On the 28th, Sendai Ikuei High School, which has been interacting through baseball, held a practice match with high school baseball teams from Suzu and Wajima cities in Ishikawa Prefecture, both of which were affected by the Noto Peninsula Earthquake.
Sendai Ikuei has been inviting high schools from Suzu City and Wajima City to practice baseball together since the 27th in order to encourage high school baseball players affected by the Noto Peninsula Earthquake.
On the second day, the 28th, the Sendai Ikuei parents' association served beef bowl and pork soup for lunch to the baseball teams from the three schools, and the players talked about each other's teams and life in the disaster area while eating a hot meal. I was talking about.
Following Wajima High School in the morning, a practice match was held in the afternoon between Suzu City's Iida High School and Sendai Ikuei High School.
Iida High School coach Masaru Fueki has been coaching the team for 11 years, but this was his last game with the Iida High School players as he will be leaving the school at the end of this month due to personnel changes.
Before the match against the powerhouse Sendai Ikuei, Coach Fueki told his players, ``Today is the final chapter for this team. No matter how many points you score or whether you strike out, let's have fun.''
In the game, Coach Fueki called out, ``Continue as usual,'' and the players responded by using their practiced batting and base running to score in the first and third innings, but in the 8th inning, Sendai Ikuei's We were held back by the batting line and lost by two points, 4-6.
Still, the players played energetically until the end, enjoying the feeling of playing their first match since the earthquake.
Coach Masaru Iida Fueki: ``I was touched by the players' performance and gave them courage.''
After the match, Iida High School coach Masaru Fueki said, ``I think it was a nice game with good content and we were able to enjoy ourselves.The way the players played on the field touched my heart and gave me courage.'' I did.
Regarding leaving Iida High School at the end of this month, he said, ``I'm lonely, and I'm reluctant to live away from the club members.As a teacher, I'm sure I'll be thinking about what kind of support I can provide for the children at another school.'' I think we will continue. The students have been suffering for a long time since there were no tournaments due to the coronavirus pandemic, and when things calmed down there was an earthquake, so I want them to enjoy baseball the most during the summer tournament.''
Daisho Iida Nakaichi: ``It was our best match.''
Iida High School player Daito Nakaichi, who had two hits in three at bats in the game on the 28th, said, ``It was the last game before the coach left, so I played the game with the intention of having fun more than anything. We were able to score points by hitting from the best high school in Japan and using our mobility.I think it was our best game.''
Regarding Coach Fueki's departure from high school, he said, ``I'm sad because the person who always gave me strict guidance will be gone. I'm also worried about what I should do from now on.''
Sendai Ikuei Coach Sue Wataru: ``I felt the strength to work hard and not give in to adversity.''
After the match against Iida High School, Sendai Ikuei coach Wataru Sue said, ``The pitcher was pitching tenaciously, the batter was swinging, and they were the most competitive they've ever been.They seemed to be practicing hard even in a difficult environment. "I felt his strength to do his best without giving in to adversity. I also felt the joy and determination of finally being able to play baseball with the coach."
Regarding Coach Masaru Fueki, who will be leaving Iida High School at the end of this month, he said, ``He has a lot of heart, and the way he talks to the children is kind, and I can see that the children trust him.I think he is a wonderful coach.I have learned a lot from him. I think the baseball team and the way they think are wonderful, so I think it will be a tough time for them, but I want the players at Iida High School to be confident and passionate and do their best for the summer." Ta.