Kyoto University stopped their sixty-game losing streak (0-60-1) today with a 1-0 victory over Kwansei Gakuin University.

It was their first victory since May 5, 2009 and their first victory over Kwasei Gakuin since May 22, 2002.

The Japan Student Baseball Association met on the 11th to determine punishments for eight cases (seven high school, one university).

University Suspensions

Chuo former manager - receiving money for supervising a book without consent from the JUBF - one year beginning on March 17

Game Suspensions

Katata (Shiga) - violence within the club - three months beginning on April 19

Tsuruga Kehi (Fukui) - violent within the club - one month beginning on April 26

Toyooka Sogo (Hyogo) - gambling (cards) - one month beginning on April 27

Suspensions

Konan Gijuku Morioka (Iwate) manager - violence within the club - one month beginning on April 23

Sanyo (Hiroshima) manager - violence within the club - one month beginning on April 16

Utsunomiya Kogyo (Tochigi) director - violence within the club - one month beginning on April 23

Asakura (Fukuoka) manager - violence outside the club - one month beginning on April 20

Sponichi is reporting that a Tohoku Earthquake Relief benefit game, involving NPB and amateur players, will be played at Koriyama Kaiseizan Baseball Stadium on August 5.

The NPB team will likely be made up of Ni-gun players (two from each team) that have connections to Tohoku (more specifically, Fukishima).  Their opponent will be a mixed team of players belonging to Industrial League teams and schools (universities) in Fukushima.

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Eastern League managers met today in order to select candidates for the Fresh All-Star Game (July 19).  The actual list of candidates will be released, together with the Western League, on April 18.

Kyoto University dropped their game against Ritsumeikan University, 9-3, and set a new Kansai Big 6 League record with fifty-seven consecutive losses (includes one tie, goes back to the Spring of 2009).  The previous record of fifty-six losses was also set by Kyoto University between the Fall of 1991 and the Spring of 1994.  Official Box Score

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Tokyo University dropped their thirty-first consecutive game when they lost to Keio University, 9-1.  Four Tokyo University pitchers walked/hit fifteen batters in the loss.  Official Box Score

The Tokyo Metropolitan Area University Baseball League (SSBL) announced today that they will begin using a tie-breaker rule for the 2012 Spring League.

Rule: extra inning games will begin with one out and the bases loaded.  Stats from extra innings, other than win/loss data (which team won/lost, which pitcher won/lost) will not be officially recorded.

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Yosuke Shimabukuro (Chuo University) started the Spring Season opener today against Toyo University and went the distance in a fifteen inning, 3-2 game victory.

Line score: 15 IP, 57 BF, 226 NP, 7 H, 4 BB/HBP, 21 SO, 2 ER

For those wondering, the game started at 14:42 and ended at 18:51.

The box score for the game can be found at the official Tohto University Baseball League site.

The media learned today that nineteen-year-old Ayano Kawasaki (川崎彩乃 ?) will be added to the player register by Keio University (Tokyo Big 6).  The Keio University baseball team informed reporters that this will be the first time they registered a female player.

Kawasaki stands at 155 centimeters and weighs fifty-four kilograms.  She bats and throws with her right and played for the Komazawa Gakuen Girls' High School baseball team.

Meiji University registered Jodi Haller in 1995 and made her the first female player in the Tokyo Big 6.  And in 2001, Megumi Takemoto (Tokyo; 1.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R) and Chihiro Kobayashi (Meiji; 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R) started a game against each other.

The Japan Student Baseball Association (JSBA), the All Japan University Baseball Federation (JUBF), and the Japan High School Baseball Federation (JHBF) announced today that the Cabinet Office certified their status as Koeki Hojins (public interest incorporated associations/foundations), backdated to March 21.