2023/03/10
The pairings lottery for the 95th National High School Baseball Invitational Tournament (the Spring Koshien), which begins on Saturday, March 18, was held on Friday, March 10. It was decided that the Keio Senior High School Baseball Club will play against Sendai Ikuei Gakuen High School from Miyagi Prefecture in the third game (scheduled to start at 2:00 PM) on the fourth day of the tournament, Tuesday, March 21 (a public holiday).
On Friday, February 24, a tournament flag acceptance ceremony was held at the Hiyoshi Kyoiku Hall on the high school campus. Watched by members of the Hiyoshi community, Mr. Shigeyuki Tanaka, Yokohama Branch Officer of the Mainichi Shimbun, the tournament organizer, presented the tournament flag to Principal Takeshi Akuzawa. Principal Akuzawa encouraged the baseball club members, saying, "Even if you are seen as unorthodox, I want you to follow the path you believe is right and perform to the best of your ability." Manager Mori and Captain Omura then expressed their gratitude and determination. The subsequent pep rally was greatly enlivened by cheers from the Keio University Cheerleading Team.
On Tuesday, the 28th, Principal Akuzawa and the baseball club members paid courtesy visits to the Kanagawa Prefectural Government Office, the Yokohama City Hall, the Mainichi Shimbun Yokohama Branch, Kanagawa Shimbun, and Television Kanagawa. Captain Omura spoke powerfully, pledging to give back to the local community: "We want to create a new history in high school baseball as representatives not only of Kanagawa Prefecture but of Japan, and deliver dreams and hope to many people." Governor Yuji Kuroiwa mentioned that vocal cheering is now allowed at Koshien and offered his encouragement, saying, "I hope you will use the great support on the big stage as your strength, demonstrate the results of your practice, and by all means, bring the championship flag back to Kanagawa Prefecture."
Thank you for your support.
Photos by: Shin Ishido, Akitoshi Takematsu