◆ Pacific League: Lotte 3-8 Orix Buffaloes (November 11, ZOZO Marine Stadium)

Orix Buffaloes outfielder Ryoto Kita (23) stuck to his signature full swing. In the second inning, with one out and runners on first and third, he hit a three-run homer to right field. He perfectly timed slider from Lotte's Long, and in the fourth inning, with a four-run lead and no outs and a runner on first, he hit a two-run homer to right-center field. "The best thing was being able to get into my rhythm." Carrying the momentum from his first two-homer and five-RBI game as a professional, he hit a double to left doble in the ninth inning. He made a strong impression on the road.

In his professional career, he hit six Home Run in five years until 2025. One day, hitting coach Kawashima told him, "Stop running and hitting; swing first, then run." "You're young, and it's possible you're doing it because you want to do something, but it's a waste," said the coach, showing his paternal concern. It became an opportunity for him to remember his own strengths. Inspired by a song by his favorite singer, Mrs. GREEN APPLE, he has "Que Sera Sera" embroidered on his glove. "It means 'whatever will be, will be,'" he says, explaining that it's a phrase he cherishes.

During his time at Akashi Commercial High School in Hyogo, he was named to the Koshien three times. In the quarterfinals of the Senbatsu tournament during his sophomore year against Chiben Wakayama, he pulled off a remarkable feat by hitting a leadoff home run hitter in the first inning and a walk-off home run.He sent words of encouragement to his alma mater, which faces Awaji Mihara on the 12th in its first game (second round) of the Hyogo Prefectural Tournament, saying, “I think they’ll make it to the final all on their own.” For his part, he contributed to the team’s climb back to fourth place. He aims to turn his midsummer surge into a full-fledged breakthrough. (Shunta Nanbu)