The Okayama University softball baseball team achieved a spectacular second place at the 45th Japan Student Softball Championship, which was held from August 21 to 24 in Gifu Prefecture (Nagaragawa Stadium, KYB Stadium). The same team ranked in the top four teams in the same tournament in 2017, improving their previous result at their first national championship in five years.
　
The championship was comprised of 12 universities nationwide that won their respective district league. The Okayama University team won their first round match 8-4 against Chubu Gakuin University (Gifu Prefecture), and their second round match against Aichi University Nagoya Campus (Aichi Prefecture) in a close 5-4 game. In the semi final match against Aichi University Toyohashi Campus (Aichi Prefecture), although the other team scored two runs in the 4th inning, Okayama University fought back with one run in the 5th and 7th innings respectively, bringing the score to a tie. Despite Okayama University allowing one goal to their opponents in the 8th inning due to poor coordination, they added four more runs to the count, including two timely two-base hits, and came from behind to snatch a stunning 6-3 victory. In the final against Tokai Gakuin University (Gifu Prefecture), although the other team scored one run in the 1st inning, Okayama University scored one run in the 3rd inning to bring it to a tie. However, their opponents then scored two runs in the 7th inning, and the Okayama University team narrowly missed out on the championship, losing 1-3.
　
Reflecting on the tournament, KAWAMOTO Teppei (School of Agriculture, third year), who won the fighting‐spirit award, said, “Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I wasn’t able to train from my first year like I’d hoped. I thought desperately about what I could do in the under the restrictions and was able to practice as much as I could. I think that linked to the results that we saw at the championship.”
　
On August 29 and 30, the softball baseball team won the Chugoku Five University Student Tournament, which was held at the Okayama Prefectural Multipurpose Grounds (Okayama City) for the first time in five years, defeating their opponents in all three matches (Shimane University, Yamaguchi University and Hiroshima University).