When asked if there were any players invited by other schools when he entered high school, Toshihide Yonehara, director of Wakayama Higashi, said, “I can’t do it,” and continued.
“It’s a weed soul.”
Many junior high school students who are familiar with their skills in Wakayama Prefecture go on to the prestigious Chiben Wakayama and Ichi Wakayama. Chiben Wakayama is a well-known Koshien championship school this summer. Ichiwakayama is a traditional school that produced Kenta Kozono (1st in DeNA), Torao Matsukawa (1st in Lotte) and 1st in draft battery. The players who go to Wakayama Higashi are at the lower level. Most of the players are not confident in their studies and are prepared for the rigorous practice imposed by Director Yonehara.
Heira Konoue, the captain of Wakayama Higashi and also serves as No. 4.
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Such Wakayama Higashi is showing a good advance this fall. In the autumn Wakayama prefectural tournament, Daikinsei defeats Chiben Wakayama 5-4 in the semi-finals. Furthermore, in the autumn Kinki tournament where he participated in 2nd place in Wakayama, he defeated Yawata Sho (Shiga) 3 to 1 in the first match and defeated the winning candidate Kyoto International (Kyoto) 3 to 2 in the quarterfinals. Participation in the selected high school baseball tournament (Senbatsu) next spring is almost certain. If you get a Senbatsu ticket, it will be your first appearance in the 12th year of the founding.
In the past, there were draft candidates such as Yuki Tsumori (Softbank), Hideichi Ochiai (former 06BULLS), and Hayashi Tamaki (Ehime Mandarin Pirates). Even for them, there is a history of strengthening with the patient guidance of Director Yonehara and Director Kaoru Minami. There is no such promising player this year, but with Kazumasa Asada, the ace of the skillful sidearm, as the axis, the batting line makes full use of small tricks to score points.
In particular, on the offensive side, not only bunts, stolen bases, and hit-and-runs, but also the score at the “gambling start” where the third base runner cuts off the start at the moment the batter hits the ball was conspicuous. Yonehara jokingly calls it “fake baseball,” but it’s not a trick that can be done overnight.
When I asked the captain and fourth batter, Konoue Taira, about this year’s team strength, he continued with a bitter smile, saying, “I think the potential is quite low compared to my seniors.”
“Seniors had batters who could hit long hits, but this year there are few, so I am aiming for baseball that hits the opponent’s skis with my feet and tricks. Because the individual power is low, the whole team will attack the opponent. I’m talking. “
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