Japanese national baseball team outfielder Shota Morishita (25, Hanshin Tigers) hit a cool home run in a practice game against Hiroshima Toyokaf. It is the first home run of the Japanese national team this fall.

Morishita started as the third batter center fielder in a warm-up match against Hiroshima in the Japanese professional baseball league in Miyazaki Prefecture on Nov. 10.

Morisita hit a home run in the fifth inning with two outs and a runner on second base. Morissita drew a two-run arch to the left.

Shota Morishita (25, Hanshin Tigers), outfielder of the Japanese national baseball team. 사진=AFPBBNews=News1 사진 확대 Shota Morishita (25, Hanshin Tigers), outfielder of the Japanese national baseball team. 사진=AFPBBNews=News1 Shota Morishita (25, Hanshin Tigers), outfielder of the Japanese national baseball team. 사진=AFPBBNews=News1 사진 확대 Shota Morishita (25, Hanshin Tigers), outfielder of the Japanese national baseball team. 사진=AFPBBNews=News1

Japan’s “Sports Nippon” said, “The batting fell to the middle outside the outfield fence with a large arch,” adding, “It is the first home run of the ‘Samurai Japan’ (a nickname for the Japanese national baseball team) this fall.”

Morissita said, “The ball I wanted came out. “I hit a home run with high ballistics for the first time in a long time,” he said. “My physical condition and hitting sense are very good.”

Morishita hit .275 with 23 home runs, 89 RBIs and 0.813 on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) in Japanese professional baseball this season. Morishita ranked second in the home run category of the Central League in Japanese professional baseball this season.

Murakami Munetaka (25, Yakult Swallows), who is seeking to advance to the U.S. Major League Baseball (MLB) amid great interest, ranked third after Morisita with 22 home runs.

“In international competitions, long balls or home runs are weapons that will bring the flow,” Morissita said. “If I don’t take advantage of the opportunity that came to me, my team may lose.” I’m going to bat under this pressure,” he said.

Shota Morishita (25, Hanshin Tigers), outfielder of the Japanese national baseball team. 사진=AFPBBNews=News1 사진 확대 Shota Morishita (25, Hanshin Tigers), outfielder of the Japanese national baseball team. 사진=AFPBBNews=News1

Morisita first played as a central hitter for the Japanese national team on the international stage in the Premier 12 of the World Baseball Softball Federation held last year.

Morisita played as the fourth batter in all nine games Japan played in the Premier 12 and batted 0.357 (10 hits in 28 at-bats), one home run and nine RBIs.

He also had a showdown with South Korea. Morisita hit a two-run home run against Jung Hae-young (KIA Tigers) in the match against Korea.

Shota Morishita (25, Hanshin Tigers), outfielder of the Japanese national baseball team. 사진=AFPBBNews=News1 사진 확대 Shota Morishita (25, Hanshin Tigers), outfielder of the Japanese national baseball team. 사진=AFPBBNews=News1 Ryu Ji Hyunho participating in 2026 WBC. Photo = Reporter Kim Jae-hyun 사진 확대 Ryu Ji Hyunho participating in 2026 WBC. Photo = Reporter Kim Jae-hyun

Morissita takes on South Korea again.

The Korean national team will move to Japan on the 12th and play two warm-up matches against Japan at the Tokyo Dome on the 15th and 16th.

Morisita, who is aiming to join the Japanese national team at the World Baseball Classic (WBC) next year, said, “I appealed well in the practice game before the match against Korea. In fact, I want to show good performance in Korea and the game,” he said.

[Lee Geunseung, MK Sports Reporter]