"Swoosh"
"Snap"
"Strike!!!"
The falling pitch, sharp in angle and perfect in tailspin, is Kawakami's strongest deciding pitch.
For Sumi, there was simply no chance to counter it.
A powerful swing results in nothing but air—a miss!
"Swoosh"
"Bang"
"Boom"
"Out of bounds!!"
Using the slider and the sinker in combination, with the fastball acting as a lubricant.
Sumi couldn't catch the timing to swing at all.
"Swoosh"
"Bang!"
In frustration, he swung hard at a low, outside fastball ant as a bait.
"Swoosh"
A white light streaked across the sky.
The pitch wasn't particularly fast, and its trajectory wasn't perfect.
In left field,
Eijun quickly judged the trajectory of the ball.
He moved a step ahead to the spot, stretching out his right hand to smoothly catch the ball in his glove.
"Snap!"
"Out!!!"
"Four batters, first baseman, Kasuga-kun."
Kawakami, pitching with a good rhythm, was truly not a pitcher that Ouya High School could easily handle.
After taking out Sumi,
Facing the fourth batter, Kasuga.
Even though the opponent indeed had comndable skills and power in batting,
He ultimately couldn't find any opportunity against Miyuki's keen insight and Kawakami's precise pitching.
"Swoosh"
"Snap"
"Strike, batter out, three outs, switch sides!!!"
Coming with full montum but returning in silent defeat, the bottom of the fourth inning for Ouya High School was a frustrating three up, three down.
With this third out,
Seidou High School firmly took control of the ga's pace.
On the first base side, in the Seidou High School dugout.
"Good pitch, Kawakami."
"Haha, nice throwing, Nori."
"Great pitch, Senior Kawakami."
"That's the spirit, Kawakami, crush them completely, yahaha."
Returning to the dugout, Kawakami was imdiately surrounded by the Seidou team, receiving undisguised praise, which made the typically shy senior Kawakami show a rare smile.
He scratched the back of his head in a gesture.
Just as Eijun returned to the bench, he also showed a knowing smile.
"The ga is far from over. They could counterattack at any mont. Keep attacking, don't let up just because we're ahead by four runs. Use your bats, your hitting, to thoroughly secure this victory," Coach Kataoka said with a sharp look, sweeping his gaze over the players.
"Yes!" Eijun, Miyuki, and the others responded, their expressions solemn and determined.
As his words fell, the players of Seidou High School were also getting ready to take the field.
Kataoka's gaze flickered briefly as he spotted Furuya warming up in the bullpen out of the corner of his eye, giving a slight nod to his assistant coach Ochiai.
Understanding flashed through Kataoka's eyes, and at that mont, he made a decision internally.
"Top of the fifth inning, Seidou High School's at-bat, leadoff, shortstop, Kuramochi-kun."
"Co on, Seidou, let's completely crush Ouya here."
"Cheeta, get on base again."
"Hit another one, Kuramochi."
"Get on base, you must, Kuramochi."
"Let's decisively settle the score."
In the previous inning, Seidou High School's aggressive offense had further stimulated the cheering fans in the stands, erupting in loud cheers in this inning.
Even a few overly enthusiastic or rather obsessive fans shouted for scoring six runs and ending the ga.
This made Seidou High School sowhat embarrassed, while on the other side, Ouya High School beca increasingly enraged in a tense situation.
Huh? Relying on exploiting our weaknesses to score those four runs.
They think they can score six this inning!?
On the pitcher's mound, Wakabayashi Gou's expression was grim as stone.
"Right-handed batter?"
As Kuramochi stepped up to the plate, the change in his stance caused Ouya High School's catcher, Sumi, to frown slightly.
Usually, Kuramochi stood in the left batter's box to make the most of his speed, staying as close as possible to first base.
He had done so in his previous two at-bats.
But this ti, he stood in the right batter's box, prompting a heightened alert from Ouya High School.
"Don't worry about him!"
Just as Sumi was about to discuss changing the pitch strategy with Wakabayashi.
The sudden intense aura on the pitcher's mound, that solemn expression and sharp eyes,
Forced Sumi to swallow back the words he had organized.
"We have our rhythm. A warrior who looks back and forth cannot win the battle. Only by sticking to our style of fighting can we possibly achieve victory. We have our way of fighting, charge!!"
Wakabayashi's fierce face twisted into a cold smirk at the corner of his mouth.
"Gou..."
After a brief mont of astonishnt, Sumi suddenly clenched his right hand.
If our ace says so, then let's go all out, Gou!!!
Sumi's eyebrows lifted, his resolute expression clear.
"!"
In this situation, the pitcher and catcher of Ouya High School were ready to stake everything.
Betting all they had.
These past two years have definitely not been a waste.
If I don't believe in myself,
then how can I possibly seize victory?
"Boom!"
The dust rises with vigor, a rolling wave of air assaulting the senses.
With a sudden step forward, accompanied by a fierce swing of the arm.
"Swoosh!"
As the bright light dashes.
The oncoming pressure causes Kuramochi's face to change color.
"Swish"
"Bang!"
A thunderous noise erupts.
His expression slightly darkens.
"Swoosh"
The ball shoots out.
"Thud"
It hits the ground, emitting a dull sound.
"Out of bounds!!"
To think he still has the nerve, and the skill, to pitch such precise trajectories!?
In the dugout,
Eijun is also taken aback, considering the beating they delivered last inning which should have significantly affected the pitcher's condition.
But now it seems,
Wakabayashi Gou's inherent grit and determination are far beyond Eijun's expectations.
"Swoosh!"
"Snap!"
"Strike!!!"
"Swoosh!"
"Bang!"
"Boom!"
"Out of bounds!"
Continuous aggressive pitching.
Compared to his earlier delicate pitching,
Here, Wakabayashi seems like a completely different person, with a do-or-die aggressive stance, leaving no room for error in his pitches.
This catches Kuramochi completely off guard in the batter's box.
You see, he chose the right batter's box here firstly to unsettle the opponent and confuse their judgnt, and secondly because it's easier to observe the pitch's trajectory against right-handed pitchers, especially with the opponent's decisive sidearm throw from the right box.
This should have easily pressured the opponent.
Unexpectedly,
The one under pressure turns out to be Kuramochi himself.
Each pitch is more intense than the last.
Kuramochi was unable to adjust quickly enough, even missing the timing for a bunt.
"Swoosh!"
A sidearm fastball is thrown.
"Swish!"
"Snap!"
"Strike, batter out!!!"
Unyielding and steadfast.
Like a rock-solid ace from Ouya High School, Wakabayashi Gou.
As if reborn from the ashes, he fiercely struck out Seidou's leadoff batter, Kuramochi Youichi, with a powerful display of pitching.
----------------------
If you want to read 10 advance chapters ahead.
Visit my patreon: patreon/Leonzky
Reviews
All reviews (0)