Players of Chiben Wakayama celebrate winning Japan's summer national high school baseball championship on Aug. 29, 2021, at Koshien Stadium in Nishinomiya, western Japan. (Kyodo)

       NISHINOMIYA, Hyogo (Kyodo) -- Chiben Wakayama jumped to an early lead and held on to win Japan's summer national high school baseball championship with a 9-2 victory over sibling school Chiben Gakuen on Sunday.

       The Wakayama Prefecture high school scored four runs in the first inning at historic Koshien Stadium outside Osaka.

       Chiben Wakayama, making its fourth final appearance, won its third title and first in 21 years. Chiben Gakuen, located in Nara Prefecture, was playing in its first final in the nationally televised summer tournament.

       The summer championship was the first in two years after last year's tournament was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

       Font Size S M L Print Timeline 0