Senbatsu High School Baseball Semifinals. Hotoku Gakuen won by five goals against Osaka Toin, who were aiming for back-to-back titles. He showed a performance that reminded old high school baseball fans of the "Comeback Reward".
Hotoku Gakuen made its first appearance throughout the spring and summer in the first round of the summer Koshien in 1961 (Showa 36), and while losing 1 runs in the 11th inning, they regained 6 runs to tie the game, and finally won the bye, which was called "Hotoku of Reversal".
This year's team has shown tenacious fighting that reminds us of the "reward of comeback".
In the second round of the first match, they came from behind to win despite losing the opening goal.
He won the third round after a tiebreak.
In the quarterfinals, they scored one run in the 6th inning of the tiebreak, but they came from behind to win the bye and advance to the semifinals.
In the semi-finals, Osaka Toin, the defending champions, took a five-run lead in three innings, but they quickly gave up two runs to tie the game in the seventh and win the game in the eighth.
Coach OSUMI Kenji commented on the dramatic victory in quick succession, "It's not just the momentum, it's the power of the players. Until now, it was like a miracle or something like that, but I'm really confident."
The Alpine seats also support the "reward of reversal".
Third-year student Mototeru Osaki, who was not on the bench for the semifinals, cheered loudly, and said that before the game, he sent messages to the players, such as "Look in the stands when you are in trouble."
Catcher Hori Hiirina, who serves as the captain, proudly stated, "The strength of this team is that we are able to play with a sense of unity," and in the eighth inning, when the game was tied in the semifinals, Osaka Toin blocked a stolen base with an arrow-like pitch that he said was "the best in my baseball life."
A large group of nearly 8 members became a monolith and revived the "reward of reversal".
Next is the final, aiming to win the championship for the first time in 100 years.