高校野球 (Kokoyakyu)

Well, here we are again.  And everything still applies.  Though my theory on Takasaki will be put to the test here in the replay.




No changes in either lineup.  So let's take the field and get it on!


LF  Matsui Akinori (#11)
CF  Shimizu Sadamitsu
SS  Nakazawa Shinya
1B  Kaneko Yuuki
RF  Tsukagoshi Riku
2B  Kuragane Kousuke
3B  Nakazato Shingo
C  Uchihori Yuuto
P  Shimada Satoshi

RF  Kume Masashi (#8)
2B  Fukui Shingo
LF  Hashimoto Daiki
3B  Fujiwara Ryuuji
CF  Yamaguchi Kenta (#9)
1B  Namazue Jyunki
SS  Hayashida Yuusuke (#15)
C  Tsusaka Jyun
P  Murata Teito

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15:53 - First Pitch!

Top 1st
Matsui is jammed and lines out to short.  Murata apparently like a fast pace too, but is approaching the batters differently it seems.  He doesn't get the call on a full count fastball low and walks Shimizu.

Nakazawa with a grounder to 3rd.  Fujiwara seem to pick and throw at the same time, get the runner at 2nd, but the relay is just late at 1st.

Kaneko with a scorcher down the 3rd base line... fair!  3B umpire Mino calls it fair as Fujiwara dives but can't get it!  Hashimoto runs it down at the wall, but Nakazawa is rounding 3rd and the throw home is cut off!  Takasaki with a timely hit leads 1-0!

And now Murata hits Tsukagoshi!  Murata's in a bit of a pinch now!

Kurogane with a single through the left side!  Takasaki's 3B coach wisely holds the runners.  Manrui!

But Nakazato grouns into a fielder's choice at 3rd and the inning is over.  But Takasaki puts some hits together and scores a run right off the bat!

Bottom 1st
Fukui with a grounder into the gap in left, and Nakazawa makes a great diving stop.  His throw is late, but it's a great play nonetheless!

Fujiwara with a drive to left center!  That falls in just before the wall!  Matsui runs it down, but not beofre Fujiwara's in with an RBI triple!  We're tied at 1-1!

Yamaguchi with a foul popup, but Nakazato's dive just misses!  However Shimada strikes him out swinging.  Though not before Oumi ties it up!

Top 2nd
A quick 1-2-3 inning for Murata and Oumi is back on the bats again.  I'm a bit tired, so there wasn't really much of mention here.

Bottom 2nd
One down and Hayashida gets lucky with a blooper that falls in just fair down the right field line.

Taga-kantoku calls for the bust-and-run, but Tsusaka grounds out to 2nd though does advance the runner.

But Shimada gets Murata on a slider and the runner is stranded on 2nd.

Top 3rd
The pace of the game today seems normal, so perhaps it was a rain thing.

Yet another quick inning.  Murata retires the side in 4 pitches.

Bottom 3th
Kume with a hard grounder at 3B, but Nakazato makes a great diving stop and throw for the out!

Fukui tests Nakazato again, but this time it's between his legs!  Hashimoto not bunting but does move the runner over with a grounder to short.

Fujiwara up, and he takes the ball the opposite way!  Tsukagoshi charges towards the line, but it falls in!  Another extra base RBI hit and Oumi now leads 2-1!

Yamaguchi pops out to sort, but Takasaki will have to turn to their offense.

Top 4th
Tsukagoshi with a single though the right side!  Leadoff man on for Takasaki!

And now Kurogane reaches down and drives one to left!  Hashimoto runs back... and it's over his head!  The ball goes all he way to the wall as Tsukagoshi rounds 3rd!  The throw is cutoff and Takasaki gets the douten run immediately!  2-2!!

Uchihori tries to foul one away, but it stays in play and Namazue make a great catch near the camera well.

Shimada tries the safety bunt, but Fujiwara has none of it and throws him out.  But Takasaki has offense somehow and ties the game!

Bottom 4th
Namazue with a base hit through the right side!  He's bunted along by Hayashida, and now Tsusaka with a grounder up the middle, and that's through!  Shimizu comes up throwing, but Namazue scores to give Oumi the lead right back at 3-2!

Murata fouls one behind home, Uchihori near the back screen has it, but drops it!  That proves costly as Murata singles to right!

Sakaihara-kantoku calls time as they can't let Oumi score more runs.

Kume with a grounder to the right side.  Kuragane goes to 2nd for one, but Kume beats out the throw to 1st!

And that hustle is rewarded as Fukui singles to right!  Tsusaka scores to make it 4-2!

The hit parade continues as Hashimoto singles through the right side plating another to make it 5-2.

Fujiwara with an instant replay to make it a 6-2 game.

And Yamaguchi becomes the 9th batter to step in this inning.  He flies out to right to end the inning, but Takasaki now has a big gap to come back from.

Top 5th
Two quick outs for Takasaki before Nakazawa singles back up the middle.

But Kaneko can't hold up his swing and strikes out to end the inning

Bottom 5th
Namazue loops one over Nakazawa for another base hit.  Hayashida bunts him over.

While that was the same, Shimada retires the next 2 batters.

So we head into the break with a 4-run deficit for Takasaki.  Given their offensive numbers, that's a lot to get back.

Top 6th
Kurogane gets his 3rd hit with a bunt single the stays fair down the 3rd base line!

Nakazato advances him on a chopper back to Murata.  But Uchihori grounds back to 2nd and that's the inning.

Bottom 6th
Kume's hard grounder to 3B eats up Nakazato and he's on with a single.  Kume takes off for 2nd, and is safe?  It seemed like they got the tag on him, but I'm also tired.

Fukui turns the tables back on Takasaki with a bunt single of his own!  He's 4-4 today!

Runners at the corners as Sakaihara-kantoku calls time.

Hashimoto grounds out to 1B.  Runners have to hold.

Fujiwara a HR away from the cycle, but he's unintentionally intentionally walked.

#17 Miyakita comes in for Yamaguchi and hits sac fly to center.  7-2 Oumi.

Namazue with a foul ball to the left side.  Nakazato gives chase and trips in to the camera well.  He's fine though.

Nakazue strikes out to end the inning, but the lead continues to widen.

Top 7th
#16 Tsuji comes in the game at CF for PH Miyakita

Matsui with a liner to center... Tsuji dives, and almost makes the play.  Runner on with 1 down here in the lucky 7.

Shimizu tries to line one over the infield, but Fukui makes the leaping grab. Nakazawa grounds into a fielder's choice for the 3rd out.

Bottom 7th
Hayashida with another grounder that eats up Nakazato.  But the next 2 batters are retired and Takasaki takes to the bats again.

Top 8th
Kurogane collects his 4th hit, a 2-out single back up the middle.  But PH #16 Asanuma grounds into a fielder's choice to 2nd and that's that.

Bottom 8th
Asanuma stays in the game in RF.  Tsukagoshi moves to 1B and Kaneko goes to 3B.

Shimada gets his first 1-2-3 inning of the game.  Last ups for his team here.

Top 9th
PH #7 Igarashi strikes out, but reaches base on a passed ball.  PH #13 Okamura grounds out to 1st.

Matsui also strikes out, but the ball gets away again and he reaches base!  Never seen two of those in 1 inning.  Taga-kantoku calls for time (and probably some order too).

Shimizu K's and this time can't advance.  2 down.

Nakazawa pops up to 1st and that's the game.  Takasaki was able to stay with Oumi in the early innings, but eventually Oumi pulled away.  Good job getting to Koushien, and I'm sure the many supporters, including the first team to make it are proud of you.  As for Oumi, a date with Kousei Gakuin awaits.

Our final game of the day features 2 teams who were one of the "last" teams to receive a bid, Oumi of Shiga-ken, and Takasaki of Gunma-ken.

Yes, Oumi and their powder blue uniforms are once again back at Koushien, though just.  They could have suffered a same fate as Souseikan in Kyushu after their 11-1 loss to Tenri (and after seeing Tenri's game yesterday, that's a pretty bad loss), if not for the fact that (a) the Kinki Region gets 6 bids instead of 4, and (b) Mizuguchi lost 15-3 to Riseisha and they lost to Oumi in the prefectural final, and while Naradai Fuzoku narrowly lost to Oumi, giving a bid to them instead would have meant that they would award 3 teams from Nara a bid - and Nara just isn't that good.

Remember what I said about a lot of teams before?  They apply here too.  Decent average, little power, and in their case - they don't steal many bases.  Pitching-wise, their main ace strikes out a batter every 2 innings and carries a respectable WHIP (~1.25).  He doesn't start all the games - in fact, #11 Yamada takes the hill to start when that happens, though he K's and BB's more batters.

Takasaki made it to the best 4 by defeating a pair of non-notable Toukaidai teams (Bouyou and Koufu) before losing to Sakushin Gakuin 6-3.  In the prefecturals, they had a quality win against Maebashi Ikuei.

Honestly, there's only two possible reasons why Takasaki is even in the tournament.  One is their ace Shimada who doesn't allow baserunners (0.89 WHIP), and the second, which I can't substantiate is their defense.

Because there is NO way their offense has anything to do with it.  None.

I can say this with almost 100% certainty because you should not be able to reach the semifinals of the Kanto Super-Regional with a team batting average of 0.237.

That's right 0.237.

Not only that, they don't take many walks and don't steal bases.  And yet, they scored 32 runs in 9 games.  That's better than the Mariners.  And they won 8 straight.  Go figure.

Needless to say, I'm highly interested to see Takasaki in this game.  Not to mention their uniforms which look like they've been taken from a train company.

LF  Matsui Akinori (#11)
CF  Shimizu Sadamitsu
SS  Nakazawa Shinya
1B  Kaneko Yuuki
RF  Tsukagoshi Riku
2B  Kuragane Kousuke
3B  Nakazato Shingo
C  Uchihori Yuuto
P  Shimada Satoshi

RF  Kume Masashi (#8)
2B  Fukui Shingo
LF  Hashimoto Daiki
3B  Fujiwara Ryuuji
CF  Yamaguchi Kenta (#9)
1B  Namazue Jyunki
SS  Hayashida Yuusuke (#15)
C  Tsusaka Jyun
P  Murata Teito

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The rain continues to fall, and the ground is sloppy at best.  But they're going to get the 3rd game in no matter what it seems.  So those powder blue unis will be dark soon enough.

14:50 - First Pitch!

Top 1st
Well, I guess if you have a bad BA, might as well try to get your hacks in on the first pitch strike.  Matsui is retired on a grounder to 3rd, and Shimizu on a fly to left.  Nakazawa takes a couple of pitches, but too flies out to left to end the inning.

Bottom 1st
Kume with a liner to center.  Shimizu slips!  But the ball comes right to him for the out!  How lucky!

Fukui can't check his swing on a 3-2 fastball running inside!  2 down.

Shimada doesn't get the call on a 2-2 fastball, and winds up walking Hashimoto.

Fujiwara with a ball to right center, Shimizu ranging to his left, dives, but the ball glances off his glove!  They have to chase it down, but Hashimoto stops at 3rd!

And that's lucky for Takasaki as Yamaguchi grounds to 3rd!  Nakazato makes the throw to first and the side is retired!

Top 2nd
Takasaki continuing their free-swinging style.  Kaneko with a hard hit ball back up the middle, but unlucky for him Murata deflects it right to Fukui to make the play.  Tsukagoshi almost gets lucky too when SS Hayashida almost drops the popup.  And Kurogane hits a solid liner, but it's to a drawn in Kume for the 3rd out.

Bottom 2nd
Hm.  Namazue is caught looking on a change inside for the first out.

Hayashida, inserted into the lineup this game, bloops a ball just fair down the right field line.

But when Tsusaka grounds to 2nd, Kuragane starts the 4-6-3 double play and the inning is over!  Some good defense so far as expected from Takasaki.

Top 3rd
So about the pitchers.  Murata is pretty much no different than others we've seen.  Fastball in the low 130's, curve in the 110s.

And Takasaki continues to hack.  Nakazato grounds out to 3rd.  Uchihori first pitch swings and flies to left, and Shimada actually takes pitches!  He works the count full but flies out to right.

Murata thinks he has strike 3 on a 2-2 fastball to Shimada, but he doesn't get the call.  However he does get Shimada to fly out to right to end the inning.  When I get a chance I think I know what's going on.

Bottom 3rd
Oh jeez, the rain is back again and it's coming down hard.

Murata grounds to 2nd, and just about that time the rain comes down so hard you can hear it on the microphones!

And the umpires continue play?  The ground is barely playable!

Finally, when Shimada throws a wild pitch over everyone to fall behind Kume 3-0, the umpires call everyone in.

15:17 - Rain Delay (Radar suggests it's a passing cell, so it probably won't be cancelled)

Ok, so since I have a minute now, I'll explain what might be Takasaki's strategy.

It seems apparent that Takasaki's offense isn't good, but by the numbers we've seen that to be the case.

So.  That means you have to play good defense and have good pitching right?  Makes sense.

But what about the hacking at the plate?  Why would you swing away and shorten the game, especially if you can't hit?

Well, putting the ball in play (as long as it's not weak hits), means the defense has to play hard.  Continuing to hit the ball in play means that the defense is continually on the move, even if you're just backing up.

But usually you have time to take a break since batters aren't swinging on the first pitch.

(15:25 - The rain seems to have slowed down now from a downpour, but it's still raining and the field was already pretty saturated to begin with.)

In Takasaki's case they are.  So you're moving around constantly, and in the case of a 1-2-3 inning, going back and forth to and from the dugout.

So what if you're playing a game of endurance in a game of speed baseball?  If you're not in the best of condition, could it be that you get just a little sloppy later?

If all that is the case, (1) the ground conditions are not good for Takasaki because it can cause havoc with their defense, (2) the ground conditions aren't good for putting grounders in play due to their strategy because with the sloppy conditions it will slow the ball down, and (3) this break isn't good because it's allowing the Oumi players to rest.  They'd be better off having the game cancelled and starting over hoping to have better playing conditions and a better possibility of tiring the Oumi players out.

(15:29 - The head umpire comes out to talk about the field conditions with the stadium field staff.  And it looks like the field staff are removing the tarps from the mound and batters area.  And now a wheelbarrow of diamond dry is coming out.  Dude, that's NOT going to be enough. AND it's raining a bit stronger now, WTF are you guys doing??)

(15:32 - The tarp comes out again on the mound and batters box.  Good job guys...  Seriously, combine the rain yesterday with the rain today and while the field has better drainage, I don't think it's that good.)

(15:40 - The cameras zoom in on the tarp at home and the um... mud around it.  That can't be playable, can it?)

15:45 - The umpire comes out, walks to 1st... walks to 2nd... comes back home...


 And that's that.  It's still raining, the field is soaked, and the umpire calls it off.

This means there will be 4 games tomorrow.  Games will begin at 8:30 with Oumi-Takasaki playing the last game at 16:00, and probably the teams will switch home/away.

The game being called will benefit Takasaki as long as the field conditions are better.  (Which they should be.)

The teams go out to bow to their fans, and they gather up their stuff and head home to think about things for one more day.