The media learned on Saturday that Hachinohe Nishi High School withdrew from the Aomori Fall Regional Qualifiers after students were caught bullying a first-year student.

According to the Aomori High School Baseball Federation (AHBF), a number of players started bullying a first-year student around May.  They verbally abused him, hid his equipment, and pushed him around a little.

The high school found out about the bullying when the first-year student's caretakers approached the school.  The AHBF received a report about the incidents on September 4 and was discussing the matter with the Japan High School Baseball Federation.  Hachinohe Nishi then withdrew from the tournament on September 7.

Source: Sponichi 9/9/2012