With exceptional performances in the Junior Grand Prix campaign and a stellar start to the senior events, Japanese figure skating is enjoying a banner season.
The 2022 Japan Series champions seized momentum with back-to-back victories at Kyocera Dome in Games 4 and 5, recovering from two losses and a tie.
Samurai Blue manager Hajime Moriyasu made 19 first-time selections out of 26 players for the upcoming 32-nation tournament in Qatar.
Five Orix pitchers team up for a one-hit shutout in Game 6 at Jingu Stadium as the reigning champions lose their third straight Japan Series game.
Yutaro Sugimoto drove in the only run in the third inning, and Orix ended Yakult pitcher Masanori Ishikawa's chance of winning Game 4 in back-to-back years.
Tokyo Yakult, led by Triple Crown winner Munetaka Murakami, is favored to repeat as NPB champion but Orix is peaking at the right time.
Orix's Keita Nakagawa delivered the game-winning hit with two outs in the ninth, ending SoftBank's comeback hopes and keeping his team's title ambitions alive.