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Yuki Saito decided to participate in Koshien with a surprising obsession, “Did I have such feelings?” | Professional baseball | Shueisha’s sports magazine Sportiva official website web Sportiva

Series “Yuki Saito, Baseball Journey-Confession of Prince Handkerchief” 9th

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 October 29, 2005, Jingu Second Stadium. Sayami played against Nihon Univ. In the semi-finals of the Autumn Tokyo Tournament, where he played Senbatsu. Yuki Saito shut out Nihon Univ. 2-0, such as suppressing Yosuke Tanaka, who was hit by a home run in the summer, to a no-hit with 4 at bats. Waseda advances to the final of the Tokyo tournament.

Yuki Saito of Waseda Jitsugyo, who defeated Tokai University Sugao with a spirited pitch and won the Tokyo tournament.
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Shutout victory over the nemesis, Nihon Univ.

It’s been three months since I lost the cold in the summer. We who won the block qualifying in the autumn Tokyo tournament will defeat Setagaya Gakuen, Kokugakuin Kugayama, and Horikoshi to advance to the semi-finals. There, I played against Mitaka (Nihon Univ.) Again.

Before entering the autumn tournament, I thought that it was necessary to improve the level by two or three steps, so I made various preparations, but after entering the tournament, I thought “I will do something with what I have now”. It came to be. When I lost to Mitaka in the summer, I felt that all the balls were being swung with all my strength, so I practiced throwing them into the in-course so that I wouldn’t make a full swing with 1, 2 or 3. In order to suppress the batter of Sanko, do not make a full swing. To do that, you have to show the out course far away. That way you won’t get a full swing. That’s why I decided to attack the in-course.

That day I had a good ball from the start. Catcher Shirakawa (Eisei) took the lead to scatter the in-course and out-course well, and the changing ball was also good. He struck out three times in a row in two innings and was able to throw with a good rhythm after that. When he was made one-out third base in the seventh inning, he threw a pick-off ball and stabbed the runner.

That play was great. That 3rd base check was a play that we thought about and developed after the summer tournament was over. When there is a runner on the 3rd base, Koyanagi (Ryumi) of the third does not stick to the base. Then, in eye contact with me, I told him “I’m going to check next”, and I thought I would raise my foot and throw it to the batter … I will throw it to the 3rd base. Then Koyanagi touches the runner and goes out! This check, as practiced, worked many times that fall.

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