The Tokai University Sagami team being cheered from the stands after defeating Koryo = at Koshien Stadium
On the 10th day of the 106th National High School Baseball Championship on the 16th, the Kanagawa representative Tokai University Sagami faced Koryo (Hiroshima) at Koshien Stadium in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture, winning decisively with a score of 8-1, advancing to the quarter-finals. If there are no postponements due to bad weather, they will face Kanto One (East Tokyo) in the first match on the 19th for a spot in the semi-finals.
Tokai University Sagami turned the game around in the third inning with one out and the bases loaded, when third batter Ryunosuke Nakamura (2nd year) hit a two-run timely hit to center field. They added three runs in the fifth inning from timely hits by leadoff hitter Kazuya Saita (3rd year) and Nakamura, and another three runs in the sixth inning from three consecutive timely hits by Yuki Wada (3rd year), Ruto Higa (2nd year), and ace pitcher Ryuhei Fujita (3rd year).
Starting pitcher Fujita allowed one run in the second inning due to a defensive mishap, but he kept the Koryo batting lineup from scoring any additional runs with his fastball in the high 140 km/h range and breaking pitches delivered from his height of 198 cm. Reliever Yuga Takahashi (3rd year) also pitched well, allowing no runs in three innings. (Kota Sato)
◆ Comments from Coach and Players
Coach Shunsuke Hara “Being able to turn the game around immediately after conceding a run was really significant. That gave the team a sense of security.”
Captain Maito Kimura “Fujita had a tough time in the second inning, but he made a comeback. That shows his growth.”
Third baseman Ruto Higa (with two doubles and good defense) “I got on base and brought the momentum. I have confidence in my arm.”
Center fielder Yuki Wada (with a timely double in the sixth inning) “I hit it perfectly. I calculated to not swing at Takao’s low forkball.”
◆ Flexibility in batting helps conquer strong pitchers – Tokai University Sagami’s Ryunosuke Nakamura (2nd Year)
Nakamura’s good hitting is supported by his flexibility to change his approach at the plate depending on the opposing pitcher. In the fifth inning, with one out and runners on second and third, he faced Takao Hibiki, one of the tournament’s top pitchers. After fouling off a 139 km/h pitch on the inside, he adjusted his batting by using a sliding step without raising his right foot to time his swing.
“The opponent’s fastball has good movement and his breaking balls are also good.” He maintains a compact swing to be able to handle both, biting on a low outside breaking ball. Even while slightly off-balance, he effectively placed the ball, sneaking it past the infield defense.
In the third inning with one out and the bases loaded, Tokai University Sagami’s Nakamura hit a two-run single to center field
Following his two-run timely hit that turned the game around in the third inning, he delivered another significant two-run timely hit to extend the lead. “I was able to do my job of bringing home the runners,” he reflected with a sense of accomplishment.
Standing 184 cm tall and weighing 78 kg, he possesses the best batting sense on the team. In the Kanagawa tournament, he hit two home runs over seven games, boasting a batting average above .400. On this day too, he secured four hits, prompting Coach Hara to praise him, saying, “It’s something that can’t easily be imitated.”
He attributes his hitting ability to the practice he has continued at home with his mother since childhood. His mother who played softball until university would throw a small sponge ball, which he would hit back with a thin plastic bat meant for cheering at baseball games.
What seems like a playful activity between mother and child is more challenging due to the small size of the ball and bat, making it difficult to make solid contact. The skills developed in his early years are fully utilized on the grand stage of Koshien. (Kota Sato)