"So, regarding the starting pitchers for the upcoming gas—Coach Kataoka, have you made a decision?"
With the training plan settled, the next priority was deciding the starting lineup and refining strategies for the upcoming matches.
Aside from their first ga against the formidable Teito High, Seidou's next few opponents weren't particularly challenging—at least, not in the eyes of Ochiai, Coach Kataoka, and most of the team.
According to the tournant schedule, Seidou wasn't expected to face any powerhouse teams until the semifinals.
The strongest teams on their path had, at best, only reached the top 16 in their respective regions in recent years. Compared to Seidou, the reigning national champion, there was no real basis for comparison.
Of course, Seidou wouldn't underestimate their opponents.
However, it was unlikely they would approach these gas with the sa level of caution and preparation as they had against Teito High or Inashiro Industrial. After all, they had already KO'd Teito with an 8-1 victory.
"Coach Ochiai, do you have any suggestions?"
Coach Kataoka turned to Ochiai and asked calmly.
"Heh, considering the semifinals and finals, I think it's necessary for our other two pitchers to maintain match readiness. The upcoming opponents don't have particularly strong batting lineups, so it's an excellent opportunity for practical experience, don't you think?"
Ochiai stroked his mustache with a slight smile.
"Hmm, I agree. I was already planning to start Kawakami in the next ga. If everything goes smoothly, Furuya will start the following match. We can't rely solely on Sawamura throughout the entire fall tournant—not for the team's sake, nor for his own developnt."
Kataoka nodded in approval.
Kawakami was a reliable sidearm pitcher, and Furuya was a naturally gifted power pitcher. While the current team core was built around Eijun and Miyuki, Kataoka was committed to nurturing Furuya and Kawakami whenever possible.
As Ochiai had pointed out, the next few gas presented ideal opportunities for them to gain in-ga experience.
During the sumr tournant, Furuya and especially Kawakami had seen limited action, with Kawakami barely playing at all. For an active pitcher, a lack of ga ti was far from ideal—without real match experience, maintaining form and confidence beca significantly harder.
Relying on a single pitcher to carry the team to victory throughout an entire tournant wasn't sothing Kataoka wanted to repeat. Not only was it a dangerous strategy, but it also placed an unhealthy burden on the individual pitcher.
Such excessive reliance could ruin a player's career.
With these thoughts in mind, Kataoka felt even more determined to balance the rotation fairly.
...
anwhile, on the practice field, the "Ace" himself, Eijun, was completely oblivious to the fact that he had already been removed from the starting lineup for the next two—possibly three—gas.
For now, he was fully focused on his current role as a batting practice pitcher.
From Eijun's perspective, this wasn't just about helping batters—it was also an opportunity to refine his control.
He aid to further improve his pitch accuracy, striving toward a Nine Box Control level.
Given his unique pitch quality, achieving such precision would make him an absolute nace—not just in high school baseball, but even in professional leagues down the road.
Swish!
Ping!
Swish!
"Heh, not bad. Nice power… but it's a foul ball."
Eijun grinned mischievously as he watched the ball sail out of bounds.
"Kanemaru, you need to work harder, or else you'll stay a benchwarr forever."
"Damn it! Just a little more and I would've hit it!" Kanemaru clicked his tongue in frustration. "Just you wait, Sawamura! I'll nail the next one!"
"Heh, this is already your third attempt, though."
Eijun chuckled.
"You bastard, Sawamura! I won't forget this!"
"I'll be sure to rember, hehe."
Being a batting practice pitcher wasn't just about honing control—it was also a great way to strengthen ntal resilience. Two birds with one stone!
Man, spending too much ti around Miyuki-senpai is making devious.
Eijun shook his head with an amused smirk.
"Oh, you're up next, Haruichi."
A flash of pink caught Sawamura's attention as Haruichi stepped up to the plate.
"Please go easy on , Eijun-kun," Haruichi said with a small smile, casually twirling his wooden bat.
"Haha, sa to you, Haruichi!"
...
For most of the afternoon, Eijun spent his ti as a batting practice pitcher.
It wasn't that he didn't have other training to do—this was simply how he had planned his schedule for the day.
This, too, was part of Ochiai's recomndations for him.
To put it bluntly, Eijun had already developed solid control over his advanced pitching techniques and power. However, when it ca to more sophisticated chanics and additional pitch types, that was still beyond his current physical capabilities.
It wasn't that he couldn't learn them—rather, his body wasn't yet ready for such techniques.
At the end of the day, Eijun was still just a 16-year-old—a young athlete in the middle of rapid physical growth.
Both training and competition had to be carefully regulated, ensuring he didn't push his body too far too soon.
This was precisely why Coach Kataoka was determined to further develop Furuya and give Kawakami more opportunities to pitch.
Overworking a player could destroy their future.
Seidou had already experienced this painful lesson with Chris Yuu. That injury had beco a permanent scar in Kataoka's heart—sothing he never wanted to repeat.
Since then, he had prioritized the health and longevity of his players above all else.
After all, before they were baseball players, these young n were still students, still teenagers who hadn't fully matured.
...
By evening, after wrapping up the day's training, Eijun invited Haruichi, Tojo, and a few others to relax at the bathhouse.
Soaking in the warm water after an intense day of training was pure bliss.
Afterward, they headed to the cafeteria for dinner.
Compared to his early days at Seidou, when he had struggled to adjust to the school's strict routine, intense training, and al schedules, Eijun now felt completely at ho.
His body had adapted to the disciplined lifestyle, his training had fine-tuned his physical condition, and his nutritionally balanced als had contributed to his overall growth.
Compared to spring, when he had first arrived at Seidou, Eijun had gained noticeable muscle mass—even his height had slightly increased.
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