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[Beckx]

First game is up in 30 mins (8pm Eastern); preview notes from Goroshigeno. Watching movies tonight so I will miss the first game.

2-1 Kamaishi 釜石 v Shodoshima 小豆島

"Um... flip a coin? Both offenses struggle, the pitching staffs are the furthest from spectacular. Shoudoshima did defeat Takamatsu Shougyou, so there's that, but Kamaishi has less voids in their lineup."


2-2 Meitoku Gijuku 明徳義塾 v Ryukoku Dai Heian 龍谷大平安

"Both schools would be normally considered good teams, but this year the schools are rather untested. Despite the same grades on the pitching side, Heian has a higher K rate, but a higher BB rate as well and offensively at least Heian has gaudy numbers that you would expect to see against weaker competition. Give Ryuukokudai Heian the edge as ace Nakano will be putting his defense under pressure the entire game."

2-3 Hachinohe Gakuin Kosei 八戸学院光星 v Kaisei 開星

"Kousei gets a rare favorable draw facing Shimane's Kaisei. Ace Sakurai can slowly work himself into play at Koushien against the weak Kaisei offense, and the bats should have a shot to get themselves warmed up as well."

 

[jordisok]

Gonna try and catch some of today if I can stay awake for it.

 

[Frozenprince]

Two 21st Century teams playing because "I guess it's kinda unfair that they all always lose in the first round"

Should be fairly boring.

 

[Monumma]

Game 1, between two 21st century team.

http://goroshigeno.blogspot.it/2016/02/reviewing-field-21st-century-teams.html

Kamaishi - Pitching D, Offense D-
There just isn't much to say here. Ace Iwama doesn't even have a K rate of 3, and unless he has a trick up his sleeve there's no way he will be able to hold out against any team. The offense is even worse, hitting a 0.293/0.344/0.370 line as a team.

Shoudoshima - Pitching C, Offense D-
I don't understand how this team could have given Takamatsu Shougyou their only loss in the prefectural final unless they got extremely lucky, because Takamatsu Shougyou appeared to take the game seriously starting their ace.

Shoudoshima's roster was short even for aki taikai purposes (17), and all but 7 ABs went to the front 9. Despite the heart of the order hitting 0.420/0.459/0.565, the rest of the team hit 0.150/0.213/0.188... with 2 batters hitting a minuscule 0.048.

I guess I have to give their ace credit? Hasegawa managed to keep Takamatsu Shougyou to just 1 run, but he's pretty much the opposite of a 3 true outcomes pitcher. He barely strikes out batters, almost never walks anyone, and the ball winds up in play. And yet he sports a 1.05 WHIP.

Edit: Also both manager are only 32.

 

[Frozenprince]

Kamashi's Ace can barely throw 120.

Ew.

Also looks like he can't throw strikes.

 

[Monumma]

The elusive 75mph pitch. Somewhere Weaver is watching carefully.

Hasegawa is even slower. At the very least he's a lefty, so he has that going for him.

 

[Frozenprince]

Kamaishi's ace is like, a textbook example of a poorly taught curve.

Emphasizes enormous break, but can't land anywhere but the dirt so what good is it.

Shudoshi's ace isn't much better, but at least he's a lefty with a wonky release. Lots of weak contact from both teams so far.

Both pitchers have curves that they really shouldn't be pitching.

EDit 1: Hanging high forkball for Kamaishi's ace, another weak base hit.

Too much small ball for me, both teams bunt the moment they get a runner, can't eat an out just to advance the runner every single time.

Edit 2: And now with the runner on third, you see the error of small ball in that situation.

 

[Monumma]

Is there a home team today? The stadium is already fairly full of people for a 9am game.

Iwama is hanging a lot of pitches. *and the stream decide to reload with a man on third* *pocket radar* And we are now in the bottom of the second. :\

 

[Frozenprince]

Is there a home team today? The stadium is already fairly full of people for a 9am game.

Iwama is hanging a lot of pitches. *and the stream decide to reload with a man on third* *pocket radar* And we are now in the bottom of the second. :\

With a man out lol.

Summer is so much better with it's streaming.

Hasegawa hanging things too, lucky he's a lefty or he'd be in trouble.

And nah, that's just Senbatsu, it's a school pride thing they bus people in.

Edit: Very interesting discussion by the announcers right now on which breaking pitch is better to feed inside batters, I love this shit.

Sooo boring. At least pull back for a bastard bunt or something.

Probably the worst hit and run I'v seen in a while.

I now understand why they are only bunting.

 

[Monumma]

1-0, RBI single from Sasaki, then caught stealing, but who cares.

edit: I wasnt paying attention, did the batter miss the hit and run?

 

[Frozenprince]

1-0, RBI single from Sasaki, then caught stealing, but who cares.

Barring a miracle this is probably the only run we see.

Edit: Yeah batter swung, missed, runner slipped.

So that 2-seem doesn't um... break.

Edit 1: Iwama really doesn't have a slider, he has a hard and soft curve but I haven't seen a slider.

 

[Frozenprince]

Jesus, Shudoshi brought its entire school as a cheer squad. Stands are full.

 

[Monumma]

"Public - Shoudo-gun, Kagawa (281 students, 11 female)"

First of all, 11 females? Poor girls.
Second of all, they are being invited and would not be here otherwise, but it's awesome that a 300 students public school can partecipate. I would bring the entire school myself.

Nothing to say about the game.

 

[Frozenprince]

"Public - Shoudo-gun, Kagawa (281 students, 11 female)"

First of all, 11 females? Poor girls.
Second of all, they are being invited and would not be here otherwise, but it's awesome that a 300 students public school can partecipate. I would bring the entire school myself.

Nothing to say about the game.

All I know is whoever wins loses by 10 runs to Shiga-Gakuen

 

[Kawl_USC]

What a lackadaisical pickle. Unimpressed.

 

[Lavalamp1138]

Whoa that stadium is packed! And this is only the first round? Can't imagine the energy for the finals.

 

[Kawl_USC]

Dang, kid got a hold of that one. 0-2 for the home team.

 

[Monumma]

And the first hit past the outfielders probably means game over. Sakakura with the double. 2-0.

 

[Frozenprince]

God they are gonna get destroyed in the best 8.

 

[Kawl_USC]

Holy double error Batman. That ball just kept rolling. Getting interesting in the top of the 9th.

 

[Monumma]

Oh, god, a double error. 2-1, man on second. 1 out.

edit: Game over.

 

[Lavalamp1138]

Oh snap

 

[Frozenprince]

WHELP.

Yeah these two teams are uh... not good.

21st century teams everybody!

 

[Monumma]

Game 2.

http://goroshigeno.blogspot.it/2015/12/previewing-projected-field-ryuukokudai.html

Ryuukokudai Heian - Pitching C C-, Offense C
Heian's numbers have to be scaled back severely because their only competition was Fukuchiyama Seibi and Shiga Gakuen. So on the pitching side, Ichioka's high walk rate is a big concern, causing a downgrade in their pitching, while their offensive numbers stay as is despite a 0.259 ISO.

http://goroshigeno.blogspot.it/2016/01/previewing-projected-field-meitoku.html

Meitoku Gijyuku - Pitching C-, Offense C-
[...]they get dinged because while they did face some named competition in prefecture, they wound up playing Tosa again in the super-regionals (which doesn't add to their resume), barely beat Nitta (who was a good team decades ago, but is now is above-average at best), and were soundly defeated by Takamatsu Shougyou. Ace Nakano walks as many batters as he strikes out, and offensively the team's 0.329 BA when adjusted for level of competition projects poorly.

 

[YesNOnoNOYes]

missed game 1

but here now \o/

 

[Monumma]

Both team running aggressively.

 

[Kawl_USC]

Both team running aggressively.

and paying for it.

 

[Monumma]

Okada running back for it!

edit: was that "volare" from the stand?

wild pitch and we both teams are now on the board. 1-1.

 

[YesNOnoNOYes]

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee a homerun~

 

[Mesousa]

beast mode.

 

[Monumma]

Hashimoto with the 2nd (?) Homerun of the spring.

AND Okada with the 3rd back to back. DAMN.

 

[YesNOnoNOYes]

woaaaaahhh woah another one?

 

[Elepsis]

Holy crap back-to-back home runs!

 

[Mesousa]

Good stuff

 

[Kawl_USC]

Damnit, sounds like I laid down and turned the stream off a few minutes too early :/

 

[Monumma]

5-1. This Ryuukokudai Heian team doesn't look bad.

 

[Lavalamp1138]

Did I just hear the band playing the theme song to Popeye the Sailor Man?

 

[YesNOnoNOYes]

7-1

they rolled~

 

[Monumma]

Game 3.

http://goroshigeno.blogspot.it/2016/01/previewing-projected-field-kaisei.html

Kaisei (Shimane) - Pitching C-, Offense C- D+
I will give some credit to Kaisei for facing the teams they could have faced in-prefecture, but the big negator is their complete falling flat in their 2 losses hurting them on both sides of the ball. And even more so now that you see a line of 0.255/0.299/0.423 - very few walks, and XBH that may be negated against better defenses.

http://goroshigeno.blogspot.it/2015/12/previewing-projected-field-hachinohe.html

Hachinohe Gakuin Kousei - Pitching D+, Offense C
The net grade is the same, but the pitching has been upgraded and the offense has been downgraded a tick. The pitching numbers at least in giving up baserunners is solid enough that even with regression, it's better than Aomori Yamada. As for the offense, the numbers are good 1 through 9, which is a positive, but the level of competition wasn't strong so when adjusted they could possibly be average to below average.

edit: Yoshikawa Takahiro touched 147kmh. He should be the first guy over 90mph this spring.

 

[YesNOnoNOYes]

aaaaaaaah 6-2

stop giving kosei easy time~ what's with that fumbling catch just nowwwww

 

[Beckx]

Missed everything last night so time for replays.

Kanto Daichi plays tonight, really looking forward to seeing their new team.

 

[Beckx]

Okay, Ryukokudai Heian is legit. I'm a little iffy on their ace but those kids can mash. Assuming both teams can make it that far, a showdown with Kanto Dai-ichi in quarterfinals could be super entertaining.

I am psyched for tonight's games!

Game 1 is Akashi Sho 明石商 v Nichinan Gakuen 日南学園. It's Akashi Sho's first trip to Koshien and Hochi had nice press on them. Goroshigeno gives a slight edge to Akashi Sho tonight:

"This matchup is pretty equal all things considered. The slight mismatch on offense favoring Akashi Shougyou is that you have a tradeoff between getting basehits (Akashi Shougyou) versus getting walks and XBH (Nichinan Gakuen), and even that could be considered a push. Mabye with a deeper bench that Hazama-kantoku can use they have a better shot, but really you can go 50-50."


Game 2 is the one I'm most interested in today. Toho 東邦 v. Kanto Daiichi 関東第一. Can Eigo Miyamoto make people forget about Louis Okoe? Okay the answer to that is no and it's not a fair question because Okoe just made the first team with the Rakuten Eagles, so he's gone from Koshien 2015 to playing with a pro club in a little over half a year. He's on the radar with MLB clubs too. That's all Miyamoto has to live up to here. Goroshigeno preview:

"Is is another matchup of strengths and weaknesses. Touhou has good pitching, but faces a good offense. Kanto Dai-ichi's pitching isn't stellar, but neither is Touhou's offense. If ace Fujishima can keep Kanto Dai-ichi's batters off-balance, they stand a good chance. The same goes if his offense can be patient enough at times to draw walks. If not, then Kanto Dai-ichi stands a better chance. Just because pitching can keep you in games, edge goes to Touhou, but not by a whole lot."

He gives the edge based on pitching but here's the thing, Kanto Dai-ichi's pitching wasn't a strength at Summer Koshien either and they made it to quarters (Okoe was a HUGE component of that), so let's see how the new offense has come together.


Game 3 is Sapporo Daiichi 札幌第一 v Kisarazu Sogo 木更津総合 and I'd love to see a Hokkaido team win and move on to later rounds but I don't think this team is going to be one to do it. Goroshigeno:

"Despite this being between 2 super-regional champions, this is a pretty bad mismatch. While the numbers at face value seem similar, Kisaradzu Sougou had by far the tougher schedule. Sapporo Dai-ichi should struggle to score runs, allowing Kisaradzu Sougou to take any extra time to crack ace Kamide."

 

[jordisok]

That steal lmao

 

[Beckx]

HAITAA!!!!!

Yoshitaka hangs a slider and pays for it.

Yoshitaka has a good fastball (136kmh), a slider, and a big slow curve (103kmh), but his control has been iffy and he's given up hard contact. There was no doubt that ball was gone.

 

[Envelope]

Yo this is back? I'm in

 

[Beckx]

Yoshitaka has a nice mix of pitches. Splitter is nasty.

Yo this is back? I'm in

it's a twice a year party!

 

[Beckx]

This is a good game. Moriyama and Yoshitaka are both solid, Moriyama has much better control but Yoshitaka seems to have better tools.

Akashi Sho is going to regret not scoring when they had a runner at 3rd with 1 out.

 

[Kawl_USC]

Looks like it will be a tense finish.

Edit: There you go, tied game with 2 runners still on.

 

[Beckx]

oh man, Yoshitaka had just been murdering guys out there, but now he's given up the triple and now the HBP to put a runner at 1st. Though that does give him a shot at a DP.

 

[Kawl_USC]

That was a fantastic game. What a back and forth in the last 2 innings.