Wada, Matsunaka Make Akiyama's Debut a Winner

New SoftBank Hawks manager Koji Akiyama had seen many Opening Days in his career as a player with both the Seibu Lions and the then-Daiei Hawks. After so many years of being on the field, he has a new perspective of Opening Day: from behind the bench. His Hawks did not disappoint.

Perrenial #2 starter Tsuyoshi Wada made his first Opening Day start a gem, as he systematically mowed down the visiting Orix Buffaloes in a complete game, 3-hit, 14-strikeout performance. With this performance, Wada becomes the first pitcher in franchise history to record a complete-game shutout on Opening Day.

Wada didn't do it alone. He had a lot of help from perennial slugger Nobuhiko Matsunaka, who recorded five of the Hawks eight runs, supplying two doubles in the process. Those five RBI's put the big slugger over the 1,000 RBI mark, making him the 34th player in NPB history to reach that milestone.

The Hawks move on to Game 2 of this 3-game weekend set with Orix, with Shota Ohba getting the ball for tonight against Kazuki Kondoh.