Day 8 - Game 1 - Chiba Keizai Fuzoku (Chiba) vs. Tokoha Kikugawa (Shizuoka)

We've reached and passed the calendar mid-point of the Koushien tournament. We now begin the 2nd half of the tournament with a great battle. Tokoha Kikugawa, the defending champs, against Chiba Keizai Fuzoku. However, their opening round games did not look dominating, so perhaps we'll get a better look here to see the team's strength.

Chiba Keizai Fuzoku
SS Shigetani
3B Kawashima
C Tani
RF Inaba
1B Kubota
LF Naitou
CF Kawazumae
2B Higuchi
P Saitou

Tokoha Kikugawa
RF Nakagawa
2B Machida
3B Maeda
SS Sakai
CF Itou
1B Ueshima
LF Higuchi
C Tochigi
P Togari

And Chiba Keizai practically left Tokoha Kikugawa in the dust off the blocks.

Shigetani leads off the game with a double to LCF. Kawashima bunts him over and Tani puts the ball in LF plating Shigetani. Inaba comes up, looks dead red at 1-1 and finds it in a big way. He sends one to the RF bleachers and 4 batters in, it's 3-0 Chiba Keizai!!

Kubota then works an 8 pitch walk. Naitou singles to RF, Kawazumae does the same and the bases are loaded. This is looking very bad for the Tokoha squad. But Higuchi strikes out and Saitou pops to Tochigi to end the inning. But they're still down 3-0.

Kikugawa's response?
- Nakagawa, K looking
- Machida , K looking
- Maeda, K looking

Not good...

But at least Togari settles down in the 2nd. After giving up a leadoff walk to Shigetani, he strikes out Kawashima and induces Tani into a 4-6-3 double play.

But Tokoha's offense still needs to get traction. In the 3rd, Tochigi gets a 1-out single up the middle. Togari does likewise creating a great opportunity. But Nakagawa strikes out looking (again), and it's up to Machida to deliver the hit. He takes the first pitch to Kawashima at 3rd, but he hurries and one hops the throw and all are safe with the bases loaded! Saitou's control seems to be lacking this inning with only 7 of his 15 pitches so far going for strikes. Yet with the bases loaded, Maeda decides to go after the 0-1 pitch and grounds out to Kawashima to end the inning.

Bottom 5, Tokoha gets another chance. Tochigi starts it off again with a single, this time to LF. Togari earns a walk. Both are advanced after Nakagawa grounds out to Kawashima. With one down Tokoha should be able to narrow the deficit, and Machida walks to the plate. Behind 2-2, he grounds to Kawashima. But Tochigi is heading home! Recognizing this, Kawashima elects to go home with the throw, and Tani finishes the play, tagging Tochigi and preventing the run. Maeda can't do it either as he grounds to Shigetani at short and their second opportunity goes by the wayside.

Togari's kept them in the game, but Tokoha has been unable to capitalize on their chances. They need to narrow the deficit soon, or risk letting the game slip away.

Top 6, Chiba gets only their 3rd baserunner since the 1st as Kubota singles to center. Naitou scoots him along while Kawazumae grounds to Machida. Higuchi steps up and drives a 2-0 pitch to deep center. Itou runs back, leaps, but can't get it! Kubota scores from 2nd on the 2-out double. Saitou then gets his first base hit of the game with a single up the middle to put runners at the corners. And then Shigetani tops it off taking a meatball pitch off the CF wall, clearing the bases.

Another 3 runs by Chiba Keizai spell the end for Tokoha Kikugawa's run. They put up 2 runs for respectability, but fall 7-2. There will be no repeat winner at the Spring Koushien.


Player Lines
Shigetani (Chiba) - 2-4, 2 2B, 2 RBI, BB
Inaba (Chiba) - 1-4, 2R HR, K, BB
Kubota (Chiba) - 2-3, R, RBI, BB
Saitou (Chiba) - W, CG, 2ER, 7H, 10K, 3BB
Tochigi (Tokoha) - 2-4, K
Togari (Tokoha) - 1-1, BB