Day 1 - Game 2 - Kita Ootsu Koukou (Shiga) - Touhoku Koukou (Miyagi)

The middle game of the day featured a recent regular (Kita Ootsu), and regular Touhoku. Kita Ootsu was defeated in last year's spring Koushien to eventual runner-up Oogaki Nichidai 7-4. Touhoku's last appearance was in the 2005 summer Koushien making it into the best 8 losing to Osaka Touin 6-4.

The winner of this match would have the honor (?) of playing Yokohama in the next round.

---------------------------------------------------
Lineups

Kita Ootsu (Shiga)
6 SS Asami
7 LF Houki
9 RF Tsuruta
4 2B Ishikawa
2 C Kaneda
5 3B Hashimoto
3 1B Takahashi
1 P Kawai
8 CF Okada

Touhoku (Miyagi)
8 CF Ueda
6 SS Takahsahi
1 P Hagino
5 3B Miyashita
13 LF Yamaki
3 1B Tachibana
2 C Sekiguchi
4 2B Katou
9 RF Sano

---------------------------------------------------

Touhoku would have the first scoring opportunity right off the bat. In the bottom of the 1st leadoff batter Ueda lines one down the RF line for a double. Takahashi quickly moves him over. But then, on a hit to the P by Hagino, Ueda is caught in between 3rd and home! He's run down 1-5-2-5. Alertly, 3B Hashimoto sees Hagino legging it for 2nd and throws to the 2B covering making the strange inning ending double play.

Kita Ootsu would come back with their own chance in the 2nd. Kaneda would hit a sharp grounder down the RF line for their leadoff double. Instead of sacrificing immediately, the manager elects to have Hashimoto swing away. Doesn't matter though, he walks after an 8 pitch AB. With a chance to score a couple of runs, they now decide to move the runners over, but Takahashi is unsuccessful, popping the 0-1 pitch to the 1B. That would seem to kill the momentum as Kawai would K and Okada would line to the LF.

It wouldn't be that much longer before someone would score though. Bottom 4 with 1 out, clean-up hitter Miyashita walks. With two down, Tachibana would deliver with a drive to the LCF wall allowing Miyashita to score all the way from 1st.

Tohoku would play add-on the next inning. Katou would reach after being hit by Kawai. Satou would try to bunt, but C Kaneda would throw out the lead runner. Unfazed, Ueda on the very next pitch would put a safety bunt down the 3B line and beat out the throw! With 2 down, Hagino would help his own cause with at shot through the right side bringing Satou home.

It seemed like with the way Hagino was dealing to the Kita Ootsu batters, 2 runs would be plenty. But in the 7th, he started to falter. After striking out the first 2 batters, he hits PH Okamoto (#12). After sending in Doi (#16) to pinch-run, a wild pitch would send him to 2nd. Then Kawai would walk on 4 straight. And on a 2-1 pitch to Okada, he chops one through the left side. LF Yamaki can't handle the ball and Doi scores, cutting the lead to one.

Hagino's struggles would extend into the 8th. He would work the count full to Houki before inducing him into a grounder to the 3B. Tsuruta would walk on 5 pitches. Ishikawa would bloop one into CF. In trouble, Hagino gets Kaneda to ground to the 3B again. But this time, the ball slips out of his hand as he makes the throw! Tsuruta would score from 2nd. Ishikawa tries for 3, but is thrown out by the C who is backing up the play. But now it's a tie ballgame with 2 outs. And on a 2-0 count, Hashimoto drives a ball over the drawn in outfield. RF Sano races back and dives in desperation, but it's out of his reach! Kaneda scores on Hashimoto's triple to give them the late 3-2 lead!

Unfortunately, that was all she wrote as Touhoku couldn't mount any rally in the 8th or 9th.