Fukuoka Softbank Hawks outfielder Seiichi Uchikawa was named interleague MVP on Wednesday for helping the team have the best record with a .818 winning percentage.
Uchikawa batted .326 with four home runs and 20 RBIs against Central League teams in interleague play, which began on May 17 and concluded on June 19.
"It was a pleasant surprise," said Uchikawa, who is playing his first season for the Hawks after 10 years with the perennial underdog Yokohama BayStars. "Until last year, I didn't even know there was an MVP award for interleague play."
Uchikawa drove in the opening run for the Hawks in the first inning in eight of 24 interleague games. When he did so, the team had a 7-0 record with one tie.
"It's important for the team to score first," Uchikawa said. "I was chosen as the MVP because the team had the best record. I had mixed feelings when I became the CL batting champion because the BayStars were languishing at the bottom of the standings."