On 12 March, the opening match between Fukuoka Softbank and The Giants in MIZUHO PayPay Dome ended in a 3-4 loss for Fukuoka Softbank.

Fukuoka Softbank starter Ryosuke Otsu pitcher hit a two-run single to Naoki Yoshikawa in the first inning. In the top of the third inning, Yoshihiro Maru gave up Walk and stolen base and gave up a third run on Yoshikawa's RBI single. The rest of the inning retired three batters in closer and gave up mound on 4 hit 1 Walk 5 strike out 3 runs on 76 pitches in five innings.

In the bottom of the second inning, Downs' hit and Richard's Walk put runners on first and third with one out, and Yudai Shoji 's squeeze and Ukyo Shuto 's timely doble tied the game at one point. Kazuki Sugiyama pitcher hit an RBI single in the top of the sixth to put the game at 1 runs on a pitcher strikeout, but Richard came back in the bottom of the sixth with a solo shot to keep the game at 3-4 and a one-run lead.

In the top of the seventh, Osuna pitcher went 2-hit but was runs-free. Hernandez pitcher entered the game in the top of the eighth and loaded the bases with two hit and bases loaded Walk with no outs, but he retired the next three batters and didn't allow any additional runs. In the top of the ninth, Shunsuke Iwai pitcher tied for 1 hit runs.

The offense put runner runners in scoring position in the bottom of the seventh and eighth innings, but were unable to score. In the bottom of the ninth, the game ended in a 3-4 tie. Richard RBI 2 hit 1, Tomoya Masaki 2 hit and Shoko 2 Walk 2 sacrifice bunt 1 stolen base in four at-bats.

123456789 total
Huge 201001000 4
So 020001000 3

Giant ○Yokokawa Kai-Kyomoto Makoto-Tanaka Eito-Keller-Baldonado-Martinez-S Morita Shunya
So ● Ryosuke Otsu-Kazuki Sugiyama- Osuna - Hernandez -Shunsuke Iwai

・ Match details/video