Defending champion Komadai Tomakomai inched closer toward its second consecutive summer title with a 13-1 rout over Japan Aviation to reach the quarterfinals of the national high school baseball championship on Monday.
Komadai Tomakomai went ahead 7-0 through the second inning and steadily extended its lead, highlighted by Hiroto Tsuji's solo homer in the sixth inning at Koshien Stadium.
Right-hander Masahiro Tanaka struck out 12 and held the Yamanashi school to one run over 7 2/3 strong innings, leading the Hokkaido school to a convincing victory in the third-round game as it aims to become only the sixth school in tournament history to win back-to-back titles.
In other third-round action, Akihisa Sada pitched a two-hit complete game, deploying a deceptive slider as Shonan of Kagoshima Prefecture beat Chiba Prefecture's Choshi Shogyo 6-2.
Yoshihiro Fuji homered, scored twice and drove in five runs on 3-for-5 hitting as Naruto Kogyo of Tokushima Prefecture came from behind in a 10-3 romp over Hiroshima's Koyo Higashi.
Nichidai Daisan of Tokyo held off a late surge by Gunma Prefecture's Maebashi Shogyo to reach the final eight for the first time in eight years with a 9-6 victory.