18/08/2023 1 Minute Read

Yomiuri Giants win 18th Japanese Women's Baseball Club Championship

The Giants defeated the Seibu Lions in the final. Kana Onodera beat legendary Ayami Sato after an exciting pitching duel. Kazutomo Miyamoto, a former Yomiuri Giants pitcher who helped Japan win the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics demonstration tournament, managed a young team to success.

The Yomiuri Giants defeated the Seibu Lions in the final of the 18th Japanese Women's Baseball Club Championship, 1-0. Kana Onodera defeated reigning Women's Baseball World Cup MVP Ayami Sato in an exciting pitching duel.

Both hurlers will represent Japan in Group B of the IX Women's Baseball World Cup. Japan will host Group B, presented by CARNEXT, in Miyoshi City from 13 to 17 September.

Onodera, who didn't allow a run in 16 innings over three games, earned the tournament's MVP honours.

The 18th Japanese Women's Baseball Club Championship involved 35 participating teams, including the three Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) three women's teams, Giants, Lions and Hanshin Tigers, from 11 to 15 August in the Chiba Prefecture, Tokyo area. The games were played at the Shigeo Nagashima Memorial Iwana Stadium in Chiba, the Naspa and the Oyatsu Stadiums in Narita. Oyatsu was the venue of the championship game.

Kazutomo Miyamoto, a 59-year-old former pitcher and coach with the Yomiuri Giants who helped Japan with the demonstration tournament of the Los Angeles 1984 Olympics, is the Giants Women's manager.

"This victory belongs to all of us and is the result of hard work," he commented.

The Giants won with eight High School graduates on a 20-player roster.

"Winning with such a young team is a huge accomplishment," said Miyamoto. "I think this success will give these girls confidence for the rest of their careers."

The Yomiuri Giants founded their women's team in 2021. The 2023 season was the first with competitive activity.