The Tokyo Big6 League 100th Anniversary Commemorative Game was held on Saturday afternoon at Meiji Jingu Stadium, where Team East defeated Team West, 4-1. The All-Star matchup celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Tokyo Big6 League, Japan’s most renowned collegiate baseball circuit featuring the six most prominent universities in Tokyo.
Many players already selected in last month’s NPB Draft, along with several notable future prospects, took part in the showcase. Lotte Marines second-rounder Kaito Mouri opened the game for Team West against Rakuten Eagles second-round pick Tatsuki Itoh for Team East.
Yomiuri Giants second-rounder Ren Tawa was credited with the win after striking out the side in a dominant eighth inning, while Nippon-Ham Fighters first-rounder Jay Ogawa sealed the victory with a scoreless ninth.
On the offensive side, Yakult Swallows first-round pick Ayuto Matsushita made a statement with a two-run homer in the fifth, a fitting preview of what will soon be his home ballpark. Kyudo Yamagata, Keiichi Kimoto, and Yuito Suzuki were the other standouts with two hits each.
The starting lineups were as follows:
TEAM WEST
LF – Kyudo Yamagata, Rikkyo University
RF – Kai Tanoue, Meiji University
CF – Nanato Sakakibara, Meiji University
1B – Kenshin Maeda, Waseda University
DH – Yuji Nishikawa, Rikkyo University
SS – Hotaka Mitsuhiro, Meiji University
C – Mizuki Yoshida, Waseda University
3B – Junji Hayashi, Keio University
2B – Koji Inokuchi, Tokyo University
SP – Kaito Mouri, Meiji University
Team East
DH – Keiichi Kimoto, Meiji University
2B – Shuhei Ozawa, Waseda University
3B – Ayuto Matsushita, Hosei University
C – Taiga Kojima, Meiji University
1B – Kei Watanabe, Keio University
LF – Yuma Katayama, Hosei University
CF – Yuito Suzuki, Rikkyo University
SS – Naomasa Aogai, Tokyo University
RF – Taisei Ishigouka, Waseda University
SP – Tatsuki Ito , Waseda University
Photo: Meiji Jingu Stadium hosted the Tokyo Big6 League 100th Anniversary Game. (Wikimedia Commons)
