Bic Camera Bee Queen blanked the Toyota Red Terriers, in the semifinal and final of the tournament, to win their third consecutive JSL title.
The Japan Softball League Championship Tournament was played this past weekend at Fukushima Azuma Stadium, one of the venues of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic baseball and softball events. Bic Camera Bee Queen grabbed their third title in a row, with a 3-0 win over arch-rivals Red Terriers, in the championship game.
A three-run sixth inning was enough for Yukiko Ueno’s Bee Queen to clinch the league trophy again. Back-to-back doubles by Yamato Fujita and Daikuya Manami off left-handed pitcher Monica Abbott produced the three runs of the game. Ueno was the winner of the game in a three-inning relief appearance. Yukari Hamamura pitched four scoreless innings before handling the ball to the two-time Olympic gold medallist.
The day before, both teams faced off in the first semifinal and Bee Queen, with seven Tokyo 2020 gold medallists on the roster, advanced to the final game with a 2-0 win. In the second semifinal the Red Terriers defeated Honda Raverta, 2-1, to set up a rematch in the final.
Honda Raverta had advanced after a nail-bitter 1-0 victory over Hitachi Sundiva, in nine innings. Toyota Shining Vega finished in fifth place.
Youngster Miu Goto, who led Japan to second place in the 2019 U-19 Women's Softball World Cup and won gold in Tokyo, was named MVP of the season. She had a 9-3 record, with a 0.83 ERA. Two-time gold medallist Eri Yamada (Denso Bright Pegasus) was the best hitter with a .361 batting average. See all individual awards via the JSL official website (in Japanese).
