It must be said that at this point, Maezono's performance at bat was truly underwhelming.
Throughout the entirety of the autumn tournant depicted in the original storyline, Maezono did deliver crucial hits during key monts—whether it was the decisive three-run hit against Teito or the ga-changing strike against Yakushi.
However, these monts could not conceal his fatal shortcomings as a batter. His deficiencies made it difficult for him to live up to the role of a cleanup hitter, holding back his potential.
Possessing raw power but lacking the ability to apply it effectively, Maezono couldn't truly beco a top-tier batter. Coach Ochiai had identified this issue early on, recognizing it as sothing that couldn't be resolved in a short ti.
This was also the main reason Ochiai preferred other players over Maezono.
"Kataoka-sensei is still too soft…" Ochiai thought to himself, glancing sidelong at the stern-faced Kataoka.
The first inning may have been an accident, but it revealed the current flaws and weaknesses in Seidou's batting lineup.
In the top half of the second inning, Furuya continued his aggressive pitching just like in the first.
One pitch forced Toyosaki's cleanup batter, Yamada, to swing, resulting in a sharp line drive to third base. Shoji caught it cleanly for the out.
The fifth batter was then struck out.
The sixth batter managed to connect with an inside fastball, likely due to Furuya's shaky control. The pitch ca in at a favorable angle, and combined with the batter's strength, it was sharply hit.
The ball bounced on the infield surface, but Haruichi, with defensive skills just as agile as his brother Ryousuke's, swiftly intercepted it.
"Whoosh!"
With a quick pivot, Haruichi threw the ball toward first base, securing the out.
"Out! Three outs! Switch sides!"
Though Seidou's offense still needed improvent and refinent, their defense earned nods of approval from the spectators.
If Furuya could consistently handle opposing batters so cleanly, then the ace, Eijun, would likely have an even easier ti on the mound.
Defense wasn't a problem, and as long as they kept their errors minimal, Seidou's autumn season looked promising. After all, while you can't win without scoring, if you don't concede any runs, you won't lose either.
This idealistic mindset underscored the fact that Seidou's defense remained at an elite level, only needing so minor adjustnts.
Having successfully dealt with Toyosaki's fourth to sixth batters, Seidou entered the bottom of the second inning.
Miyuki stepped up to the plate, demonstrating the composure befitting a newly appointed captain and cleanup hitter.
After observing two pitches, Miyuki decisively swung at the third pitch, pulling it toward left field and securing a solid double.
The unexpected setback in the first inning had clearly made Seidou more cautious.
The fifth batter, Shirasu, opted for a practical bunt to advance the runner.
At this mont, two contrasting reactions were visible on the Seidou bench—Kataoka nodded slightly in approval, while Ochiai furrowed his brow. Both expressions quickly disappeared, unnoticed by anyone else.
Shirasu's sacrifice resulted in his own out but successfully advanced Miyuki to third base.
It was now Eijun's turn to bat.
Given the situation, Toyosaki High's ace pitcher, aside from having a sowhat decent curveball, was lacking in control, velocity, power, and movent. His fastball was completely ineffective.
Eijun keenly anticipated the decisive curveball.
Ping!
A sharp, resonant sound echoed as Eijun made contact.
The ball soared high into the sky, gleaming brilliantly as it cut through the air.
The powerful hit flew beyond the infield, landing with a heavy thud against the fence between center and right field.
Bang!
"Ohhh! Right off the fence!"
"Seidou takes the lead!"
"As expected of the ace! Not only does he excel at pitching, but his batting is becoming more reliable too."
"Haha, even when not on the mound, he makes his presence known! Ace Sawamura is truly impressive!"
With this composed and confident hit, Eijun comfortably reached second base, while Miyuki easily made it back to ho plate.
In the bottom of the second inning, Seidou secured the first run, taking the lead.
Soon after, the seventh batter, Furuya, followed with a tily hit, bringing Eijun back to ho plate. Seidou extended their lead to two runs.
However, the lower part of the lineup struggled. Both Tojo and Shoji were quickly retired, ending the inning with just two runs scored.
The lineup's inconsistency was now apparent — impatience from the top-order batters and a lack of strength in the lower order. Though only two innings in, these shortcomings were becoming evident.
Nevertheless, it wasn't all bad news. The impressive performances of Seidou's dual pitchers captivated the crowd.
"Wow, after the third years graduated, the first years are really stepping up. Sawamura's defense in the outfield is now as skilled as that of a seasoned player, and his batting keeps improving too."
"Furuya's not bad either. For a first-year, his hitting is pretty solid."
"He's going to be a top-tier dual-threat pitcher in the future."
"Haha, it feels like happiness ca too quickly — I need a mont to process this."
Despite Seidou's batting issues, they maintained a dominant pace against a clearly inferior Toyosaki High team.
In the third, fourth, and fifth innings, Furuya's performance only beca more stable. With improved control and sharp fastballs, Toyosaki's batters were completely overpowered.
By the end of five innings, Furuya had pitched a shutout, allowing only a single walk and one hit while perfectly shutting down Toyosaki's lineup.
In the sixth inning, second-year sidearm pitcher Kawakami took over the mound. Known as the dependable but often overlooked backup pitcher, Kawakami had rarely appeared during the sumr, not pitching once at Koshien.
Yet he diligently fulfilled his role without complaint, earning the title of Seidou's best relief pitcher.
His two innings in the sixth and seventh were flawless, keeping Toyosaki scoreless.
On offense, Seidou's batting lineup was still sowhat underwhelming.
In the third inning, while Maezono managed a hit, his impatience during a steal attempt got him caught. Toyosaki even chose to walk Miyuki intentionally, ending the inning scoreless.
In the fourth inning, Eijun and Furuya combined efforts to secure another run, but the subsequent batters failed to capitalize despite loading the bases, leading to a frustrating missed opportunity.
By the fifth inning, Maezono finally delivered a solid hit. Following consecutive hits by Miyuki, Shirasu, and Eijun, Seidou scored two more runs.
However, they still couldn't reach the ten-run lead required for an early ga-ending victory.
The decisive blow ca in the bottom of the seventh inning.
After consecutive hits by Miyuki and Shirasu, Eijun stepped up for his fourth at-bat.
With a powerful swing, he delivered a ga-winning hit, sealing Seidou's first victory in the autumn tournant.
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•If you dislike Eijun being good at batting, then this fanfic is not for you. The reason he hits a ho run against Hongou is that, first, Hongou underestimates Eijun, and second, the catcher isn't as good as Miyuki. Maybe if Renji were the one catching for Hongou, they could have struck out Eijun, as Renji knows Hongou well, unlike the third-year catcher. I think Renji is as smart as Miyuki.
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