Japan's national team beat Team Europe, a selection of European stars, 5-0 on Wednesday in the first of the teams' two-game exhibition series with a lot of help from college star Misho Nishikawa.
Nishikawa, one of four university players named to manager Hirokazu Ibata's Samurai Japan team, scored as a pinch-runner, doubled in a run, singled and made an excellent catch in center field.
"He must have been nervous, but he really attacked at the plate from the first pitch," Ibata said of Nishikawa. "I'm really looking forward to what he and the others do tomorrow."
Samurai Japan got two scoreless frames from starting pitcher Kaima Taira at Kyocera Dome Osaka, and took a 2-0 lead on first-inning RBI singles from Munetaka Murakami and Kotaro Kurebayashi against veteran Dutch pitcher Tom De Blok.
Kensuke Kondo, who doubled and scored in the first, doubled in two fifth-inning runs to make it 4-0. In the sixth, Nishikawa helped defuse a potential rally with a good catch in center and doubled to make it 5-0 in the home half.
"I was really nervous but glad I could play up to my ability," Nishikawa said. "My stock in trade is my defense and my full swings at the plate, and I was able to show that."
After Thursday's series finale, the next challenge for Ibata and the senior national team will be November's Premier12.