Armed with a 143 kmph fastball, Murata carried his team to a 5–0 victory over Izumo Hokuryo Senior High School in their first game in the 70th National High School Baseball Invitational Tournament (Higashi Fukuoka High's first-ever appearance in the spring tournament), but succumbed to Yokohama Senior High School in the next round, suffering a two-hit shutout at the hands of current Boston Red Sox right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka and giving up a home run to current Seibu Lions outfielder Taketoshi Gotoh.