The Summer Koshien (夏の甲子園 Natsu no Kōshien) otherwise known as the National High School Baseball Championship (全国高等学校野球選手権大会 Zenkoku Kōtō Gakkō Yakyū Senshuken Taikai), is an annual baseball tournament held in the Hanshin Koshien Stadium in the Koshien district of Nishinomiya City, Hyōgo, Japan.
It takes place during the summer school vacation period, culminating in a two-week final tournament stage in August in which 49 teams from the 47 prefectures in Japan that won their nation-wide qualifiers will battle through single elimination rounds.
Every prefecture has one team qualify for Summer Koshien by winning their regional tournament, with two exceptions. Tokyo is divided into Western and Eastern regions, and Hokkaido is divided into Northern and Southern regions. Hence, both of these prefectures have two representatives every year.
The placement of all 49 teams are determined by lottery, 34 teams face off in the first round while 15 teams receive byes directly into the second round. The second round then begins with 32 teams. This means depending on the lottery, a team must win five or six games to become the champions.
To keep things as fair as possible, 14 of the 15 teams who received initial byes face each other in the second round to prevent fully rested teams from playing teams who have already played a game. There is one exception, the 15th team not matched up with another team with a bye faces one of the winners from the games on the first day.
***
On the first day of the tournament, all schools will participating for the opening ceremony so it's inevitable that the powerhouse will clash with each other.
'Inajitsu! they look confident as usual!' When the past year champion make an entrance a buzzing discussions occurred.
'As expected of school that already reach the koshien look different!'
'Narumiya looking good as usual'
Then seido's bus arrived.
'It's seido!'
'This year seido look determined to reach koshien! Look! Their aura is formidable indeed'
Seido head toward the stadium lead by Captain Yuki Tetsuya.
'WOAHHHHH! so many people'
'Sawamura shut up!'
'Koshien...'
'Furuya walk properly!'
'It's hot senpai'
With Kuramochi babysitting the two it was chaotic as usual.
'It's huge' Kominato marvel at the sight.
'Make sure to learn something, even when you're benched try learning something' Ryousuke advice his little brother.
'Aniki.. '
People look intimidated seeing how relax seido is. The most eye-catching situation is seeing Miyuki talking with a silver haired guy. His white complexion accenture his features.
'Who is that? Is he a player?'
'Look! The number on his back!' someone shout.
'Number?'
'It's one! He is wearing number one!'
'Then Tanba-san?'
The people around them shock in realization. Number one isn't just a number. It represents the team's ace, seeing that it's not Tanba who wear that number people stupefied.
'I see Tanba! he is wearing number eleven!'
'Did Tanba get hurt?'
'It doesn't seems so!'
'So the rumor about Seido's having a monster pitcher is true?'
'Is he Furuya?'
'No, I have attend one of his game. He doesn't look like that. Ah! there he is wearing number seventeen' The guy point Furuya's back. The discussions came on an abrupt stop when Jun speak in annoyed voice.
'What ya lookin' got a problem!'
'There he is. Jun speciality'
'As expected of Jun-san!'
'Amazing! jun-senpai teach me please~'
'Sawamura what do you mean teach huh!?'
*Eikkk*
Yuki can only sigh seeing his team condition. 'Everyone, gather'
'aoqhdgsgdgnaapbdzvkw'
'Do you hear m-'
'SAWAMURA!'
*SIGHS*
'DO YOU HEAR ME! GATHER!' Yuki looks like he want to strangle them so they move obediently.
'Captain sure is scary when he's serious' Mio commented
'Except for shogi the captain are basically good at everything hehe' Miyuki and Mio chatted.
'Miyuki and Mio if you two don't want to run extra laps after this shut up'
*flinched*
Mio nudge Miyuki with his elbow. His face is saying that it's all his fault. This year, the captain seems determined than usual so whoever make a mistake will run an extra laps on the field. They have enough of running so it better they didn't provoke him any further.
'WITH THIS THE REGIONALS FOR 89TH SUMMER KOSHIEN WILL COMMENCE SHORTLY' the announcement bring them back. After the ceremonial speech and singing Japan's anthem they disperse. Waiting for the first round to start.