On 5 March, the opening match between Fukuoka Softbank and Tokyo Yakult in MIZUHO PayPay Dome ended in a 3-1 win for Fukuoka Softbank.

Fukuoka Softbank will start Kohei Arihara pitcher, who has been confirmed for the opening pitcher. After a three-way tie in the first inning, including a 2-struck out, he didn't allow a runner to reach base with a pitch despite being hit by a hit. He walked mound in 3 innings with 35 pitches, 3 hit no walks Hit by Pitch 2 strike out no runs.

​Shunsuke Iwai pitcher entered the game in the top of the fourth inning and pitched a perfect game in two inning. In the top of the sixth, Yuki Matsumoto pitcher pinch-hit with two outs and bases loaded to end the inning with no runs, but in the top of the seventh, Fumimaru Taura pitcher hit a solo shot to Taiki Hamada to take the lead.

The offense had been scoreless for 2 hit until the sixth inning, but in the bottom of the seventh, Kensuke Kondo hit a hit single, followed by back-to-back doble by Hotaka Yamakawa and Ryoya Kurihara to make it 2-1. Kurihara advanced to third base on Tatsuru Yanagimachi 's infield grounder and was thrown home by pitcher.

In the top of the eighth, Koya Fujii pitcher led off with a doble, but the next three batters were struck out to end the inning with struck out. In the top of the ninth, Shuto Ogata pitcher closed out the game with a 3-1 lead.

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Ya 000000100 1
SO 00000030X 3

Ya Hirotoshi Takanashi - Noboru Shimizu - Reito Taguchi - ● Baumann - Kota Shoji
SO Kohei Arihara-Shunsuke Iwai-Yuki Matsumoto ○ Fumimaru Taura-Koya Fujii-S Shuto Ogata

・ Match details/video