Miyuki's impressive pickoff move drew all eyes to him.
He confidently pointed to Kawakami on the mound and declared,
"One Out!"
One Out!
Homei's first effective hit disappeared just like that.
In the Homei High School dugout, the bearded Superintendent was furious.
"This catcher is too good!"
Originally, Sawamura's pitching drew attention. Since Sawamura's pitching is sharp, it naturally attracts the most focus.
Miyuki was initially seen as just a competent catcher.
But when Sawamura left the field, Miyuki's aura instantly transformed.
His aura soared to an unmatched level, giving off a sense of leading the team.
"Seidou's defense was centered around Miyuki-kun before."
In the stands, Takashima Rei, arms crossed and smiling, watched the game.
Miyuki, Kuramochi, Sawamura!
She scouted all these players.
Takashima Rei is always thrilled to see them perform well.
If these players are the legendary horses, she is the one who discovered them.
That feeling is wonderful.
"Did anyone record that just now?"
"How long was the pickoff?"
"1.83 seconds!"
Someone did time it with a stopwatch.
The recorded results are astonishing.
From receiving the ball to throwing it to second base,
Miyuki took only 1.83 seconds.
This time is extremely impressive, almost frightening.
Just imagine, within a second or two, the ball has moved from the catcher to second base.
How fast is that?
"It's amazing!"
"Genius Miyuki!"
Under Miyuki's powerful performance, Seidou High School continued to do well after Sawamura left the field.
In the seventh inning, they did not allow any runs.
However, in the bottom of the seventh, they couldn't score to further extend their lead.
Kawakami replaced Sawamura, giving Homei High School a glimmer of hope.
They worked hard in defense.
Since the third batter was Kawakami, the lineup still couldn't connect.
Thus, after the seventh inning, the score remained 6-0.
With this situation, they entered the eighth inning of the game.
In the top of the eighth inning, Homei's first batter was their cleanup hitter. Known for his formidable power, he was considered the top hitter in their region.
As a key player, he executed his role flawlessly.
Ping!
The ball soared high into the outfield after being smashed.
The runner reached second base in one go.
If it weren't for Seidou High School's outfielder making a timely return, he might have advanced to third base.
The situation was dramatic.
Facing a dire situation, Homei High School launched a desperate attack.
Kawakami, driven by Miyuki's guidance, battled fiercely against the opponent.
Although he couldn't stop the run, he limited the damage to just one run.
Aside from the cleanup hitter scoring, Kawakami prevented any further runs from Homei High School.
The score became 6-1.
Kawakami's performance was praised by everyone.
However, conceding that one run gave Homei High School a glimmer of hope.
Like this, Homei High School's momentum surged in the final stretch of the game.
"The effect of Sawamura being on or off the field is truly different," Ochiai remarked, stroking his chin.
He said this not because Kawakami performed poorly—on the contrary, Kawakami had been quite effective in this game.
But therein lay the problem.
Despite Kawakami's good performance, the opponent's momentum soared.
If Sawamura were on the field, this situation wouldn't have occurred.
A pitcher like Sawamura always brings despair to his opponents when he's on the mound.
Sawamura, Narumiya, Hongou…
These players are rare and invaluable.
"We must score a few runs!" Coach Kataoka, wearing sunglasses, was pragmatic.
He had anticipated this result. Expecting Kawakami to perform like Sawamura was unrealistic.
Kawakami's performance was commendable under the circumstances.
Now, Kawakami was also a crucial force in the team.
To ease his pressure, the offense needed to step up.
The next batter was Kanemaru.
"Substitute!"
Ping!
As a pinch hitter, Higasa took the plate and delivered a solid hit.
No Outs, runner on first base.
Ping!
Immediately, Asou used a bunt to advance Higasa to second base.
One Out, runner on second base.
Seidou High School's lineup cycled back to the top.
"First batter, shortstop Kuramochi."
With one out and a runner on second base, Kuramochi laid down a bunt.
Ping!
The ball rolled out, and Kuramochi dashed to first base like lightning.
Meanwhile, Higasa advanced to third base.
This sudden offensive surge stunned Homei High School.
One Out, runners on first and third base.
"Second batter, second baseman Haruichi Kominato."
Kominato approached the plate with his bat and faced Homei's Ace pitcher.
He swung decisively at the first ball.
Paak!
The ball flew along the third baseline. The third baseman leaped but couldn't reach it, watching as the ball sailed past him.
There was a huge gap behind third base.
Higasa scored easily, and Kuramochi also crossed the plate.
Two more runs were added.
Seidou High School's lead expanded to seven runs.
The score became 8-1.
Homei High School, which had just regained some fighting spirit, fell into despair once more.
One Out, runner on first base.
Due to the position of the hit, Kominato stayed at first base to avoid an out.
His hit was too close to second base to risk advancing further.
To be safe, Kominato remained at first base.
"Third batter, pitcher, Kawakami-kun."
Ping!
The ball bounced directly to the pitcher.
Snap!
"OUT!"
Snap!
"OUT!"
Double play!
Kominato and Kawakami were both retired, ending Seidou High School's offensive push.
The scene shocked Seidou's coaching staff.
They realized that replacing Sawamura had been unsuitable for the lineup.
Sawamura was the team's third batter, a key connector in the current lineup.
Replacing him with Kawakami at this point seemed unwise.
'This should be avoided in the future.' Kataoka thought.
The final score was 8-1.
This was the final result of today's game.
Though Kawakami's hitting wasn't strong, his pitching was effective.
In the closing stages, despite allowing a hit, he didn't concede any more runs.
With solid defensive support, he secured three Outs smoothly.
Thus, the first round of the Spring Koshien Selection Competition ended with Seidou High School defeating Homei High School.
Against another national powerhouse, Seidou High School showcased their prowess.
They swept the opponent 8-1.
Today's hitting lineup was impressive, even without standout long hits or home runs.
The overall hitting rhythm was smooth and consistent, making the seasoned coaches of Koshien wary.
Despite their loss to Inashiro in the Fall Tournament, Seidou High School has risen up again and become a strong contender for the spring championship.
Inashiro, Komadai, Seidou!
Online speculation suggests these three teams have the highest chances of reaching the end.
Not only ordinary netizens but also some professionals share this view.
These three teams exhibit the most thorough cohesion and strongest overall strength.
…