高校野球 (Kokoyakyu)

This matchup on paper looks like a one-sided affair. About the only saving grace for Takaoka Shougyou is that Kanto Dai-ichi's only key win was an 8-3 over a Teikyou team that has not been able to get back to the days of the 2000s. Still, it is Tokyo, so there's not much you can discount.

Takaoka Shougyou did defeat Toyama Shougyou and Shin0minato, so at least they were tested coming into this Koushien. An average of 0.301 though is not a good sign.

Takaoka Shougyou (Toyama)
RF Ishiguro Taku
SS Komagata Kouki
3B Tagoshi Yoshifumi
C Horiuchi Takuya
1B Yoshikuni Makoto
2B Nakagawa Makoto
LF Kitada Ryuuji
P Hayashi Youta
CF Takahashi Kazuma

Kanto Dai-ichi (Higashi Tokyo)
CF Okoye Rui
3B Ihashi Toshiki
SS Itou Masato
1B Igarashi Yuuki
RF Nagashima Ryouma
C Suzuki Daichi
2B Kuroda Shunta
LF Moriyama Shou
P Abe Takeshi (#10)

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10:50 - First pitch!

Top 1st
Abe not off to a great start, walks Ishiguro to start the game, but is bailed out when Komagata lines out to 2nd, doubling off Ishiguro.

But then he comes back and walks Tagoshi. Gets Horiuchi to fly out. but not exactly a clean start for the Higashi Tokyo champs.

Bottom 1st
Okoye with a shot off of Yohsikuni! The ball goes into foul territory and Okoye just motors to 2nd! Throw in, not in time! Wow.

And now Hayashi throws to 2nd with no one covering! Okoye advances to 3rd!

Hayashi saves one out as He gets Ihashi to swing and miss on a ball inside.

But he can't stop Itou! Clean single through the left side and it's 1-0!

And it's a very awkward caught stealing when the throw from Horiuchi is wide, but Nakagawa lunges and supposedly makes the tag!

Hayashi limits the damage after that, but they'll have to play from behind now.

Top 3rd
Takaoka Shougyou still without a hit, but Ishiguro draws his 2nd walk and the team's 3rd. But without a hit, there's little they can do.

Bottom 3rd
Okoye up to lead an inning and he booms one to right for a leadoff triple! Igarashi walks, oh dear...

Well, that got out of hand in a hurry...

Itou with a no doubt HR to left. It's now 4-0 and now things seem to be unraveling.

Igarashi double to center. After a bunt, a wild pitch scores that run, 5-0.

Single by Suzuki and Kuroda. After a strikeout, Hayashi does the one thing he shouldn't - walk Abe.

Why? Because Okoye is up again. And Hayashi falls behind 2-0. And Yoshida-kantoku calls for time.

...and it doesn't matter. Okoye hits his 3rd hit to where he hit his 2nd. And with yet another triple, it makes it 8-0.

...and Hayashi's day is done as #10 Kitamura comes in to get the final out.

Top 4th
Hey! It's Takaoka Shougyou's first hit! Tagoshi pokes one to left center for a base hit.And now Horiuchi lines a single to right! There's progress as Tagoshi goes to 3rd.

And at least they prevent the shutout! Sac fly to center scores 1.

Huh, Nakagawa scorcher past a diving Ihashi down the line for a double.

And now Yonezawa-kantoku sends in #11 Komatsubara.

Liner to center and they're about ready to mitigate the threat.

Except Kitamura singles to left! That scores 1 to make it 8-2.

AHHH!!

Komtasubara throws it awawa on ball 4! Nakagawa scores and it's 8-3!

Ishiguro hit on the first pitch! What in the world is happening??

Komagata single to center! Throw goes to 3rd and AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

Okoye throws it away! It goes to the dugout and now 2 more runs are in! It's 8-5!

TAGOSHI WITH A GAPPER TO LEFT CENTER!! NO WAY!

2 more runners score and we're at 8-7 with a chance to tie the game!!

But they don't get it! Horiuchi fouls out and we are right back where we started!

To the break
After all that nonsense, it returns back to a normal game. #16 Kaneko comes in relief for Kanto Dai-ichi and gets 3 Ks in 5th.

I really don't know who is supposed to win this now.

Top 6th
Takahashi with a safety bunt! Ihashi's throw to 1st... SAFE!

Ah.. but he tries to steal 2nd and is thrown out.

And that's a shame as Ishiguro singles through the right side.

And now it's a hit and run! Komagata strikes out, but Ishiguro reaches 2nd safely!

TAGOSHI DOES IT AGAIN!

He singles to left! Ishiguro coming home, no throw!! Douten! We're actually douten!! 8-8!!

Horikoshi can't bring in the gyakuten run (again). But holy cow would you have thought we would go from 8-0 to 8-8?

Bottom 6th
Ihashi goes for the bunt single himself. And Tagoshi throws it away! Ihashi goes to 2nd and Kanto Dai-ichi can re-take the lead!

But Kitamura strikes out Itou for the 1st out.

And now he strikes out Igarashi on a fastball painting the outside corner! 2 out!

Nagashima single through the right side! Ihashi rounding 3rd, but Ishiguro's throw home keeps him at 3rd. So it'll be up to Suzuki.

SANSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Suzuki is caught looking and somehow Takaoka Dai-ichi is out of the inning!!

Bottom 7th
One down and Moriyama singles to right. Yonezawa-kantoku making some changes. #15 Kuwana comes to run and #18 Hihara hits for Kaneko.

And Hihara singles to left! Kanto Dai-ichi with a chance here again!

OH NO! Kitamura throws it away on a pickoff throw to 1st! Kuwana rounding 3rd, coming home! No throw as both runners take 2 bases! Kanto Dai-ichi has the lead back at 9-8!

AndAnd Okoye hits a ball to deep center! That'll get the other runner home! It's 10-8 now and perhaps this will be enough?

Top 8th
One down and Takahashi gets a single. Ishiguro gets a walk.  But Komagata flies out and there's 2 down. Do they really have another run in them?

WHAT???!!! WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

TAGOSHI! NO WAY! NOT YOU AGAIN???!!!!!!

He lines a ball down the right field line! That goes to the wall! Takahashi scores! Ishiguro comes around.. HE SCORES! WE'RE REALLY TIED AGAIN AT 10-10!!

But Ishiguro is hurt. The slide did something and he has to be carried off by piggy back.

Sadly, for what Tagoshi has done, Horiuchi hasn't. He flies out to right and the inning is over. But somehow we're back level again!

Bottom 8th
But Kitamura can't even hold a tie it seems. He walks Itou on 4 straight. Igarashi bunts, Kitamura goes to 2nd.. and throws it away... They dont' aadvance but there's no outs.

Nagashima bunts the runners over.

And Suzuki singles through the right side scoring 1. 11-10 Kanto Dai-ichi.

And with 2 down, Kitamura spikes the ball and it goes 5-hole on Horiuchi. Igarashi scores to make it 12-10.

Top 9th
Man, this feels like a letdown.

Yoshikuni walks to lead off the inning, but a bunt to move the runner over fails, and is almost a double play. Kitada though does end the game as he lines out to ace Tanabe and he doubles off Nakagawa.

Man, what a crummy ending. No final rally, no last AB with a chance to tie. Just over.

Bah.