Day 12 - Game 1 - Chiben Wakayama vs. Toyodai Himeji (Hyogo)

So one half of the Best 4 has been determined. Now it’s time for the other half. Chiben Wakayama is well known, but it took them 11 to defeat Ujiyamada Shogyou. Toyodai Himeji hasn’t really faced any strong competition, but their offense hasn’t picked up yet.

Chiben Wakayama
C Morimoto
3B Urata
2B Katsuya
1B Sakaguchi
RF Shibata
LF Takahashi
CF Tanpo
SS Kitabatake
P Okada

Toyodai Himeji
SS Fujii
RF Matsuba
1B Kamei
CF Fukunaga
C Matono
LF Noumaru
3B Fukuda
2B Mitani

The first opportunity goes to Toyodai Himeji. Bottom 1, 2 out, Kamei singles to right. Satou then follows that up with a single down the right field line. But Fukunaga grounds to Urata to end the inning.

Chiben Wakayama gets a chance in the 2nd. Shibata hits a 1 out single to right center. Takahashi moves him over and Tanpo walks. But Kitabatake strikes out looking to end the inning.

Another opportunity comes in the next inning. Okada starts with a grounder up the middle. Morimoto sac bunts. Urata is hit by the first pitch to put runners at 1st and 2nd with 1 down. Satou buckles down though and gets Katsuya to strike out and Sakaguchi pops to Kamei to end the inning.

It’s Toyodai’s turn next in the bottom of the 3rd. With one down, Fujii bloops one into shallow center. On the first pitch to Matsuba, Morimoto tries to pick off Fujii. But the throw is bad and Sakaguchi can’t get it allowing Fujii to advance to 2nd. Matsuba walks and now it’s runners at 1st and 2nd with one down. Okada looks like he’s going to load the bases after falling behind 3-0, he’s bailed out as Kamei pops to Urata. He just needs one more out, but Satou doesn’t comply. He hits one over Urata’s head scoring Fujii and giving Toyodai the 1-0 lead.

Even with the bottom of the 3rd, the game is going on a quick clip. It’s not really 1-2-3, but the teams are going in order one way or the other. For instance, in the top of the 5th Okada gets a single to center to start the inning. Morimoto grounds into a fielder’s choice. Then he’s caught stealing, with Urata striking out. In the 6th, Matono gets a one-out walk. Noumaru singles up the middle to put runners at 1st and 2nd. Fukada hits a laser at Okada, and he somehow manages to secure it with his back! Then he completes the DP at 2nd!!

But it’s Toyodai who’s getting the opportunities, not Chiben. And with Chiben Wakayama the team behind, it doesn’t bode well. And Toyodai pushes one more run across on a perfectly executed suicide squeeze in the 8th to win 2-0.


Player Lines
Okada (Chiben Wakayama) - 2-3
Okada (Chiben Wakayama) - L, CG, 2R, 1ER, 2K, 4BB
Kamei (Toyodai Himeji) - 2-4, R
Satou (Toyodai Himeji) - 2-4, RBI
Satou (Toyodai Himeji) - W, CG, 0R, 9K, 3BB