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Day 13 - Game 1 - Chiba Keizai Fuzoku vs. Seibou Gakuin (Saitama)

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Day 13 - Game 1 - Chiba Keizai Fuzoku vs. Seibou Gakuin (Saitama)
The Spring Koushien title is just within reach now. These teams have won 3 consecutive games to reach this point. Two more, and the title is theirs. This is the deepest these teams have gone in the tournament and would like nothing else but to have a chance to bring the trophy home to their school. Chiba Keizai may be at a disadvantage as they blew an early 7-1 lead and ended up winning in 11 innings.

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

Seibou Gakuin
CF Etou
SS Onagi
1B Kido
RF Sekiguchi
P Ootsuka
LF Yamazaki
C Haramo
3B Murata
2B Takayama

It looks like the extended game and the one day rest has affected Saitou. After getting Etou to quickly ground out in the bottom of the 1st, he walks Onagi... and then Kido... and then Sekiguchi - all on 5 pitches each. While he gets Ootsuka to ground out to Higuchi scoring 1 and Yamazaki to strike out, it looks bad for Chiba early.

And it is. Haramo starts off the 2nd with a single up the middle. Murata puts the bunt down, but Tani’s throw to 1st pulls Kubota off the bag and everyone’s safe! With the count 1-2 to Takayama, Saitou makes a bad pickoff throw to 2nd for a 2 base error scoring Haramo! And then at 2-2, Saitou throws a wild pitch scoring Murata! That’s three runs on only one hit.

So while Seibou was taking advantage of Saitou’s lack of control, Chiba’s offense was nowhere to be found. Any baserunners they get (3 in the first 5 innings) are via errors. It’s not until the 6th that they get their fist hit. But they’re still down 3-0.

Oh, make that 4. In the bottom of the 6th, Ootsuka leads off the inning with a double to the left field wall. After Yasaka make a fine diving catch in foul territory, Haramo singles through the right side setting the table for Takayama. And he hits a liner to Kubota at first. He tries to make the grab, but it’s off him and into foul territory allowing Ootsuka to score.

It’s not looking good for Chiba, but they are finding cracks in Ootsuka’s pitching. Naitou was able to hit a double to the left field wall in the 7th, but time is running out.

In the 8th with 1 down, Shigetani singles through the left side. Kawashima then walks on 4 straight. Looking to cut the deficit rather than going for it all at once, Chiba’s manager elects to bunt the runners along looking for their cleanup hitter Inaba to deliver a hit. Instead of a liner, Inaba hits a chopper up the middle. Onagi makes the stop, but elects to go to 3rd with his throw to try and get Kawashima! Kawashima ends up safe, Shigetani scores, and there’s runners at the corners! Can Chiba take advantage? Alas, no. Kubota grounds to 3rd to end the inning.

That means they’re down to their final 3 outs. Naitou, who got the only extra base hit so far off Ootsuka, singles to right. Itou (#15) pinch-hits for Yoshino (#10) who came in for Saitou to pitch in the 8th. And he takes the first pitch to center! Runners at 1st and 2nd with no outs! Chiba’s manager pinch hits again, this time Takahashi (#11) comes in for Iwase who was a defensive replacement after a pinch hitter in the 7th. And on an 0-2 count, Naitou goes for 3rd! The throw is bad from Haramo and Naitou scores! Meanwhile, Itou moves to 2nd. But Takahashi would strike out on the next pitch. Saitou comes up to now to try and drive in another run. But he too strikes out. It’s up to Shigetani now to extend the game now.

He falls behind 1-2 and... he strikes out.

As much as Chiba tried to rally, it was too little too late, and it’s a team from Saitama that advances to the finals!


Player Lines
Naitou (Chiba Keizai) - 2-4, 2B, R
Yamazaki (Seibou Gakuin) - 2-4, K
Haramo (Seibou Gakuin) - 2-3, R, RBI, BB
Ootsuka (Seibou Gakuin) - W, CG, 2R, 1ER, 8K, 2BB
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