Day 8 Wrap Up & Day 9 Preview
Wrap up from the usual suspects (I only watched the first game, which may have been the best game of Koshien so far this summer).
5 HRs last night - three in the Osaka Kaisei - Kyushu Kokusai Daigaku Fuzuoku game alone.
Game 1 Hiroshima Shinjo 6 - 7 Waseda Jitsugyo. Coming into the game it felt that Hiroshima Shinjo, making its first ever appearance at Koshien and up against 29-time participant Waseda Jitsugyo, had little chance. The media attention is all about Waseda's first year 1B Kiyomiya. What happened was an absolutely amazing game plan from the Hiroshima Shinjo coach and a gutsy performance by the players. They pushed Waseda Jitsugyo to limit - they had to use all four pitchers, none of whom really looked great. At the end of the day Hiroshima Shinjo just couldn't hold it down in the 9th and Waseda Jitsugyo got the go ahead run. Amazing performance for the school from HIroshima and certainly worrying for Waseda Jitsugyo's chances from here on out. Kiyomiya and C Katou are hitting well but the pitching is not good enough to win. They draw Tokaidai Kofu in the third round (day 10) and that has to be a concern since that team already knocked out Shizouka.
Game 2 Tokai Daigaku Fuzoku Kofu 9 - 1 Shimonoseki Shogyo. I didn't watch but I'm not really surprised by the result after Tokaidai Kofu put up 8 runs on Shizouka. Their game with Waseda Jitsugyo on Day 10 (first game) will be the most interesting match of the day, I think.
Game 3. Osaka Kaisei Gakuen 9 - 10 Kyushu Kokusai Daigaku Fuzuoku. Looks like I missed an amazing game here, but I'm pretty bummed at the result. I wanted to see the giant killers from Osaka go farther, but it wasn't to be. Winners face Kanto Daiichi in what could be another offensive showdown.
Game 4. Tsuruga Kehi 3 - 8 Hanamaki Higashi. Speaking of depressing results this was awful news to wake up to read - not the least because Tsuruga Kehi lost but also because Hiranuma was apparently a shadow of his Spring self. He didn't look right in the early innings of their first game but I thought he'd righted the ship - but no. So Tsuruga Kehi, the team I was rooting for, is out of the tournament and there are big questions about Hiranuma and the fall draft. I wonder if he will declare or go to college? It's not the end of the world, I don't mind rooting for Shohei Otani's school and they have an exciting style of play.
Day 9 preview - the final day of second round action is upon us, with the winners getting spots on Day 11 (assuming Sendai Ikuei wins, you know the rest of the field is hoping they draw Hanamaki Higashi so that one of those teams will get eliminated).
9:30 滝川二 Takigawa Daini - 仙台育英 Sendai Ikuei. Excited for this one - I get to watch Sato pitch for Sendai Ikuei for the first time (since their first game, a 12-1 cruiser, was the late game).
12:00 津商 Tsu Shogyo - 鳥羽 Toba. Tsu Shogyo was a surprise winner in their first round game and I'm definitely rooting to see this first time participant keep advancing.
14:30 高崎健康福祉大高崎 Takasaki Kenko Fukushi Daigaku Takasaki - 創成館 Sohseikan. Another first time Koshien school in Sohseikan. Sohseikan upset Tenri to advance.
Looking ahead, from here on out things will go fast. Third round games will be Days 10 and 11. All four quarterfinal games will take place the next day, Day 12. Then we have an off day, with Day 13 giving us both semifinals. Finals are the following day at 1pm Aug. 20 (Japan time - midnight Aug. 20 East coast).