◆ Seibu Lions Pacific League: Seibu vs. Lotte (14th, Belluna Dome)

Lotte Marines infielder Yu Tatematsu (27) started starting line-up as the eighth batter and first baseman. In his first at-bat in the third inning with no outs and a runner on first, he connected with slider from Seibu Lions Lions pitcher Mameda and hit his first professional hit to right field.

After playing for Fujishiro High School, Rissho University, and Nippon Life Insurance, he joined the Chiba Lotte Marines in 2024 as the sixth pick in the draft. In his first year last year, he was diagnosed with bilateral hip labral tears and underwent arthroscopic hip labral repair surgery on both hips at a hospital in Tokyo by July of that year. After rehabilitation, he was able to get his first hit, and he was overjoyed, saying, "I suffered a serious injury after joining the team, and I went through tough times with rehabilitation and mental care, but I am grateful to everyone around me for allowing me to get a hit in my first at-bat on the first team stage this year. I will continue to work hard so that I can keep hitting."