After Coach Kataoka gave so final instructions on minor details, Takashima Rei followed up with information about tomorrow's semifinal schedule and other related notices.
With that, the mbers of Seidou High School began to disperse in small groups.
"Miyuki-senpai, do you have a mont?"
As the crowd thinned, Eijun approached Miyuki with a serious tone.
"Planning to throw a few pitches?" Miyuki asked with a knowing smile.
He could already guess Eijun's intentions, and truthfully, if Eijun hadn't approached him, Miyuki would have sought him out.
After all, with tomorrow's semifinal and the finals two days later, ensuring Eijun's readiness was crucial.
There was no denying it—Eijun's condition would play a pivotal role in determining how far they could advance and how well they could perform.
At this point, Eijun was effectively Seidou's ace pitcher in all but title.
Even the third-year players, though they wouldn't say it outright, had co to recognize his skills and standing.
That said, Tanba's position within the team had beco rather awkward.
"Yes," Eijun confird. "I want to check my condition and see how much I can lower so of my pitches. I also want to test a few things specifically against Kiryuu's lineup."
Miyuki chuckled, unsurprised by Eijun's transparency. It was a natural part of the pitcher-catcher dynamic before a ga—a crucial step in preparation.
"Alright, let's go."
Miyuki nodded, and the two left the eting room, heading toward the open space outside the hotel.
Along the way, they invited Chris and Haruichi to join them.
Chris's role was to observe and provide feedback on pitch movent and trajectories from a different perspective.
A close observer often noticed details that even the pitcher and catcher might miss.
Haruichi, on the other hand, was asked to step into the batter's box to simulate real-ga conditions.
This helped Eijun gauge his pitch trajectories and feel more confident.
Additionally, involving Haruichi served a dual purpose—training him as well.
Since entering Koshien, Haruichi had been primarily a bench player, with limited opportunities to play, apart from occasional pinch-hitting appearances.
Notably, in the final inning against Ikuei High School, Haruichi had delivered a pinch-hit single, adding to his previous performances.
It was clear that Haruichi would be a key mber of next year's starting lineup, likely replacing his older brother Ryousuke in the infield. His batting order, however, would depend on the team's future composition.
Therefore, sharpening Haruichi's skills was an essential part of the team's developntal goals.
...
In the open space outside the hotel, Eijun took his stance on the makeshift mound.
"Shoo!"
A streak of light shot forward, flying straight toward ho plate.
Haruichi, standing in the batter's box, swung with full force but failed to connect.
The pitch, with subtle upward movent and a slight deceleration, landed cleanly in Miyuki's mitt.
"Pop!"
"That pitch is now consistently staying low," Miyuki said with a satisfied nod. "Looks like you've gotten used to the grip."
"With the trajectory under control and the speed and tailing action in place, the first pitch of your Number series—the five-seam fastball—is basically complete. The next step is to improve your control further, Sawamura," Chris added while jotting down notes.
Eijun caught the ball as Miyuki tossed it back, a look of satisfaction on his face.
Compared to the Seihou ga, his five-seam fastball had reached near-completion. Of course, there was always room for improvent, but he felt more confident than ever.
At the mont, Eijun's current level is limited by his physical capabilities. His velocity still has room to improve, and his control can continue to develop further.
The most crucial factor is that Eijun is only a 16-year-old boy.
His body is still in its growth phase, including height, arm length, leg strength, and other physical aspects.
These "hardware conditions" require ti to fully mature.
Particularly with physical developnt, by the ti his body reaches its peak—likely around 23 or 24 years old—Eijun's pitches will truly reach their full potential.
That will be the era of Eijun's peak performance.
"This is the five-seam fastball? From the batter's box, it's really difficult to pick up its trajectory. Eijun-kun, that's an impressive pitch," Haruichi said with a faint blush, adjusting the brim of his cap.
"Well, it's still far from perfect," Eijun replied with a slight shake of his head. "Last ti, this pitch was perfectly tid and crushed by Sano-senpai."
While the pitch might not have much room for improvent at this stage, Eijun refused to be complacent.
That one hit, that one swing by Sano Shuuzou, remained deeply etched in his mory.
"Haha, Sawamura," Chris said with a warm smile, chuckling softly. "If this pitch were at its current level back then, even soone like Sano would have a hard ti handling it."
"Ha, humility is good, but this pitch is already excellent, Sawamura," Miyuki chid in with rare praise, a grin spreading across his face.
However, sothing about Miyuki's tone and expression lacked sincerity, making Eijun feel as though even complints from this guy carried a teasing edge.
Why does this guy even make complints feel so unsettling? Eijun grumbled inwardly.
"Next pitch: the changeup," Miyuki called out, positioning his mitt and signaling to Eijun.
Eijun gave a small nod, forming an "OK" grip with his left hand.
With a slight backward shift in posture, he lifted his right leg and stepped forward in a textbook motion, ready for release.
The release of his changeup mirrored that of his fastball almost perfectly.
"Whoosh!"
The ball flew in a precise trajectory, with a bright streak cutting through the air.
At first glance, it seed indistinguishable from a fastball, but as it approached the plate, it decelerated slightly, floating gently toward Miyuki's mitt.
In the batter's box, Haruichi refrained from swinging, his expression serious as he observed the pitch closely.
His gaze followed the ball as it disappeared into Miyuki's mitt, producing a clear, resounding snap.
"Pop!"
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