taking a strike. Another one was right there for strike 2, and then Take goes down swinging for the 2nd time.
Nakano grounds to 2nd to end the inning, but Toukou Gakuen increases the margin as we head to the break. Can Jyousou stop Matsui?
Top 6th
Tayama certainly can't right now as he swings and misses on a slider for strike 3.
Itou sits and waits, walking on 4 straight. Sasaki-kantoku has Oozaki bunt him along for a one-timer.
Takashima reaches down and lines one to left center! Sakamoto takes a bad route and the ball scoots by him! Itou scores easily as Takashima eases in with a triple! Jyousou on the board at 5-1!
AH!!! Wild pitch from Matsui bounds away towards the 3rd base dugout and Takashima comes in to score making it a 5-2 ballgame!
Uchida goes down swinging to end the inning, but they are on the board and get the two runs they gave up in the 5th back!
Bottom 6th
Takumu with a first pitch single to center. Ukawa not bunting quickly turns around on one and shoots it through into left as Toukou prepares a counterattack.
Mizukai lays down the bunt, Itou there quickly, but loses the handle when going to 3rd. Had to change and go to 1st for the out.
Uekusa with a grounder to 1st! Sugawara with it, but double clutches going home! Throw in is high and late and everyone's safe! 6-2 Toukou as Takumu scores.
Sakamoto with a liner to right. Takashima with it and Ukawa breaks for home! Throw from Takashima not on line and he scores easily to make it 7-2!
Itou finally retires Tanaka with a fastball on the outside corner to retire the side, but Toukou reclaims the two runs yet again!
Top 7th
Sugimoto starts the lucky 7 with a single to right. Down 5 they're not bunting, but Sakai gets caught looking on a slider over the plate for Matsui's 13th K.
Yoshizawa too falls victim to the 2 strike slider and goes down swinging.
Sugawara gets behind 2-2. He makes contact, but right to Tanaka who takes it himself for the 3rd out. Matsui still averaging 2 K's an inning.
Bottom 7th
One down and Take is grazed by a pitch. Nakano bunts him over for the top of the lineup and Takumu.
After falling behind 3-1, Itou throws a 143 kph fastball to fill the count. Two pitches late his fastball is just low and inside for a walk.
Sasaki-kantoku sees Itou laboring on the mound and sends in #11 Iida to take the mound. Iida enters into Sakai's spot in the lineup while Itou moves from the mound to LF.
Iida gets Ukawa to ground to short. Yoshizawa tosses to 2nd for the 3rd out.
Top 8th
Tanaka backs away from a slider over the plate for yet another K.
Itou out in front of a slider, but dribbles the ball up the 3rd base line! Matsui running to it, turns and throws, but not in time.
Matsui now walks Oozaki on 4 straight, prompting Noro-kantoku to call time.
Itou takes off for 3rd! Throw from Ukawa not in time! Runners at the corners now.
Takashima falls victim to a slider way down and away for his first K, and Matsui's 16th.
Oozaki takes off on the 1-0 pitch to Uchida and there's no throw as the ball is in the dirt.
Uchida with a chopper back up the middle! That's by Matsui into center! Itou scores! Oozaki rounding 3rd... he scores! Uchida makes it 7-4!
Sugimoto with a shallow fly to center! Sakamoto charging in... can't get there! Now it takes a high hop and gets past him! He has to double back as Uchida flies around the bases! The throw in is cut off as Uchida's run makes it just a 2-run deficit! It's 7-5 as Sugimoto is able to reach 2nd on the overrun!
Iida up, but he foul tips into Ukawa's glove to retire the side! Matsui records his 17th K, but the game just got a little more interesting!
Bottom 8th
Mizukai with a comebacker that Iida blocks with his glove. He gets the ball and goes to 1st for the out.
Iida picking up the tempo perhaps throwing the Toukou batters off a bit. Uekusa grounds out to 3rd for the 2nd out.
Sakamoto with another grounder to 3rd and the side is retired. He's done what he can.
Top 9th
Matsui showing signs of fatigue in the last couple of innings here as he's starting to throw more and more balls.
But Jyousou's batters perhaps pressing. Yoshizawa earns the golden sombrero swinging on a 50 foot pitch for the 1st out.
Sugiwara with a replay of Yoshizawa's AB, swinging on a pitch in the dirt for Matsui's 19th K.
Last chance for Jyousou in the 9th in Tayama.
He makes contact, but lines out to Mizukai to end the game!
Matsui is able to hold out until the end and give his team the 7-5 win over Jyousou Gakuin! He ties the old record of K's in a 9-inning game, the one he broke in his first game. It also makes 41 K's over 2 games.
Yet the problems for Toukou Gakuen are becoming appparent. Already in game 2, he started to fatigue allowing the opposition base hit and more importantly runs. If not for the extra runs they put together in the 5th and 6th, they may have been in trouble. So Matsui's stamina will be put in question in the next game.
For Jyousou Gakuin, they certainly gave it a good fight despite the 19 strikeouts. They still managed to put rallies together and make the game interesting. It was certainly frustrating, but they can at least be proud of their efforts today despite the loss.
Notable Players
Matsui Yuuki (Toukou Gakuen) - CG, 5 ER, 6 H, 19 K, 3 BB
Tanaka Yorito (Toukou Gakuen) - 2-3, 3B, 2 R, 3 RBI, K, BB
Uchida Yasuhito (Jyousou Gakuin) - 2-4, R, 2 RBI, 2 K
Sugimoto Tomoya (Jyousou Gakuin) - 2-4, RBI, K
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Day 2, Game 3 - Imabari Nishi (Ehime) vs. Toukou Gakuen (Kanagawa)
Our matinee game puts a team who has a lot of recent experience at Koushien versus one who has finally returned after several years off.
For Toukou Gakuen, they had a stretch of games where it looked like they may not advance. They barely got by Yokohama, then almost had a letdown against Hiratsuka Gakuen before putting away Touin Gakuen for the Kanagawa title.
Despite the tough competition, they batted 0.361 as a team. But the hits were spread out between the batters and so it's hard to say who to key on. On the mound, Noro-kantoku depends on ace Matsui to carry the team - and why not when he averages just about 13.5 K/9!!
As for Imabari Nishi, as a no-seed they were challenged all tournament but defeated both Saijyou and Saibi en route to the Ehime title. In addition, the team batted a paltry 0.249, pretty much poor on any standard. That means that Oono-kantoku will have to depend on ace Itou, though he did turn to Nakauchi in the final against Kawanoe.
To be honest, this doesn't look good for Imabari Nishi.
Imabari Nishi (Ehime)
2B Ikeuchi
RF Nakanishi
LF Kasazaki
3B Suehiro
SS Nakauchi
1B Tofuku
C Sogabe
P Itou Yuusaku
CF Watanabe Kenta
Toukou Gakuen (Kanagawa)
2B Suzuki Takumu
C Ukawa
RF Mizukai (#8)
LF Uekusa (#9)
CF Sakamoto (#15)
1B Tanaka
P Matsui
SS Take
3B Nakano
__________________________________________________
13:42 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Matsui not wasting any time, striking out Ikeuchi looking on 3 straight.
Nakanishi works the count full, but he too is frozen by a slider for Matsui's 2nd K in as many batters.
Kasazaki on the other hand, earns the first walk from Matsui, then advances on a passed ball from Ukawa.
However, Matsui rings up Suehiro on a 2-2 fastball and we have our first real ace on the mound.
Bottom 1st
After retiring the first 2 batters, Itou plunks Mikukai. Then Sogabe can't block a wild pitch and Mizukai advances to 2nd.
And another hit batter on a full count has Oono Yasuya-kantoku calling for time.
That brings up 1st year Sakamoto.
Eh??? Another dead ball and it's manrui for Toukou Gakuen!
Can Tanaka capitalize?
Well, first of all he at least takes the first pitch for a strike, but swings at the 2nd and lines out to left to get Itou out of the 1st inning jam!
Top 2nd
Oh wow. 4th K for Matsui as he gets Nakauchi on a change.
Oh, not fair. Another change freezes Toufuku and that's 5 K's! And Sogabe goes down on 3 straight...
Bottom 2nd
Hah, Toukou's oen-dan playing Keio Chance!
And after a struggle in the 1st, Itou retires the side in order, racking up 2 K's of his own - though certainly not as easy.
Top 3rd
Itou, leading off the inning, fights hard against Matsui, working the count full, but too strikes out swinging on a high fastball.
But then Matsui walks Kenta on 4 straight. All 9 batters have either walked or struck out.
Ikeuchi finally puts the ball into play with a ball to shallow center. Mizukai charges in, but can't make the sliding grab! But Kenta had to wait to the see what the ball did, and is forced out at 2nd.
Then Matsui catches Ikeuchi off 1st and he's run down 1-3-6 to end the inning. Still, it is impressive the run Matsui had to start the game.
Bottom 3rd
Takumu draws a 4-pitch walk to start the inning.
Now that the amazing start for Matsui is done, let's take a look at the aces, starting with Itou. He's your normal lefty who throws a fastball in the upper 120s-lower 130's with a slider in the low-mid 110's and maybe a change in the 100's.
The Toukou batters can't figure it out quite yet as Mizukai grounds to 2nd - though he does advance the runner.
Amazingly, Uekusa delivers Toukou's (and the game's!!) first hit as he lines one back up the middle, scoring Takumu to make it 1-0 Toukou!
The announcers say that Itou has a curve and forkball as well, but all slow.
Seems to work since Sakamoto waves and misses on a curve for the 3rd out. But in a bizarre game, we finally get our first hit and first run.
Top 4th
After falling behind Nakanishi 3-1, he comes back on a fastball outside to record his 8th K.
Matsui is achieving all this with a fastball in the mid-upper 140's, a slider in the 120s and curveball in the 110s
Kasazaki avoids being K #9 by grounding out to 2nd. At least he's making contact.
But Suehiro goes down swinging for the 2nd time on a curveball and that's 9 K's already...
Bottom 4th
Tanaka with a ball back up the middle, deflected off of Itou and to Ikeuchi, but he can't find the ball and Tanaka reaches safely. He advanced on two consecutive outs to 3rd leaving it to #9 batter Nakano to drive him in.
He won't get a chance to though as Itou walks him on 4 straight, flipping the lineup back to Takumu. Oono-kantoku calls for time.
Both pitchers are having trouble with control either missing the zone or perhaps getting squeezed by the umpire.
Takumu hits a blooper to center! Ikeuchi running out while Kenta and Nakanishi are charging in, but Ikeuchi overruns the ball and it falls in! Tanaka scores on the play and Toukou leads 2-0!
Oono-kantoku goes for a pitching change (and fielding changes).
Anyways, Ukawa hits a comebacker to new P Nakauchi to retire the side.
Top 5th
Imabari's bad offense is magnified against Matsui. He strikes out both Nakauchi and Toufuku for the 2nd time, while Sogabe avoids the same fate, but only by grounding out to 2nd.
Bottom 5th
Mizukai hits a slicing fly ball that's running away from new 2B Hiigaki, but he makes a great sliding grab.
Nakauchi appers to have a fastball in the upper 130s and a slider in the 120s. Uekusa grounds out to short, and Sakamoto would have ground out to 3rd if not for Suehiro missing on the pickup.
Tanaka hits what proabably could be called the 2nd well hit ball of the game, sending one back up the middle for a single.
Matsui with a well hit ball to right. Itou chasing the ball back towards the wall. Still going!!!
HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Matsui with yet another home run to right! That's more today than I've seen in the entirety of previous tournaments!!
Nevertheless Matsui's 3-run HR makes it a 5-0 ballgame!
And now Take is hit on a change from Nakauchi. The game has gotten away from Imabari Nishi in a heartbeat here in the bottom of the 5th.
Nakano goes down swinging to mercifully end the inning, but not before Toukou Gakuen takes a commanding 5-0 lead.
Up until the bottom of the 5th we had seen one pitcher with no hits and 11 K's, and the other with just 3 hits and 2 runs given up, yet was relieved. Now the leading pitcher delivers a 3-run homerun to RF - which is notorious for being hard to do.
It's been a rather weird game...
Top 6th
Itou, leading off the 6th, is doing what he did in his 1st AB, working the count and fouling off pitches. This time he's rewarded with a walk.
After 2 straight balls, Ukawa goes out to talk with Matsui. If there's one thing that can certainly short-circut Matsui, it's his apparent lack of control.
And now the no-hitter is gone! New 2B Hiigaki lines a ball back up past Takumu into center!
Ikeuchi with a grounder to short, Take tries to start the 6-4-3 double play, but Ikeuchi beats out the throw.
Nakanishi though still can't figure out Matsui as he goes down swinging on a slider for his 3rd K of the game (and Matsui's 12th).
But Kasazaki can't deliver the run-scoring hit, instead he becomes Matsui's baker's dozen. Whoo boy.
Bottom 6th
Nakauchi looked to have a 1-2-3 inning ready, but Mizukai wrecks that notion with a groundball under the diving glove of Suehiro.
Mizukai then steals 2nd on a 1-2 curve as Uekusa works the count full and draws the walk. 1st year Sakamoto steps in still hitless on the day.
And he still hitless as he grounds out to short to end the inning.
Top 7th
Suehiro becomes the 2nd player to K 3 times so far as he chases a high fastball.
Nakauchi becomes the 3rd as he helplessly watches a slider cross the plate for Matsui's 15 K.
Toufuku has a carbon copy of Suehiro's AB, ending with waving at a high fastball... and that's 16 K's...
Bottom 7th
#10 Ishigaki Atsuyuki comes in to pitch with a curve, slider and knuckleball. He enters in Toufuku's slot and takes the mound, Nakauchi goes to 1st, and #12 Ochi replaces Sogabe behind the plate.
Sadly, Ishigaki's first pitch hits Tanaka, though it probably was the knuckle.
Matsui hits a ball to short, but it's too slow to start the double play and so Ikeuchi goes to 1st.
Take then hits a ball back to Ishigaki and it's off his foot! It takes a bounce over Ikeuchi and into center! Tanaka scores to make it 6-0 as Take takes 2nd on the throw.
Nakano goes down swinging on the knuckleball and probably has the unfortunate honor of being the only player on Toukou's side to K 3 times.
Takumu flies out to center and outside of a bad luck play, Ishigaki would have had a scoreless inning.
Top 8th
Meanwhile, the K parade continues for Matsui. New C Ochi goes down swinging, Itou goes down for his 2nd K, adn Hiigaki can't avoid the mark as he watches a slider for strike 3.
Matsui has racked up 19 K's in 8 innings, which ties the record for most K's in a 9-innning regulation game at Koushien! (The record is 25, but was an enchousen game).
And he still has one inning to go!
Bottom 8th
Ukawa gets plunked by Ishigaki and is bunted over. Might as well practice I guess.
Uekusa with a grounder through the right side, and Ukawa is waved home. But Itou throws a strike home and guns down Ukawa for the 2nd out!
Sakamoto finally gets his first hit as he singles back up the middle.
Tanaka singles to left, Uekusa scores, they send Sakamoto (probably for practice) and he's thrown out easily 7-6-2 to end the inning.
Top 9th
The game is in hand, but the question is - will Matsui hit 20 K's and hold the 9-inning regulation record all alone?
Top of the order and captain Ikeuchi. He falls behind 1-2... ball outside.
He does it! Matsui Yuuki hits 20 K's and holds the record for most K's at Natsu Koushien for a 9-inning game!
#17 Yoshimoto comes in to PH, and he goes down on 3 straight watching a slider for the 3rd strike. 21 K's!
Kasazaki denies another 1-2-3 K inning by hitting a single to right.
But Suehiro earns the golden sombrero (or what do they call it in Japan??!!) as he K's for the 4th time to end the game.
It was a complete and utter domination of Imabari Nishi by Matsui Yuuki of Toukou Gakuen. About the only good thing you can say is that you were part of history - even if it was the wrong end.
But just think about it. 22 of the possible 27 outs were recorded via the K. 22!!
AND HE'S A 2ND YEAR!!
Even I can't fathom that.
Sure, his control could be his undoing - though at least when he missed, he missed big and in the right places.
For now though, he has his moment. It will certainly be in all the news broadcasts and in the newspapers. But enjoy it today, then focus on the next game tomorrow.
Imabari Nishi were certainly underdogs coming into this game, but I don't think they were expecting this. I wasn't. Hopefully this doesn't crush them but instead motivates them to work harder.
For Toukou Gakuen, they had a stretch of games where it looked like they may not advance. They barely got by Yokohama, then almost had a letdown against Hiratsuka Gakuen before putting away Touin Gakuen for the Kanagawa title.
Despite the tough competition, they batted 0.361 as a team. But the hits were spread out between the batters and so it's hard to say who to key on. On the mound, Noro-kantoku depends on ace Matsui to carry the team - and why not when he averages just about 13.5 K/9!!
As for Imabari Nishi, as a no-seed they were challenged all tournament but defeated both Saijyou and Saibi en route to the Ehime title. In addition, the team batted a paltry 0.249, pretty much poor on any standard. That means that Oono-kantoku will have to depend on ace Itou, though he did turn to Nakauchi in the final against Kawanoe.
To be honest, this doesn't look good for Imabari Nishi.
Imabari Nishi (Ehime)
2B Ikeuchi
RF Nakanishi
LF Kasazaki
3B Suehiro
SS Nakauchi
1B Tofuku
C Sogabe
P Itou Yuusaku
CF Watanabe Kenta
Toukou Gakuen (Kanagawa)
2B Suzuki Takumu
C Ukawa
RF Mizukai (#8)
LF Uekusa (#9)
CF Sakamoto (#15)
1B Tanaka
P Matsui
SS Take
3B Nakano
__________________________________________________
13:42 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Matsui not wasting any time, striking out Ikeuchi looking on 3 straight.
Nakanishi works the count full, but he too is frozen by a slider for Matsui's 2nd K in as many batters.
Kasazaki on the other hand, earns the first walk from Matsui, then advances on a passed ball from Ukawa.
However, Matsui rings up Suehiro on a 2-2 fastball and we have our first real ace on the mound.
Bottom 1st
After retiring the first 2 batters, Itou plunks Mikukai. Then Sogabe can't block a wild pitch and Mizukai advances to 2nd.
And another hit batter on a full count has Oono Yasuya-kantoku calling for time.
That brings up 1st year Sakamoto.
Eh??? Another dead ball and it's manrui for Toukou Gakuen!
Can Tanaka capitalize?
Well, first of all he at least takes the first pitch for a strike, but swings at the 2nd and lines out to left to get Itou out of the 1st inning jam!
Top 2nd
Oh wow. 4th K for Matsui as he gets Nakauchi on a change.
Oh, not fair. Another change freezes Toufuku and that's 5 K's! And Sogabe goes down on 3 straight...
That's 6 K's in 6 possible outs!!!
Bottom 2nd
Hah, Toukou's oen-dan playing Keio Chance!
And after a struggle in the 1st, Itou retires the side in order, racking up 2 K's of his own - though certainly not as easy.
Top 3rd
Itou, leading off the inning, fights hard against Matsui, working the count full, but too strikes out swinging on a high fastball.
But then Matsui walks Kenta on 4 straight. All 9 batters have either walked or struck out.
Ikeuchi finally puts the ball into play with a ball to shallow center. Mizukai charges in, but can't make the sliding grab! But Kenta had to wait to the see what the ball did, and is forced out at 2nd.
Then Matsui catches Ikeuchi off 1st and he's run down 1-3-6 to end the inning. Still, it is impressive the run Matsui had to start the game.
Bottom 3rd
Takumu draws a 4-pitch walk to start the inning.
Now that the amazing start for Matsui is done, let's take a look at the aces, starting with Itou. He's your normal lefty who throws a fastball in the upper 120s-lower 130's with a slider in the low-mid 110's and maybe a change in the 100's.
The Toukou batters can't figure it out quite yet as Mizukai grounds to 2nd - though he does advance the runner.
Amazingly, Uekusa delivers Toukou's (and the game's!!) first hit as he lines one back up the middle, scoring Takumu to make it 1-0 Toukou!
The announcers say that Itou has a curve and forkball as well, but all slow.
Seems to work since Sakamoto waves and misses on a curve for the 3rd out. But in a bizarre game, we finally get our first hit and first run.
Top 4th
After falling behind Nakanishi 3-1, he comes back on a fastball outside to record his 8th K.
Matsui is achieving all this with a fastball in the mid-upper 140's, a slider in the 120s and curveball in the 110s
Kasazaki avoids being K #9 by grounding out to 2nd. At least he's making contact.
But Suehiro goes down swinging for the 2nd time on a curveball and that's 9 K's already...
Bottom 4th
Tanaka with a ball back up the middle, deflected off of Itou and to Ikeuchi, but he can't find the ball and Tanaka reaches safely. He advanced on two consecutive outs to 3rd leaving it to #9 batter Nakano to drive him in.
He won't get a chance to though as Itou walks him on 4 straight, flipping the lineup back to Takumu. Oono-kantoku calls for time.
Both pitchers are having trouble with control either missing the zone or perhaps getting squeezed by the umpire.
Takumu hits a blooper to center! Ikeuchi running out while Kenta and Nakanishi are charging in, but Ikeuchi overruns the ball and it falls in! Tanaka scores on the play and Toukou leads 2-0!
Oono-kantoku goes for a pitching change (and fielding changes).
- Nakauchi goes from SS to P
- Itou goes from P to RF
- Nakanishi goes from RF to CF
- Takahashi Kenta leaves and is replaced by #14 Hiigaki and goes to 2B
- Ikeuchi goes from 2B to SS
Anyways, Ukawa hits a comebacker to new P Nakauchi to retire the side.
Top 5th
Imabari's bad offense is magnified against Matsui. He strikes out both Nakauchi and Toufuku for the 2nd time, while Sogabe avoids the same fate, but only by grounding out to 2nd.
Bottom 5th
Mizukai hits a slicing fly ball that's running away from new 2B Hiigaki, but he makes a great sliding grab.
Nakauchi appers to have a fastball in the upper 130s and a slider in the 120s. Uekusa grounds out to short, and Sakamoto would have ground out to 3rd if not for Suehiro missing on the pickup.
Tanaka hits what proabably could be called the 2nd well hit ball of the game, sending one back up the middle for a single.
Matsui with a well hit ball to right. Itou chasing the ball back towards the wall. Still going!!!
HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Matsui with yet another home run to right! That's more today than I've seen in the entirety of previous tournaments!!
Nevertheless Matsui's 3-run HR makes it a 5-0 ballgame!
And now Take is hit on a change from Nakauchi. The game has gotten away from Imabari Nishi in a heartbeat here in the bottom of the 5th.
Nakano goes down swinging to mercifully end the inning, but not before Toukou Gakuen takes a commanding 5-0 lead.
Up until the bottom of the 5th we had seen one pitcher with no hits and 11 K's, and the other with just 3 hits and 2 runs given up, yet was relieved. Now the leading pitcher delivers a 3-run homerun to RF - which is notorious for being hard to do.
It's been a rather weird game...
Top 6th
Itou, leading off the 6th, is doing what he did in his 1st AB, working the count and fouling off pitches. This time he's rewarded with a walk.
After 2 straight balls, Ukawa goes out to talk with Matsui. If there's one thing that can certainly short-circut Matsui, it's his apparent lack of control.
And now the no-hitter is gone! New 2B Hiigaki lines a ball back up past Takumu into center!
Ikeuchi with a grounder to short, Take tries to start the 6-4-3 double play, but Ikeuchi beats out the throw.
Nakanishi though still can't figure out Matsui as he goes down swinging on a slider for his 3rd K of the game (and Matsui's 12th).
But Kasazaki can't deliver the run-scoring hit, instead he becomes Matsui's baker's dozen. Whoo boy.
Bottom 6th
Nakauchi looked to have a 1-2-3 inning ready, but Mizukai wrecks that notion with a groundball under the diving glove of Suehiro.
Mizukai then steals 2nd on a 1-2 curve as Uekusa works the count full and draws the walk. 1st year Sakamoto steps in still hitless on the day.
And he still hitless as he grounds out to short to end the inning.
Top 7th
Suehiro becomes the 2nd player to K 3 times so far as he chases a high fastball.
Nakauchi becomes the 3rd as he helplessly watches a slider cross the plate for Matsui's 15 K.
Toufuku has a carbon copy of Suehiro's AB, ending with waving at a high fastball... and that's 16 K's...
Bottom 7th
#10 Ishigaki Atsuyuki comes in to pitch with a curve, slider and knuckleball. He enters in Toufuku's slot and takes the mound, Nakauchi goes to 1st, and #12 Ochi replaces Sogabe behind the plate.
Sadly, Ishigaki's first pitch hits Tanaka, though it probably was the knuckle.
Matsui hits a ball to short, but it's too slow to start the double play and so Ikeuchi goes to 1st.
Take then hits a ball back to Ishigaki and it's off his foot! It takes a bounce over Ikeuchi and into center! Tanaka scores to make it 6-0 as Take takes 2nd on the throw.
Nakano goes down swinging on the knuckleball and probably has the unfortunate honor of being the only player on Toukou's side to K 3 times.
Takumu flies out to center and outside of a bad luck play, Ishigaki would have had a scoreless inning.
Top 8th
Meanwhile, the K parade continues for Matsui. New C Ochi goes down swinging, Itou goes down for his 2nd K, adn Hiigaki can't avoid the mark as he watches a slider for strike 3.
Matsui has racked up 19 K's in 8 innings, which ties the record for most K's in a 9-innning regulation game at Koushien! (The record is 25, but was an enchousen game).
And he still has one inning to go!
Bottom 8th
Ukawa gets plunked by Ishigaki and is bunted over. Might as well practice I guess.
Uekusa with a grounder through the right side, and Ukawa is waved home. But Itou throws a strike home and guns down Ukawa for the 2nd out!
Sakamoto finally gets his first hit as he singles back up the middle.
Tanaka singles to left, Uekusa scores, they send Sakamoto (probably for practice) and he's thrown out easily 7-6-2 to end the inning.
Top 9th
The game is in hand, but the question is - will Matsui hit 20 K's and hold the 9-inning regulation record all alone?
Top of the order and captain Ikeuchi. He falls behind 1-2... ball outside.
He does it! Matsui Yuuki hits 20 K's and holds the record for most K's at Natsu Koushien for a 9-inning game!
#17 Yoshimoto comes in to PH, and he goes down on 3 straight watching a slider for the 3rd strike. 21 K's!
Kasazaki denies another 1-2-3 K inning by hitting a single to right.
But Suehiro earns the golden sombrero (or what do they call it in Japan??!!) as he K's for the 4th time to end the game.
It was a complete and utter domination of Imabari Nishi by Matsui Yuuki of Toukou Gakuen. About the only good thing you can say is that you were part of history - even if it was the wrong end.
But just think about it. 22 of the possible 27 outs were recorded via the K. 22!!
AND HE'S A 2ND YEAR!!
Even I can't fathom that.
Sure, his control could be his undoing - though at least when he missed, he missed big and in the right places.
For now though, he has his moment. It will certainly be in all the news broadcasts and in the newspapers. But enjoy it today, then focus on the next game tomorrow.
Imabari Nishi were certainly underdogs coming into this game, but I don't think they were expecting this. I wasn't. Hopefully this doesn't crush them but instead motivates them to work harder.
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