Samurai Japan U-18 team of 2025 will be holding a send-off match this August & September. This will be a series of send-off match with two match-ups: one against Samurai Japan Univ team of 2025 and one against Okinawa High Schools Selection team. Both games will be held in Okinawa, the first time to be opened in there for this send-off match. Below is the detail information regarding the send-off match.
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| Samurai Japan University representatives of 2025 |
As the Samurai Japan University member candidate training camp has ended today, the official list of Samurai Japan University members has been released in the same day. With a total of 26 members, this national team will represent Japan in the upcoming USA-Japan Collegiate All-Star Game, which is a friendly game between USA collegiate representatives against Samurai Japan University representatives.
Additional Players
- Horikoshi Keita RHP ➃ (Tohoku Fukushi University - Hanasaki Tokuharu)
- Sakurai Yorinosuke RHP ➃ (Tohoku Fukushi University - St. Catalina Gakuen)
- Yoneda Tsubasa RHP ➂ (Tokai University - Ichiko/Municipal Wakayama HS)
- Suzuki Taisei RHP ➂ (Aoyama Gakuin University - Tokaidai Sugao)
- Miyagi Konan LHP ➂ (Waseda University - Urawa Gakuin)
- Noguchi Ren LHP ➃ (Kinki University - Seiryo)
- Fujikawa Taito LHP ➂ (Fukui University of Technology - Nishi Jouyou)
- Mori Masami C ➃ (Nara Gakuen University - Shimonoseki International HS)
- Kuroda Yoshinobu ➂ (Higashinippon International University - Kyushu International Univ. HS)
Declined to Participate (Due to injury, etc.)
- Yamazaki Taiyo ➃ (Sohka University - Teikyo Daigo)
- Takagi Hayato ➃ (Chukyo University - Eitoku HS)
That title of course sounds like a clickbait one, but trust me it doesn't really sounds like that.
Hello, there. It's Yoriko, the Japanese baseball freak on internet. It's been a while since I write a journal in my own blog.
Actually, it is such a handy way to give a sign for my reader (if they're still reading on this blog).
If I start writing a personal article post in this blog, it means that I already surpassed my limit on continuing my daily life.
Don't worry, it's not like what you thinking. I just want to spill out all my struggle in real life through a long paragraph of post instead writing it down on that fucking app Elon just destroyed with his greedy ego. I missed Twitter so much.
Anyway, recently I haven't writing anything related to baseball again other than a translation report of the updates regarding Samurai Japan candidate member. I want to write down other topics related such as DH rules that started to be applicated to Tokyo Big 6 League and Highschool Baseball or something like why Hawks is sucks without their star players in the roster this season.
You know what? Fuck it and blame it all to Kokubo he ain't fucking read all the fans advices although those are the most ideal plan to applied into the recent team and yet he's still fucking goes with ymkw and that fucking Mexican closer.
Oh, or about who's going to be the prominent candidate to get the ROTY title, maybe?
Since most of the candidates available including some of notable collegiate graduates, maybe I should give my own opinion on their value to be the most probable ROTY? That's sounds fun.
...in the end I can't stop thinking about baseball over and over and yet these final assignments in college really gave me a headache these past months. I just wanna survive all of these soon and back again into my baseball daily life oh my goodness.
But after these ended, the next one that will be waiting is my last semester—my final goal of semester where I have to graduate as soon as possible in less than 6 months.
Only a while left and look—you're already this far! Do your best, myself!! (cheering up myself cuz I have no one to cheer me up at the moment)
And so, I'll be off for a while from the blog (maybe), focusing on my final assignments and final exams of this semester, and then holiday months!! I'll be back again to my writing activity around July-August to talk more about the preparation of Summer Koshien soon! Can't wait! ><
Alright, maybe this enough to convince you that I had a lot of assignments in due and I will be back soon after June ends!
Until then, see ya~
Note:Player Substitution (Due to health condition or else)- Matsunaga Hiroki LHP (Hakuoh University) → Shibamoto Rinpei RHP- Matsushita Ayuto 3B (Hosei University) → Tateishi Masahiro 3B
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| Samurai Japan U-18 Candidate Members on The Third Day of Training Camp |
Ogura Masayoshi (former manager of Nichidai San High baseball team)
Takemoto Osamu (former manager of Municipal Amagasaki HS baseball team)
Sakahara Hidenao (manager of Shimonoseki International HS baseball team now)
Oosumi Kenji (manager of Hotoku Gakuen baseball team now)
Note:
- (*) - absent due to Spring Tournament participation
- (^) - withdraw due to unwell condition
Source: https://www.japan-baseball.jp/jp/news/press/20250330_1.html
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| Aces from the Best 4 Teams - Senbatsu 2025 Semifinal |
Here we got three powerhouses that already marked so many impactful records on Japanese highschool baseball history, and one newcomer that became the true darkhorse presence of this tournament.
Yokohama, with their notable record as the champion of Meiji Jingu Baseball Tournament last fall. Marked a total of 26 wins on their participation in Senbatsu Tournament, the last time they won Senbatsu Tournament was back in 2006. They aiming to hold the consecutive title of champions since Meiji Jingu Tournament.
Kendai Takasaki, standing still as Gunma representative for three consecutive years. Marked their appearance 8 times in Senbatsu Tournament, they are in their peak condition to hold still their position as the winner of the latest edition in 2024.
Chiben Wakayama, the mighty powerhouse that won the Summer Koshien 2021, has progressing well after their 'fallen era' since the last time they won the summer title. As they finally recorded a total of 30 wins so far since their latest victory from the quarterfinal match-up against Hiroshima Shogyo, the red knight from the Kinki empire tries up to their best effort to be able to stand still as the last Kinki representative who stood in the ground of Koshien this spring.
And among these three famously known powerhouses, there is one team that only marked their first appearance by this year in Senbatsu Tournament, yet they managed to stand up steadily against many strong teams that being anticipated in this tournament.
Not by a mere luck, but also by their collective strategies through their very own defense and offense, and has been walking through with such a big result of victory. Which then led them to the most brilliant achievement of their baseball club history, to become one of the best 4 member in Senbatsu Tournament.
That is what you called a "Darkhorse". Or we can call them Urawa Jitsugyo―a common private high school which also one of the largest private school in Saitama.
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| Urawa Jitsugyo baseball team |
Able to load for about 400 students in common studies and 240 in commercial studies, merged with 120 students from junior class, Urawa Jitsugyo can be claimed as the one of the largest private school in Saitama. In their second year of senior high, all students required to participate in a short study abroad program in Hawaii.
The baseball team itself was founded in 1975, right after the latest official name was established. The members in total is 77, consist of 73 boys and 4 girls (manager).
Right in the commemorative year of 50 years since the founding of the baseball club, they managed to participate in the Senbatsu Tournament for the first time, and that counts as their first participation in Koshien from both spring (Senbatsu) and summer tournament.
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| Urawa Jitsugyo's performance in Koshien |
And also, most of news media gave Urawa Jitsugyo a low rank value with commonly comes up with C rank. I know that media nowadays, or even from long ago, sometimes do a bias evaluation through any subject that spreading among society.
But to be honest, not only media but most of highschool baseball fans also didn't expected that they will survive this far in Senbatsu. So I think this is a fair situation and wonderful scenery of highschool baseball in Japan like we used to witness sometimes.
How did Urawa Jitsugyo get to Koshien so far? I've resumed all their game record since last fall in the section below.
In the Saitama Fall Prefectural Tournament, they got their first win with a walk-off game by 6-5 against Saitama Heisei HS. In the second round, they called the game in 7th against Ogano HS by 7-0. In the third round, they faced Seibo Gakuen who participated as Saitama representative in Summer Koshien 2022, defeated them with a slight gap of run by 3-1.
In the quarterfinal, they faced another tough opponent in their prefecture, Urawa Gakuin. But then, they marked such an amazing victory by shutting them out scoreless, 4-0. In the semifinal, they advancing forward after defeated Yamamura Gakuen by 4-2, and in final, they are showing no mercy as they won by 9-1 against Seibu Dai HS.
In the Kanto Fall Tournament, they won in the first round against Utsunomiya Kogyo by 4-2. In the quarterfinal, they won a shutout game against Tsukuba Shuei by 2-0. But, in the semifinal, they lose against Yokohama by 2-3.
And so, Urawa Jitsugyo ended their best record of Fall Tournament as best 4 team. But not only that, they also managed to participate in the Senbatsu Tournament the next year in 2025, too. And this marked their very first participation in the Koshien both Spring and Summer tournaments.
In the first round of Senbatsu, they faced one of the best 8 team from last summer, Shiga Gakuen and defeated them by 3-0. In the second round, they won another big victory against Tokaidai Sapporo by 8-2.
And in the latest round of quarterfinal, they survived the tie break game against Seiko Gakuin through such an unexpected way of victory by scoring 8 runs in the 10th. They managed to advance into the semifinal as best 4 member for the first time ever, the most great achievement they recorded since the founding of their club 50 years ago.
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| Ishido Souta LHP |
Ishido Souta might be the one of lefty pitcher you commonly found in any mid-class team of highschool baseball club. Since he has no overpower speed in his pitching like other powerhouse team's pitcher do, and has a slender looks that makes you think, "What's make him special among others?".
The pitching form.
As you can see in the picture above, he sure has an odd form of pitching. Highly lifting his right leg up above his waist, then giving a short pause before he delivered his pitches right from the highest release point. As odd as his opponent find it hard to give those pitches an appropriate contact to the fair zone.
His fastball averaged at 120+ km/h and topped at 131 km/h. Even though his pitch speed seems average in highschool baseball level, he able to hold an ERA record lower than 2.00 since last fall, and in this tournament he still only recorded 0.00 ERA from three games so far.
Aside from his pitching, he also never shows a decent emotions on his face or any nervous gestures when he pitches on the mound. A poker-face pitcher with an 'odd' pitching habit is truly a real deal for many batters exist in this sports.
Urawa Jitsugyo already defeated three teams in Koshien so far, with all of them of them being a powerhouse team from their native hometown―Shiga Gakuen, Tokaidai Sapporo, and Seiko Gakuin.
Their next opponent in the semifinal is as tough as their previous opponents, or perhaps more stronger. It's Chiben Wakayama from the 'Kinki empire' we talking about.
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| Chiben Wakayama's ace, Watanabe Hayato |
But in this Senbatsu 2025, they started to push forward to their best condition as they manage to survive until semifinal so far. Their defense became more solid than last year, and their offense are getting more better after had to adapt with the new bat that decrease their contact rate.
Yet the true challenge is how to face Ishido's 'bothersome' pitches in their offense this time. Urawa Jitsugyo's previous opponents were only just fine facing their own opponent before they met Urajitsu. Not only just that, all were a powerhouse team.
The main manager of Chiben Wakayama, Nakatani Jin himself said in an interview that Ishido is truly their weakness in terms of facing a lefty that threw a 'slow' fastball. As they were also being suffered by the same type of pitcher last summer when facing Kasumigaura and lost in the second round.
He then revealed that the team has been practicing with pitcher's group trying to imitate Ishido's form and making a simulation through his pitches as a counterplan for the next match-up. Not only just by imitating, the batter lineup want to focus on Ishido's release point and trying their best to get the perfect timing to make a contact with his pitches.
Although previous teams already doing the same thing as well, Chiben Wakayama is gaining an advantage as they can learn from the previous matches, and rearrange the strategy once more to face them up in the next match-up.
Will they be the next 'victim' of Urawa Jitsugyo's unexpected high-skilled play like their previous opponents? The time will tell soon.
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| Kendai Takasaki vs. Yokohama |
Kendai Takasaki had won the latest edition of Senbatsu and ready to hold on the title once again this year with their team's massive offense rate and solid defense. In other hand, Yokohama has marked a brilliant record as the champion of Meiji Jingu Tournament last fall.
Both teams had its own advantage and superiority as powerhouses. It's really hard to imagine who will survive from this showdown, as both team did have prominent batting lineup and pitcher's rotation.
The main highlight probably will be the rotation as well. In Kendai Takasaki side, the main starter role mostly taken by Shimoshige Kenshin, a huge lefty pitcher with a sharp pitches and good control within. He has been starting the game twice on the previous games between Meitoku Gijuku and Tsuruga Kehi. Another lefty that started the game as well is Yamada Ryota, which has left a good record too in the previous game against Hanamaki Higashi.
On the righty club, they got Shimada Tsubasa as reliever, and their ace of this tournament, Ishigaki Genki. He has became a hot topic as he break the record of the fastest pitch to be thrown in Senbatsu by 155 km/h, surpassing the previous record made by Hirao Takuya (Uji Yamada) and Fujinami Shintarou (Osaka Toin) with 153 km/h.
In Yokohama side, they got this monstrous young pitcher like Oda Shoki who can throw up to 150 km/h continuously, and lefty ace Okumura Raito who also has the potential as Two-Way Player (TWP) in their team, since he often started as outfielder and bat at 7th order.
With both side having a solid lineup of defense and offense, it is difficult to see who will be the last to survive and advances to the final stage, but then it will become an exciting match-up to watch soon after this.
Which champion will survive the tough battle of powerhouses, then? The result will be clear soon...
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| Senbatsu 2024 winner, Kendai Takasaki. Photo: Number Web |
Note: The list order is "Back Number" → "Name" → "Position"
Disclaimer: I'm referring to SportsNavi data since it's the most accurate one. Kyureki one still got a few of members missed or perhaps unlisted from the official member list.
Kyureki: https://www.kyureki.com/koko/81/1441/
Kyureki: https://www.kyureki.com/koko/122/2018/
Sportsnavi: https://baseball.yahoo.co.jp/hsb_spring/teams/20068/memberlist?kind=b