【夏の高校野球】直近5年で3回の決勝進出「新潟産大附属」：注目校①【新潟】スーパーJにいがた6月30日OA

The opening of the Summer High School Baseball Niigata Tournament is fast approaching on July 9th. Therefore, we will be introducing some of the schools to watch this summer in a series. The first is Niigata Sangyo University Affiliated High School. In 2024, Niigata Sangyo University Affiliated High School achieved their long-held dream of making their first appearance at Koshien. In the summer of 2025, they came agonizingly close to the championship, reaching the finals three times in the last five years. They demonstrate remarkable resilience in the summer tournaments. ■Coach Kimihiro Yoshino "The people of Kashiwazaki still remember our Koshien appearance two years ago, and it's a blessing to be able to enter the summer tournament with such positive pressure and expectations." The heart of this year's team, aiming to reclaim the championship, is— Kazuya Igarashi, the only freshman to make the Koshien bench in 2024. He's a shortstop with smooth glove work! At bat, he's the number three hitter who boasted a batting average of over .400 this spring. He's truly the linchpin of both offense and defense. ■Kazuya Igarashi (3rd year) "The experience of seeing the high level of competition nationwide (at Koshien) was a huge benefit. I want to work hard to become a pillar of the team, both defensively and offensively." The team achieved runner-up status in the spring prefectural tournament. The breakout players were the second-year students, who make up more than half of the regulars. This is the grade that chose Sangyo University Affiliated High School after seeing their 2024 Koshien appearance. ■Reo Waguri (2nd year) "(My reason for joining the team was) after watching the game where they beat Hanasaki Tokuei at Koshien two years ago, I wanted to go to Koshien with this team." Among them, second-year student Reo Waguri started two games this spring, pitching complete games in both. His strength lies in his pitching style, which involves using changes of pace to induce ground balls and catches. While the younger players are rising to prominence, there are also third-year pitchers who are showing their determination for the summer. Taichi Ishiguro, who wore number 16 in the spring. In the fall of 2025, he wore the ace number. ■ Taichi Ishiguro (3rd year) "In the spring, I was given the number 16, which was frustrating, but I felt that the third-year students had to step up in the end, so I pitched with the feeling that I was the ace." In the spring final, he took the mound as the starting pitcher and delivered a powerful performance, pitching all 10 innings. Armed with a fastball reaching 135 km/h and excellent control, he showcased a commanding pitching performance. These two right-handed aces are key players this summer. ■ Reo Waguri (2nd year) "This is the last summer we can play together as a team, so I want to win each game carefully." ■ Taichi Ishiguro (3rd year) "This summer, I want to be the core of the team. Two years ago, we won one game at Koshien, so we want to win at least two games and achieve a good result." Despite having strong pitching and hitting capabilities, they were eliminated in the first round in the fall of 2025. The key to their spring breakthrough was the "indoor training facility exclusively for the baseball team," completed in December 2025. It was built with donations primarily from Kashiwazaki, their hometown, following their appearance at the Koshien tournament. ■ Kazuya Igarashi (3rd year): "(Through training) our extra-base hits increased compared to the fall, which translated into increased scoring for the team as a whole." ■ Taichi Ishiguro (3rd year): "My fastball speed increased by about 5 km/h throughout the winter." The "Sanfu Nine" have evolved through a winter of training. With gratitude in their hearts, they aim to create another sensation from Kashiwazaki. ■ Kazuya Igarashi (3rd year): "I really feel the support from my hometown, so I want to do my best to repay them by winning the championship." This series, on July 1st, will feature "Chuetsu Aiming for a Second Consecutive Koshien Appearance." Information is current as of June 30, 2026. #Niigata #HighSchoolBaseball #NiigataSangyoUniversityAffiliatedSchool #SchoolToWatch #Koshien #Niigata #UXNiigataTV21