Sutoku claimed the autumn Hiroshima prefectural high school baseball tournament championship on October 11, 2026, defeating Koryo 6-3 in the final at Bun-chan Shimanami Stadium in Onomichi. The victory secures the prefectural title after a tight contest featuring 11 hits from the Sutoku lineup and a strategic late-inning pitching substitution.
Championship Final Decided by Pitching Relay
Unlike the previous day’s semifinal matches, the tournament final shifted to a calculated relief pitching strategy. Holding a two-run lead heading into the bottom of the eighth inning, Sutoku turned to ace Yuta Nishi. The second-year right-hander, who had thrown a complete-game, 10-inning semifinal the day before, took the mound as the team’s fourth pitcher of the game. After securing two quick outs, Nishi ran into trouble by yielding consecutive hits to the Koryo batting order.
Behind the plate, catcher Kensuke Fujikawa stepped in to steady his teammate. Having shared a battery with Nishi since their junior high school days, Fujikawa tapped the pitcher on the shoulder and delivered a direct encouragement: You’re the one carrying Sutoku’s number one, only you can do it. Let’s win together.
Nishi responded by striking out the next batter swinging, prompting an emotional celebration from the catcher.
Tactical Preparation Against Koryo
The matchup marked a high-stakes rematch for Sutoku following a quarterfinal loss to Koryo earlier in the summer prefectural tournament. To prepare for the formidable Koryo lineup, Sutoku coaching staff and players adjusted glove placements and vocal signals to match the distinct styles of their four pitchers. The team also incorporated analytical insights provided by Rusei Niimura, a third-year player who caught for Sutoku at the spring national invitational tournament.
Sutoku added an insurance run in the top of the ninth inning, extending the lead to 6-3. Nishi returned for the final frame and retired the side in order to lock down the championship. Reflecting on the victory, Fujikawa noted the team’s overarching objective: We’ve aimed to win the Chugoku tournament and return to the Meiji Jingu tournament. I’m really happy we won the prefectural tournament, which was our first goal.
He also pointed to defensive areas requiring refinement, noting that the team allowed two stolen bases and will use the two-week preparation window before the regional tournament to sharpen their play.
Third-Place Playoff and Chugoku Tournament Berth
In the tournament’s third-place playoff held earlier on the same day, Saijo Agricultural High School edged Hiroshima Shinjo High School 6-4. Despite recording fewer hits than their opponents, Saijo Agricultural capitalized effectively on defensive errors by Hiroshima Shinjo to secure the win.
With the prefectural tournament concluded, Sutoku, Koryo, and Saijo Agricultural advance as Hiroshima representatives to the Chugoku regional tournament. The regional competition is scheduled to begin on October 23, 2026, in Tottori Prefecture.
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