Koshien: Summer 2006 Round 7 - Finals (Rematch)

I've set up a chat room for the rematch between Komadai and Waseda, the 88th Annual National Championships final. I'll be there, but with very minimal participation as it's a work day here in Japan. I imagine many of those who participated yesterday will need some rest for work later in the day as well.

Wow! Talks about never giving up. Down by 3 in the 9th, Komadai still managed to score two more against Waseda's Saitoh, who struck out 13 more, coming up 2 shy of the record. Another well played game by both teams. Read on for the full transcript, thanks to Ken D. and Shini.

TRANSCRIPT generated on 2006/08/21 15:17
CHATROOM Koshien Final (Rematch)/Komadai vs. Waseda

09:55 Shinigami: 4 hrs away!
09:55 Shinigami: i will be back
11:36 Bob: What time does the game start local time?
12:01 Shinigami: greetings
12:01 BT: Hi, what time does the game start?
12:01 Shinigami: 1 pm local time
12:02 Shinigami: 12 EST, 9 WST
12:03 Bob: Whoops, I keep logging myself out by accident. Thanks for the info can people in the US watch the streaming video?
12:04 Shinigami: yes
12:04 Shinigami: http://koshien.asahi.co.jp/live/index.html
12:04 Shinigami: go here when the match starts
12:04 Bob: Yippee! And it's at a good time for those of us here on the West Coast
12:04 Shinigami: other than westbay-san, everyone other one of us watched it from here
12:05 Shinigami: 3 of us were living in the east coast...
12:05 Shinigami: we stayed up till like almost 4, lol
12:05 Shinigami: but the match was just tooooo good to miss
12:05 Bob: Have they announced the pitchers yet?
12:05 Shinigami: and it was fun to be able to chat with others while we watch
12:05 Shinigami: didn't check
12:05 Shinigami: but i am sure saitoh and tanaka will be pitching
12:06 Shinigami: saitoh already said he's gonna shutdown komadai today
12:06 Bob: OK, I will check back in once the game starts, bye for now!
12:06 Shinigami: same here
12:06 Shinigami: u see then
12:15 Shinigami: info i saw just now
12:15 Shinigami: saitoh's total k's in this tournament is 65
12:16 Shinigami: he's already passed matsuzaka's 56 in 1998 summer...but is still all time no.2 now
12:16 Shinigami: i think it's probably kuwata or araki who holds it, lemme go check
12:21 Shinigami: the record for a single tournament is 60 by ekawa (former giants) for spring's senpatsu koshien
12:21 Shinigami: and all time record for summer koshien is 83 by bantou, setted in 1958
12:21 Shinigami: so it's very unlikely saitoh will break the all time record...unless he somehow gets 18 k's in today's game
12:28 Shinigami: sorry...it's egawa..
12:57 Ken D.: hello again
12:59 Ken D.: game time!
13:00 Shinigami: here we go again!
13:01 Shinigami: saitoh wants a complete game shutout today XD
13:01 Ken D.: waseda has taken the field
13:02 Ken D.: looks to be saitoh and tanaka, part 2
13:02 Shinigami: today's home/away was decided by janken i think
13:03 Ken D.: ground ball, gotoh fields cleanly
13:03 Shinigami: hmm...not good...i am lagging
13:03 Ken D.: miki pops to left
13:04 Ken D.: nakazawa with a sanshin!
13:04 Shinigami: greetings westbay-san
13:04 Ken D.: 1-2-3 first for saitoh yuki
13:04 Shinigami: hmm, lagging seems to be over now
13:05 Shinigami: missed the top of the inning
13:05 Ken D.: hello sir
13:05 Shinigami: but might still get 10+ innings to come, ha
13:05 Shinigami: hmm
13:05 Shinigami: starting kikuchi first again
13:05 Ken D.: you can follow on asahi.com if you wish
13:05 Shinigami: watching livestream is still the best : )
13:05 Ken D.: i agree
13:06 Shinigami: let see how many innings kikuchi can last this time
13:06 Ken D.: they showed tanaka warming his arm...
13:06 Ken D.: in case of trouble
13:06 Ken D.: hi bob
13:07 Bob: Hi everybody
13:08 Ken D.: leadoff walk
13:08 westbaystars: Hi, all. I'll be in and out while I work on a document.
13:08 Ken D.: kawanishi
13:08 Ken D.: out at second
13:08 Ken D.: stealing
13:10 Ken D.: infield single
13:10 Bob: As a neutral observer should I be pulling for one team?
13:11 Ken D.: well, it's a team going for V3 against Oh-kantoku's alma mater
13:12 Shini: ok, it's not good, lol
13:12 Shini: my comp just rebooted itself
13:12 Shini: and now ABC's thing said they're having some problems
13:12 Shini: i cant log back in
13:12 Ken D.: walk to the 3 batter...kikuchi not looking good early
13:13 Bob: From my fuzzy video, it looks like both teams have white uniforms
13:13 Ken D.: everyone in koshien wears white
13:14 Ken D.: kikuchi in real danger now
13:14 Shini: sigh....i am depending on ur live commentary now XD
13:14 Bob: Thanks. That makes sense.
13:14 Shini: i cant connect back in
13:15 Ken D.: ground ball to 3rd, force out at second
13:15 Ken D.: 2 outs, 1st and 3rd
13:15 Ken D.: funabashi up
13:15 westbaystars: Tanaka comes in to pitch, down by a run in the first.
13:16 westbaystars: That was quick.
13:16 Ken D.: WASEDA 1-0 as Funabashi singles to CF
13:16 Shini: hmm, already 1-0?
13:16 Ken D.: so today kikuchi lasts only 2/3
13:16 Shini: funabashi is one of the key if they gotta win...i've been saying it yesterday
13:16 Shini: but he didn't look comfortable hitting against tanaka
13:16 Ken D.: 1 1/3 yesterday
13:16 Shini: went 0-6
13:17 Ken D.: boscore at: http://www2.asahi.com/koshien/88/zenkoku/sokuhou.html
13:17 Ken D.: it refreshes bottom of page
13:18 Ken D.: you can use google to translate to english
13:18 Ken D.: 3 outs
13:18 Ken D.: fly to left
13:18 Ken D.: 1-0 waseda after 1
13:19 Shini: i have boxscore
13:19 Shini: but it's not the same from watching it
13:19 Shini: just gott wait till i can get back in...
13:20 Ken D.: captain honma bats
13:20 Ken D.: keep trying
13:20 Ken D.: sanshin
13:21 Ken D.: grounder to second - 2 outs
13:21 Shini: that's what i am doing...at the meantime i will check here and asahi livescore to keep myself updated, ha
13:21 Ken D.: tanaka bats 6th
13:22 Bob: I must have taken the last connection!
13:23 Ken D.: shanshin!
13:23 Shini: haha, i have no idea...
13:23 Shini: outside corner
13:23 Ken D.: 3 Ks over 2 IP for saitoh
13:24 Ken D.: 140 kph if i read it right
13:24 Ken D.: naitoh bats for waseda
13:25 Shini: yes u got it right
13:25 Shini: 140
13:25 westbaystars: 18 Ks is possible with that pace.
13:26 Shini: miokuri sanshin~
13:26 Ken D.: walk to naitoh
13:26 Shini: he wont catch bantou...
13:27 Shini: but being 2nd all time is an amazing feat itself already
13:27 Ken D.: shirakawa bunts runner to 2nd
13:27 Shini: especially when no one's gotten as close since then
13:28 Shini: gotoh said in pregame comments that they've seen tanaka's sliders more
13:28 Shini: so said they should be able to score more runs off him
13:28 Ken D.: sasaki grounds to SS, runner holds at 2nd
13:29 Ken D.: kawanishi doubles, waseda 2-0
13:29 Ken D.: tanaka may have hit his wall
13:30 Shini: as we've seen during this tournament, he aint really on his top form
13:30 Shini: other than the last two matches
13:30 Shini: so there's still chance his condition wont be as good as yesterday
13:31 westbaystars: I've been under the impression that Tanaka needed some time to get warmed up.
13:31 Ken D.: next batter pops to CF, 3 outs
13:32 Ken D.: as we discussed yesterday, Tanaka seems to get stringer as the game goes on
13:33 westbaystars: Stringer?
13:33 Ken D.: grounder to 1st, 1 out
13:33 Ken D.: stronger
13:33 Shini: that might be true too
13:33 Shini: see how he does as the game continues
13:34 Shini: and if komadai can score some runs for tanaka
13:34 westbaystars: I started to think you meant "stranger" - in that he was harder to predict.
13:35 Ken D.: 8 batter yamaguchi strikes out
13:35 Shini: a k in each inning
13:35 Shini: 3 k's so far
13:36 Shini: 4
13:36 Shini: sorry, he had 2 in the 2nd
13:36 westbaystars: Make it 5.
13:37 Ken D.: kobayashi makes it 5
13:37 Shini: haha, so that makes it 5 in 3 innings...on pace for 15
13:37 Ken D.: on pace for 15!!
13:37 Shini: if we go into extras, he still got a chance...lol...if the pace really continues
13:37 Ken D.: saitoh perfect through first 9 batters
13:38 Shini: that was a 142 km/h fastball
13:38 Ken D.: 3-4-5 coming up for waseda, a test for tanaka
13:39 Ken D.: grounder to 2nd, 1 out
13:40 westbaystars: 143 kph for Tanaka.
13:40 Ken D.: gotoh to short, 2 outs
13:41 Ken D.: funabashi grouns to 2nd, 3 outs
13:41 westbaystars: Funabashi continues to strugle against Tanaka, grounding out to second to retire the side.
13:42 Ken D.: no problem for tanaka
13:42 Shini: 0-7 now huh?
13:42 Shini: no, first AB was against kikuchi last game as well
13:42 Shini: so 0-6?
13:42 Ken D.: we've played 3 full, 2-0 waseda if you're just joining is
13:42 Ken D.: us
13:43 Ken D.: live remoted shot of komadai tomokomai
13:43 Shini: still cant connect....=_=
13:44 Ken D.: high pop to right, 1 out
13:44 Jingu Bleacer Bu: I can't connect either, I'm listening via radio now
13:44 Ken D.: yesterday's HR man, miki, comes up
13:44 Ken D.: and he is quickly retired on the ground
13:44 Shini: jingu: where to listen?
13:45 Ken D.: 3 batter nakazawa singles to RF
13:45 Jingu Bleacer Bu: NHK radio, AM 615 or so I think. I've got an old mini-analog radio
13:45 Ken D.: saitoh no longer perfect
13:46 Shini: aah, icic, and the match is not on TV for u?
13:47 Ken D.: Honma skies to Gotoh, 2 outs
13:47 Ken D.: 3 outs, sorry
13:47 Ken D.: 0 Ks for saitoh that inning
13:47 Jingu Bleacer Bu: Shini, I'm at work now, trying to connect to the streaming site, but I get a busy error message
13:48 Ken D.: pace falls to ~11 now
13:48 Ken D.: siatoh flies to LF, 1 out
13:49 Ken D.: reminder: http://www2.asahi.com/koshien/88/zenkoku/sokuhou.html
13:49 westbaystars: How many people at work today are trying to get the stream?
13:49 westbaystars: It wasn't a problem yesterday since people could watch from home.
13:49 Ken D.: wild throw, safe at first on error
13:50 Shini: this is not good, lol
13:50 Shini: i dun suppose i can get back in
13:50 Jingu Bleacer Bu: It's all people are talking about at work today. Everybody was crowded around the TV in the lunchroom
13:50 Ken D.: single by shirkawa, 1st and 2nd
13:50 westbaystars: Announcer says that Tanaka relies on allowing the opposition to hit to get outs. Errors only hurt.
13:50 Ken D.: shirakawa
13:51 Ken D.: sasaki bunts...force out at 3rd
13:51 Ken D.: 2 outs, still first and second
13:51 westbaystars: Gets out of the inning unscathed by the error as the next batter grounds out to second.
13:51 Ken D.: kawanishi trying to deliver again...
13:52 Ken D.: yes, what he said
13:52 westbaystars: Oops. Sent that too soon. Sorry.
13:52 Ken D.: after 4, 2-0 waseda
13:52 Shini: yes...i suppose so
13:52 Shini: especially after what happened yesterday, no one's gonna miss it
13:52 Ken D.: it's okay, it's your place, we just live here
13:54 Ken D.: leadoff single...tanaka bats now
13:54 Shini: i dun mind any live commentary now, haha.....>__<
13:55 Bob: At this pace, they'll finish before the Yankees and Red Sox
13:56 Ken D.: tanaka grounds to short, out at 2nd, safe at first
13:56 Ken D.: nearly a DP
13:56 westbaystars: High school ball sure is fast paced. I was shouting at Shimoyanagi for walking so slowly off the mound a couple days ag
13:56 westbaystars: ... ago.
13:56 Shini: haha, shimoyanagi's age is like doubled them : )
13:58 Ken D.: karaburi sanshin!
13:58 Ken D.: that's 6 for saitoh
13:58 Ken D.: runner still on 1st, 2 outs
13:59 Bob: The batters don't exactly work the count much in high school
13:59 westbaystars: Failed check swing at a ball in the dirt, that was.
13:59 Ken D.: single...1st and second
13:59 Ken D.: kobayashi up, that was yamaguchi with the 1B
14:01 Ken D.: 2-2 count
14:01 Jingu Bleacer Bu: Waseda pitcher Saitoh still has some fire left, firing a 144kph fastball
14:02 Ken D.: ball -- count is full
14:02 westbaystars: An awful lot of swinging at pitches in the dirt. Saitoh is really fooling the batters.
14:02 Ken D.: oh, sanshin!
14:02 Ken D.: bad swing at a ball in the dirt
14:03 Ken D.: saitoh rings up another
14:03 Shini: that slider is still killing all of komadai's batters
14:03 Ken D.: panning the crowd for cuties....
14:03 Shini: they just got completely no answer for it
14:03 Shini: hmm...cuties....
14:03 Jingu Bleacer Bu: So the question is, will Saitoh go pro, college, or straight to MLB? :P
14:03 westbaystars: So, has the mood come around to rooting for Komadai?
14:03 Shini: most likely pro...i'd say
14:04 Jingu Bleacer Bu: Ken, funny how the camera always focuses on the ladies in the crowd in between innings :P
14:04 Ken D.: i would like to be his agent...
14:04 Jingu Bleacer Bu: Not that I'm complaining or anything.
14:04 Shini: haha, i suppose everyone would
14:04 Shini: he's like almost gurantee the first pick
14:04 Ken D.: we're midway...still 2-0
14:04 Shini: wonder which team will get him
14:05 westbaystars: He, he. There were never any girls like that for our baseball games in high school.
14:05 Ken D.: tanaka records a leadoff K
14:05 Ken D.: there was never anyone there for ours...
14:06 Shini: westbay-san studied high school in japan?
14:06 Ken D.: easy ground ball..2 away
14:07 westbaystars: Yes, Yo-Hi (Nile C. Kinnick High School) on Yokosuka Navy Base.
14:07 Ken D.: sanshin for gotoh...
14:08 Shini: i am just relentlessly clicking the chukei douga button on asahi now...lol
14:08 Ken D.: after 5, 2-0 waseda
14:08 Shini: how far did your team made it into the local/prefectural tournament?
14:08 Ken D.: did they play in koshien westbay-san (are they eligible?)
14:08 westbaystars: NHK News on TV here now.
14:09 Ken D.: i mean ever, fyi
14:09 westbaystars: No, the bases had their own league. And we lost miserably the few games we played against Japanese high school teams.
14:10 Ken D.: extended break for oendan interviews
14:11 westbaystars: Even the year we won the DoDDS championship, we weren't even on the same level as a minor high school team we played.
14:11 westbaystars: Good news coming for Komadai fans...
14:11 Shini: heh, all i get to play is just some pickup games every now and then
14:12 Ken D.: saitoh works to mitani...HR!!!
14:12 Shini: even tho i can pitch into around the low-mid 130s, i have no control, haha
14:12 Ken D.: 2-1 waseda
14:12 Shini: i play centerfield during the pickup games
14:13 Shini: and my curveball hangs over the plate all the time >__>
14:13 westbaystars: There goes the shutout for Saitoh. And on a home run for the second day in a row.
14:13 Ken D.: miki fouls out 3rd base side
14:13 Bob: My high school here in L.A. has won the City Championship seven times
14:13 Ken D.: i didn't HAITAAAAAAAA! like the broadcast
14:14 Shini: now it's all out for the win then
14:14 Ken D.: 2 outs now...
14:14 Shini: is there any place for livestreaming NHK radio? lol
14:14 westbaystars: That's what you need to do. Add some color.
14:14 Shini: i dun think i will ever get back in
14:14 Bob: Not that I played for it back in my high school days. Two of the stars made the majors.
14:14 Ken D.: i kinda fell behind this inning...
14:15 Ken D.: Captain Homna bats down just 1 run now
14:15 Ken D.: honma, rather
14:15 Shini: I am a Chinese...lived in Hong Kong most of my life...and before I moved to Toronto, I didn't even know the basic rules
14:15 Shini: of baseball, lol
14:15 Ken D.: karaburi sanshin!
14:16 Shini: no one plays baseball in hong kong
14:16 Ken D.: well, it's 2-1 after 5 and a half now...another good one
14:16 Bob: http://baseballanalysts.com/archives/2006/06/the_real_kings.php
14:17 westbaystars: We have a pitcher with great control on our local softball team. He also plays in an "over 60" league. He's our ace.
14:17 Ken D.: groundout right side, 1 away in the waseda 6th
14:17 Shini: hmm, so that homerun by mitani was off a slider
14:17 westbaystars: We have someone who can really fire the ball in there, but he's got control problems. And those walks tend to hurt.
14:18 Shini: finally someone hit that slider of saitoh
14:18 Ken D.: groundout to short, no problem
14:19 Ken D.: naitoh works a walk
14:19 Shini: 8 k's now for saitoh
14:19 Ken D.: 2outs, man on 1st
14:19 westbaystars: Bad news coming...
14:20 Ken D.: 8 batter shirakawa up
14:20 Ken D.: blasted to LF, off the wall, 3-1 waseda!
14:20 Shini: waseda retakes the 2 run lead
14:21 Ken D.: and shirakawa stands on 2nd
14:21 Ken D.: kyuban sasaki now
14:22 Shini: WOOHOO!
14:22 Shini: FINALLY!
14:22 Shini: i am back in!
14:22 Ken D.: sanshin!
14:22 Ken D.: tanaka escapes further damage
14:22 Ken D.: yay for shini!
14:22 Shini: man, i've missed over 50% of the match already
14:23 Shini: but heck, as long as i can catch the end
14:23 Ken D.: any word on the weather? is it in the 30's like always?
14:23 Ken D.: top 7 we go...
14:23 Shini: will they cut the livestream right when the game ends like usual?
14:23 Shini: or will they show the ending ceremony?
14:24 Ken D.: high bounder stays fair, 1 out
14:24 Ken D.: tanaka batting for komadai
14:26 Shini: another one down on that nasty stuff
14:26 Shini: tanaka strikes out
14:26 Ken D.: and he swings and misses
14:26 Ken D.: that's 9 Ks, i believe
14:26 Shini: other than that homerun, saitoh's slider seems to be pretty unhittable
14:26 Ken D.: and that last swing was not pretty
14:27 Shini: yes...9 k's
14:27 Shini: they're getting fooled almost everytime and chased the slider down into the dirt
14:28 Ken D.: grounder to 3rd handled...out!
14:28 Ken D.: 3-1 waseda, mid 7
14:29 Ken D.: and in case anyone cares, yankees about to bury boston
14:29 Shini: the trend continues
14:29 Shini: boston leads division early in season
14:29 Ken D.: yes, it's 1:30 AM here
14:29 Shini: then yanks make a strong run at the end to take the lead...and finish first in AL east
14:30 Ken D.: waseda ladies doing some kind of cheer...
14:30 Shini: only problem this yr is the wild card could end up with another sox
14:30 Ken D.: i am rooting for the twins, myself...mets fan here
14:30 Ken D.: kawanishi bats in the 7th now for waseda
14:31 westbaystars: Regarding the weather: http://weather.yahoo.co.jp/weather/jp/28/6310/28204.html
14:31 Ken D.: thank you
14:31 westbaystars: Says it's a high of 34 with 68% humidity.
14:31 westbaystars: Probably hotter inside the stadium.
14:32 Shini: twins would be pretty scary if they can make it in
14:32 Ken D.: hot as always
14:32 Shini: with santana and liriano in the rotation
14:32 Ken D.: imagine if they still had ortiz
14:32 westbaystars: 34C = 93.2F
14:32 Shini: hha...well, they let him go
14:32 Ken D.: HBP...laedoff man on first
14:32 Ken D.: leadoff
14:32 Shini: deadball by tanaka
14:32 Shini: no 1 one on
14:33 Shini: koyanagi bunts kawanishi to 2nd
14:33 Ken D.: and the bunt advances runner to 2nd
14:34 Shini: higaki pops out to left
14:34 westbaystars: Bad news alert...
14:34 Ken D.: high fly to left, 2 away
14:34 Shini: captain gotoh at the plate with 2 outs runner on 2nd
14:34 Ken D.: jeez, you're way ahead now
14:35 Shini: 4-1!!!!
14:35 Shini: ?? i am ahead of u?
14:35 Ken D.: timely!
14:35 Shini: err, nevermind
14:35 Shini: missed westbay-san's msg
14:36 Shini: 6 more outs for saitoh, can he hold it?
14:36 Ken D.: you both seem to be now...
14:36 Ken D.: i think he can, sorry komadai fans
14:36 Shini: from how he's been pitching, i think so too
14:36 westbaystars: Maybe Shini-san got a good connection with little buffering.
14:37 Shini: unless they can somehow suddenly solve his slider
14:37 Ken D.: one out in the 8th
14:37 Shini: hmm, then i will keep my mouth shut with those live commentary unless ken-san posts it
14:37 Shini: yep, i seem to be ahead of u it seems
14:38 Ken D.: no, it's fine...
14:38 Ken D.: i think that around 3 PM it looks like Waseda will be champion
14:38 Shini: nah, it's alrite XD
14:39 Jingu Bleacher B: I think we've learned this tournament not to count out Komadai until the end
14:39 Shini: 4 straight matches double digit k's
14:39 Ken D.: throw to 1st complete SANSHIN #10
14:39 Shini: once again it's the slider
14:39 Jingu Bleacher B: I think they came back from 7 runs down once already
14:39 westbaystars: Here, here, Bleacher Bum.
14:40 Ken D.: we have seen some wild finishes...
14:40 Shini: but this is the best pitcher in the tournament
14:40 Shini: and he's been unhittable
14:40 Ken D.: that game where 12(?) runs were scored in the 9th...
14:41 Ken D.: SANSHIN...11!
14:41 westbaystars: As demonstrated by his 11th K of the game. One more inning.
14:41 Shini: ok, there goes another one....#11!
14:41 Jingu Bleacher B: Yeah, that Chiben vs. Teikyo game was a wild one
14:41 Shini: there wont be no comeback unless they figure out his slider
14:41 westbaystars: Then I can concentrate on this document I'm trying to write.
14:41 Shini: he's basically striking everyone out with it
14:41 Ken D.: it is nervous time in hokkaido
14:42 Ken D.: both teams were crying...it was wild
14:42 Shini: lol, that chiben-teikyo game was just a diaster for me
14:42 Shini: i lost my internet connection in the top of the 9th when it was 7-8
14:42 Ken D.: and might we be seeing tanaka's final high school inning?
14:42 Shini: very likely
14:43 Shini: so where will tanaka be after he graduates?
14:44 Shini: haha...hear the music in the background?
14:44 Shini: mission impossible
14:44 Ken D.: icing his arm?
14:44 westbaystars: Where will Saitoh and/or Tanaka go will be the question all the way up to the draft in November.
14:45 Jingu Bleacher B: I just hope we don't see another Ichiba type scandal
14:45 Ken D.: sanshin...then saitoh flies to CF, 2 away
14:46 Ken D.: 7 batter naitoh now...
14:46 westbaystars: Tanaka shakes off three signs, says yes. The next pitch to Naitoh is grounded to second for the final out of the 8th.
14:47 westbaystars: Will that be Tanaka's last pitch of the Summer?
14:47 westbaystars: We go to the top of the 9th to find out.
14:47 Shini: thunderous claps for tanaka
14:47 Ken D.: grounder to 2nd..out.
14:47 Ken D.: LAST CHANCE FOR KOMADAI!!
14:47 Shini: i wonder how saitoh will do if he goes to the pro
14:48 Shini: matsuzaka? or gets hit like wakui in his first yr
14:48 westbaystars: OK, Ken. How about a pitch by pitch? Like you're auditioning for ESPN announcer?
14:48 Ken D.: miki-nakazawa-honma due up
14:49 Shini: haha, go go go~ ken-san
14:49 Ken D.: 2 quick strikes from saitoh
14:49 Ken D.: saitoh rocks and deals, ball 1
14:50 Ken D.: curve hit to shallow left, drops in...leadoff hit!
14:50 westbaystars: You won't believe what's coming up...
14:50 westbaystars: Let's feel it!
14:50 Ken D.: a good start for Komadai
14:50 Ken D.: OH, boy...
14:50 Shini: ohh boy
14:51 Ken D.: NAKAZAWA..WAY BACK..CENTER! HAITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
14:51 Ken D.: BIG 2 RUN HR!!!
14:51 westbaystars: Komadai now down by 1.
14:51 Ken D.: 4-3 waseda leads...but that lead is tenuous now.....
14:51 Ken D.: meeting of the minds...
14:52 Ken D.: Drama in Nishinomiya
14:52 Shini: 146!
14:52 Jingu Bleacher B: Komadai is dangerous late in the game
14:52 Ken D.: fastball strike to Honma
14:52 Ken D.: fouled off 1st base side
14:52 Ken D.: 2 strikes
14:52 Shini: once again it's the deadly slider
14:53 westbaystars: That one up the first base line was so close! If only...
14:53 Shini: err...sorry
14:53 Shini: ya, it was just a bit pass the line
14:53 Ken D.: the bespectacled batter is struck out!
14:53 Ken D.:
14:53 Ken D.: 1 away.
14:53 Ken D.: 1st offering fouled
14:54 Ken D.: high fly, not deep...2 away
14:54 Ken D.: well, here it is...
14:54 Shini: final ou
14:54 Shini: t
14:54 Ken D.: Tanaka v. Saitoh
14:54 Shini: tanaka vs saitoh
14:55 westbaystars: It's Tanaka that's the last hope for Komadai's bid for 3 in a row.
14:55 westbaystars: Two quick strikes on the batter.
14:56 Ken D.: WOW, nearly a third..just got a piece
14:56 Ken D.: 147 fastball away
14:57 Ken D.: swing at a high ball..would have been out of the zone
14:57 westbaystars: Hold on to your hats everyone...
14:57 Ken D.: saitoh looking for that final pitch
14:57 Ken D.: foul again
14:57 Ken D.: what a duel
14:58 Ken D.: SANSHIN!!!!!!
14:58 Ken D.: WASEDA erupts in joy at the mound!!!
14:59 Shini: 144 K!!!!!!!!!!!
14:59 westbaystars: So, what was the final K total for Saitoh?
14:59 Ken D.: and after 24 innnings... both teams deserve accolades
14:59 Ken D.: i think 12?
14:59 Shini: 144 km/h high fastball for the final pitch
14:59 Ken D.: and we dont get the ceremony?
14:59 Ken D.: i lost count
14:59 Shini: 13
15:00 Shini: i am disappointed they aint showing it
15:00 Ken D.: what does the screen say?
15:00 Shini: 5 off from the record
15:00 westbaystars: Saitoh's crying, Tanaka is not.
15:01 Shini: all of the livestream is over, thank you for tuning in
15:01 Ken D.: on the live feed
15:01 Ken D.: oh, okay
15:01 Shini: i think we can still watch it later on...
15:01 Shini: but for now i think we'll have to sit around
15:01 westbaystars: They're doing the winning kantoku interview. No stats on the screen at all.
15:02 Ken D.: izumi-sensei?
15:02 Bob: Great game. Glad I got to watch. I'll be visiting Japan in October.
15:02 westbaystars: Saitoh hit a high of 147 today. He did it two pitches in a row there in the 9th.
15:03 westbaystars: Right after the home run. He wanted to finish it badly.
15:03 Shini: i think he also got the fastest pitch this tournament
15:04 westbaystars: Yes, it was Izumi-kantoku.
15:04 westbaystars: Now an interview with the Waseda captain.
15:04 Shini: gotoh-kun
15:04 Jingu Bleacher B: Who was it that is a famous OB of Waseda? Was it Oh-san?
15:04 Shini: shortshop
15:04 Shini: err, shortstop
15:04 Shini: yes
15:05 Shini: sadaharu oh and araki daisuke
15:05 Ken D.: yes
15:05 westbaystars: He's happy they made it this far. And glad to have been a part of this historic team.
15:05 westbaystars: The first Waseda team to win the Summer tourny.
15:05 Ken D.: you know, the whole tourney i was wondering what "OB" stands for?
15:05 westbaystars: Now Saitoh's interview.
15:05 Shini: old boys
15:06 Ken D.: aaah.
15:06 westbaystars: 118 pitches, 13 Ks, no walks, 6 hits, 3 earned runs.
15:06 Shini: lol, btw, i think i saw somewhere before that sadaharu oh pitched a no-no in a senpatsu match during his high school day
15:06 Shini: err, senbatsu
15:07 Jingu Bleacher B: Okay, back to work for me. 'Till next time y'all.
15:07 Ken D.: thanks for joining...
15:08 Shini: great to have u with us, jingu
15:08 westbaystars: Me, too. Guess I'll be working late again tonight to make up for this.
15:08 Shini: err, late
15:08 Ken D.: can someone let us interneters know when the ceremony starts?
15:08 Shini: thx for making this chatroom, westbay-san
15:08 westbaystars: Take care all.
15:08 Shini: i really appreciate ur hard efforts, wish to chatting with u all later again
15:08 Ken D.: thank you again, westbay-san
15:09 westbaystars: They're setting up for the cerimony now.
15:09 westbaystars: It shouldn't be much longer.
15:09 Bob: Thanks you Westbay-san
15:10 Ken D.: okay, arigato gouzaimasu
15:12 Shini: hmm, i wonder will asahi really put up the ceremony videos later
15:13 Shini: otherwise we might need youtube
15:13 westbaystars: I appriciate your commentary during the game, Ken. Great job. Hope to get together again.
15:13 westbaystars: Won't know until someone posts it.
15:13 Ken D.: thank you. i don't think i was very good, but i tried. hard to type and watch.
15:14 westbaystars: Komadai is now coming in in a line behind their sign.
15:14 westbaystars: As are Waseda.
15:14 Ken D.: for your efforts, we all applaud you westbay-san.
15:14 westbaystars: I've done it for years now, so I know how you fee..
15:14 Ken D.: yeah, i guess we don't get to see it.
15:14 westbaystars: feel.
15:14 Shini: it was good, i am sure the others who couldn't watch it will be able to follow what happened during the game
15:15 Ken D.: well, good day (or night) to you...thanks for a fun final
15:15 Ken D.: see you for the Japan Series
15:15 Shini: ken-san, if i see someone posting it on youtube later, i will post it on the forum
15:16 Shini: it was greating talking to u and watching the koshien together
15:16 Ken D.: thanks...
15:16 Ken D.: likewise.
15:16 Shini: see u soon : )
15:16 Shini: alrite then...i guess i am leaving as well
15:16 westbaystars: Take care all.
15:16 Shini: thx for everything, westbay-san
15:17 Shini: ganbatte on ur work~

You'll note that my prediciton of Waseda becoming champs at 3 PM was off. By a minute.

Seriously, it was a great game and thank you to all who joined in the chat room. Special thanks go out to our selfless moderator, Michael Westbay-san. Without him events like this would have no home.

To those who missed it, I can only say that you missed some great pitching, high drama, and competitors playing the game with maximum effort. Even if you have no interest in high school sports this event is a spectacle worth seeing.

Congratulations to all who played, and especially to the two squads who lasted longer than 4,110 others.

Waseda Jitsugyo - Summer Champions 2006!

Congratulations to all who played, and to Waseda for becoming champions. I was sorry I couldn't make it as I had to wake up early Monday morning, but I would also like to thank our moderator, Westbay-san, for the chat room the day I was able to make it.