The autumn league of the Tokyo Big 6 Baseball League has started. The Waseda University baseball club won two straight games at the opening of the season for the first time in seven seasons, but after that, they lost two straight games to the champion of the spring season, Meiji University. In one of those games, he conceded 17 goals, the most since Satoru Komiyama took office. Even so, Manager Komiyama found a chance to win in the result of “a crushing defeat”. What is the reason. (Author Yasutaka Sudo)
Powerhouse Meiji War
17 goals conceded
The Waseda University baseball team has won consecutive wins over Hosei University and scored points. It was the Meiji War, which got off to a great start and bravely faced it.
However, the first round was 0-2. And 4-17 in the second round.
“I thought I could fight evenly with the strong Meiji. But it didn’t work. I can’t even sigh.”
This is the true state of mind of manager Satoru Komiyama right after the defeat.
On the afternoon of September 27th, the day after the second round, I was able to hear the director’s story. It seems that it was right after the defeat that he didn’t even sigh, and Komiyama came to the hotel lounge with a casual expression.
Both days of the match were sunny with a typhoon passing, and the weather was dry and pleasant.
In the first round, both sides made zero mistakes. Walks are Meiji 1, Waseda 2. The game time is 1 hour and 59 minutes. It was a tense offense and defense.
That tension broke in the second round. Waseda’s pitching staff contributed eight walks and made three mistakes. 6 points are robbed in the bottom of the 5th inning. For Waseda, it is a strong middle push.
The offense and defense seemed like deja vu. Meiji is a good hitting order from No. 1 Kaito Muramatsu. No. 2 Taji Iimori sent Muramatsu, who was on base, to bunt. This is the first base safe. Iimori is a fast-footed hitter. If Muramatsu is on base, the defensive side will be tense. It was at this point that I broke down.
This scene closely resembled the offense and defense in the bottom of the first inning. Muramatsu, the lead batter, moves to first base with a sudden walk. The catcher throws Iimori’s bunt to first base.
Immediately after that, in both the 1st and 5th innings, Meiji No. 3 Sozan Rui was hit by a sacrifice fly to Wright and a home run. Sozan was out of control on this day, with 5 hits and 7 RBIs in 5 at-bats. He hits two home runs.
“Meiji is the team with the most footwork. Iimori’s fast pace has been fully factored in. I knew that, but I couldn’t handle it. Including that, I can only say that it is a lack of practice.”
Although he gave only one point in the bottom of the first inning, he gave up six points in the bottom of the fifth inning. If you repeat the same mistakes, the balance of the game called baseball will suddenly collapse.
A scene at the end of the first round. It was an attack in the bottom of the 9th inning, which was 0-2.
The 4th grader who was sent to pinch hitter missed and struck out. The 4th grader ran to the bench with frustration and chagrin. “I couldn’t help it” was written on his face. At this time, Komiyama said to him, “Even so, I’ll do something about it.”
It doesn’t mean that fourth grader. Overall, the strength of the members is not enough.
“I wonder if there will be a fourth-year student like Osawa.”
That’s what the Commander muttered.
