The bottom of the fourth inning began with Kenta at the batter's box, and the sound of the ball being hit hard echoed quickly.
WOOSH
DOONG
Shun watched as the ball flew quickly toward center field, but it didn't take long for him to notice that the angle at which the ball had left Kenta's bat wasn't quite right.
PAH
"Out!"
The center fielder caught the ball just a few ters short of the fence, causing Shun and the rest of Shoto Junior High's players to sigh in disappointnt.
Kenta returned to the dugout frustrated, having almost put his team ahead on the scoreboard. The next two Shoto batters quickly stepped up to the plate.
Next up was Daigo, the fourth batter.
WOOSH
DING
"Out!"
He was thrown out after grounding a sinker toward the shortstop. After him, the fifth batter, Jiro, stepped into the batter's box.
WOOSH
DING
PAH
"Out!"
A line out straight to the first baseman's glove eliminated the nerdy kid and ended the inning. Without wasting ti, Shun returned to the mound, and the fifth inning began.
WOOSH
PAH
"StrikeOut!"
PAH
"Ball Four!"
WOOSH
PAH
"StrikeOut!"
WOOSH
DING
"Out! 3 Outs, changeover!"
Despite giving up a walk, Shun ended the inning facing just four batters, quickly heading back to the dugout. Thus, Shoto Junior High's offense returned to the field once more.
Shun carefully observed Aoba's fielders and their movents as the sixth batter, the troubleso first-year Ryosuke, stepped into the batter's box.
WOOSH
DONG
Ryosuke easily hit the ace's sinker to left field, but this ti, he stopped at second base. It seed that the scolding from Coach Yamada and Kenta had gotten through to him, at least for now.
But even with a runner in scoring position and no outs, it still wasn't easy for the bottom of the order to hit against Aoba's ace.
WOOSH
PAH
"StrikeOut!"
Shoto's seventh batter, left fielder Hisashi, was struck out in just three pitches. The eighth batter, third baseman Tomo, then stepped into the batter's box.
WOOSH
POFT
"Strike!" - The first pitch was a forkball that dropped to the ground, making Tomo swing through it.
Aoba's ace quickly prepared the next pitch, but just as he started his wind-up, Ryosuke took off in a sprint toward third base.
"Steal!" - Aoba's shortstop shouted as the ball left the ace's hand toward the catcher's glove.
PAH
"Strike!" - Tomo didn't swing. Even though Ryosuke and the coach hadn't signaled a steal, he didn't want to interfere with Ryosuke's attempt by hitting a foul or grounding out.
Aoba's catcher, the boy with glasses, stood up as soon as he felt the ball in his glove. Without hesitation, he threw it hard toward the third baseman. Experience tales at m v|l e'-
Ryosuke realized it would be close and dove headfirst toward third base while extending his arms as far as he could.
PAH
The third baseman caught the ball in his glove and swiped it toward Ryosuke, but almost at the sa mont, Ryosuke's hand touched third base. Unsure of the outco, both players looked to the umpire.
"Safe!" - The umpire spread his arms wide as he announced the call, making Aoba's players sigh.
However, contrary to what one might expect, Shoto's players weren't at all thrilled with this play.
"Another reckless move..." - Shun muttered with a sigh as he watched Ryosuke on third base.
"This brat..." - Kenta grumbled in frustration. As captain, he had tried to get through to Ryosuke in various ways, but the kid was just too stubborn.
Shun observed his irritated friend but didn't say anything. He then glanced at his coach, and although Coach Yamada wasn't voicing his complaints like Kenta, Shun could see the irritation in the man's eyes.
"What an annoying guy..." - Aoba's ace thought, glaring at Ryosuke on third base. This first-year was the only Shoto Junior High player who had reached base in both of his at-bats, and not only that, he had reached third base each ti.
Without wasting ti, Aoba's ace looked to his catcher for the signal, nodded, and began his wind-up. But just as the ball was about to leave his hand, sothing unexpected happened.
Tomo gripped his bat with both hands and leaned in toward ho plate, taking his position for a bunt. With only one out in the inning, as long as Tomo could put the ball in play and give Ryosuke enough ti to reach ho, they could open the score.
But unfortunately, Aoba's captain had already anticipated that Tomo would attempt a bunt.
POFT
"StrikeOut!"
"Fuck!" - Tomo cursed in frustration after being struck out. Even in a bunt stance, he couldn't make contact with the ace's insane forkball.
"Tch! Useless..." - Ryosuke grumbled irritably from third base. Even though he had managed to reach third again, now with two outs, a sacrifice hit to bring him ho was no longer an option.
Ryosuke watched the ninth batter step into the box with frustration, that was Takeya, Shoto's first baseman. The first pitch of the duel ca.
WOOSH
PAH
"Strike!"
Takeya swung through the air, missing the sinker. The second pitch ca.
WOOSH
POFT
"Strike!"
This ti, Takeya missed even more, barely coming close to the forkball.
"Tch!" - Ryosuke scowled at the scene, knowing there was no way Takeya could manage a hit after seeing these two pitches. He didn't want to stand on third base watching the inning end again, so as soon as the catcher threw the ball back to Aoba's ace, he sprinted toward ho plate.
"Steal!" - The third baseman shouted in surprise when he saw Ryosuke attempting to steal ho.
"Huh?" - Aoba's catcher looked up in shock as Ryosuke charged at full speed toward him. He definitely hadn't expected an attempt to steal ho at this mont.
The mont Aoba's pitcher heard the third baseman's shout, he threw the ball back to his captain at ho plate.
Shun watched the scene from the dugout and sighed. Regardless of the outco of this play, it was likely that Ryosuke would get chewed out when he reached the dugout, as his friend Kenta was practically fuming with anger.
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