Ginjiro Sumitani had to be taken off the field on a stretcher after a hard collision at home plate in the 1st inning of tonight's game against the Rakuten Eagles at Kleenex Stadium.

With runners on second and third and one out in the bottom of the 1st, Hiroaki Shimauchi hit a pitch to left that easily scored the runner at third.  Tony Fernandez, the runner on second, also kept running and plowed into home.  Sumitani took the hit and fell to the ground but could not get back up.

The twenty-five-year-old catcher was taken off the field on a stretch and  sent to the hospital.  According to the reports, he was conscious.

Source: Sponichi 10/4/2012, Nikkan Sports 10/4/2012

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UPDATE @ 10:56pm - Tests conducted at the hospital did not reveal any problems, however Ginjiro does not remember anything that happened before getting into the ambulance.  The team will wait to see how he is feeling on Friday before deciding on what to do next.  Source: Sponichi 10/4/2012