These Guys!

Up at 04:00, I joined the (already few thousand) people queuing outside Koshien Stadium at 05:00. The ticket offices opened earlier than usual at 06:50 instead of 07:00. By 07:30 I was sitting in the (eventually) full capacity stadium, eager for the first game between Riseisha and Takaoka Shogyo. It was a pretty effortless win for Riseisha. The score was 9-2 going into the ninth inning. Takaoka made a big effort to claw their way back by scoring two points in the ninth inning, but Riseisha stopped them and the game ended 9-4 to Riseisha. Great to see the Osaka team making it into the semi-finals - again!

The second game was an amazing experiment into what happens when an irresistible force meets an immovable object. Chiben Wakayama and Seiryo were both incredibly strong in both pitching and fielding. Just as on the day when Arthur and I went, Seiryo's pitcher, Okugawa Toshinobu, was outstanding. Chiben only managed to score three hits during the entire game! And what a game it was! At the end of the ninth inning the teams were tied 1-1. Until the 14th inning, neither team would yield a point. Eventually, because of a special rule to help prevent games from going on too long and tiring the young players too much, in the 13th inning each team began with a first and second base runner already on the field. Which is why, in the 14th inning, Seiryo were eventually able to win the game with a three point sayonara home run.

I am sure I am not the only person who thinks that a final game between Riseisha and Seiryo would be amazing.

Today's photo is of Seiryo singing their school song after winning their immensely grueling game.

We Are The Champions