Day 14 - Game 1 - Kouryou Koukou vs. Tokoha Gakuen Kikugawa

Apologies to everyone looking for updates. Because of the chat room that was opened up, I've been in there instead of in here writing summaries between games.

There were some good games amongst the blowouts Westbay and I were mentioning. But at this point, I'll just keep going with current games going on.

Semifinal match #1 featured two teams looking for history. Tokoha looking to be the first team since Yokohama did it about a decade earlier (?) to win both the Spring and Summer Koshien tournaments in the same calendar year. Kouryou Koukou, looking to get back in the championship for the first time in 40 years.

Tokoha would call upon it's ace Tanaka once again to send them to the finals. Kouryou would throw its ace Nomura, who's been surprisingly effective throughout the tournament.

All things being equal, Tokoha would have the advantage. But having played just yesterday, would it affect them? Could Nomura continue being effective without raising the pitch count? And could Kouryou's batters be patient enough to try and fatigue Tanaka?

Top 1, Kouryou is swinging away a bit, but they're making good contact with the ball. Two outs now and 3B Habu is at-bat. He's fouled off a couple, getting closer to timing it down, and looks like he's got one down the right field line. Can't tell if it's fair from the camera, but the right fielder Souma is running back, he's leaping up onto the padding, and it's gone! An early home run from Habu puts Kouryou up on the board 1-0 just like that!

Bottom 1, Nomura's got his stuff going on. Tokoha is just waving at the off-speed stuff and can't figure out how to hit him. Down in order.

Top 2. Still more good contact. Hayashi with a single. Arimizu to bunt him along, but wait! Tanaka's throw is high! Hasegawa leaps and gets it, but Arimizu's already there! He throws to 1st, it's high and out of play! Runners go to 2nd and 3rd.

But wait. What's this? The umpires are conferring and... Hayashi is awarded home!! After looking it up in the MLB rulebook, it's true! Kouryou up 2-0!

Bottom 2, cleanup batter Souma with a high pop-up down the right field line. Kouryou should have this. No! It drops in! Souma runs all the way to 2nd! One out now. 1B Sakai at the dish. First pitch, grounder to the left side. Habu dives, no! Souma rounds 3rd - stops! Runners at the corners, 1 out!

Two outs now. PH sensation Itou up to bat. Second straight game he's started due to his PH efforts. Full count, K! Tokoha still scoreless.

Moving to top of the 4th. Tanaka's throwing strikes, but his location is off. One out, Hayashi works the count full - base hit to the left side! Arimizu next. Liner to the left side! Hayashi runs for third! What?! He's in easily!

Nomura up now. Chance to help his own cause. He works the count full. Grounder up the middle, 2B Machida dives - he has it! Toss from the ground to SS Hasegawa, that's 1! Throw to 1st, ... no! Not in time! Hayashi scores and Tokoha finds itself down 3-0!

Top 5, one out. Uemoto with a safety bunt down the third base line. He's safe! Boy can he motor! Habu up, Uemoto steals second! Then, Habu with a base hit up the middle, runners at the corners. But Yamashita ends it with a double play.

Tanaka is just getting hit out there. Meanwhile Nomura is making the Tokoha batters look downright awful with his mix of fastballs and sliders. He's only given up 5 hits through 6, and that's to only 2 batters!

Bottom 7 now. Sakai (one of aforementioned 2 batters) hits a sharp grounder through the middle. But it's quickly doused by a 6-4-3 double play. Itou up now. 1-0 pitch, he takes away to right field. Arimizu runs back, makes a desperate jump. It's over his head! Itou dashes around the bases, he's in with at triple! Chance for Tanaka to get him in.

No, what's this? It's a pinch hitter for Tanaka. His day is done! Yamada is now in. Slider, slider, oh dear. K.

But no doubt about it now. Tokoha is finally getting to Nomura's pitches.

Top 8 now. Togaki in the game. Uemoto with a hit through the left side. Habu up, Uemoto steals second! Habu then grounds out to second. Uemoto at third. Cleanup Yamashita up, count 2-1.

SQUEEZE!!!!

Uemoto runs home, toss is high, he's safe! Kouryou is up by 4! It looks pretty much over now!

Bottom 8th. Nomura is struggling with his control. Leadoff walk to Takano. Machida brings the count to 2-2 and liner up the middle! Hasegawa up now. He's worked the count full and a liner down the left field line! Takano scores and it's a chink in Kouryou's armor. But they're still down 3.

Top 9, Kouryou goes in order. It hang on time.

Bottom 9. Sakai grounds to third. Ishioka K's. Down to Itou now. Seems fitting. Base hit to left! At least he can't say that he didn't do his part. Still a long ways to go though. Pinch hitter for the pitcher, it's Kobayashi #13. Down to their last strike. Base hit! It a grounder to the gap! Itou runs for his life! He's going home, and he's safe! Down by 2!

Takano up. Gets count to 3-0, then 3-1, then 3-2! Now what? Grounder through the middle! Pinch runner Endou rounds third, he's safe!!!!!!!!

TOKOHA'S WITHIN 1!!!!!

What in the world is happening? Is Nomura melting down?

Machida up. Runner on 1st, 2 out, down by 1. He makes contact! It's right at third! He gathers it, throws to first! It's a short throw. It's bouncing one, two, three, multiple times. 1B Fukuda is stretched out. Ball disappears in front of him. OUT! Machida's out! Kouryou has held on! They beat Spring Champions Tokoha Kikugawa and have advanced to the final for the first time in 40 years!