The Japan U-18 Baseball National Team took their final step before the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup 2025 presented by RAXUS with a 4–3 victory over the Okinawa Prefectural High School Select Team at Okinawa Cellular Stadium Naha on Tuesday. Despite heavy rain, a sold-out crowd of 17,969 witnessed a spirited clash that showcased both the promise of Japan’s rising stars and the baseball passion of Okinawa.
The game, which was the final warm up for Japan before the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup 2025 presented by RAXUS takes place in Okinawa from 5 to 14 September, opened with high anticipation as two pitchers from Okinawa Shogaku’s Koshien-winning squad took the spotlight: left-hander Ryosuke Sueyoshi for the Japan U-18 Baseball World Cup team and right-hander Yugen Arakaki for Okinawa. Sueyoshi, pitching in his hometown, struck out four batters across two scoreless innings, impressing even his former coach, Kimiya Higa.
“When his fastball, slider, and off-speed pitches are strikes, he’s really troublesome,” Higa remarked.
Sueyoshi himself admitted the moment carried special meaning. “I was happy to receive so much support in my hometown. It was a good chance to show my pitching skills.”
The first score of the game came in the third inning. Back-to-back hits from Kaito Fujimori and Hikaru Tamenaga set the table for cleanup hitter Yota Abe, who lined an RBI single to centre. Moments later, Yu Yokoyama added a sacrifice fly, putting the national team up 2–0.
Later, in the fifth inning, Abe struck again with another RBI single to extend the lead, underscoring why he has emerged as a key offensive anchor.
A torrential downpour halted the game for over two hours, forcing officials to shorten it to seven innings. When play resumed, Okinawa pushed back. Ryukai Ehman delivered a clutch RBI double, and two more runs crossed in the seventh to narrow the gap to 4–3.
With the tying run at the plate, Japan turned to closer Genki Ishigaki, who unleashed a 150 km/h fastball and a biting forkball to shut the door, securing the one-run victory.
After the final out, a heartfelt send-off ceremony brought the crowd to its feet. Captain Abe thanked Okinawa fans for their unwavering support through the rain and vowed to fight for a second consecutive world title.
“We felt the incredible passion of Okinawa today,” Abe said. “With that energy behind us, we will do our best to become world champions.”
Coach Masayoshi Ogura echoed the sentiment, crediting the atmosphere for inspiring the players. “The cheers motivated them to play good baseball. I’m grateful for the warm support.”
The Japan U-18 National Team will hold final practices at Okinawa Cellular Stadium before the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup 2025 presented by RAXUS begins on 5 September with Japan aiming to defend the title they won in 2023.
AloJapan.com