"The boys got beaten 12 -2 yesterday by the very strong industrial league team Nippon Express. Chris Morgan started and wasn't as sharp as previous outing. Umpiring over there has been contentious at times and the pitchers are struggling with it. Haydn Beard took over and threw hard. 

I left after 5 to fly home so the boys will have to fill in the rest.

Hitters started really well, but couldn't convert the baserunners. Lot of this due to some sharp defence. Ranga hit another ball to the wall only to see it run down, this time with loaded bases. Ten more feet would have tied the game up 6 all and made a real contest of it. Most of the starters had a hit after five. Trent looked to be timing ball well, and Stewie hit another ball hard.

Final game today before a few days R & R in Tokyo "

Evo

"Today in Nakano/Nagano we played against the Grandserows and went down 5 - 1.

Mark Richards (VIC) started the game and went 2 1/3 before being relieved by Hayden Beard (ACT) who threw 5 2/3. Beard kept their bats quiet, only giving up two runs over his stint – however, we were outclassed today by our opposition pitcher who went seven innings and only gave up one hit.

We scored our only run off their reliever and in fact only scored ywo hits for the game - one to Nathan Walbancke (NSWC) and one to Mark Stewart (SA).

A fine game indeed and typical of the standard of baseball we have faced.

Following the game we were once again treated to the local hospitality, attending a welcome party where mingling and entertainment on a grand scale was present. Conducted in the local council function room and with over 250 guests, quite an extravagant experience considering we were only in this city for one game.

Tomorrow is a rest/travel day as we head to another local school for a cultural visist/coaching clinic. Then on to Tokyo for the finish of our tour. Two games will be played here, together with the opportunity to sight see and attend a couple of major league games at Tokyo dome.

I`ll check in again following our next outing.

Cheers. Ugly."

“Another lovely day in Japan, today at the extremely well organised Shinano Grandesrows in Nagano. Biggest crowd for the week. Approximately 300 saw the locals get up 5 to 1.

The Shinano starter was fabulous - 6 innings for 1 hit and 20 batters. Richo started for Australia and after the first struggled with a tight strike zone (again) and sat a couple of sliders. His movement on the ball troubled the hitters but he could only last three. Beard finished the game in great style, but the Japanese guys are so good at executing in tough situations.

Our guys finished with only two hits. Ranga hit the longest ball of his life to the longest fence into the wind only to be dropped on the warning track. Great dummy spit after when he tried to go to third after a shallow fly ball to centre hosed him.

Great baseball here. Quite a few guys from independent and pro teams have been watching games to assess our standard. Our guys have been far from disgraced and earned a lot of respect. Danny Mayamura has been fantastic in organising games and other day-to-day matters.

The boys have a couple of days off before facing tough industrial league team Nippon Express back in Tokyo. They are doing another local school visit in morning, which is a buzz for the players and kids."

Evo the Elder

"Today's adventure was indeed that.

We travelled from Niigata by train to Takashi where we played another independent league team called Pegasus.

We lost the game 11-5.

Jeff Wishart (WA) started for us and got into a little trouble early, thanks to some line ball calls from behind the plate that seemed to be very tight. He was relieved firstly by Michael D`Abo (NSWC) and then Brendan Lower (NSWC). Lower threw five scoreless innings of good control and was relieved in the eighth by Tim Atherton, who finished off the inning.

It wasn`t our best performance although we were in with a chance at 5 - 6 going into the eighth.

Game highlights included another four hits to Tim Atherton, who started the game in right field, a solo home run to Trent D`Antonio (NSWC) and 3 RBIs to Nathan Walbancke (NSWC).

We then bussed it back to the train station where we caught the train again to Nagano where we find ourselves for the next two nights. Another game tomorrow against another independent league team followed by a coaching clinic at a local school the next day.

The last three games in this area are all against the same independent league clubs - of which there are six teams in total in this league. We are involved in some great games against great opposition and it is a good learning curve for some of our team.

We then head into Tokyo, where we will have two more games against teams from a different independent league including the Nippon Express team. That will really provide us with an indication of where we are at.

We finally arrived in Nagano at 9.45 pm exhausted but always ready to `relationship build`.

More shortly."

David

Game 9 result vs Niigata (Independent League Team)

Lost 6-3

"Great effort by the Aussie boys, especially over five innings, with starting pitcher Chris Morgan (ACT) holding this team to one whilst our boys compiled three runs to take the lead 3 - 1 into what can only be described as a bizarre half time break in the game after the fifth inning was completed.

The other team disappeared for 10 - 15 mins whilst a team of ground crew (read their bench players) came out and scrapped the entire infield including putting the sprinklers on. (For us Victorians, sprinklers are what distribute large amounts of water over an equally large area to settle dust - very rare where we come from!!).

Our Japanese baseball field experience to date comprises two different playing fields but both with all dirt infields.

After the fifth, this seemed to unsettle the team a bit and we struggled both defensively and with the bat.

We gave up three in the sixth and then another two in the eighth to end with the final score line.

Highlights included 3 hits to Tim Atherton (NSWC) who also threw a runner out at the plate and relieved the final inning. Excellent fielding at short stop by Scott Moore - his fielding has drawn a great deal of excitement from our hosts and it continues to amaze the team. Geoff Brotherton (NSWC) was again solid in relief throwing 2 1/3 innings.

There was a good crowd in - approx 250 - and the game was televised live to pay for view in the Niigata area. Copies of the game on DVD have been arranged.

Following the game we were guests of our opposition where we were served up beverages and a small meal and mingled amongst the throng communicating at our best. We even had a couple of songs belted out by our resident `Australian Idol` Mark Richards and `Aust Idol` reject - Matthew Jones. Well received by our hosts. We even finished with that time old traditional game amongst friends within the baseball fraternity called `spoons`. Once again, a relationship building success.

Our day tomorrow starts early, 8.00am on the road (actually train) to the next city, where we will play a game, then jump back on the train to Nagano - home of the 1998 Winter Olympics. We will be there for two nights then on the road again to Tokyo.

I`ll touch base with further results when possible.

Cheers, Ugly"

"Just thought I would mention that the access to the internet has been somewhat surprisingly difficult in a land where you would have thought otherwise. The players are keen, especially the Vic guys, to post commentary on the Forum and jumped at the opportunity to do so when we arrived here in Niigata as the hotel lobby has two `free` PCs that we can access. Expect a couple of more postings over today and tomorrow.

I can confirm after a `relationship building` exercise last night that today`s game is being televised live on pay for view TV here in Niigata. An outstanding achievement on our behalf, very exciting and something Australian Baseball should acknowledge. However, it’s understandable that some people are a little miffed at the lack of support an Australian baseball team such as this is receiving from relevant `higher` authorities.

We have also partaken in a baseball documentary filmed while in Morioka. It is being aired on May 29th - also on pay for view TV, but specifically in Morioka. We have been promised copies of this on DVD and once again, it is another example of the level of interest not only in baseball, but I think in Australian Baseball and the level of excitement we have created. We have had numerous offers of return from baseball people, the hotel we stayed at and the general public. Brilliant.

As a side issue, the level of emotion from our Morioka hosts was amazing to witness as we left yesterday, with every single person that has helped us in any way over the five days we were there coming to see us off at either our hotel or at the train station. Fantastic and really had an effect on some of our touring party also.

I`ll touch base with results from the next three games in this area when I can."

Cheers

"Have made it to Niigata. The bullet train trip took around four hours in total to get here, having to change trains once. Temperature is a little warmer here than Morioka as now further south and closer to the beach.

We played five games in Morioka, with the following results:

Morioka University  - Won 6 - 0
Chris Morgan (ACT) threw 8 innings (102) pitches - great control
Geoff Brotherton (NSWC) closed the 9th for a great result.

Offensive highlights included a home run by Brad Garland (NSWC) and a fine effort by the Aussie hitters to produce six runs spread over the game.

Special mention should be made of a defensive highlight with Ryan Evans producing a timely 9 - 3 to cap a fine all round team display (chip off the old block!!)

Fuji University - Won 5 - 3
Jeff Wishart (WA) threw 7 innings (105) pitches - also great control
Brendan Lower (NSWC) threw 1 inning and Geoff Brotherton closed the 9th again.

Hitters were a little quiet this game, however we did enough to produce a winning outcome.

Fuji University (Game 2 of a double-header) - Lost 6 - 4
Michael D`Abo (NSWC) threw 5 innings (72) pitches
Brendan Lower threw 4 innings

Our batters were well held in this game and although we nearly snatched a win, we left our run a bit late as we scored four in the eighth but weren`t able to go on.

Iwate Pheasants - Lost 4 - 1
Mark Richards (VIC) threw 5 2/3 innings (95) pitches - great effort in a high quality game
Michael Ashton (NSWC) threw 3 1/3 innings - again a fine effort

Unfortunately four errors let us down and our hitters were well held by this industry league team.

JR Morioka - Lost 10 - 4
Hayden Beard (ACT) threw 5 innings (92) pitches - threw hard and worked well
Michael Campbell (NSWC) threw 1 2/3 innings
Geoff Brotherton threw 1 2/3 innings
Tim Atherton (NSWC) threw 2/3 innings

Errors cost us again this game in no doubt our worst team performance yet. This team is the number one industry league team and they made us pay. With six errors this game and against great pitching we were never in the hunt.

We will now be playing three games against independent league teams here in Niigata and Nagano and will report in on our results as soon as possible.

Victorian coaching staff on the Australian team includes Marshall Skinner (VWBL) as Assistant Coach and myself as Pitching Coach.

While playing good baseball against some tough opposition is a priority, we are well aware of the broader purposes of the tour and we are doing our best to enhance the cultural relationships between Japan and Australia – in a baseball context, anyway.

P.S. In response to the Duke's post on the Baseball Forum – no, ugly has not seen mound time and won’t . The relationship-building activities and attending to bullpen duties are enough “game time” for me.

Until next email - campei (Cheers)"

David

"Koniciwa, more than happy to contribute. As you can see I have limited access to email but will do my best to communicate our experience.

Currently travelling between cities via bullet train, having just left the city of Morioka, north of Tokyo, and heading to Niigata and Nagano in the west. Five games played in Morioka - won two, lost three. Excellent facilities, field was awesome, all dirt infield and hospitality out of this world.

Not only quality baseball experience but also great cultural and friendship experience.

I will provide more playing details when we get into our next town and gain access to internet. Cheers, David."