夏の高校野球・群馬大会　参加６５校５９チームの対戦相手が決まる(26/06/17)

The draw for the summer national high school baseball tournament in Gunma Prefecture, which opens on the 4th of next month, was held in Maebashi City, determining the matchups for the 65 schools and 59 teams participating. The draw began shortly after 2 PM at the Shoken Gakuen Maebashi Hall, with captains and officials from all 65 schools and 59 teams in attendance. This year, Manba, Tsumagoi, and Itakura will not be participating due to a shortage of players. Seven schools—Maebashi Nishi, Tamamura, Haruna, Shimonita, Fujioka Kogyo, Yoshii, and Naganohara—will participate as a combined team. Here are some of the notable matchups in each block. First, Block A. Kenta Takasaki, aiming for their third consecutive championship, will face the winner of the opening match between Isesaki Kogyo and Shibukawa Kogyo. Maebashi, a spring quarterfinalist, and Nodai Ni High School, a quarterfinalist in last year's tournament, will face one of the best first-round matches. Oze and Yotsuba are both making their first solo appearances in eight years. They will face Isesaki and Maebashi Minami, respectively. Next, Block B. Last fall's runner-up, Shodai Affiliated High School, will face the winner of the match between Oizumi and Maebashi Ikuei (who are competing from an unseeded position for the first time in five years). Tokiwa, a spring quarter-finalist, will play the winner of the Kiryu Kogyo vs. Isesaki Shogyo match. Other teams with Koshien experience, such as Kiryu Shogyo, Kiryu Kogyo, Takasaki Shogyo, and Kiryu, are also aiming for the top spot. Next is Block C. Spring runner-up Maebashi Shogyo will face the winner of the Numata vs. Setano Norin match in their first game. Tone Shogyo, a quarter-finalist in both last summer and fall, will face Ota Kogyo in the first round. Takasaki Keizai University Affiliated High School, a quarter-finalist last fall, will play Tomioka in their first game. Finally, Block D. Eight schools from the eastern Gunma region, including last fall's champion Kiryu Daiichi, are in this block. Kwansei Gakuin University Affiliated High School, a top 8 team in the spring tournament, will face Ota Higashi in their first game. Takasaki High School, a top 8 team in both summer and fall last year, will play against a seven-school alliance, while Annaka Sogo High School, boasting a strong pitcher, will face Fujioka Chuo High School. Jutoku High School, aiming for its first championship in four years, will play against Tomioka Jitsugyo High School. The players' oath at the opening ceremony will be given by Haruto Mogi, captain of Nishimura High School, who drew the number 1 ticket in the preliminary draw. The tournament will begin on the 4th of next month, with intense matches taking place over 14 days at four stadiums throughout the prefecture, including the Jomo Shimbun Shikishima Stadium. If the schedule proceeds smoothly, the final match will be held on the 26th of next month. This year, to reduce the burden on players due to the summer heat, a maximum of two games will be played at each stadium per day. Also, following the spring prefectural tournament, the DH system, which allows a designated hitter to bat in place of the pitcher, will be introduced for the first time in the summer tournament.