Waseda University opened its 2026 Tokyo Big6 Baseball Spring League campaign with a commanding 11-0 victory over Hosei University in the first game of the early Waseda-Hosei series at Meiji Jingu Stadium on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
The shutout win marked Waseda’s first victory in the 2026 spring season and gave them an early advantage in the highly anticipated early-season matchup against their longtime rivals. Hosei, seeking to rebound from a challenging fall campaign, struggled to generate offense against Waseda’s pitching staff, which combined for a complete-game shutout.
Starting pitcher Itsuki Ito of Waseda delivered a dominant performance, setting the tone early with efficient command and sharp breaking stuff. He was relieved in the later innings by a trio of relievers — Kento Oi, Kosei Koyama, and Yasuhiro Tawara — who maintained the shutout and preserved Ito’s strong outing. Catcher Mizuki Yoshida handled the battery duties for Waseda throughout the game.
At the plate, Waseda’s offense exploded for 12 hits and 11 runs, capitalizing on early opportunities and sustaining pressure throughout the game. Leadoff batter Yudai Nakaozaka drew a walk and came around to score in the second inning, igniting a rally that saw Waseda plate six runs in the frame. Shortstop Taisei Shibuya and captain Shuhei Kozawa each contributed multi-hit efforts, while Kenshin Terada and Kenshin Maeda provided timely RBIs to extend the lead.
Hosei’s starting pitcher, Shin Hiro Nozaki, lasted only briefly before being pulled after yielding multiple runs. Relievers Furuya, Makino, Hariya, and Yamaguchi were unable to stem the tide, as Waseda continued to pile on runs through the middle innings. Hosei managed just two hits and committed two errors, failing to advance a runner beyond second base in any inning.
The game concluded after 2 hours and 24 minutes, with Waseda securing the 11-0 victory in front of an attendance of 13,000 fans at Meiji Jingu Stadium. Umpires Moline (plate), Suzuki, Takeuchi, and Ueno (bases) oversaw the contest, which began at 11:03 a.m. Local time and ended at 1:27 p.m.
No home runs were recorded by either team during the game. Waseda’s balanced attack and disciplined pitching proved too much for Hosei, which will look to adjust ahead of the second game of the series.
The result places Waseda early in the standings for the 2026 spring league, with momentum building as they prepare for their next matchup against Keio University later in the week. Hosei will aim to avoid an 0-2 start when they face Rikkyo University in their following contest.
Fans can follow live updates, stats, and standings for the 2026 Tokyo Big6 Baseball Spring League through the official website of the Japan Collegiate Baseball Association.
Stay tuned to Archysport for continued coverage of the Tokyo Big6 league, including game recaps, player features, and analysis throughout the 2026 spring season.
