日 165km monster pitcher’s younger brother suffers tearful defeat, fails to advance to Koshien…older brother’s dream not fulfilled

Sasaki Reiki (18), the younger brother of Chiba Lotte Marines’ Roki Sasaki (22), failed to fulfill his brother’s dream of advancing to the Koshien.

Japanese media Nikkan Sports reported on March 21, “Ofunato High School lost 1-3 to Morioka No. 1 High School in the third game of the Iwate High School Baseball Tournament. Sasaki Reiki, a junior who is the younger brother of Roki Sasaki, started the game, but it was his last appearance as he gave up three runs (one earned) on six hits and two walks in 2⅔ innings.”

Roki Sasaki is a specialty ace who became the youngest player in Nippon Professional Baseball to throw a perfect game last year. Known for his hard-hitting fastball that reaches speeds of up to 165 kilometers per hour, he is 7-2 with a 1.48 ERA in 12 games (79 innings) this season.

Roki Sasaki, who has been a fan favorite since his high school days, was the ace of Ofunato High School, leading his team to the final of the Iwate Tournament. However, he struggled a bit in the tournament and did not pitch in the final game due to the high pitch count, and his team lost 2-12 and failed to advance to Koshien. His younger brother, Reiki Sasaki, followed in his older brother’s footsteps as the ace of Ofunato High School, but ended his summer with a quarterfinal loss.

Nikkan Sports wrote, “Sasaki Reiki wiped away the tears that kept flowing. “After four years of trying to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2019, when they finished as runners-up thanks to their older brother’s performance, their last summer came to an end,” said Reiki Sasaki, who lamented their exit from the tournament.카지노

“I’m really disappointed,” said a tearful Reiki Sasaki, “I wanted to win today and pitch well to move on, but it didn’t go my way.”

Sasaki was originally a shortstop, but due to team circumstances, he switched to pitching last fall. He wore the same number as his brother and quickly developed into an ace, reaching a fastball of up to 143 kilometers. However, his brother’s fame has also put pressure on him.

“In many ways, it wasn’t the best environment for me to play baseball,” he admits, “but with everyone’s support, I was able to play until today. I think I was supported by the best teammates.” “Now that it’s over, I hope that my school will go to Koshien next year. For now, I’m thinking of going to college,” he said of his future plans.