On the 22nd, Lotte released a statement from pitcher Genki Genki Ishigaki an alumnus of Takasaki University of Health and Welfare High School, which finished as runner-up in the 108th National High School baseball Championship.

▼ Genki Ishigaki

"Coach Aoyagi had been saying that this generation was weak, and last fall they lost in the prefectural tournament, so I was wondering if they would be alright. But they went on to win the summer prefectural tournament as well, and I never imagined they would make it all the way to Koshien finals, so I thought they were truly amazing underclassmen."