Second baseman Tomohiro Machida singled in the go-ahead run in a three-run rally in the ninth inning as Tokoha Gakuen Kikugawa of Shizuoka Prefecture beat Kumamoto Kogyo 6-4 in the semifinals of the National High School Invitational Tournament on Monday.
Kumamoto Kogyo shortstop Daisuke Fujimura hits an RBI triple in the fourth inning during a semifinal game against Tokoha Gakuen Kikugawa of Shizuoka Prefecture on Monday at Koshien Stadium.
KYODO PHOTORyoya Ishioka and Masato Asahara hit back-to-back doubles to tie the game at 4-4 with none out in the top of the ninth, chasing Kumamoto Kogyo ace Tomoya Kumabe, before Machida's clutch hit helped set up a meeting with Gifu's Ogaki Nichidai in Tuesday's final.
Kosuke Soma then added an RBI single off Katsumasa Fujimoto to give the Shizuoka school a two-run cushion. Tokoha Kikugawa reliever Toshiki Togari threw five scoreless innings after starter Kenjiro Tanaka allowed four runs in four innings.