【スポドキッ！】春季近畿地区高校野球大会県予選 ３回戦＆準々決勝

The Spring Kinki Regional High School Baseball Tournament prefectural qualifiers determined the seeding rights for the summer Nara tournament. Chiben Gakuen, the runner-up in the Spring Invitational Tournament, faced Nara University Affiliated High School in the third round. Chiben Gakuen took the lead in the first inning with a timely hit from cleanup hitter Osaki, a second-year student with a .455 batting average in the Spring Invitational Tournament. They added runs in the second inning with a timely hit from Shimura (number 2), and in the third inning with a timely hit from Kubo (number 7). Meanwhile, Nara University Affiliated High School's ace, Shinjo, who had switched from relying mainly on curveballs to a fastball-heavy pitching style, gradually regained his rhythm. However, the Nara University Affiliated High School lineup couldn't get that crucial hit against Chiben Gakuen's Mizuguchi. Chiben Gakuen, hoping for further development from their pitchers following ace Sugimoto, held onto their early lead with a combined effort from three pitchers and advanced to the quarterfinals. Spring Kinki Region High School Baseball Tournament Prefectural Qualifiers, Round 3 Chiben Gakuen 5-0 Nara University Affiliated High School Chiben Gakuen and Tenri, a clash of Nara's prestigious schools, took place in the quarterfinals! Chiben Gakuen scored an unexpected 1-0 lead in the 1st inning. In the very next inning, Tenri's leadoff batter was cleanup hitter, second-year student Sekimura. He had been working on hitting curveballs this winter. Sekimura hit his first high school home run, tying the game. In the following 3rd inning, Tenri took the lead again with a solo home run by second-year student Ozawa, batting 9th... With a runner on base, it was Sekimura's turn at bat again. Sekimura hit his second consecutive home run, extending Tenri's lead. In the 4th inning, Chiben Gakuen's third and fourth pitchers gave up five walks and hit batters, resulting in them giving up another four runs. Nevertheless, in the bottom of the inning, Chiben Gakuen had two outs and a runner on second base, with their leadoff hitter, captain Kakutani, at bat. Wanting to shift the momentum in their favor, the captain delivered a timely hit, scoring one run. However, they conceded another run in the sixth inning, making the score 2-9. Chiben Gakuen needed to score at least one more run to avoid a seven-inning mercy rule loss. This inning, leadoff hitter and captain Kakutani was up to bat. Second batter Yagi also managed a determined infield single! After that, they had several bases-loaded opportunities, but... they couldn't break through Tenri's starting pitcher, Hashimoto. Hashimoto's excellent pitching and powerful hitting allowed Tenri to overwhelm Chiben Gakuen, the runner-up in the Spring Koshien tournament. Chiben Gakuen vows to bounce back by improving their pitching and batting. Spring Kinki Regional High School Baseball Tournament Prefectural Qualifiers Quarterfinals Tenri 9-2 Chiben Gakuen *Seven-inning mercy rule #HighSchoolBaseball #ChibenGakuen #Tenri #NaraUniversityAffiliated