WHOO HOO!!!
I am so happy we have this final! I was expecting the exact reverse, but for one day, the 高校野球 gods decided that the small team (sort of) has their day.
Now given, both of these schools are private, and Tsuruga Kehi has been a strong team as of late. But they're not Osaka Touin, they're not Yokohama, they're not a major metropolitan team. We have a school from the Hokushinetsu region that hasn't won since...
OH GOD.
The last time a Hokushinetsu school won either Koushien was Gifu Shougyou (Now Kenritsu Gifu Shougyou).
IN 1936.
They won the 1935 Natsu Koushien, then the 1936 Haru Koushien.
And as for Hokkaido?
The only team to ever win (in either Koushien) was Komadai Tomakomai back in 2004-5, and oddly Tanaka Masahiro's team in 2006 was the team to lose the final. As mentioned yesterday, the closest a Hokkaido team has to winning was Hokkai back in 1963 when they reached the final and lost to Shimonoseki Shougyou (Yamaguchi).
Man, a Chuugoku and a Hokkaido team in the final? Those days are long gone.
But now we have a Hokushinetsu team and a Hokkaido team. YAY!
Tsuruga Kehi has hit their stride at the right time. Their first 3 games had a combined winning margin of 5 runs, and 3 of those runs was against Naradai Fuzoku. The other two were against the Tohoku champs Sendai Ikuei and the Tokai champs Shizuoka.
And then against Osaka Touin?? 2 innings and 2 grand slams later, and the game was OVER.
And if they defeat Toukai Dai-yon, that will be 3 super-regional champs defeated. It's like the Meiji Jingu tournament all over again. Except this time Hiranuma is not hurt, and looks to be stronger than ever.
Toukai Dai-yon has had the cinderella run. They have reached the final scoring no more than 3 runs in any game. They were on the verge of losing against Matsuyama Higashi in the 2nd round. They shutout Kendai Takasaki. They limited Urawa Gakuin to just 1 run.
And now they're here in the finals! Albeit an hour late due to the rain. Crowds have stayed away sadly, and so the atmosphere won't be as strong for a final as it could be.
Toukai Dai-yon (Hokkaido)
SS Tomita Yuuki
2B Kanemura Kousei
RF Yamamoto Kouhei
C Ogawa Kouhei
1B Sou Kangi (#7)
LF Shiota Gen (#13)
P Oosawa Shiiya
3B Tachibana Susumu
CF Watase Taiki
Tsuruga Kehi (Fukui)
3B Shinohara Ryou
2B Nakai Kidzuku
SS Hayashinaka Yuuki
P Hiranuma Shouta
CF Yamamoto Kouta
RF Matsumoto Teppei (#17)
1B Ueda Ryouya
C Kamon Yuusuke
LF Kinoshita Shougo (#9)
__________________________________________________
13:30 - First Pitch!
1st Inning
Grounder to 2nd and Nakai can't quite get his footwork down and can't field the ball! Official scorers give a single.
Sac bunt. KAMON throws it away! All safe and Tomita goes to 3rd. Toukai Dai-yon with a big chance!
Kanemura steals 2nd without a throw!!
Oowaki-kantoku not doing the squeeze, and Yamamoto strikes out.
Ogawa not making the same mistake, hits a fly to right. Tomita tagging up, relay throw on a rope... Just safe! Toukai Dai-yon take advantage of the unforced errors and lead 1-0!
Sou gets hit! That's not like Hiranuma at all.
Hiranuma finally gets out of the first striking out Shiota on a slider. Could've been worse, but still not the way you want to start.
Shinohara ready to start the counterstrike as he singles past Kanemura into center. Nakai showing bunt, but gets ahead 2-0. Does actually attempt to lay it down, but rolls it foul towards the 1st base batter's circle.
Lots of attention to Shinohara, but Oosawa is behind Nakai 3-1. The bunt is still laid down.
Huh, Oosawa hits Hiranuma on his right knee. The American cynic side of me wonders about that.
Intentional or not, Yamamoto with a single through the right side! Shinohara will score and we're back on even terms! 1-1!
Azuma-kantoku trying to start his running game, but Yamamoto is thrown out easily. Side retired, but level game!
2nd Inning
Toukai throwing punches! Oosawa with a poke into center for a base hit.
Tachibana flubs the bunt! Hiranuma with a great sliding catch, and Oosawa is a dead duck! 2 down!
Another HBP from Hiranuma? Did that really hit Watase?
Oowaki has nothing to lose with the top of the lineup, so he sends Watase! Throw is in, no call, Watase losing his balance... OUT!
I think he may have been safe, but was waiting to Watase to steady himself. When his foot came off the bag, out he went.
Oosawa the first ace to have a clean inning. Ueda and Kamon both try to hit the deep ball, but fly out to left.
3rd Inning
There are a lot of HBP this game! After 2 quick outs, Hiranuma hits Yamamoto! That's 4 HBP, 2 apiece!
Oowaki-kantoku tries the hit and and run, but Ogawa strikes out.
Kinoshita hangs in there, and from a 1-2 count draws a walk! No bunting from Shinohara, but he swings on the first pitch and pops it up! He fouls out for the 1st out, and now Nakai is squaring to bunt.
He's in trouble though as he falls behind 0-2, and pops out.
More trouble for Oosawa as he walks Nakai! Now Hiranuma gets to the on-deck circle!
SANSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oosawa is able to paint the outside corner and strike out Hayashinaka! 2 out, but Hiranuma gets to bat.
Grounder to 2nd! Kanemura boots it! Hurries, throws, in plenty of time. 3 out.
4th Inning
Toukai batters making Hiranuma work. First 3 batters go at least 7 pitches deep. Oosawa doesn't get a single, but does get a 2-out walk.
Unfortunately that's all they get.
Yamamoto (Kouta) with a blooper to left! Kouta sees the fielders ease up and breaks for 2nd! Throw is high and late! Oh dear!
Mastumoto bunt, and Oosawa spins to throw to 3rd! Its wide and all safe!
Comebacker by Ueda! Oosawa has it! Goes to 3rd again!!
SAFE AGAIN!!!!
As if to compound the error he tries again thinking he has Kouta hung! Manrui!
Oosawa needs time, badly.
First pitch hits Kamon! But no dead ball as he didn't try to move away.
SANSHIN! Kamon can only hold his breath as that curve supposedly hits the bottom of the zone. One down, and a long way to go.
SANSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He throws out the curve again and Kinoshita is over and in front of it! Foul tips it into Ogawa's glove and there's 2 outs! Can he do it?
Count goes to 1-2 on Shinohara!
Not biting on the curve this time.
Grounder to short! Tomita goes to 3rd!!
OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He's done it! Oosawa gets out of a manrui, no out jam!!!! ありえない！！！
5th Inning
Pressure's on now. Toukai Dai-yon playing for 1 run as after a Tomita single, Oowaki-kantoku calls for a bunt. Yamamoto strikes out meekly though, so nothing doing.
The game seems to be heading to a stalemate status where both teams struggle to gain traction. Oosawa almost has a 1-2-3 inning before the break, but Kanemura boots a ball on a Hiranuma grounder and the inning continues.
Now Hiranuma goes to take 2nd! Throw from Ogawa not in time!
But Yamamoto hits a comebacker to Oosawa and he goes to 1st for the 3rd out. Oosawa holds serve and we hit the break in a tie at 1. Both pitchers have settled down since the 1st and have been able to keep putting up bagels. Who will break first?
6th Inning
First pitch from Hiranuma is a single past Nakai to right! Sac bunt follows of course.
Shiota hit by Hiranuma! That's his 4th!
And Oosawa takes 2nd without a throw! The Tsuruga Kehi continues to be concerned about the double steal.
No matter as Tachibana foul tips into Kamon's glove and Toukai Dai-yon strands 2 more runners in scoring position!
Tsuruga Kehi is desperate to get runners. So much so that Ueda tries a bunt for a base hit, but is out by a good margin. Oosawa just needs 4 pitches to get his 3 outs! That's not good at all.
7th Inning
Watase blooper to center... Nakai chasing it as others converge, but it falls into the triangle!
Tomita bunting. NOT BUNTING!
It's a buster swing and he puts it right through the middle for a base hit! Big chance in the lucky 7!
Now they bunt, and that passes. 2 chances to get the runner in.
Yamamoto gets jammed! Nakai coming in, can't make the catch, but it's so hard to tell the runners have to stay! 4-3 and there's 2 outs.
Hiranuma's out of the jam! Ogawa grounds out to 3rd and 2 more runners are stranded! How is this going to affect the morale of the Hokkaido champs?
Kinoshita wth a leadoff walk! Azuma-kantoku going for it as #15 Kurisu is sent in to run.
SANSHIN!
Shinohara chases the high fastball! 1 down.
Nakai grounder to 2nd moves the runner to 3rd.
But Hayashinaka swings on the first pitch and it's a can of corn! Kouhei is there for the 3rd out!
8th Inning
#7 Mori comes in to play RF, Matsumoto shifts to LF
Sou with a fly to right center, Kouta over to get it.
IT FALLS IN! He had me fooled! And maybe that was the point!
But the ball bounces away from Kouta and that allows Sou to reach 2nd!
Bunt and Hiranuma goes to 3rd! It's in time. NO!
The slide knocks out the ball and he's safe! Shinohara pleads his case, but to no avail! And in the meantime Shiota takes 2nd!
SQUEEZE!!!!!!!!!!
But it's a pitchout! No chance from Oosawa to make contact and Kehi's done their homework from yesterday! Shiota is rundown and there 1 out!
Toukai Dai-yon tried to go to the well twice, but got burned! And now Oosawa is rung up on an inside fastball! 2 down!
Hot grounder to the right side! Ueda smothers it! Goes to 1st and there's 3 out!
They take the bat away from Oosawa and it backfires! We're still tied and all the momentum is with Tsuruga Kehi!
Hiranuma with a walk. Another sac bunt.
NO WAY!!
NO WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
NO WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Matsumoto with a deep drive to left! Shiota giving chase!!!
HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MATSUMOTO'S DONE IT AGAIN!!!
2-run HR gives his team the definitive 3-1 lead!!
I'm not sure there has been one person offensively that has done more for their team than Matsumoto.
The side is retired, but that's doesn't matter! Tsuruga Kehi is just 3 outs away from the Senbatsu title!
9th Inning
Not going away yet! Watase with a single through the right side!
BUT A BUNT? YOU NEED 2 RUNS!
It's successful, but why??
#17 Sakemoto to hit for Kanemura.
SANSHIN!!!!!!!!
No chances for the pinch hitter! He goes down swinging!
And that's it! Yamamoto hits one back to Hiranuma! Goes to 1st and they've done it! Tsuruga Kehi has won the Senbatsu title 3-1 over Toukai Dai-yon!!
I need a moment. Be back after ending ceremonies.
Ok, there's time beforehand.
First off, I want to tip my hat to the losers Toukai Dai-yon. You do not know how hard it is for a team from Hokkaido to be competitive. In a scene where teams practice almost all year round, teams in Hokkaido have to deal with snow. That doesn't make for ideal conditions. Yes, they're just as rural as other prefectures, but Hokkaido is it's own place, much like Okinawa, but without the success.
I still do not know how they did it, for 7 innings they held one of the most dangerous teams to just 1 run. Hiranuma didn't even have a base hit. Sadly it can take just one pitch to decide a game. And that 1 pitch went to the man of the past 2 days. The man that was even more dangerous than Hiranuma, Matsumoto Teppei.
And so Hokkaido is denied again. But congratulations to the team that helped get their prefecture there for the first time in 50+ years. You were truly worthy of reaching the game, now matter how you managed to do it.
Tsuruga Kehi has been well deserving of winning the title. Hiranuma is an ace in his own regard, but this time around he has his teammate to thank.
Funny thing is, I wonder if he was in the doghouse. After going 3-4 and a HR short of the cycle against Naradai Fuzoku, he went 0-3 against Sendai Ikuei and was benched against Shizuoka only coming in as a defensive replacement. Though that may have had to do more with the handedness of the pitcher more than anything else.
And then there's the Osaka Touin game. Oh dear lord the Osaka Touin game.
3-4, 2 HRs, 8 RBIs and a broken Osaka Touin ace.
And in the final, just one hit.
One, 2-run homerun that gives his team the title. I'm not sure one person not on the mound has had a better 2 days than him.
The ending ceremonies are going on, and when the captain Miyazaki picks up the runner-up banner for Toukai Dai-yon, you can tell he's holding back. And you can tell that the rest of them are holding back too. One of them can't and is already crying. Chances are, they won't get another chance like this again and that this has slipped them by. If you're Osaka Touin, you can say we'll get back in the summer and revenge our failures. Toukai Dai-yon may be able to say that they can get back, but cannot say with any certainty that they will be able to revenge this loss.
That's why this final restored my faith in 高校野球 if even for a little bit. Two schools from regions who have not had total victory got a chance to do so. While it's unrealistic to think that every school out there who plays has an equal chance every year, I always hope that those schools that get here have some modicum of success.
But as this year has shown, there is a gap between schools, between regions. And I have no illusions that that gap will probably not get any narrower anytime soon. And that's why I generally root again the major schools who time and again compete for the title. It's why I loved the Maebashi Ikuei - Nobeoka Gakuen final 2 years ago. And it's why I was happy to see this final.
So the books are closed until the summer where 47 schools will battle it out for the big prize, the Natsu Koushien title. No doubt we'll see some of those teams here again. But for all it'll be a long road back.
Showing posts with label Toukai Dai-yon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Toukai Dai-yon. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Day 11, Semifinal 2 - Urawa Gakuin (Saitama) vs. Toukai Dai-yon (Hokkaido)
Well, this was unexpected. So perhaps there's a chance for these teams. Maybe not. At the same time, I would have never expected to see Toukai Dai-yon in this spot. Not with Nishougakushadai Fuzoku, not with Tenri, and not with Kendai Takasaki.
And yet here they are. And I have no idea how they did it.
I mean the first game sure. Facing a 21st century school generally means success (sorry Nishougakushadai Fuzoku). But then you faced a Matsuyama Higashi team that for 7 innings dominated them - and then for no reason just tripped themselves up.
And then there's the Kendai Takasaki game. What universe were we in when that game was played? Kendai Takasaki by all metrics prolly had the advantage in pitching, speed, and with the bat. But for some reason they forgot all the rules about baserunning and their unforced errors resulted in an inexplicable 1-0 loss.
There's no way this continues against a team like Urawa Gakuin, right? Right?
Urawa Gakuin (Saitama)
3B Suwa Tadayoshi
2B Dai Kouta
SS Tsuda Shouki
1B Yamazaki Kouta
CF Kouki Yuushi
RF Takahashi Tsukasa
LF Araki Yuuya
C Nishino Shinya
P Eguchi Shouri
And yet here they are. And I have no idea how they did it.
I mean the first game sure. Facing a 21st century school generally means success (sorry Nishougakushadai Fuzoku). But then you faced a Matsuyama Higashi team that for 7 innings dominated them - and then for no reason just tripped themselves up.
And then there's the Kendai Takasaki game. What universe were we in when that game was played? Kendai Takasaki by all metrics prolly had the advantage in pitching, speed, and with the bat. But for some reason they forgot all the rules about baserunning and their unforced errors resulted in an inexplicable 1-0 loss.
There's no way this continues against a team like Urawa Gakuin, right? Right?
Urawa Gakuin (Saitama)
3B Suwa Tadayoshi
2B Dai Kouta
SS Tsuda Shouki
1B Yamazaki Kouta
CF Kouki Yuushi
RF Takahashi Tsukasa
LF Araki Yuuya
C Nishino Shinya
P Eguchi Shouri
Toukai Dai-yon (Hokkaido)
SS Tomita Yuuki
2B Kanemura Kousei
RF Yamamoto Kouhei
C Ogawa Kouhei
1B Sou Kangi (#7)
LF Shiota Gen (#13)
P Oosawa Shiiya
3B Tachibana Susumu
SS Tomita Yuuki
2B Kanemura Kousei
RF Yamamoto Kouhei
C Ogawa Kouhei
1B Sou Kangi (#7)
LF Shiota Gen (#13)
P Oosawa Shiiya
3B Tachibana Susumu
CF Watase Taiki
__________________________________________________
13:50 - First Pitch!
1st Inning
Dai with a 1-out double over Shiota's head, then a 2-out walk to Yamazaki makes things interesting as OOwaki-kantoku calls for time, but Oosawa gets Kouki to fly out to right.
Eguchi avoids the 1st inning slump, retires the side in order, though Toukai Dai-yon does square the ball well.
2nd Inning
Uh oh. Araki and Nishino with back to back hits on consecutive pitches and Urawa Gakuin is threatening again.
Eguchi hitting and a drive down the right field line to the wall! Araki scores and it's 1-0 Urawa Gakuin!
Contact play! Nishino goes on contact as Suwa hits to 2nd. Kanemura goes home...
OUT!!!
Nice play by the Toukai defense to prevent another run from crossing.
Dai with a ball to the gap on the left side, Tachibana with it! Goes to first...
OUT!!!
What a great play turned in by Tachibana to prevent another run! Admittedly Dai helped by diving, but you take what you can get.
Leadoff walk for Toukai Dai-yon, but as usual it ends up with a 2-out, runner on 3rd situation.
But wait! Oosawa with a single over a leaping Dai into center! Douten! 1-1.
And now there's a HBP.
And another walk! It's manrui for Toukai!
But Eguchi gets Tomita to ground to AHHHHHHHH!!!!
Dai fumbles on the ball, and his throw to 1st... LATE!! Everyone's safe and Oosawa scores to give Toukai Dai-yon the 2-1 lead!!
3rd Inning
My ultaportable became fussy again, so I'll need to catch up.
Tsuda drives a ball to de left over Shiota's head for a double. Yamazaki not bunting flies out to left.
Kouki liner, off Oosawa's glove! But it's right to Tomita! He adjusts and makes the catch, and Tsuda is dead meat! He's doubled off on the 1-6 unassisted double play!
Meanwhile Eguchi gets a well needed 1-2-3 inning.
4th Inning
The 4th inning comes and goes with little fanfare. Both pitchers go 1-2-3 and take a breather.
5th Inning
Eguchi gets his 2nd hit, a ball through the right side for a single. Mori-kantoku will play for the run and has Suw bunt.
But once again, it's just fly balls for Urawa as both Dai and Tsuda fly out.
Toukai gets a lead runner on as well as Eguchi takes a walk.
Oowaki-kantoku sends him! Throw from Nishino... just late! Toukai with a chance!
Tomita liner, but Yamazaki has it!
And so Oowaki-kantoku calls for the bunt and gets it, but with 2 outs the chances are slim, and Yamamoto just hits it back to Eguchi.
If I thought that the first game was unbelievable, this game is just as much so! How is Toukai Dai-yon leading??!!
6th Inning
Another leadoff runner for Urawa Gakuin, Yamazaki the douten runner with a single back up the middle. Kouki bunts him along.
Takahashi can't even move him along, but Oosawa makes it more difficult with a walk.
Oosawa strikes out Nishino though and the inning is over.
Yet again more baserunners to leadoff the inning. Ogawa with a single to right. Sou bunts him over as every run counts.
Shiota strikes out, but the ball gets away from Nishino! Shiota is able to take 1st, and Ogawa heads to 3rd!
SQUEEZE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oosawa shows bunt, and the defense isn't prepared! Suwa with the ball, checks home, nothing. Checks first, too late!! Nishino told Suwa to go to 1st, but he hesitated and is lost! It's 3-1 Toukai Dai-yon on the successful squeeze!!
Eguchi retires the next 2 batters, but now it's a 2-run margin and Urawa Gakuin has been unable to do anything.
7th Inning
Oh boy, Urawa Gakuin is pressing. Oosawa just needs 6 pitches to retire the side in the Lucky 7.
Meanwhile Toukai continues to apply the pressure! Tomita bloops one to left.
After a bunt, Yamamoto singles to right, but it's too hard to drive the run in.
Ogawa wants the sac fly, but he hits it too shallow to left and Tomita can't score. One more fly and the runners are left stranded.
8th Inning
Urawa swinging for the big hit with just 6 outs to go. Yamazaki deep drive to right, but Yamamoto is there.
Kouki another drive, this time to left. Shiota running back, sprinting, reaches out... and makes the catch! Toukai Dai-yon just 3 outs away!!
As for Toukai Dai-yon, Ooswaa gets yet another single but otherwise will play hold-on in the 9th!
9th Inning
Defensive change as Shiota, who was hit for by #5 Saitou, is replaced by #16 Sakou.
#15 Araya to hit for Takahashi.
Liner top shallow left! Sakou charging in. Dives, rolls...
HAS THE CATCH!!!! Sakou sold out on that dive, because if that gets through, it's a triple for sure! But it's not because he makes the catch!!
Not over yet! Araki singles to left.
#14 Ozawa to hit for Nishino.
He singles through the right side! The douten runner is on! And Eguchi is up!
But he pops up the first pitch!! Infield fly is called as Tomita makes the catch! 2 out!
Suwa fly to center! Watase is there! Under it! Makes the catch!!
TOUKAI DAI-YON WINS! THEY ACTUALLY WIN!!
They avenge a mercy-rules loss in the Meji Jingu Tournament in the biggest way, and when it matters most!! A Hokkaido team is going to the senbatsu finals for the first time since Hokkai in 1953!!
One could argue that Urawa Gakuin shot themselves in the foot with Dai's error in the 2nd to give Toukai Dai-yon the lead, and that is true. However, you can also argue that Toukai Dai-yon played about a well-executed game as they could have. They had the leadoff runner on 4 of the 8 innings, and scored on 2 of those occasions.
Of course, it helps when on both of those scoring occasions Oosawa was at bat.
What puzzles me is how Urawa Gakin couldn't generate any offense at all. Yes they struggled to score runs before, but you'd expect more than one against a team from Hokkaido. I'm afraid I can't place it at all other than perhaps poor game planning?
It is certainly disappointing to not have reached the finals. And in a prefecture like Saitama, anything can happen on the way to the title. The offense will need to take strides to prevent something like this from happening again, not to mention Eguchi's random control issues that lead to his walks and hit batters. Limiting those will certainly help his team out.
But let's congratulate Toukai Dai-yon for defeating both Kendai Takasaki and Urawa Gakuin! Now comes their biggest test yet - Tsuruga Kehi. And they seem to be hitting their stride at the right time.
13:50 - First Pitch!
1st Inning
Dai with a 1-out double over Shiota's head, then a 2-out walk to Yamazaki makes things interesting as OOwaki-kantoku calls for time, but Oosawa gets Kouki to fly out to right.
Eguchi avoids the 1st inning slump, retires the side in order, though Toukai Dai-yon does square the ball well.
2nd Inning
Uh oh. Araki and Nishino with back to back hits on consecutive pitches and Urawa Gakuin is threatening again.
Eguchi hitting and a drive down the right field line to the wall! Araki scores and it's 1-0 Urawa Gakuin!
Contact play! Nishino goes on contact as Suwa hits to 2nd. Kanemura goes home...
OUT!!!
Nice play by the Toukai defense to prevent another run from crossing.
Dai with a ball to the gap on the left side, Tachibana with it! Goes to first...
OUT!!!
What a great play turned in by Tachibana to prevent another run! Admittedly Dai helped by diving, but you take what you can get.
Leadoff walk for Toukai Dai-yon, but as usual it ends up with a 2-out, runner on 3rd situation.
But wait! Oosawa with a single over a leaping Dai into center! Douten! 1-1.
And now there's a HBP.
And another walk! It's manrui for Toukai!
But Eguchi gets Tomita to ground to AHHHHHHHH!!!!
Dai fumbles on the ball, and his throw to 1st... LATE!! Everyone's safe and Oosawa scores to give Toukai Dai-yon the 2-1 lead!!
3rd Inning
My ultaportable became fussy again, so I'll need to catch up.
Tsuda drives a ball to de left over Shiota's head for a double. Yamazaki not bunting flies out to left.
Kouki liner, off Oosawa's glove! But it's right to Tomita! He adjusts and makes the catch, and Tsuda is dead meat! He's doubled off on the 1-6 unassisted double play!
Meanwhile Eguchi gets a well needed 1-2-3 inning.
4th Inning
The 4th inning comes and goes with little fanfare. Both pitchers go 1-2-3 and take a breather.
5th Inning
Eguchi gets his 2nd hit, a ball through the right side for a single. Mori-kantoku will play for the run and has Suw bunt.
But once again, it's just fly balls for Urawa as both Dai and Tsuda fly out.
Toukai gets a lead runner on as well as Eguchi takes a walk.
Oowaki-kantoku sends him! Throw from Nishino... just late! Toukai with a chance!
Tomita liner, but Yamazaki has it!
And so Oowaki-kantoku calls for the bunt and gets it, but with 2 outs the chances are slim, and Yamamoto just hits it back to Eguchi.
If I thought that the first game was unbelievable, this game is just as much so! How is Toukai Dai-yon leading??!!
6th Inning
Another leadoff runner for Urawa Gakuin, Yamazaki the douten runner with a single back up the middle. Kouki bunts him along.
Takahashi can't even move him along, but Oosawa makes it more difficult with a walk.
Oosawa strikes out Nishino though and the inning is over.
Yet again more baserunners to leadoff the inning. Ogawa with a single to right. Sou bunts him over as every run counts.
Shiota strikes out, but the ball gets away from Nishino! Shiota is able to take 1st, and Ogawa heads to 3rd!
SQUEEZE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oosawa shows bunt, and the defense isn't prepared! Suwa with the ball, checks home, nothing. Checks first, too late!! Nishino told Suwa to go to 1st, but he hesitated and is lost! It's 3-1 Toukai Dai-yon on the successful squeeze!!
Eguchi retires the next 2 batters, but now it's a 2-run margin and Urawa Gakuin has been unable to do anything.
7th Inning
Oh boy, Urawa Gakuin is pressing. Oosawa just needs 6 pitches to retire the side in the Lucky 7.
Meanwhile Toukai continues to apply the pressure! Tomita bloops one to left.
After a bunt, Yamamoto singles to right, but it's too hard to drive the run in.
Ogawa wants the sac fly, but he hits it too shallow to left and Tomita can't score. One more fly and the runners are left stranded.
8th Inning
Urawa swinging for the big hit with just 6 outs to go. Yamazaki deep drive to right, but Yamamoto is there.
Kouki another drive, this time to left. Shiota running back, sprinting, reaches out... and makes the catch! Toukai Dai-yon just 3 outs away!!
As for Toukai Dai-yon, Ooswaa gets yet another single but otherwise will play hold-on in the 9th!
9th Inning
Defensive change as Shiota, who was hit for by #5 Saitou, is replaced by #16 Sakou.
#15 Araya to hit for Takahashi.
Liner top shallow left! Sakou charging in. Dives, rolls...
HAS THE CATCH!!!! Sakou sold out on that dive, because if that gets through, it's a triple for sure! But it's not because he makes the catch!!
Not over yet! Araki singles to left.
#14 Ozawa to hit for Nishino.
He singles through the right side! The douten runner is on! And Eguchi is up!
But he pops up the first pitch!! Infield fly is called as Tomita makes the catch! 2 out!
Suwa fly to center! Watase is there! Under it! Makes the catch!!
TOUKAI DAI-YON WINS! THEY ACTUALLY WIN!!
They avenge a mercy-rules loss in the Meji Jingu Tournament in the biggest way, and when it matters most!! A Hokkaido team is going to the senbatsu finals for the first time since Hokkai in 1953!!
One could argue that Urawa Gakuin shot themselves in the foot with Dai's error in the 2nd to give Toukai Dai-yon the lead, and that is true. However, you can also argue that Toukai Dai-yon played about a well-executed game as they could have. They had the leadoff runner on 4 of the 8 innings, and scored on 2 of those occasions.
Of course, it helps when on both of those scoring occasions Oosawa was at bat.
What puzzles me is how Urawa Gakin couldn't generate any offense at all. Yes they struggled to score runs before, but you'd expect more than one against a team from Hokkaido. I'm afraid I can't place it at all other than perhaps poor game planning?
It is certainly disappointing to not have reached the finals. And in a prefecture like Saitama, anything can happen on the way to the title. The offense will need to take strides to prevent something like this from happening again, not to mention Eguchi's random control issues that lead to his walks and hit batters. Limiting those will certainly help his team out.
But let's congratulate Toukai Dai-yon for defeating both Kendai Takasaki and Urawa Gakuin! Now comes their biggest test yet - Tsuruga Kehi. And they seem to be hitting their stride at the right time.
Sunday, March 29, 2015
Day 9, Semifinal 4 - Toukai Dai-yon (Hokkaido) vs. Kendai Takasaki (Gunma)
And to round out the long day, we'll get something that will probably be a lot less exciting (sorry Toukai Dai-yon).
Kendai Takasaki is probably the best we've seen them since they've broken onto the Koushien scene. We knew them for their speed on the basepaths. It was like as if they had a full team of Johnsons (if you can get that reference, good for you).
But now the team is different. They have an ace in Kawai, the speed isn't their main point, but they still use it in strategic ways. The end result is a team that actually can win the whole thing.
The same cannot be said for Toukai Dai-yon. They eked out a win against a very game Matsuyama Higashi when they put together 1 big inning. But Oosawa is vulnerable on the mound and the team struggles for offense.
I'll be surprised if it's not a one-sided game.
Toukai Dai-yon (Hokkaido)
SS Tomita Yuuki
2B Kanemura Kousei
RF Yamamoto Kouhei
1B Sou Kangi (#7)
LF Shiota Gen (#13)
C Ogawa Kouhei
3B Tachibana Susumu
P Gon Towon (#11)
CF Watase Taiki
Kendai Takasaki (Gunma)
CF Kasuga Yuuma
SS Hayashi Kenya
C Tsuge Sena
3B Shibahiki Ryousuke
2B Souma Yuuto
1B Ooshima Kyouhei
RF Satou Nozomu
LF Yanagimoto Eiji (#15)
P Hashidzune Naoya (#10)
__________________________________________________
16:15 - First Pitch!
1st Inning
Since both teams played yesterday, it's no surprise both teams have gone to their bullpens for bench starters on the mound.
So this is a thing. Hashidzume throws from multiple arm angles. I see a sidearm, a submarine, and an overhand. If he can locate from all areas, how do you read that as a batter??!!
Tomita scoffs at it with a leadoff single. But they try the sac bunt, which fails. The next 2 batters go down, including Sou, who strikes out looking.
Hayashi gets a base hit and we'll see this tactical speed in action. He has a very long lead.
He takes off, the throw does get there, but Hayashi just beats it out.
Flyout to left by Tsuge, and Hayashi tries to tag up! Throw from Shiota nails him!
That's a gutsy call, but if you have the speed, there's times to try it. Early on as a surprise tactic, why not?
2nd Inning
Somehow, Toukai Dai-yon's batters are at least seeing the ball to make good contact. But they're still going down in order.
Now Gon reminds me of Engaru and ace Satou who threw really slow but whose fastball and offspeed pitches were similar speeds. That's not quite the case with him, but he throws really slow. Like 110s slow.
But if you do that, your defense will need to be good.
As I think that Shibahiki and Souma put back to back hits and threaten to open the scoring.
They pick off Shibahiki! I've never seen 1 team continue to have this many baserunning mistakes.
Toukai Dai-yon returns the favor! Ooshima's grounder goes 5-hole on Tachibana for an error. Doesn't hurt through as Tachibana fields the next one and makes the play for the out. But for Kendai Takasaki, there's being aggressive, and there's just being not smart.
3rd Inning
1-2-3 for Hashidzume. Ho hum.
And yet another pickoff of a Kendai Takasaki runner. Is this some kind of strategy where you lull the other team to sleep with base running mistakes then suddenly do everything right late? Because otherwise, this doesn't makes sense.
4th Inning
Kanemura with a leadoff single. But no bunting, and the next 3 batters are retired.
The MBS announcers explain that they're doing Haisai Oji-san because Shibahiki is from Okinawa. If you're any fan, you know where that comes from. You don't need it explained.
Anyways, Shibahiki hits a sharp ball that Tachibana smothers, but has no play on. And after Souma singles up the middle, Oowaki-kantoku calls time.
The VERY first pitch after the time out. 4-6-3 double play. Inning over. WTF.
5th Inning
Ogawa with a base hit to right for another leadoff runner. This time Oowaki-kantoku calls for the bunt.
Now #15 Yoshida will hit for Gon, and ace Oosawa is warming up.
Ball to right... falls in for a base hit! It gets by the outfield and to the wall! Ogawa scores as Yoshida.. is at 1st??!!
Did he miss the bag? He should at least be on 2nd. Not sure what happened there.
And if he was on 3rd, that liner top left by Watase might have scored him. But it's just an out, and Tomita goes down as well.
Now, how do you go from trying to time a ball at 110 to one at 130? Might be difficult to do.
Ooshima does hit a shallow liner, but Watase seems to be in the right place to make the catch. As for Yanagimoto and Hashidzume? Well, they get sat down is what happens to them.
Well, this isn't the game I expected. I figured Kendai Takasaki would run laps around Toukai Dai-yon, but instead it's Toukai Dai-yon that has the lead!
6th Inning
Ace Kawai takes the hill for Hashidzume. Also, #14 Higa comes in for Yanagimoto.
You don't see that everyday. Grounder from Yamamoto goes off Hayashi right to Shibahiki's glove, who then fires to 1st for the routine 6-5-3 putout.
The first inning of work for Kawai goes without a hitch.
Same goes fort Oosawa as well. I think the batters' timings are all off. He tallies 2 more Ks.
7th Inning
Outfield umpires are now in play.
Shiota with a leadoff single. Bunt, grounder to opposite side puts him at 3rd. But Oosawa can't get the key hit.
Oosawa perhaps a bit careful with Shibahiki and walks him to start.
Souma hits a double play ball, but Kanemura doesn't field it cleanly and then compounds it with a late throw that goes awry. But Ogawa is heads up and throws to 2nd where they get Souma!
Still, the douten runner is at 3rd.
Satou with a popup to shallow right. Sou takes it, and instead of throwing to 3rd where Shibahiki is baiting him, he smartly runs it in.
Ooshima grounds to 2nd! Oosawa's going to get out of this jam!
8th Inning
2 down for Kawai and he issues a walk.
Yamamoto with a pop to shallow left. Higa with the diving attempt, but he doesn't make the catch! Runners on 2nd and 3rd and they may just get a key insurance run.
Nope! Sou continues to struggle at the plate as he K's for the 3rd time this game!
Kendai Takasaki with the counter! Higa just chopping at the ball and sees it through the left side for a base hit.
Oh no! Kawai bunts it to Oosawa! It's a 1-6-3 double play!!
Also, has anyone else noticed that after the Toukai aces throw the eephus things go wrong afterwards? Because Kasuga on the next pitch gets a base hit.
Hayashi flies out to center though, and no harm done for Toukai Dai-yon. What has happened to Kendai's offense??
9th Inning
Toukai Dai-yon goes in order, and now it's hang on time! Kendai Takasaki does have their 3-4-5 batters up this inning.
Tsuge with a no-no! He lets the fastball go on the outside corner for strike 3!
Shibahiki on base for his 4th time with a base hit up the middle. Last chances, so #17 Miyamoto comes in to run for Shibahiki.
Souma ball to left. It sounded good, and Shiota is backpedaling, but he makes the catch for the 2nd out.
Satou the last chance!
Flyball to left! Shiota running back! Still running back! Makes the catch as he puts his hands in the air!
What just happened??!! Toukai Dai-yon defeats Kendai Takasaki 1-0!!
I'm just speechless. Kendai Takasaki looked like a serious contender after defeating Tenri. And yet, despite both teams on 0 days rest, they fail to score a run against the Hokkaido champs?! There's no offense meant to Toukai Dai-yon, but it's just that outside of Komadai Tomakomai, teams from Hokkaido haven't really fared well, and there was no indication that this year would be any different.So for a team that had good pitching, and overall team speed to lose like this is shocking.
But given the context of the game, they almost deserved it. They had baserunning mistakes throughout all their games. They didn't have it before. Is it discipline? Skill? What was it about the prior teams that this team didn't have? Because they gave free outs to Toukai Dai-yon.
There's got to be some self-reflection here. They had an easier path to the Koushien final, and just frittered it away.
But congratulations have to go to Toukai Dai-yon. I'm not sure anyone had this outcome, and unless you're a fan of the school and you say you did, I have a bridge to sell you.
So... instead of a revenge match between Kendai Takasaki and Urawa Gakuin from the Kanto super-regional.... we have a revenge match between Toukai Dai-yon and Urawa Gakuin from the Meiji Jingu tournament where Toukai Dai-yon lost 10-0?
Ok, I'll give you this game Toukai Dai-yon. Not sure I can give you next one.
Kendai Takasaki is probably the best we've seen them since they've broken onto the Koushien scene. We knew them for their speed on the basepaths. It was like as if they had a full team of Johnsons (if you can get that reference, good for you).
But now the team is different. They have an ace in Kawai, the speed isn't their main point, but they still use it in strategic ways. The end result is a team that actually can win the whole thing.
The same cannot be said for Toukai Dai-yon. They eked out a win against a very game Matsuyama Higashi when they put together 1 big inning. But Oosawa is vulnerable on the mound and the team struggles for offense.
I'll be surprised if it's not a one-sided game.
Toukai Dai-yon (Hokkaido)
SS Tomita Yuuki
2B Kanemura Kousei
RF Yamamoto Kouhei
1B Sou Kangi (#7)
LF Shiota Gen (#13)
C Ogawa Kouhei
3B Tachibana Susumu
P Gon Towon (#11)
CF Watase Taiki
Kendai Takasaki (Gunma)
CF Kasuga Yuuma
SS Hayashi Kenya
C Tsuge Sena
3B Shibahiki Ryousuke
2B Souma Yuuto
1B Ooshima Kyouhei
RF Satou Nozomu
LF Yanagimoto Eiji (#15)
P Hashidzune Naoya (#10)
__________________________________________________
16:15 - First Pitch!
1st Inning
Since both teams played yesterday, it's no surprise both teams have gone to their bullpens for bench starters on the mound.
So this is a thing. Hashidzume throws from multiple arm angles. I see a sidearm, a submarine, and an overhand. If he can locate from all areas, how do you read that as a batter??!!
Tomita scoffs at it with a leadoff single. But they try the sac bunt, which fails. The next 2 batters go down, including Sou, who strikes out looking.
Hayashi gets a base hit and we'll see this tactical speed in action. He has a very long lead.
He takes off, the throw does get there, but Hayashi just beats it out.
Flyout to left by Tsuge, and Hayashi tries to tag up! Throw from Shiota nails him!
That's a gutsy call, but if you have the speed, there's times to try it. Early on as a surprise tactic, why not?
2nd Inning
Somehow, Toukai Dai-yon's batters are at least seeing the ball to make good contact. But they're still going down in order.
Now Gon reminds me of Engaru and ace Satou who threw really slow but whose fastball and offspeed pitches were similar speeds. That's not quite the case with him, but he throws really slow. Like 110s slow.
But if you do that, your defense will need to be good.
As I think that Shibahiki and Souma put back to back hits and threaten to open the scoring.
They pick off Shibahiki! I've never seen 1 team continue to have this many baserunning mistakes.
Toukai Dai-yon returns the favor! Ooshima's grounder goes 5-hole on Tachibana for an error. Doesn't hurt through as Tachibana fields the next one and makes the play for the out. But for Kendai Takasaki, there's being aggressive, and there's just being not smart.
3rd Inning
1-2-3 for Hashidzume. Ho hum.
And yet another pickoff of a Kendai Takasaki runner. Is this some kind of strategy where you lull the other team to sleep with base running mistakes then suddenly do everything right late? Because otherwise, this doesn't makes sense.
4th Inning
Kanemura with a leadoff single. But no bunting, and the next 3 batters are retired.
The MBS announcers explain that they're doing Haisai Oji-san because Shibahiki is from Okinawa. If you're any fan, you know where that comes from. You don't need it explained.
Anyways, Shibahiki hits a sharp ball that Tachibana smothers, but has no play on. And after Souma singles up the middle, Oowaki-kantoku calls time.
The VERY first pitch after the time out. 4-6-3 double play. Inning over. WTF.
5th Inning
Ogawa with a base hit to right for another leadoff runner. This time Oowaki-kantoku calls for the bunt.
Now #15 Yoshida will hit for Gon, and ace Oosawa is warming up.
Ball to right... falls in for a base hit! It gets by the outfield and to the wall! Ogawa scores as Yoshida.. is at 1st??!!
Did he miss the bag? He should at least be on 2nd. Not sure what happened there.
And if he was on 3rd, that liner top left by Watase might have scored him. But it's just an out, and Tomita goes down as well.
Now, how do you go from trying to time a ball at 110 to one at 130? Might be difficult to do.
Ooshima does hit a shallow liner, but Watase seems to be in the right place to make the catch. As for Yanagimoto and Hashidzume? Well, they get sat down is what happens to them.
Well, this isn't the game I expected. I figured Kendai Takasaki would run laps around Toukai Dai-yon, but instead it's Toukai Dai-yon that has the lead!
6th Inning
Ace Kawai takes the hill for Hashidzume. Also, #14 Higa comes in for Yanagimoto.
You don't see that everyday. Grounder from Yamamoto goes off Hayashi right to Shibahiki's glove, who then fires to 1st for the routine 6-5-3 putout.
The first inning of work for Kawai goes without a hitch.
Same goes fort Oosawa as well. I think the batters' timings are all off. He tallies 2 more Ks.
7th Inning
Outfield umpires are now in play.
Shiota with a leadoff single. Bunt, grounder to opposite side puts him at 3rd. But Oosawa can't get the key hit.
Oosawa perhaps a bit careful with Shibahiki and walks him to start.
Souma hits a double play ball, but Kanemura doesn't field it cleanly and then compounds it with a late throw that goes awry. But Ogawa is heads up and throws to 2nd where they get Souma!
Still, the douten runner is at 3rd.
Satou with a popup to shallow right. Sou takes it, and instead of throwing to 3rd where Shibahiki is baiting him, he smartly runs it in.
Ooshima grounds to 2nd! Oosawa's going to get out of this jam!
8th Inning
2 down for Kawai and he issues a walk.
Yamamoto with a pop to shallow left. Higa with the diving attempt, but he doesn't make the catch! Runners on 2nd and 3rd and they may just get a key insurance run.
Nope! Sou continues to struggle at the plate as he K's for the 3rd time this game!
Kendai Takasaki with the counter! Higa just chopping at the ball and sees it through the left side for a base hit.
Oh no! Kawai bunts it to Oosawa! It's a 1-6-3 double play!!
Also, has anyone else noticed that after the Toukai aces throw the eephus things go wrong afterwards? Because Kasuga on the next pitch gets a base hit.
Hayashi flies out to center though, and no harm done for Toukai Dai-yon. What has happened to Kendai's offense??
9th Inning
Toukai Dai-yon goes in order, and now it's hang on time! Kendai Takasaki does have their 3-4-5 batters up this inning.
Tsuge with a no-no! He lets the fastball go on the outside corner for strike 3!
Shibahiki on base for his 4th time with a base hit up the middle. Last chances, so #17 Miyamoto comes in to run for Shibahiki.
Souma ball to left. It sounded good, and Shiota is backpedaling, but he makes the catch for the 2nd out.
Satou the last chance!
Flyball to left! Shiota running back! Still running back! Makes the catch as he puts his hands in the air!
What just happened??!! Toukai Dai-yon defeats Kendai Takasaki 1-0!!
I'm just speechless. Kendai Takasaki looked like a serious contender after defeating Tenri. And yet, despite both teams on 0 days rest, they fail to score a run against the Hokkaido champs?! There's no offense meant to Toukai Dai-yon, but it's just that outside of Komadai Tomakomai, teams from Hokkaido haven't really fared well, and there was no indication that this year would be any different.So for a team that had good pitching, and overall team speed to lose like this is shocking.
But given the context of the game, they almost deserved it. They had baserunning mistakes throughout all their games. They didn't have it before. Is it discipline? Skill? What was it about the prior teams that this team didn't have? Because they gave free outs to Toukai Dai-yon.
There's got to be some self-reflection here. They had an easier path to the Koushien final, and just frittered it away.
But congratulations have to go to Toukai Dai-yon. I'm not sure anyone had this outcome, and unless you're a fan of the school and you say you did, I have a bridge to sell you.
So... instead of a revenge match between Kendai Takasaki and Urawa Gakuin from the Kanto super-regional.... we have a revenge match between Toukai Dai-yon and Urawa Gakuin from the Meiji Jingu tournament where Toukai Dai-yon lost 10-0?
Ok, I'll give you this game Toukai Dai-yon. Not sure I can give you next one.
Saturday, March 28, 2015
Day 8, Game 3 - Matsuyama Higashi (Ehime) vs. Toukai Dai-yon (Hokkaido)
And now the conclusion of the first round. These are the final teams left in their regions (yes, I know Hokkaido only had one, but they're the only ones north of Kanto remaining).
Matsuyama Higashi looked really good against Nishougakushadai Fuzoku, and stand a chance against Toukai Dai-yon who themselves had to face a 21st century team to start. This one however will appear to test them.
Matsuyama Higashi (Ehime)
LF Shimizu Tomoki
SS Ishiyama Tarou
CF Sakai Yuusuke
C Yoneda Keisuke
P Kameoka Yuuki
1B Yamada Kai
RF Yamada Taisei
3B Arita Toranosuke
2B Matsushita Kouki
Matsuyama Higashi looked really good against Nishougakushadai Fuzoku, and stand a chance against Toukai Dai-yon who themselves had to face a 21st century team to start. This one however will appear to test them.
Matsuyama Higashi (Ehime)
LF Shimizu Tomoki
SS Ishiyama Tarou
CF Sakai Yuusuke
C Yoneda Keisuke
P Kameoka Yuuki
1B Yamada Kai
RF Yamada Taisei
3B Arita Toranosuke
2B Matsushita Kouki
Toukai Dai-yon (Hokkaido)
SS Tomita Yuuki
2B Kanemura Kousei
RF Yamamoto Kouhei
1B Sou Kangi (#7)
LF Shiota Gen (#13)
C Ogawa Kouhei
3B Tachibana Susumu
P Oosawa Shiiya
CF Watase Taiki
SS Tomita Yuuki
2B Kanemura Kousei
RF Yamamoto Kouhei
1B Sou Kangi (#7)
LF Shiota Gen (#13)
C Ogawa Kouhei
3B Tachibana Susumu
P Oosawa Shiiya
CF Watase Taiki
__________________________________________________
13:45 - First Pitch!
Top 1st
Shimizu singles through the left side for a leadoff hit! Horiuchi-kantoku has Ishiyama bunt him along.
Sakai though cant pull the trigger on a fastball inside and he's sent packing!
What's this? Yoneda with a drive to left! Shiota going back to the fence... looking up! NO WAY!!!
HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yoneda takes care of the scoring early! He hits a 2-run HR to left and the 21st century team is up 2-0!!
Now Kameoka draws a walk! Oosawa struggling right off the bat.
But while he goes full on Kai, he strikes him out to retire the side. Already the Hokkaido champ will have work to do.
Bottom 1st
Kameoka on a mission from the start it would seem. He puts a fastball by Tomita, then Kanemura chases a shuuto on the outside corner.
Yamamoto flies out to center, and it's an easy 1st inning for Kameoka.
Top 2nd
One down and Arita lays down a bunt! Toukai's defense isn't prepared and he's in with a single!
Matsushita tries to bunt him along, but fouls his three bunt and is retired.
Shimizu flies out to left and Oosawa can put up a 0.
Bottom 2nd
Kameoka puts that shuuto on the border that Sou goes after it and becomes Kameoka's 3rd K.
Shiota and Ogawa can fare little better, hitting routine ground balls and Kameoka's making it look easy!
Top 3rd
Oosawa getting into his groove striking out Ishiyama and Sakai to start the inning.
However Yoneda gets his 2nd hit, a single to left.
And then he walks Kameoka for the 2nd time. Horiuchi-kantoku calls for time.
But he still can't find the zone! He winds up walking Kai and it's manrui for Matsuyama Higashi!
With nowhere to put Taisei, Oosawa finally starts throwing strikes. Gets ahead 1-2...
SANSHIN!
Taisei swings and misses on the high fastball and Oosawa gets out of his own jam.
Bottom 3rd
Oosawa with a liner forcing Kameoka to duck and Toukai Dai-yon has their first base hit!
Watase with a bunt, Arita throw to 1st... not enough! Now runners on 1st and 2nd with one down.
But Toukai Dai-yon is looking for the big hit. Tomita under the ball, flies out to right.
Kanemura with a fly ball to center! Sakai is there and secures it for the 3rd out!
Top 4th
Oosawa getting another reprieve against the bottom of Matsuyama Higashi's order. It's a quick 8 pitch inning as the sides change once again.
Bottom 4th
Toukai Dai-yon finally making some headway at the plate as Sou hits a single to center.
But Shiota hits it up the middle right to Ishiyama! Flips to Matsushita for one, throw to first... double play! And just like that the inning is over!
Top 5th
Ishiyama with no luck agaist Oosawa, goes down swinging for his 2nd time.
After that it's 1 pitch outs for both Sakai and Yoneda, and Matsuyama Higashi perhaps looking to speed up this game.
Bottom 5th
Ogawa with a ball back up the middle, but Kameoka is able to snatch it and go to 1st for the first out.
Tachibana can't catch up to the high fastball and goes down for Kameoka's 4th K.
Oosawa continues to hit at the bottom of the order, sneaking a ball by a diving Kai into right,
Watase thought that was a good idea, so he does the same to Matsushita!
Tomita scorcher up the 1st base line, smothered by Kai! Goes to 1st, and he saves a run with that great play! And with that we're at the break with Matsuyama Higashi in control, but Toukai Dai-yon pounding on the door.
Top 6th
If you blinked you missed the top of the 6th.
First pitch Kameoka drives to center. Watase backpedaling, turning around, leaps and makes the desperation catch.
After that it's a first pitch popup to left and hen a flyout to right. 4 pitches, 3 outs.
Bottom 6th
Kanemura with a leadoff hit! That's their first leadoff runner on. Yamamoto moves him along to 2nd.
And Kameoka throws the ball away to 2nd! Now the runner is at 3rd with Sou up!
SANSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Once again Kameoka goes high and Sou can't make contact! 2 outs!
#3 Saitou to hit for Shiota to try and drive the run in.
SANSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kameoka continues to climb the ladder and the batters are obliging! Saitou gets all twisted up and the runner is stranded at 3rd!
Top 7th
Saitou stays in to play 1B, Sou returns to his numbered position in LF.
Nothing new here, each inning going as non-descript as the last with Matsuyama Higashi willing to stake their game on this 2-run lead if necessary.
Bottom 7th
Ogawa with a ball in foul territory and Ishiyama from his position to make the catch.'
Tachibana finally gets a base hit with a single back up the middle. Now, can Oosawa and Watase do something with it?
No! Oosawa grounds to 2nd! Matsushita to 2nd for 1, throw to 1st.. Double play!!!
Top 8th
Ishiyama singles to left to start the inning, but once again they can't lay down the bunt! Sakai pops it up and Oosawa makes the catch for the out.
And now Ishiyama is caught napping on the basepaths! He's run down and there's 2 outs!
Yoneda with a ball to left, Sou is there and AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He sells out for the ball and misses! Watase has to chase it back to the wall as Yoneda is in with a triple!
Kameoka with a grounder to the left side. Tomita runs it down, stops, throws to 1st... in time for the 3rd out! What a great play to prevent another run from scoring!
Bottom 8th
Watase slow grounder to the left side, Ishiyama has it, throws to first, but it's short and gets by Kai! Watase ends up at 2nd!
Tomita with a ball to left, but the outfield is in! Shimizu has to chase after it! They get the ball in but not before Tomita has a double and a run scores! It's 2-1!
Kanemura with a ball to shallow right center! Sakai coming in, Matsushita coming out, but neither can get there! Tomita had to hold in case for a catch so he can only get to 3rd. But now a base hit can give them the lead!
Yamamoto grounder to the right side... through for a base hit! One run will score! They're sending home Kanemura! Relay home.. not in time!! In their final moments Toukai Dai-yon has found a way to take the lead! It's 3-2!
2 down now after a popup and Saitou singles to center! Yamamoto heading to 3rd, but Sakai's throw is on a line and they gun him down!
But more importantly, Matsuyama Higashi just has 3 outs to try and make a final rally!
Top 9th
But after struggling for so long, can they really re-rally?
#13 Kuwahara comes in to hit for Kai. But he goes down on a slider cold.
Taisei pops out to short, and there's quickly 2 outs.
Arita the last chance...
Grounder to the right side... past Kanemura for a base hit! Douten runner on, but still some work to do.
#12 Takenaka in to hit for Matsushita...
Down quickly 1-2, he fights off pitch after pitch.
SANSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But perhaps turning the tables, he climbs the ladder himself on Takenaka and Matsuyama Higashi and strikes him out on a high fastball to end the game!
Well, that game turned around in a hurry. Though Toukai Dai-yon were seemingly on the verge of doing something like this with their chances in the prior couple of innings. It's just too bad that Matsuyama Higashi had the lead for so long before it would all melt away.
There is something to be said for a pitcher who actually lives up in the zone. It's the complete opposite of what you normally see, but at the same time it can still produce the same results. But only if you can consistently do that. Just 6 outs away from a Best 8 performance, and instead they're picking up dirt from Koushien to take home as in all likelihood they won't be returning in the summer. But they do rightfully get a round of applause from their huge ouen-dan.
Toukai Dai-yon got lucky. If not for the first error, the rest of the sequence may never have happened because the outfield may not have played as far in as they did. Before that they were getting hits here and there, but they were with outs already on the board and less room for error.
But, a win is a win and they're into the Best 8. No time to rest because Kendai Takasaki is next up. It'll be their first major competitor, and it could get ugly to round out the quarterfinals.
Sakai though cant pull the trigger on a fastball inside and he's sent packing!
What's this? Yoneda with a drive to left! Shiota going back to the fence... looking up! NO WAY!!!
HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yoneda takes care of the scoring early! He hits a 2-run HR to left and the 21st century team is up 2-0!!
Now Kameoka draws a walk! Oosawa struggling right off the bat.
But while he goes full on Kai, he strikes him out to retire the side. Already the Hokkaido champ will have work to do.
Bottom 1st
Kameoka on a mission from the start it would seem. He puts a fastball by Tomita, then Kanemura chases a shuuto on the outside corner.
Yamamoto flies out to center, and it's an easy 1st inning for Kameoka.
Top 2nd
One down and Arita lays down a bunt! Toukai's defense isn't prepared and he's in with a single!
Matsushita tries to bunt him along, but fouls his three bunt and is retired.
Shimizu flies out to left and Oosawa can put up a 0.
Bottom 2nd
Kameoka puts that shuuto on the border that Sou goes after it and becomes Kameoka's 3rd K.
Shiota and Ogawa can fare little better, hitting routine ground balls and Kameoka's making it look easy!
Top 3rd
Oosawa getting into his groove striking out Ishiyama and Sakai to start the inning.
However Yoneda gets his 2nd hit, a single to left.
And then he walks Kameoka for the 2nd time. Horiuchi-kantoku calls for time.
But he still can't find the zone! He winds up walking Kai and it's manrui for Matsuyama Higashi!
With nowhere to put Taisei, Oosawa finally starts throwing strikes. Gets ahead 1-2...
SANSHIN!
Taisei swings and misses on the high fastball and Oosawa gets out of his own jam.
Bottom 3rd
Oosawa with a liner forcing Kameoka to duck and Toukai Dai-yon has their first base hit!
Watase with a bunt, Arita throw to 1st... not enough! Now runners on 1st and 2nd with one down.
But Toukai Dai-yon is looking for the big hit. Tomita under the ball, flies out to right.
Kanemura with a fly ball to center! Sakai is there and secures it for the 3rd out!
Top 4th
Oosawa getting another reprieve against the bottom of Matsuyama Higashi's order. It's a quick 8 pitch inning as the sides change once again.
Bottom 4th
Toukai Dai-yon finally making some headway at the plate as Sou hits a single to center.
But Shiota hits it up the middle right to Ishiyama! Flips to Matsushita for one, throw to first... double play! And just like that the inning is over!
Top 5th
Ishiyama with no luck agaist Oosawa, goes down swinging for his 2nd time.
After that it's 1 pitch outs for both Sakai and Yoneda, and Matsuyama Higashi perhaps looking to speed up this game.
Bottom 5th
Ogawa with a ball back up the middle, but Kameoka is able to snatch it and go to 1st for the first out.
Tachibana can't catch up to the high fastball and goes down for Kameoka's 4th K.
Oosawa continues to hit at the bottom of the order, sneaking a ball by a diving Kai into right,
Watase thought that was a good idea, so he does the same to Matsushita!
Tomita scorcher up the 1st base line, smothered by Kai! Goes to 1st, and he saves a run with that great play! And with that we're at the break with Matsuyama Higashi in control, but Toukai Dai-yon pounding on the door.
Top 6th
If you blinked you missed the top of the 6th.
First pitch Kameoka drives to center. Watase backpedaling, turning around, leaps and makes the desperation catch.
After that it's a first pitch popup to left and hen a flyout to right. 4 pitches, 3 outs.
Bottom 6th
Kanemura with a leadoff hit! That's their first leadoff runner on. Yamamoto moves him along to 2nd.
And Kameoka throws the ball away to 2nd! Now the runner is at 3rd with Sou up!
SANSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Once again Kameoka goes high and Sou can't make contact! 2 outs!
#3 Saitou to hit for Shiota to try and drive the run in.
SANSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kameoka continues to climb the ladder and the batters are obliging! Saitou gets all twisted up and the runner is stranded at 3rd!
Top 7th
Saitou stays in to play 1B, Sou returns to his numbered position in LF.
Nothing new here, each inning going as non-descript as the last with Matsuyama Higashi willing to stake their game on this 2-run lead if necessary.
Bottom 7th
Ogawa with a ball in foul territory and Ishiyama from his position to make the catch.'
Tachibana finally gets a base hit with a single back up the middle. Now, can Oosawa and Watase do something with it?
No! Oosawa grounds to 2nd! Matsushita to 2nd for 1, throw to 1st.. Double play!!!
Top 8th
Ishiyama singles to left to start the inning, but once again they can't lay down the bunt! Sakai pops it up and Oosawa makes the catch for the out.
And now Ishiyama is caught napping on the basepaths! He's run down and there's 2 outs!
Yoneda with a ball to left, Sou is there and AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He sells out for the ball and misses! Watase has to chase it back to the wall as Yoneda is in with a triple!
Kameoka with a grounder to the left side. Tomita runs it down, stops, throws to 1st... in time for the 3rd out! What a great play to prevent another run from scoring!
Bottom 8th
Watase slow grounder to the left side, Ishiyama has it, throws to first, but it's short and gets by Kai! Watase ends up at 2nd!
Tomita with a ball to left, but the outfield is in! Shimizu has to chase after it! They get the ball in but not before Tomita has a double and a run scores! It's 2-1!
Kanemura with a ball to shallow right center! Sakai coming in, Matsushita coming out, but neither can get there! Tomita had to hold in case for a catch so he can only get to 3rd. But now a base hit can give them the lead!
Yamamoto grounder to the right side... through for a base hit! One run will score! They're sending home Kanemura! Relay home.. not in time!! In their final moments Toukai Dai-yon has found a way to take the lead! It's 3-2!
2 down now after a popup and Saitou singles to center! Yamamoto heading to 3rd, but Sakai's throw is on a line and they gun him down!
But more importantly, Matsuyama Higashi just has 3 outs to try and make a final rally!
Top 9th
But after struggling for so long, can they really re-rally?
#13 Kuwahara comes in to hit for Kai. But he goes down on a slider cold.
Taisei pops out to short, and there's quickly 2 outs.
Arita the last chance...
Grounder to the right side... past Kanemura for a base hit! Douten runner on, but still some work to do.
#12 Takenaka in to hit for Matsushita...
Down quickly 1-2, he fights off pitch after pitch.
SANSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But perhaps turning the tables, he climbs the ladder himself on Takenaka and Matsuyama Higashi and strikes him out on a high fastball to end the game!
Well, that game turned around in a hurry. Though Toukai Dai-yon were seemingly on the verge of doing something like this with their chances in the prior couple of innings. It's just too bad that Matsuyama Higashi had the lead for so long before it would all melt away.
There is something to be said for a pitcher who actually lives up in the zone. It's the complete opposite of what you normally see, but at the same time it can still produce the same results. But only if you can consistently do that. Just 6 outs away from a Best 8 performance, and instead they're picking up dirt from Koushien to take home as in all likelihood they won't be returning in the summer. But they do rightfully get a round of applause from their huge ouen-dan.
Toukai Dai-yon got lucky. If not for the first error, the rest of the sequence may never have happened because the outfield may not have played as far in as they did. Before that they were getting hits here and there, but they were with outs already on the board and less room for error.
But, a win is a win and they're into the Best 8. No time to rest because Kendai Takasaki is next up. It'll be their first major competitor, and it could get ugly to round out the quarterfinals.
Thursday, March 26, 2015
Day 6, Game 1 - Toukai Dai-yon (Hokkaido) vs. Toyohashi Kougyou (Aichi)
And now out final game of the first round, the Hokkaido champs Toukai Dai-yon versus the last 21 century squad Toyohashi Kougyou.
For Toyohashi Kougyou, seeing Matsuyama Higashi pull off the upset had to be heartening as perhaps they can take something from that to their own performance today. While they are facing the Hokkaido champions, they are facing the Hokkaido champions, and not say a team from the Kanto or Kinki area, et al.
Toukai Dai-yon (Hokkaido)
SS Tomita Yuuki
2B Kanemura Kousei
RF Yamamoto Kouhei
1B Sou Kangi (#7)
LF Shiota Gen
C Ogawa Kouhei
3B Tachibana Susumu (#3)
P Oosawa Shiiya
CF Watase Taiki
Toyohashi Kougyou (Aichi)
1B Chuubachi Takahiro
2B Suzuki Kyouma
SS Egawa Seitarou
P Mori Keima
C Hikosaka Takuma
RF Oka Ryuuki
LF Enomoto Shougo
3B Kawai Tomoya
CF Araki Yuugo (#18)
__________________________________________________
09:00 - First pitch!
Top 1st
I swear, we have the worst internet connection in the city.
I will have to rewatch the 1st inning. I did watch the first strikeout of Tomita. But somewhere along the way in the top of the 1st, Yamamoto hits a triple to right.
Keima in turn replies with striking out Sou, and in turn the side!
Bottom 1st
Again, not really able to watch the inning as carefully as I'd like as I'm trying to catch up, but it would appear that Oosawa is getting ahead of batters and thus able to retire them on less than ideal pitches.
Top 2nd
Keima still cruising along, though he allows Ogawa to get on base with a wild pitch on a strikeout (that's his 3rd already).
Even with one out, Oowaki-kantoku calls for the bunt and Tachibana moves him along.
Oosawa with a base hit to right! Ogawa holds at 3rd.
What's this? The umpires converge and Ogawa is called out at 3rd! The umpires claim that the runner made contact with the 3B coach and as a result is out! Replays show he did touch him and by the letter of the law they're right. But that call seems a bit ticky-tack to me.
With that, the inning is over.
Bottom 2nd
Keima with a blooper to the left side. Sou and Tachibana converge on the ball, but neither of them catch it! Keima on his horse, gets to 2nd and Toyohashi Kougyou is in business! Hikosaka lays down the bunt and now a sac fly can give them the lead.
Oka line shot! But it's right at Tomita! He goest to 3rd, but the runner is back. 2 out!
SANSHIN!!!!!!!
Oosawa pulls out the curve and Enomoto strikes out to end the inning!
Top 3rd
Watase looking to regain the momentum of the 2nd inning, singles through the left side. Tomita bunts him along.
But Keima comes back and strikes out Kanemura on an outside fastball. He's almost out of the jam again!
Yamamoto though won't go away easily, and perhaps with a base open Keima errors on the side of caution and walks him as it would create a force.
But a pitch from Keima goes off Hikosaka's glove and to the backstop! Hikosaka recovers, but the throw to 3rd is late! Runners at 2nd and 3rd now for Toukai!
And perhaps again with a base open, Keima is more apt to walk the batter to create a force at any base.
It works to perfection! Shiota grounds to 3rd and Kawai takes it to the bag for the 3rd out!
Bottom 3rd
Kawai leads off the inning with a single to left. Araki to bunt, no!
He pulls it back and swings away! It's a grounder through the drawn in infield and now Toyohashi has runners on 1st and 2nd with no out!
Chuubachi is not bunting as well. Instead, Hayashi-kantoku calls for a hit-and-run! He strikes out, but the throw to 3rd is not in time!! Runners on 2nd and 3rd with 1 down!
Suzuki with a chance to drive in 2, but he hits one right back to Oosawa! He looks to 3rd and has Kawai in no-man's land! He runs him back to 3rd where Araki is already, but it's Araki who is out (Kawai had rights to return to the bag). Suzuki goes to 2nd.
Oosawa gets out of the jam! Egawa grounds out to 2nd and the runners are stranded!
Top 4th
Ogawa with a line single to right to get another leadoff runner on. Tachibana bunts him along.
Oosawa can only move the runner to 3rd with a groundout.
Watase is jammed! It's a fly ball to left and Enomoto is there for the catch! Another runner left stranded!
Bottom 4th
One down and Hikosaka gets on base when Tachibana airmails a throw. Oka not bunting, but Oosawa catches him trying to leave early! He's run down and that's a baserunning error by the team from Aichi.
Ah, but Oosawa hits Oka, and the runner is right back on base.
Uh oh, a pitch from Oosawa goes off Ogawa's glove! Oka takes off for 2nd, Ogawa with the throw...
OUT!!! Ogawa recovers just in time to get the out at 2nd and Toyohashi has run themselves out of the inning!
Top 5th
Tomita with a liner up the middle, but Keima snipes it for the out.
I never got a chance to mention it before, but ace Keima can throw in the upper 130s, which isn't bad.
He also apparently throws a heavy fastball, because I swear when Kanemura swings over a ball for his 6th K, it looks like it has a late dip.
And now he strikes out Yamamoto on a fastball inside! That's 7 K's already!
Bottom 5th
Oosawa would like an easy inning. It's been rather busy the last couple.
He gets that as he retires the bottom of the Toyohashi order to send us to the break. And much like the last game of yesterday, it's the 21st century team that has the advantage halfway through!
Top 6th
Make that 8 Ks! He paints the outside corner on Sou and he goes down looking!
Shoita grounds to 3rd, but Kawai airmails the throw into the camera well! Shiota is awarded 2nd.
Ogawa can't get the base hit, but moves the runner along.
But 3rd's as far as they'll go again! Tachibana flies out to center and another runner is stranded in scoring position!
Bottom 6th
Oosawa, maybe needing the break, comes back with vigor to start the 2nd half.
Chuubachi does down swinging on a well placed fastball. After a groundout by Suzuki, he climbs the ladder on Egawa to end the inning.
Top 7th
Oosawa needing something for his team, does it himself as he singles to the right side. Watase bunts him along.
Tomita grounder to 2nd, Suzuki with it, but doesn't throw to 1st! All safe!
Suzuki didn't throw to 1st because Chuubachi had overrun the bag and needed to get back! But now there's 2 runners on instead of 1 and 2 out!
Kanemura asked to bunt, but he's unable to lay it down. Down 0-2, he goes for the three bunt! But it goes back foul and he's out! 2 down!
Yamamoto up, and Keima is being awfully careful with him again.
Oowaki-kantoku then decided to send the runners! Throw to 3rd, but not time!! Everyone's safe!
Again, with 1st open and Yamamoto up, they given him the free pass to hopefully get the double play.
Sou pops it up! Suzuki goes out to shallow right as Oka comes in.
AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Perhaps concerned with running into Oka, the ball goes off Suzuki's glove and falls down! Everyone scores as Sou eases into 3rd and Toukai Dai-yon has a 3-0 lead! Toyohashi had been doing so well until that point, you'd think they have a chance and then something like this happens!
Shiota strikes out making to for Keima, but the more important number is the 3 that Toukai Dai-yon has put on here in the 7th!
Bottom 7th
Toyohasi Kougyou continues to fight though, but have failed to get the opportunities they did early on. The best shot they had was a liner back to Oosawa by Hikosaka.
Top 8th
Despite the 3 runs, Toukai continues to struggle against Keima. In fact he racks up 2 more strikeouts in a 1-2-3 inning.
Bottom 8th
There's some hope for Toyohashi Kougyou as PH #10 Nakamura (in for Kawai), draws a walk. He's replaced by #16 Ukai.
Araki with a liner up the middle, but Tomita makes the leaping catch as Ukai has to scramble back.
Ukai then takes off for 2nd, and doesn't draw a throw! You could argue that that particular run doesn't matter, but it kind of does in that perhaps plating the first run might lead to more.
But Chuubachi can't get the key hit! He pops out to Sou and the inning is over.
Top 9th
#14 Ogiwara comes in to play 3B.
Keima finishes his complete game with a flourish, striking out Kanemura looking to make 13 on the day. But it looks like it'll come in a losing effort.
Bottom 9th
There's no comeback for the boys from Aichi. Oosawa shuts the door himself with 2 strikeouts, giving him 10 for the game. Toukai Dai-yon advances with a 3-0 win.
You never want to see the game decided by something like an error. But it was a dropped catch in the "lucky" 7 that wound up being the difference. Keima did everything he could to keep his team in the game, stymieing the Hokkaido champs throughout the game. And while their chances of getting back to Koushien in the summer are slim (they know that too, as they go to pick up dirt), they shouldn't be disappointed with their performance.
For Toukai Dai-yon, it perhaps wasn't expected for the game to be this close, but at the same time it's not surprising either. While another 21st century team lies next, it's Matsuyama Higashi, and they do not look like an easy game by any means.
For Toyohashi Kougyou, seeing Matsuyama Higashi pull off the upset had to be heartening as perhaps they can take something from that to their own performance today. While they are facing the Hokkaido champions, they are facing the Hokkaido champions, and not say a team from the Kanto or Kinki area, et al.
Toukai Dai-yon (Hokkaido)
SS Tomita Yuuki
2B Kanemura Kousei
RF Yamamoto Kouhei
1B Sou Kangi (#7)
LF Shiota Gen
C Ogawa Kouhei
3B Tachibana Susumu (#3)
P Oosawa Shiiya
CF Watase Taiki
Toyohashi Kougyou (Aichi)
1B Chuubachi Takahiro
2B Suzuki Kyouma
SS Egawa Seitarou
P Mori Keima
C Hikosaka Takuma
RF Oka Ryuuki
LF Enomoto Shougo
3B Kawai Tomoya
CF Araki Yuugo (#18)
__________________________________________________
09:00 - First pitch!
Top 1st
I swear, we have the worst internet connection in the city.
I will have to rewatch the 1st inning. I did watch the first strikeout of Tomita. But somewhere along the way in the top of the 1st, Yamamoto hits a triple to right.
Keima in turn replies with striking out Sou, and in turn the side!
Bottom 1st
Again, not really able to watch the inning as carefully as I'd like as I'm trying to catch up, but it would appear that Oosawa is getting ahead of batters and thus able to retire them on less than ideal pitches.
Top 2nd
Keima still cruising along, though he allows Ogawa to get on base with a wild pitch on a strikeout (that's his 3rd already).
Even with one out, Oowaki-kantoku calls for the bunt and Tachibana moves him along.
Oosawa with a base hit to right! Ogawa holds at 3rd.
What's this? The umpires converge and Ogawa is called out at 3rd! The umpires claim that the runner made contact with the 3B coach and as a result is out! Replays show he did touch him and by the letter of the law they're right. But that call seems a bit ticky-tack to me.
With that, the inning is over.
Bottom 2nd
Keima with a blooper to the left side. Sou and Tachibana converge on the ball, but neither of them catch it! Keima on his horse, gets to 2nd and Toyohashi Kougyou is in business! Hikosaka lays down the bunt and now a sac fly can give them the lead.
Oka line shot! But it's right at Tomita! He goest to 3rd, but the runner is back. 2 out!
SANSHIN!!!!!!!
Oosawa pulls out the curve and Enomoto strikes out to end the inning!
Top 3rd
Watase looking to regain the momentum of the 2nd inning, singles through the left side. Tomita bunts him along.
But Keima comes back and strikes out Kanemura on an outside fastball. He's almost out of the jam again!
Yamamoto though won't go away easily, and perhaps with a base open Keima errors on the side of caution and walks him as it would create a force.
But a pitch from Keima goes off Hikosaka's glove and to the backstop! Hikosaka recovers, but the throw to 3rd is late! Runners at 2nd and 3rd now for Toukai!
And perhaps again with a base open, Keima is more apt to walk the batter to create a force at any base.
It works to perfection! Shiota grounds to 3rd and Kawai takes it to the bag for the 3rd out!
Bottom 3rd
Kawai leads off the inning with a single to left. Araki to bunt, no!
He pulls it back and swings away! It's a grounder through the drawn in infield and now Toyohashi has runners on 1st and 2nd with no out!
Chuubachi is not bunting as well. Instead, Hayashi-kantoku calls for a hit-and-run! He strikes out, but the throw to 3rd is not in time!! Runners on 2nd and 3rd with 1 down!
Suzuki with a chance to drive in 2, but he hits one right back to Oosawa! He looks to 3rd and has Kawai in no-man's land! He runs him back to 3rd where Araki is already, but it's Araki who is out (Kawai had rights to return to the bag). Suzuki goes to 2nd.
Oosawa gets out of the jam! Egawa grounds out to 2nd and the runners are stranded!
Top 4th
Ogawa with a line single to right to get another leadoff runner on. Tachibana bunts him along.
Oosawa can only move the runner to 3rd with a groundout.
Watase is jammed! It's a fly ball to left and Enomoto is there for the catch! Another runner left stranded!
Bottom 4th
One down and Hikosaka gets on base when Tachibana airmails a throw. Oka not bunting, but Oosawa catches him trying to leave early! He's run down and that's a baserunning error by the team from Aichi.
Ah, but Oosawa hits Oka, and the runner is right back on base.
Uh oh, a pitch from Oosawa goes off Ogawa's glove! Oka takes off for 2nd, Ogawa with the throw...
OUT!!! Ogawa recovers just in time to get the out at 2nd and Toyohashi has run themselves out of the inning!
Top 5th
Tomita with a liner up the middle, but Keima snipes it for the out.
I never got a chance to mention it before, but ace Keima can throw in the upper 130s, which isn't bad.
He also apparently throws a heavy fastball, because I swear when Kanemura swings over a ball for his 6th K, it looks like it has a late dip.
And now he strikes out Yamamoto on a fastball inside! That's 7 K's already!
Bottom 5th
Oosawa would like an easy inning. It's been rather busy the last couple.
He gets that as he retires the bottom of the Toyohashi order to send us to the break. And much like the last game of yesterday, it's the 21st century team that has the advantage halfway through!
Top 6th
Make that 8 Ks! He paints the outside corner on Sou and he goes down looking!
Shoita grounds to 3rd, but Kawai airmails the throw into the camera well! Shiota is awarded 2nd.
Ogawa can't get the base hit, but moves the runner along.
But 3rd's as far as they'll go again! Tachibana flies out to center and another runner is stranded in scoring position!
Bottom 6th
Oosawa, maybe needing the break, comes back with vigor to start the 2nd half.
Chuubachi does down swinging on a well placed fastball. After a groundout by Suzuki, he climbs the ladder on Egawa to end the inning.
Top 7th
Oosawa needing something for his team, does it himself as he singles to the right side. Watase bunts him along.
Tomita grounder to 2nd, Suzuki with it, but doesn't throw to 1st! All safe!
Suzuki didn't throw to 1st because Chuubachi had overrun the bag and needed to get back! But now there's 2 runners on instead of 1 and 2 out!
Kanemura asked to bunt, but he's unable to lay it down. Down 0-2, he goes for the three bunt! But it goes back foul and he's out! 2 down!
Yamamoto up, and Keima is being awfully careful with him again.
Oowaki-kantoku then decided to send the runners! Throw to 3rd, but not time!! Everyone's safe!
Again, with 1st open and Yamamoto up, they given him the free pass to hopefully get the double play.
Sou pops it up! Suzuki goes out to shallow right as Oka comes in.
AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Perhaps concerned with running into Oka, the ball goes off Suzuki's glove and falls down! Everyone scores as Sou eases into 3rd and Toukai Dai-yon has a 3-0 lead! Toyohashi had been doing so well until that point, you'd think they have a chance and then something like this happens!
Shiota strikes out making to for Keima, but the more important number is the 3 that Toukai Dai-yon has put on here in the 7th!
Bottom 7th
Toyohasi Kougyou continues to fight though, but have failed to get the opportunities they did early on. The best shot they had was a liner back to Oosawa by Hikosaka.
Top 8th
Despite the 3 runs, Toukai continues to struggle against Keima. In fact he racks up 2 more strikeouts in a 1-2-3 inning.
Bottom 8th
There's some hope for Toyohashi Kougyou as PH #10 Nakamura (in for Kawai), draws a walk. He's replaced by #16 Ukai.
Araki with a liner up the middle, but Tomita makes the leaping catch as Ukai has to scramble back.
Ukai then takes off for 2nd, and doesn't draw a throw! You could argue that that particular run doesn't matter, but it kind of does in that perhaps plating the first run might lead to more.
But Chuubachi can't get the key hit! He pops out to Sou and the inning is over.
Top 9th
#14 Ogiwara comes in to play 3B.
Keima finishes his complete game with a flourish, striking out Kanemura looking to make 13 on the day. But it looks like it'll come in a losing effort.
Bottom 9th
There's no comeback for the boys from Aichi. Oosawa shuts the door himself with 2 strikeouts, giving him 10 for the game. Toukai Dai-yon advances with a 3-0 win.
You never want to see the game decided by something like an error. But it was a dropped catch in the "lucky" 7 that wound up being the difference. Keima did everything he could to keep his team in the game, stymieing the Hokkaido champs throughout the game. And while their chances of getting back to Koushien in the summer are slim (they know that too, as they go to pick up dirt), they shouldn't be disappointed with their performance.
For Toukai Dai-yon, it perhaps wasn't expected for the game to be this close, but at the same time it's not surprising either. While another 21st century team lies next, it's Matsuyama Higashi, and they do not look like an easy game by any means.
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
Reviewing the field - Hokkaido champs Toukai Dai-yon
Over the next month or so I will be trying to review all 32 teams that have qualified for this year's Haru Koushien noting players to watch, and chances in the tournament. First up is the Hokkaido champs Toukai Dai-yon.
Toukai Dai-yon makes a return trip to Koushien after qualifying for the Natsu Koushien last summer. It certainly wasn't an easy trip back as they had lost all of 4 of their declared roster from the summer. But they advanced out of the regionals despite narrow victories over Sapporo Ryuukoku, Sapporo Asahigaoka and Sapporo Ootani.
Onto the super-regionals, and they certainly faces tougher competition rallying from down 2-1 to defeat Kitami Kougyou 3-2 in the bottom of the 9th in the quarterfinals before trading blows with Hokkai eventually winning 3-2.
From the Meiji Jingu roster it looks like former #18 Oosawa Shiiya (大澤 志意也) has taken over duties as the staff ace. He's not a dominator on the mound, topping out at a reported 138 with a standard curve/slider combo. If you wish to follow him, you can do so. I can add more players who have twitter accounts if you like to follow them. Just let me know.
The roster as of the Meiji Jingu tournament was as follows:
Toukai Dai-yon makes a return trip to Koushien after qualifying for the Natsu Koushien last summer. It certainly wasn't an easy trip back as they had lost all of 4 of their declared roster from the summer. But they advanced out of the regionals despite narrow victories over Sapporo Ryuukoku, Sapporo Asahigaoka and Sapporo Ootani.
Onto the super-regionals, and they certainly faces tougher competition rallying from down 2-1 to defeat Kitami Kougyou 3-2 in the bottom of the 9th in the quarterfinals before trading blows with Hokkai eventually winning 3-2.
From the Meiji Jingu roster it looks like former #18 Oosawa Shiiya (大澤 志意也) has taken over duties as the staff ace. He's not a dominator on the mound, topping out at a reported 138 with a standard curve/slider combo. If you wish to follow him, you can do so. I can add more players who have twitter accounts if you like to follow them. Just let me know.
The roster as of the Meiji Jingu tournament was as follows:
- P Oosawa Shiiya (大澤 志意也)
- C Oogawa Kouhei (小川 孝平)
- (1B) Nakajima Hiroki (中島 弘貴)
- 2B Kanemura Kousei (金村 航成)
- 3B Saitou Ryuusei (斎藤 龍生)
- SS Tomita Yuuki (冨田 勇輝)
- 1B Sou Kangi (邵 広基)
- LF Sakon Taisei (左近 太勢)
- CF Yamamoto Kousei (山本 浩平)
- (OF) Miyazaki Hayato (宮崎 隼斗)
- CF/(P) Watanabe Atsushi (渡邉 敦史)
- (C) Nouguchi Daiki (納口 大樹)
- (OF) Sakamoto Towa (酒本 永遠)
- (IF) Tachibana Sou (立花 奏)
- (IF) Yoshida Yuuma (吉田 祐真)
- (IF) Murase Wataru (村瀬 渉)
- (OF) Ueno Daiki (上野 大貴)
- (P) Gon Towon (権 濤源)
I haven't really found much information on the team, but given their path in the fall and their 10-0 loss to Urawa Gakuin at Meiji Jingu suggest that their time will depend on their matchup.
Monday, October 20, 2014
The road to senbatsu - Hokkaido champion decided!
Well, guess who's on a roll now?
After finally getting back to Koushien this past summer, Toukai Dai-yon decided that they liked it there enough to go back there again in the spring!
Oddly, they had trouble in the quarterfinals of the super-regional against Kitami Kougyou, as they rallied from down 2-0 in the final 2 innings with 2 in the bottom of the 9th to walk off to the semifinals. Compare that to the very next game where they mercy-ruled Komadai Tomakomai 14-7 in 7 innings!
They would have to face a Hokkai squad looking to wipe the bad taste of the summer from their mouths, and having to face Hokkaido Sakae, Hokushou and Sapporo Nichidai just to reach the finals - certainly more difficult that what Toukai Dai-yon had to face,
And yet, while the game was close, Toukai Dai-yon never trailed - scoring a run in the first on their way to a 3-2 win for their 5th title and 1st in 14 years. This guarantees them a bid at senbatsu and a chance to earn the region one more bid at the Meiji Jingu tournament.
After finally getting back to Koushien this past summer, Toukai Dai-yon decided that they liked it there enough to go back there again in the spring!
Oddly, they had trouble in the quarterfinals of the super-regional against Kitami Kougyou, as they rallied from down 2-0 in the final 2 innings with 2 in the bottom of the 9th to walk off to the semifinals. Compare that to the very next game where they mercy-ruled Komadai Tomakomai 14-7 in 7 innings!
They would have to face a Hokkai squad looking to wipe the bad taste of the summer from their mouths, and having to face Hokkaido Sakae, Hokushou and Sapporo Nichidai just to reach the finals - certainly more difficult that what Toukai Dai-yon had to face,
And yet, while the game was close, Toukai Dai-yon never trailed - scoring a run in the first on their way to a 3-2 win for their 5th title and 1st in 14 years. This guarantees them a bid at senbatsu and a chance to earn the region one more bid at the Meiji Jingu tournament.
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
Day 9, Game 1 - Yamagata Chuo (Yamagata) v. Toukai Dai-yon (Minami Hokkaido)
Today finishes up the 2nd round and begins the acceleration towards the final. 3 spots on Day 11 are left and Yazu, Oumi and Kendai Takasaki await their opponents. My guess is, all 3 would like to know their opponent sooner rather than later, because those 3 are playing musical chairs with the winner actually being the loser. Because the last one standing draws the winner of Meitoku Gijyuku and Osaka Touin.
But we're getting a little ahead of ourselves. First up, two rather unlikely teams in Yamagata Chuo and Toukai Dai-yon battle it out for a spot in the round of 16.
Toukai Dai-yon shocked a lot of us when they outplayed Wakao-kantoku and Kyushu Kokusaidai Fuzoku to the tune of 6 runs and tossing a 5-hitter. Yes, Fukuoka is uncharacteristically weak for a metropolitan prefecture, but coming from Hokkaido? And from a tier 3 school in Toukai Dai-yon?
Yikes.
The biggest surprise? Ace Nishijima Ryouta. Not only was it a 5-hitter he throw, but he struck out 12 while walking 3.
12!
Those are number that you would expect to see when they're in prefectural play. Not at Koushien. It's not like he throws hard - in fact his velo is average for an ace pitcher (~mid-130s fastball). 9 were swinging, so perhaps it was due to poor plate discipline, but we'll just have to see if he can repeat his performance.
As for Yamagata Chuo, that was one of the days my body was pretty much shutting down on me. But from what I remember, I questioned whey they replaced Hayasaka when he was so effective. And it was that in the 9th inning, with Komatsu having gone to their 4th pitcher, that they completely collapsed as they watched as Yamagata Chuo score 4 runs to take the lead - and eventually win 9-8.
Suffice it to say, this team has flaws. Ace Ishikawa was responsible for putting his team in the hole giving up 6 runs in less than 4 innings of work. Their 2nd year reliever Satou was far more effective, despite the fact he gave up 6 free passes (he did only give up 2 hits in his 5.1 IP of work).
On offense, yes they scored 9 runs, but it was thanks to the bottom of the lineup. That's nice to see, but at the same time having the heart of your order go 3-13 looks really bad.
Yamagata Chuo (Yamagata)
2B Takahashi Yuusuke (#14)
LF Satou Miharu (#13)
RF Nagai Daichi
3B Aoki Riku
1B Takahashi Kazuki
SS Nakamura Ryuu
CF Takahashi Ryousuke
C Abe Koutarou
P Satou Ryousuke (#11)
Toukai Dai-yon (Minami Hokkaido)
CF Takahashi Iwami
2B Ookawara Akira
SS Fukuda Ryouta
LF Ookouchi Wataru
1B Abe Yoshi
RF Takada Shou
P Nishijima Ryouta
C Ueno Jyunki
3B Wakahara Shunnosuke
____________________________________________________________
09:30 - First pitch!
Top 1st
Nishijima already working on his K count. Yuusuke goes down on 3 straight with the finisher being a fastball on the outside edge.
2 down, and Nagai gets the first base hit as he just aims the ball and bloops it into left for a base hit. Aoki grounds to short though, and the inning is over.
Bottom 1st
And as expected, Satou takes the hill first instead of in relief. He strikes out Iwami on a slider to start the inning.
After that he gets 2 easy groundouts and its a scoreless first.
Top 2nd
Kazuki with a drive to deep left center, Iwami sprinting to the wall.. makes the running catch! One down.
2 quick outs now as Nakamura grounds to 1st.
And 2 K's for Nishijima as he gets Ryousuke looking on yet another fastball.
Bottom 2nd
Ookouchi goes after the very slow curve, but can't get a level swing, grounding to 3rd.
There are a lot of batters just looking. Yoshi becomes another such K victim as Ryousuke paints the edge of the zone.
Takada grounds to 1st, Yoshi tosses to Nishijima for the 3rd out.
Top 3rd
More struggles on offense. Koutarou and Satou Ryousuke ground to short.
Ishiakwa tries the slow curve, but Yuusuke pounds it to right field for a base hit.
Koharu then singles past a chasing Ookawara into right.
Nishijima clamps down and gets Nagai on a slider in the dirt for the 3rd out.
Bottom 3rd
Satou allows his first baserunner after walking Nishijima to start the inning. Ueno bunts him along.
And just to show you how low-scoring of an environment this is, Wakahara is also showing bunt.
He hasn't offered yet and gets ahead 2-0. He may not have been meaning to bunt at all as he tries to poke a ball somewhere at 2-1. Does it again at 2-2 and hits a soft liner to Nakamura behind 2nd.
Iwami swings and misses on the outside fastball and the side is retired.
Top 4th
I think Nishijima, knowing this will be a low-scoring game, isn't going for K's but instead bad contact. That would in general use less pitches and save him for later.
And he gets 3 groundouts in 12 pitches. Not bad considering normal pitch counts for a full game starter can go easily into the 120s.
Bottom 4th
Satou hasn't given up a hit, but he issues his 2nd walk to start an inning. Ookawara is the recipient and Fukuda looks to bunt him along.
Even with 2 strikes he tries the bunt, but he pushes it foul and goes down for the first out.
Ookouchi swings away, but flies out to right for the 2nd out.
Ookawara takes things into his own hand and breaks for 2nd! Throw is in the dirt and Koutarou has no play!
SANSHIN!!!
But the ball gets away from Koutarou, and Yoshi reaches safely! The opening run stands 90 feet away now as Shouji-kantoku calls time.
SANSHIN!!!
Satou gets Takada on another slider and this time Koutarou stays with it and tags Takada for the 3rd out!
Top 5th
More futility at the plate Takahashi Ryousuke hits an easy grounder to 2nd. Koutarou gets ahead 3-1, but winds up chasing the slider for a K.
And Satou Ryousuke swings on the first pitch and flies out to Iwami in left center for the 3rd out.
Bottom 5th
Nishijima too tries going on the first pitch, but its a routine fly to left.
Satou Ryousuke finally gets a strike on a slow pitch to Ueno, and strikes him out on a fastball.
Wakahara tries for the drag bunt, but that doesn't work. The teams have combined for 3 hits, and one team has all of them. There are only two walks, and the other team has both of them.
I see enchousen coming.
Top 6th
Yuusuke continues the futility at the plate swinging at a slider outside for another K.
Koharu hits a foul fly to left, Ookouchi has space to make the catch for the out.
And Nagai with a very weak swing grounds right to Yoshi for the 3rd out.
Bottom 6th
Questionable call here, though Satou has thrown a lot of pitches.
#4 Okuyama comes in for Yuusuke and goes to 2B. Ishikawa comes in for Koharu and takes the hill. Satou Ryousuke goes to LF.
And immediately Iwami gets a base hit - a sharp grounder through the right side.
No bunt for Ookawara, but he goes down swinging lunging at a ball outside.
Oowaki-kantoku elects for the hit and run, but Fukuda flies out to right. And while Toukai Dai-yon finally gets their first hit, they can't do anything with it as Ookouchi hits a hard grounder to 3rd to end the inning.
Top 7th
Nishijima finally tries the eephus with 2 out to Nakamura, but it's a ball. Nakamura actually considered bunting it before realizing it was too far away.
But regardless, Nishijima not surprisingly sets down the side in order.
Bottom 7th
#16 Imagawa hits for Yoshi. And hits the first pitch sharply past Aoki for a base hit!
Takada bunts him along, but now you're asking for a base hit, and Nishijima can't oblige. He pops out to Nakamura for the 2nd out.
Ishikawa blows a 148 kph fastball by Ueno for the 3rd out. Toukai Dai-yon is getting more opportunities with Ishikawa on the hill, but still can't do anything about it.
Top 8th
#13 Tomita comes in for PH Imagawa and takes over at 1B.
Oh? Nishijima gives up his first walk to Koutarou with 1 out!Ryousuke bunts him along to 2nd hoping for a one-timer from Okuyama.
Nishijima not even at 100 pitches, but on his 95th he walks Okuyama on 4 straight.
And he misses again to Ishikawa to start his AB! And again!
And again!!! 3-0 to Ishikawa!
Finally a fastball down the middle for a strike. And another to fill up the count.
SANSHIN!!!!
On his 101st pitch Ishikawa can't make contact on the fastball and the side is retired!
Interesting note - whenever he's thrown the eephus, his control as gone away for a little while...
Bottom 8th
They will go with Ishikawa for the rest of the game. #7 Takahashi Ryuusei comes in for Satou Ryousuke and takes over in LF.
Wakahara tries the safety bunt, but Aoki charges in and makes a great throw for the out.
Iwami screamer up the 3rd base line... fair!! Aoki can't get this one and Iwami has a double!
Ookawara not bunting, but Oowaki-kantoku has the hit and run! Ookawara strikes out but Koutarou doesn't throw to 3rd! 2 down, but a run stands 90 feet away!
Ishikawa falling behind Fukuda, count goes to 3-1. But he pops it up! Ryousuke comes in, then has to make a last minute adjustment - but still makes the catch for the 3rd out!
Top 9th
Nagai singles past a diving Wakahara! Yamagata Chuo with only their 2nd leadoff runner!
AHH!! Aoki pops up his bunt! Koharu makes the running catch for the first out!
Kazuki grounder to the left side, Wakahara goes to 2nd for the out.
And with Nakamura grounding out to 2nd, Yamagata Chuo will have to play for enchousen!
Bottom 9th
Ookouchi tries to work the count and get on base, but Ishikawa gets the outside corner for strike 3!
Tomita grounds out to 2nd and we may be headed to enchousen.
Takada ball up the 1st base line... fair!!! Koharu can't get it and it's down the line! He's in with a double and the sayonara run is in scoring position!
Shouji-kantoku calls time as Oowaki-kantoku sends in #17 Yamamoto to run for Takada.
Liner! But Ishikawa snags it and Nishijima can only give a wry smile as we're headed to enchousen!
Top 10th
Yamamoto stays in the game at RF.
Nishijima perhaps running low on gas as he walks Ryousuke to start the inning.
Snap throw from Ueno, WIDE!!!! It goes into right as Ryousuke goes to 2nd! Yamamoto throws to 2nd... HIGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ooukouchi has to run it down and Ryousuke has 3rd base! Oh, what were they thinking??
Oowaki-kantoku calls time, though they're in bad shape.
SANSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nishijima strikes out Koutarou looking for the first out! Can he get the team out of this big pinch?
NO!
Ryuusei singles through the left side and Yamagata Chuo takes the 1-0 lead!
And now Ryuusei takes off for 2nd! Throw from Ueno... short and goes into center!!
Ryuusei taking off for 3rd, throw from Iwami... HIGH!!!!!!!
It goes off Wakahara's stretched out glove and into Toukai's dugout! Ryuusei score on another pair of errors and they lead 2-0!!
Okuyaam singles to center and Toukai may be finished! Shouji-kantoku taking no chances has Ishikawa bunt the runner over to try and get on more run.
But Nishijima strikes out Nagai swinging. Destruction complete though and their ship is left in critical condition.
Bottom 10th
Ueno strikes out swinging on 3 straight.
Wakahara chopper to right side. Kazuki with it, tosses to Ishikawa, but he can't find the bag! Wakahara beats him out and they can bring the douten runner to the plate.
Iwami barely avoids strike 3 once, but gets completely frozen when a change goes over for strike 3. Wakahara takes 2nd, but his run doesn't matter.
Last chance in Ookawara.
But Ishikawa can't (isn't?) throwing a strike?! He falls behind 3-0, and then finally fires one in. Fastball fouled off and the count runs full...
Fouled off...
Grounder to 2nd, Okuyama fumbles it slightly, but goes to 1st and the game is over! Yamagata Chuo survives in enchousen 2-0!
I joked about the lack of offense in the game, but in reality both teams were desperate to score a run and conversely knew that they would need to prevent 1 run. And it was that thinking, that pressure in enchousen that finally got to Toukai Dai-yon and allowed Yamagata Chuo to advance.
Some people would joke that neither team should win given how awful the offenses were. But that's not fair to the kids. They can only play with the talent they're given and if that results in a game like this - so be it.
But you can tell from the Dai-yon player's faces that it's no laughing matter. 21 years they waited only to have it end in this matter? They weren't even alive the last time Dai-yon went. It's a painful way to go.
Yamagata Chuo survives yet again. But for how much longer is debatable.
But we're getting a little ahead of ourselves. First up, two rather unlikely teams in Yamagata Chuo and Toukai Dai-yon battle it out for a spot in the round of 16.
Toukai Dai-yon shocked a lot of us when they outplayed Wakao-kantoku and Kyushu Kokusaidai Fuzoku to the tune of 6 runs and tossing a 5-hitter. Yes, Fukuoka is uncharacteristically weak for a metropolitan prefecture, but coming from Hokkaido? And from a tier 3 school in Toukai Dai-yon?
Yikes.
The biggest surprise? Ace Nishijima Ryouta. Not only was it a 5-hitter he throw, but he struck out 12 while walking 3.
12!
Those are number that you would expect to see when they're in prefectural play. Not at Koushien. It's not like he throws hard - in fact his velo is average for an ace pitcher (~mid-130s fastball). 9 were swinging, so perhaps it was due to poor plate discipline, but we'll just have to see if he can repeat his performance.
As for Yamagata Chuo, that was one of the days my body was pretty much shutting down on me. But from what I remember, I questioned whey they replaced Hayasaka when he was so effective. And it was that in the 9th inning, with Komatsu having gone to their 4th pitcher, that they completely collapsed as they watched as Yamagata Chuo score 4 runs to take the lead - and eventually win 9-8.
Suffice it to say, this team has flaws. Ace Ishikawa was responsible for putting his team in the hole giving up 6 runs in less than 4 innings of work. Their 2nd year reliever Satou was far more effective, despite the fact he gave up 6 free passes (he did only give up 2 hits in his 5.1 IP of work).
On offense, yes they scored 9 runs, but it was thanks to the bottom of the lineup. That's nice to see, but at the same time having the heart of your order go 3-13 looks really bad.
Yamagata Chuo (Yamagata)
2B Takahashi Yuusuke (#14)
LF Satou Miharu (#13)
RF Nagai Daichi
3B Aoki Riku
1B Takahashi Kazuki
SS Nakamura Ryuu
CF Takahashi Ryousuke
C Abe Koutarou
P Satou Ryousuke (#11)
Toukai Dai-yon (Minami Hokkaido)
CF Takahashi Iwami
2B Ookawara Akira
SS Fukuda Ryouta
LF Ookouchi Wataru
1B Abe Yoshi
RF Takada Shou
P Nishijima Ryouta
C Ueno Jyunki
3B Wakahara Shunnosuke
____________________________________________________________
09:30 - First pitch!
Top 1st
Nishijima already working on his K count. Yuusuke goes down on 3 straight with the finisher being a fastball on the outside edge.
2 down, and Nagai gets the first base hit as he just aims the ball and bloops it into left for a base hit. Aoki grounds to short though, and the inning is over.
Bottom 1st
And as expected, Satou takes the hill first instead of in relief. He strikes out Iwami on a slider to start the inning.
After that he gets 2 easy groundouts and its a scoreless first.
Top 2nd
Kazuki with a drive to deep left center, Iwami sprinting to the wall.. makes the running catch! One down.
2 quick outs now as Nakamura grounds to 1st.
And 2 K's for Nishijima as he gets Ryousuke looking on yet another fastball.
Bottom 2nd
Ookouchi goes after the very slow curve, but can't get a level swing, grounding to 3rd.
There are a lot of batters just looking. Yoshi becomes another such K victim as Ryousuke paints the edge of the zone.
Takada grounds to 1st, Yoshi tosses to Nishijima for the 3rd out.
Top 3rd
More struggles on offense. Koutarou and Satou Ryousuke ground to short.
Ishiakwa tries the slow curve, but Yuusuke pounds it to right field for a base hit.
Koharu then singles past a chasing Ookawara into right.
Nishijima clamps down and gets Nagai on a slider in the dirt for the 3rd out.
Bottom 3rd
Satou allows his first baserunner after walking Nishijima to start the inning. Ueno bunts him along.
And just to show you how low-scoring of an environment this is, Wakahara is also showing bunt.
He hasn't offered yet and gets ahead 2-0. He may not have been meaning to bunt at all as he tries to poke a ball somewhere at 2-1. Does it again at 2-2 and hits a soft liner to Nakamura behind 2nd.
Iwami swings and misses on the outside fastball and the side is retired.
Top 4th
I think Nishijima, knowing this will be a low-scoring game, isn't going for K's but instead bad contact. That would in general use less pitches and save him for later.
And he gets 3 groundouts in 12 pitches. Not bad considering normal pitch counts for a full game starter can go easily into the 120s.
Bottom 4th
Satou hasn't given up a hit, but he issues his 2nd walk to start an inning. Ookawara is the recipient and Fukuda looks to bunt him along.
Even with 2 strikes he tries the bunt, but he pushes it foul and goes down for the first out.
Ookouchi swings away, but flies out to right for the 2nd out.
Ookawara takes things into his own hand and breaks for 2nd! Throw is in the dirt and Koutarou has no play!
SANSHIN!!!
But the ball gets away from Koutarou, and Yoshi reaches safely! The opening run stands 90 feet away now as Shouji-kantoku calls time.
SANSHIN!!!
Satou gets Takada on another slider and this time Koutarou stays with it and tags Takada for the 3rd out!
Top 5th
More futility at the plate Takahashi Ryousuke hits an easy grounder to 2nd. Koutarou gets ahead 3-1, but winds up chasing the slider for a K.
And Satou Ryousuke swings on the first pitch and flies out to Iwami in left center for the 3rd out.
Bottom 5th
Nishijima too tries going on the first pitch, but its a routine fly to left.
Satou Ryousuke finally gets a strike on a slow pitch to Ueno, and strikes him out on a fastball.
Wakahara tries for the drag bunt, but that doesn't work. The teams have combined for 3 hits, and one team has all of them. There are only two walks, and the other team has both of them.
I see enchousen coming.
Top 6th
Yuusuke continues the futility at the plate swinging at a slider outside for another K.
Koharu hits a foul fly to left, Ookouchi has space to make the catch for the out.
And Nagai with a very weak swing grounds right to Yoshi for the 3rd out.
Bottom 6th
Questionable call here, though Satou has thrown a lot of pitches.
#4 Okuyama comes in for Yuusuke and goes to 2B. Ishikawa comes in for Koharu and takes the hill. Satou Ryousuke goes to LF.
And immediately Iwami gets a base hit - a sharp grounder through the right side.
No bunt for Ookawara, but he goes down swinging lunging at a ball outside.
Oowaki-kantoku elects for the hit and run, but Fukuda flies out to right. And while Toukai Dai-yon finally gets their first hit, they can't do anything with it as Ookouchi hits a hard grounder to 3rd to end the inning.
Top 7th
Nishijima finally tries the eephus with 2 out to Nakamura, but it's a ball. Nakamura actually considered bunting it before realizing it was too far away.
But regardless, Nishijima not surprisingly sets down the side in order.
Bottom 7th
#16 Imagawa hits for Yoshi. And hits the first pitch sharply past Aoki for a base hit!
Takada bunts him along, but now you're asking for a base hit, and Nishijima can't oblige. He pops out to Nakamura for the 2nd out.
Ishikawa blows a 148 kph fastball by Ueno for the 3rd out. Toukai Dai-yon is getting more opportunities with Ishikawa on the hill, but still can't do anything about it.
Top 8th
#13 Tomita comes in for PH Imagawa and takes over at 1B.
Oh? Nishijima gives up his first walk to Koutarou with 1 out!Ryousuke bunts him along to 2nd hoping for a one-timer from Okuyama.
Nishijima not even at 100 pitches, but on his 95th he walks Okuyama on 4 straight.
And he misses again to Ishikawa to start his AB! And again!
And again!!! 3-0 to Ishikawa!
Finally a fastball down the middle for a strike. And another to fill up the count.
SANSHIN!!!!
On his 101st pitch Ishikawa can't make contact on the fastball and the side is retired!
Interesting note - whenever he's thrown the eephus, his control as gone away for a little while...
Bottom 8th
They will go with Ishikawa for the rest of the game. #7 Takahashi Ryuusei comes in for Satou Ryousuke and takes over in LF.
Wakahara tries the safety bunt, but Aoki charges in and makes a great throw for the out.
Iwami screamer up the 3rd base line... fair!! Aoki can't get this one and Iwami has a double!
Ookawara not bunting, but Oowaki-kantoku has the hit and run! Ookawara strikes out but Koutarou doesn't throw to 3rd! 2 down, but a run stands 90 feet away!
Ishikawa falling behind Fukuda, count goes to 3-1. But he pops it up! Ryousuke comes in, then has to make a last minute adjustment - but still makes the catch for the 3rd out!
Top 9th
Nagai singles past a diving Wakahara! Yamagata Chuo with only their 2nd leadoff runner!
AHH!! Aoki pops up his bunt! Koharu makes the running catch for the first out!
Kazuki grounder to the left side, Wakahara goes to 2nd for the out.
And with Nakamura grounding out to 2nd, Yamagata Chuo will have to play for enchousen!
Bottom 9th
Ookouchi tries to work the count and get on base, but Ishikawa gets the outside corner for strike 3!
Tomita grounds out to 2nd and we may be headed to enchousen.
Takada ball up the 1st base line... fair!!! Koharu can't get it and it's down the line! He's in with a double and the sayonara run is in scoring position!
Shouji-kantoku calls time as Oowaki-kantoku sends in #17 Yamamoto to run for Takada.
Liner! But Ishikawa snags it and Nishijima can only give a wry smile as we're headed to enchousen!
Top 10th
Yamamoto stays in the game at RF.
Nishijima perhaps running low on gas as he walks Ryousuke to start the inning.
Snap throw from Ueno, WIDE!!!! It goes into right as Ryousuke goes to 2nd! Yamamoto throws to 2nd... HIGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ooukouchi has to run it down and Ryousuke has 3rd base! Oh, what were they thinking??
Oowaki-kantoku calls time, though they're in bad shape.
SANSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nishijima strikes out Koutarou looking for the first out! Can he get the team out of this big pinch?
NO!
Ryuusei singles through the left side and Yamagata Chuo takes the 1-0 lead!
And now Ryuusei takes off for 2nd! Throw from Ueno... short and goes into center!!
Ryuusei taking off for 3rd, throw from Iwami... HIGH!!!!!!!
It goes off Wakahara's stretched out glove and into Toukai's dugout! Ryuusei score on another pair of errors and they lead 2-0!!
Okuyaam singles to center and Toukai may be finished! Shouji-kantoku taking no chances has Ishikawa bunt the runner over to try and get on more run.
But Nishijima strikes out Nagai swinging. Destruction complete though and their ship is left in critical condition.
Bottom 10th
Ueno strikes out swinging on 3 straight.
Wakahara chopper to right side. Kazuki with it, tosses to Ishikawa, but he can't find the bag! Wakahara beats him out and they can bring the douten runner to the plate.
Iwami barely avoids strike 3 once, but gets completely frozen when a change goes over for strike 3. Wakahara takes 2nd, but his run doesn't matter.
Last chance in Ookawara.
But Ishikawa can't (isn't?) throwing a strike?! He falls behind 3-0, and then finally fires one in. Fastball fouled off and the count runs full...
Fouled off...
Grounder to 2nd, Okuyama fumbles it slightly, but goes to 1st and the game is over! Yamagata Chuo survives in enchousen 2-0!
I joked about the lack of offense in the game, but in reality both teams were desperate to score a run and conversely knew that they would need to prevent 1 run. And it was that thinking, that pressure in enchousen that finally got to Toukai Dai-yon and allowed Yamagata Chuo to advance.
Some people would joke that neither team should win given how awful the offenses were. But that's not fair to the kids. They can only play with the talent they're given and if that results in a game like this - so be it.
But you can tell from the Dai-yon player's faces that it's no laughing matter. 21 years they waited only to have it end in this matter? They weren't even alive the last time Dai-yon went. It's a painful way to go.
Yamagata Chuo survives yet again. But for how much longer is debatable.
Thursday, August 14, 2014
Day 4, Game 2 - Toukai Dai-yon (Minami Hokkaido) v. Kyushu Kokusaidai Fuzoku (Fukuoka)
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Toukai Dai-yon (Minami Hokkaido)
CF Takahashi Iwami
2B Oogawara Akira
SS Fukuda Ryouta
LF Ookouchi Wataru
1B Abe Yoshi
RF Takada Shou
P Nishijima Ryouta
C Ueno Jyunki
3B Wakahara Shunnosuke
Kyushu Kokusaidai Fuzoku (Fukuoka)
2B Nakao Hayato
RF Kawaguchi Shuu
SS Furusawa Shougo
C Shimizu Yuki
CF Hikida Rentarou
3B Yamamoto Musashi
LF Nakatani Kousuke
P Tomiyama Ryouga (#13)
1B Kobayashi Taiki (#15)
____________________________________________________________
10:30 - First Pitch!
1st Inning
Tomiyama getting the bench start instead of ace Andou, but he starts off well with a strikeout of Takahashi. Oogawara swings at a ball outside and flies out to left, and Fukuda just watches a fastball go by for the 3rd out.
Nakao with a hard grounder to short, Fukuda stops it but then loses the handle on the ball! E6 gives Kyuukoku a base runner. But Ueno makes a snap throw to 1st and they get him napping on the bases!
Not to be outdone, Nishijima uses his offspeed pitches to fool Kawaguchi and Furusawa and rackup a pair of K's himself.
2nd Inning
One down for Toukai and Abe gives a ball a ride, but gets under it and allows Hikida to catch up to it in front of the fence in right center.
Takada goes down swinging on a fastball high and away and the side is retired.
Shimizu starts off the inning with a single to the left side. And he takes off for 2nd! Ookouchi's throw in is too high for Fukuda and allows him to take 2nd!
Hikida with a single to left, and Ookouchi's boots the ball! It stays close to him, but a shaky start for Toukai's LF.
Yamamoto not bunting, and Nishijima gets him to chase a slider in the dirt for the first out.
Now a wild pitch from Nishijima allows Hikida to take 2nd. Base hit can score 2 now.
Nakatani a bit eager swings on the next 2 pitches to fill up the count before finally taking a pitch for ball 4. Manrui now for pitcher Tomiyama.
Nishijima still going to his offspeed pitches, but gets into a corner when the count reaches 3 balls. That's when he goes to the fastball and gets him swinging for the 2nd out!
Nishijima wanted that 0-2 pitch to Kobayashi, but the umpire isn't biting. He tries to entice a swing, but Kobayashi isn't buying that either!
あ！
Nishijima catches Hikida taking off early and he's caught in no man's land! Shimizu tries to get home before the tag, but Hikida can't buy enough time and Toukai is out of the pinch!
Top 3rd
Nishijima finally gets a hit off of his counterpart, a nice single back up the middle with one down.
Wakahara showing bunt but goes buster and singles through the right side!
Takahashi goes down and loops a ball to shallow left! Nishijima being sent home, throw is cutoff and Toukai Dai-yon takes the 1-0 lead!
And now ace Andou enters the game for Kyuukoku!
Oogawara with a liner to left center! That'll score Wakahara and it's 2-0 Toukai! Still 1 down, runners at the corners!
Fukuda with a fly ball to left and that'll be deep enough to score the runner from 3rd and it's 3-0!
Ookouchi with a slicer down the left field line! Nakatani takes a bad route to the ball and it goes all the way to the wall! Oogawara scores to make it a 4-0 ballgame!
Abe flies out to center, but Toukai Dai-yon strikes Kyuukoku hard here in the 3rd!
Bottom 3rd
And it's Kyuukoku that's having trouble finding traction in their offense. One down and a hard liner by Nakao is snagged by a leaping Oogawara. Kawaguchi would go down swinging thereafter and it's a quick inning for Nishijima.
Top 4th
Oowaki-kantoku looks for insurance runs as after a one-out single by Ueno, he has Nishijima bunt him into scoring position. However Wakahara grounds to 2nd to end the inning.
Bottom 4th
Nishijima unleashes his eephus pitch, which apparently went 50 kph and was a ball. The crowd goes wild.
Yoshizawa meanwhile tries to drive a pitch deep, but Takahashi has no problems getting under it for the out.
Meanwhile Shimizu can only watch a fastball hit the outside corner for strike 3, and Hikida can't help but go after an outside slider for another K.
Top 5th
Oogawara gets his 2nd base hit, with another single to center. Ookouchi with 2 down singles to center! Hikida throws to 3rd.. and it gets by everyone! Oogawara scrambles home and it's 5-0 on the error!
Abe grounds out to end the inning, but Kyuukoku looks uncharacteristically sloppy.
Bottom 5th
Yamamoto swings and misses on a slider by Ueno can't block the ball and Yamamoto reaches 1st on the pitch.
There's no bunting from Wakao-kantoku, and that allows Nishijima to strike out Nakatani looking on another well-placed fastball.
Kobayashi trying really hard to turn over the lineup, works the count full.
But it's no use! He freezes on a fastball inside and Nishijima has 10, 10(!) K's going into the break! Who saw this coming?!
Top 6th
Defensive change as #12 Iwasaki comes in for Nakatani and takes over in left.
Takada with a shallow liner down the right field line, Kawaguchi charges in, slides, but can't make the catch! Takada winds up at 2nd, though is promptly bunted to 3rd. Nishijima can't bring him home as he hits a slow grounder to the right side. Furusawa crashing in makes sure that Takada can't come home on the throw.
Andou leaves that runner stranded as he gets Wakahara looking on a slider and he keeps the deficit at 5.
Bottom 6th
Nishiima helps get Kyuukoku's inning started by hitting Nakao.
But as easily as he gives them something he takes it away! Kawaguchi comebacker to Nishijima and he starts the 1-6-3 double play!
And it's another eephus! It's right in Ueno's glove but no strike.
Another one! But this one is really short and definitely not a strike.
Perhaps the baseball gods say that's enough as Yoshizawa lines a ball over a leaping Abe for a double.
Shimizu with a drive to deep left! Ookouchi to the wall and it's off the top of the padding! Yoshizawa scores and Kyuukoku is on the board at 5-1!
Punishment over though as Yamamoto pops it up! Fukuda under it, makes the catch for the 3rd out. Kyuukoku gets a run back, but nothing more.
Top 7th
#3 Tezuka in the game for Kobayashi at 1B
And Takahashi booms a ball to left! Iwasaki playing way in has to chase after it and he's in with a triple! That's paid off right afterwards with a sac fly from Oogawara and Toukai gets the run right back at 6-1!
Fukuda grounds to 1st, but Tezuka can't field it cleanly, tries to make the stretch to the bag, but it's not in time! E3 and things really looking bad for Kyuukoku.
Ookouchi with a single through the left side and now Wakao-kantoku has #11 Germais warming up in the bullpen.
And now a balk is called! Andou drops the ball while set and the runners get to advance!
However, neither Abe or Takada can drive in the runs so Toukai Dai-yon has to settle for getting the run back.
Bottom 7th
Andou manages a one-out single, but all Tezuka and Nishio can do is hit grounders to 2nd...
Top 8th
Wakahara, in an attempt to pad his stats (kidding) succeeds in a bunt single with 2 down. Takahashi then tries to run with it singling to center.
Andou ends such shenanigans by getting Oogawara to hit a weak comebacker at him for the 3rd out.
Bottom 8th
Nishijima throws the eephus yet again, apparently not having learned his lesson. Though I think he's trying to get it called a strike.
Anyways, he retires the side in order as he climbs the ladder on Shimizu for his 11th K.
Top 9th
Abe is able to check in with a base hit in the 9th before being picked off late in Takada's AB, but they're looking to get to the finish line now.
Bottom 9th
Kyuukoku obliges with PH Aoki popping out to Abe for the final out.
So in an unexpected result, Toukai Dai-yon has no trouble with Kyushu Kokusaidai Fuzoku and wins handily 6-1!
Usually teams from Hokkaido do not fare well, not dominate in the manner that Toukai Dai-yon did, this after being away from Koushien for 21 years! Nishijima records 12 Ks, and gives up just 5 hits in the effort. Despite the fact that Fukuoka isn't a strong prefecture the stat lines are still impressive. Kyushu Kokusaidai Fuzoku wil just have to reload and try again next year.
It'll be interesting to see how Toukai Dai-yon will do in their next game given the results. It was a dominating performance, but not to the extent that they are say dark horses now to win it all.
(Notable Players to be done later)
Toukai Dai-yon (Minami Hokkaido)
CF Takahashi Iwami
2B Oogawara Akira
SS Fukuda Ryouta
LF Ookouchi Wataru
1B Abe Yoshi
RF Takada Shou
P Nishijima Ryouta
C Ueno Jyunki
3B Wakahara Shunnosuke
Kyushu Kokusaidai Fuzoku (Fukuoka)
2B Nakao Hayato
RF Kawaguchi Shuu
SS Furusawa Shougo
C Shimizu Yuki
CF Hikida Rentarou
3B Yamamoto Musashi
LF Nakatani Kousuke
P Tomiyama Ryouga (#13)
1B Kobayashi Taiki (#15)
____________________________________________________________
10:30 - First Pitch!
1st Inning
Tomiyama getting the bench start instead of ace Andou, but he starts off well with a strikeout of Takahashi. Oogawara swings at a ball outside and flies out to left, and Fukuda just watches a fastball go by for the 3rd out.
Nakao with a hard grounder to short, Fukuda stops it but then loses the handle on the ball! E6 gives Kyuukoku a base runner. But Ueno makes a snap throw to 1st and they get him napping on the bases!
Not to be outdone, Nishijima uses his offspeed pitches to fool Kawaguchi and Furusawa and rackup a pair of K's himself.
2nd Inning
One down for Toukai and Abe gives a ball a ride, but gets under it and allows Hikida to catch up to it in front of the fence in right center.
Takada goes down swinging on a fastball high and away and the side is retired.
Shimizu starts off the inning with a single to the left side. And he takes off for 2nd! Ookouchi's throw in is too high for Fukuda and allows him to take 2nd!
Hikida with a single to left, and Ookouchi's boots the ball! It stays close to him, but a shaky start for Toukai's LF.
Yamamoto not bunting, and Nishijima gets him to chase a slider in the dirt for the first out.
Now a wild pitch from Nishijima allows Hikida to take 2nd. Base hit can score 2 now.
Nakatani a bit eager swings on the next 2 pitches to fill up the count before finally taking a pitch for ball 4. Manrui now for pitcher Tomiyama.
Nishijima still going to his offspeed pitches, but gets into a corner when the count reaches 3 balls. That's when he goes to the fastball and gets him swinging for the 2nd out!
Nishijima wanted that 0-2 pitch to Kobayashi, but the umpire isn't biting. He tries to entice a swing, but Kobayashi isn't buying that either!
あ！
Nishijima catches Hikida taking off early and he's caught in no man's land! Shimizu tries to get home before the tag, but Hikida can't buy enough time and Toukai is out of the pinch!
Top 3rd
Nishijima finally gets a hit off of his counterpart, a nice single back up the middle with one down.
Wakahara showing bunt but goes buster and singles through the right side!
Takahashi goes down and loops a ball to shallow left! Nishijima being sent home, throw is cutoff and Toukai Dai-yon takes the 1-0 lead!
And now ace Andou enters the game for Kyuukoku!
Oogawara with a liner to left center! That'll score Wakahara and it's 2-0 Toukai! Still 1 down, runners at the corners!
Fukuda with a fly ball to left and that'll be deep enough to score the runner from 3rd and it's 3-0!
Ookouchi with a slicer down the left field line! Nakatani takes a bad route to the ball and it goes all the way to the wall! Oogawara scores to make it a 4-0 ballgame!
Abe flies out to center, but Toukai Dai-yon strikes Kyuukoku hard here in the 3rd!
Bottom 3rd
And it's Kyuukoku that's having trouble finding traction in their offense. One down and a hard liner by Nakao is snagged by a leaping Oogawara. Kawaguchi would go down swinging thereafter and it's a quick inning for Nishijima.
Top 4th
Oowaki-kantoku looks for insurance runs as after a one-out single by Ueno, he has Nishijima bunt him into scoring position. However Wakahara grounds to 2nd to end the inning.
Bottom 4th
Nishijima unleashes his eephus pitch, which apparently went 50 kph and was a ball. The crowd goes wild.
Yoshizawa meanwhile tries to drive a pitch deep, but Takahashi has no problems getting under it for the out.
Meanwhile Shimizu can only watch a fastball hit the outside corner for strike 3, and Hikida can't help but go after an outside slider for another K.
Top 5th
Oogawara gets his 2nd base hit, with another single to center. Ookouchi with 2 down singles to center! Hikida throws to 3rd.. and it gets by everyone! Oogawara scrambles home and it's 5-0 on the error!
Abe grounds out to end the inning, but Kyuukoku looks uncharacteristically sloppy.
Bottom 5th
Yamamoto swings and misses on a slider by Ueno can't block the ball and Yamamoto reaches 1st on the pitch.
There's no bunting from Wakao-kantoku, and that allows Nishijima to strike out Nakatani looking on another well-placed fastball.
Kobayashi trying really hard to turn over the lineup, works the count full.
But it's no use! He freezes on a fastball inside and Nishijima has 10, 10(!) K's going into the break! Who saw this coming?!
Top 6th
Defensive change as #12 Iwasaki comes in for Nakatani and takes over in left.
Takada with a shallow liner down the right field line, Kawaguchi charges in, slides, but can't make the catch! Takada winds up at 2nd, though is promptly bunted to 3rd. Nishijima can't bring him home as he hits a slow grounder to the right side. Furusawa crashing in makes sure that Takada can't come home on the throw.
Andou leaves that runner stranded as he gets Wakahara looking on a slider and he keeps the deficit at 5.
Bottom 6th
Nishiima helps get Kyuukoku's inning started by hitting Nakao.
But as easily as he gives them something he takes it away! Kawaguchi comebacker to Nishijima and he starts the 1-6-3 double play!
And it's another eephus! It's right in Ueno's glove but no strike.
Another one! But this one is really short and definitely not a strike.
Perhaps the baseball gods say that's enough as Yoshizawa lines a ball over a leaping Abe for a double.
Shimizu with a drive to deep left! Ookouchi to the wall and it's off the top of the padding! Yoshizawa scores and Kyuukoku is on the board at 5-1!
Punishment over though as Yamamoto pops it up! Fukuda under it, makes the catch for the 3rd out. Kyuukoku gets a run back, but nothing more.
Top 7th
#3 Tezuka in the game for Kobayashi at 1B
And Takahashi booms a ball to left! Iwasaki playing way in has to chase after it and he's in with a triple! That's paid off right afterwards with a sac fly from Oogawara and Toukai gets the run right back at 6-1!
Fukuda grounds to 1st, but Tezuka can't field it cleanly, tries to make the stretch to the bag, but it's not in time! E3 and things really looking bad for Kyuukoku.
Ookouchi with a single through the left side and now Wakao-kantoku has #11 Germais warming up in the bullpen.
And now a balk is called! Andou drops the ball while set and the runners get to advance!
However, neither Abe or Takada can drive in the runs so Toukai Dai-yon has to settle for getting the run back.
Bottom 7th
Andou manages a one-out single, but all Tezuka and Nishio can do is hit grounders to 2nd...
Top 8th
Wakahara, in an attempt to pad his stats (kidding) succeeds in a bunt single with 2 down. Takahashi then tries to run with it singling to center.
Andou ends such shenanigans by getting Oogawara to hit a weak comebacker at him for the 3rd out.
Bottom 8th
Nishijima throws the eephus yet again, apparently not having learned his lesson. Though I think he's trying to get it called a strike.
Anyways, he retires the side in order as he climbs the ladder on Shimizu for his 11th K.
Top 9th
Abe is able to check in with a base hit in the 9th before being picked off late in Takada's AB, but they're looking to get to the finish line now.
Bottom 9th
Kyuukoku obliges with PH Aoki popping out to Abe for the final out.
So in an unexpected result, Toukai Dai-yon has no trouble with Kyushu Kokusaidai Fuzoku and wins handily 6-1!
Usually teams from Hokkaido do not fare well, not dominate in the manner that Toukai Dai-yon did, this after being away from Koushien for 21 years! Nishijima records 12 Ks, and gives up just 5 hits in the effort. Despite the fact that Fukuoka isn't a strong prefecture the stat lines are still impressive. Kyushu Kokusaidai Fuzoku wil just have to reload and try again next year.
It'll be interesting to see how Toukai Dai-yon will do in their next game given the results. It was a dominating performance, but not to the extent that they are say dark horses now to win it all.
(Notable Players to be done later)
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