◆Exhibition game: Hanshin Tigers 5-0 Softbank Hawks (6th, Koshien)

Softbank Hawks 's Haru Matsumoto pitcher started and closer just one run on four hit and one Walk in five innings. He threw a solid 63 pitches, but the fourth-year left-hander seemed runs with his performance, saying, "My pitches weren't very good today. But since this was a day for that kind of practice, I tried to adjust my form a little, but it didn't work out."

Manager Hiroki Kokubo, upon hearing the pitcher's comments after leaving the mound from reporters, looked surprised and said, "That's not great (one runs pitch? I thought it was pretty good. If that's not great, then we can expect great things from him." Regarding his inclusion in the opening day rotation, he gave a tentative answer, saying, "If he's in his current condition, then yes."