Behind the Tokyo Olympics, Hanshin is showing the strength of the top spot in an exhibition match at Koshien. Lotte and Seibu have fought 6 consecutive battles and are winning 4 consecutive games with 5 wins and 1 loss.

This is the first exhibition match. Before the match, it will be announced in the hall that “at the request of both teams, 9 times will be discontinued, special rules”. I haven’t interviewed this either, so I was thrilled at the first match on July 27th. Hanshin 2 points lead 9 times 2 deaths, while the tiger party of the stand hits the megaphone with the rhythm of “one more person”, a colleague reporter asked, “Is this the bottom of the 9th inning?” In February’s practice games, etc., in order to secure a pitcher’s pitching opportunity, he may play in the bottom of the ninth inning regardless of whether he wins or loses, but Edwards just killed the last batter and ended up with excitement with the Hanshin victory.

Unlike the open game, the number of “special rules” is increasing day by day, probably because there are no records left. On July 31, in the Seibu battle, he sent a pinch hitter Haraguchi to Onodera, but Onodera defended it again in the subsequent defense. In the Seibu match on the 1st, Kinami, who was the 8th designated hitter and started in the starting lineup, “warped” the batting order from the 8th inning to the 4th first base. It’s possible that an exhibition match, which is not normally accepted, will give many players a chance for the second half of the game.

On days when there were many spectators, nearly 10,000 people came in and cheered on hot megaphones from the entire stand. Rookies such as Teruaki Sato, Nakano, and Masashi Itoh, who are also the leading players, have not yet played in the packed Koshien. Although it is a result theory due to the team condition etc., the 12 games since June 25, when the number of spectators exceeded 10,000 at Koshien, was 3 wins, 8 losses and 1 draw. In addition, the exhibition match at Koshien should have been a great experience for young people such as Oikawa and Onodera, as well as high school graduate rookie Kodera.

The Koshien scoreboard was also fresh. Normally, the space at the bottom right, which displays batting averages, home runs, and other results, does not record, so unlike usual, the names of the four referees were posted. During the season, it is hard to see during the match. Reporters think the referee’s name is also necessary information. There may be space constraints, but I hope you will see it in the second half of the game. There are many new discoveries in the first exhibition match coverage.[Hanshin Tigers = Takao Ishibashi]