Day 14 - Game 2 - Nagasaki Nichidai vs. Saga Kita Koukou

Semifinal #2 featured a relative unknown in Nagasaki Nichidai versus the now darling of the Koushien Tournament Saga Kita who, en route to the Best 4, defeated Fukui Shougyou, a replayed game against Uji Yamada Shougyou and upsetting probable favorite Teikyou Koukou.

Arguably, Nagasaki Nichidai has had the easiest schedule of all the 4 teams so far and thus is hard to judge its strength. Saga Kita has used a dual ace system, Baba (#10) and Kubo (#1) to get them through the games giving up only 10 runs in 5 games (2 of which were extra innings).

Once again, Baba would get the start for Saga Kita. Nagasaki's ace, Uraguchi would take the mound.

Saga would have the honor of getting the first base runner. Bottom 2, 1 out - 2B Tanaka would ground to short, but Nagata would take the time with his throw allowing Tanaka to reach base. Egashira is up next and he lines a shot to right field! Tanaka runs for third, and he's safe!

Now suddenly there's a chance for Saga! And P Baba is up. First pitch, SQUEEZE! C Kamito runs to get it! Tanaka slides to the foul side of home, Kamito dives towards the plate ... SAFE! And a well executed squeeze puts Saga Kita up early!

The game takes on a surprisingly quick clip as opportunities for either side are scarce.

Bottom 4 now, Oogushi takes one to the left-center field gap for a lead-off double! He's moved to third by Tanaka, and now the second chance in the game for both teams appears. Will Egashira put on another squeeze? 1-0 count now and the pitch is wild! It gets away from C Kamito and Oogushi comes in to give Saga a 2-0 lead!

Meanwhile, Nagasaki struggles against Baba-kun. They get lead-off base runners in the 3rd, 5th, 6th, and 7th innings, but no runner gets past second.

Bottom 7th. Baba's day is done as pinch hitter Shigematsu comes in to lead off the inning. He walks on 4 straight and is replaced by pinch runner Uchikawa. Meanwhile Nagaski's manager has decided that Uraguchi's day is done too, and sends in reliever Oyama.

With Babasaki up, Uchiyama barely takes second on a 1-0 steal. He's moved over by Babasaki to third and the third chance of the day appears. Lead batter Tsuji only managers a short fly to left. But Uchiyama is going anyways! LF Sunahara makes the throw home, C Kamito gathers it. Uchiyama slides on the foul side again, and....

SAFE!!!

He's called safe! It's hard to tell from the replay, but what matters is that Saga Kita has extended the lead to 3 taking, advantage of every chance given.

And that would pretty much wrap it up. The Baba/Kubo combination faced 3 over the minimum, 6 H and 3 K's, throwing less than 120 pitches total.

And our next Koshien champion will come from west of Koushien Stadium. Will it be Hiroshima's Kouryou Koukou with ace pitcher Nomura and home run hitter Habu? Or will it be Saga Kita with its dynamic duo of Baba and Kubo?

Nettou Koshien! Mata ashita!