Hanamaki Higashi High School left-hander Yusei Kikuchi, who is drawing the spotlight as he decides on whether he will attempt to join the major leagues or begin his career in Japanese pro baseball, pitched in front of scouts from both sides of the Pacific on Monday.
Facing Chukyodai Chukyo, this year's national high school champion, the 18-year-old Kikuchi struck out three in a row in a scoreless ninth inning and clocked a 153-kph fastball in the quarterfinal game in the National Sports Festival in Niigata.
Kikuchi, who hurt his back during the summer classic at Koshien Stadium in August, did not start but took the mound with the Iwate school ahead 6-4.