By the time Sawamura arrived, the freshmen had already divided into teams.
More than 60 players were split into two teams of 30 each.
Nine were responsible for defense, while the rest will hand the offense.
"There are no limits on pitching range; this is a serious duel. Let's see who is better!"
"The remaining half, come with me to the batting field!"
The number of freshmen was simply too large, and even with the luxurious setup of Seidou High School's baseball team, the training was stretched thin.
To save time, they had to train in batches.
The assistant coach then pulled out a notebook and deliberately noted down a dozen names.
These players had performed excellently across various aspects of training and would receive special attention.
This also meant asking Kataoka to supervise their progress.
"Let's get started!"
At Superintendent Kataoka's command, the entire crowd began to move like a giant machine.
The batting test was against the pitching machine.
There were virtually no changes; all were straight pitches, generally positioned not too far from the center.
This kind of test appeared simple but actually tested the players' fundamental skills the most.
Hitting a ball into the infield counted as one point, the outfield counted as two, and a home run counted as three.
The speeds tested ranged from 125, 130, 135, 140, 145 to 150 km/h. (77, 80, 83, 86, 90, 93 mph)
For each speed, three pitches would come in, and one would be selected to hit.
Theoretically, a perfect score could earn 18 points.
Of course, in reality, this was impossible. Anyone who scored over ten points would show that their hitting strength and ball sense were already quite good.
Next came the defensive test, where a player's full score was ten.
Each defensive error would deduct two points!
On average, everyone would field five or six times.
However, this was just a superficial scoring standard. How the players actually performed was a different matter…
Ordinary fielding and excellent fielding could have the same score, but the impression left on the coaches would certainly differ.
After these professional tests, the abilities of the freshmen of Seidou High School's Baseball Club became immediately apparent.
Most of them had undergone similar training in youth leagues and quickly mastered the practice techniques. While achieving high scores was not easy, their results were generally satisfactory.
BUZZZ!
PANG!
A small white ball was hit directly into the home run fence.
This was the first home run by a freshman.
The one who hit the home run was Yuuki Masashi!
When he faced the 125 km/h pitch, he swung with all his might and hit the ball cleanly for a home run.
That terrifying aura made everyone's jaws drop just by watching it.
"He is Tetsuya's younger brother, and his hitting strength is outstanding; he was the fourth batter in his previous youth club," introduced President Ota quickly from the sidelines.
Coach Kataoka nodded.
'Very good!'
Just listening to the sound of that swing made people feel that his swing was extraordinary.
That level was certainly not something that could be achieved purely through talent.
"Keep an eye on him!"
Without even looking at Yuuki's defense, Coach Kataoka decisively included him on the list of players to watch closely.
After six tests, Yuuki performed like he was on autopilot, not missing a single hit.
Of course, this was not a level achievable through talent alone. It was clear he had undergone extensive practice in youth leagues to develop his ball sense.
His results were also quite impressive: one infield hit, three outfield hits, and two home runs.
According to the scoring, two home runs scored six points, three outfield hits scored six points, and one infield hit scored one point.
A total of 14 points.
That is easily no-par with the first-string standard.
Following that, the spotlight shifted to Kaoru Yui, who performed brilliantly.
Despite his smaller stature, he made four hits to the outfield and one hit to the infield.
One ball even flew straight out of the park.
This guy managed to hit a home run despite his less imposing physique.
His total score was 12 points!
Compared to Yuuki, it was slightly less impressive, but it shone far brighter than the others who had tested before.
"Make sure to note this guy's name!"
Kataoka was thrilled!
He saw even more potential in Yui.
Of course, there was another crucial reason.
It was because of Yui's position.
This guy's position was fantastic—he was a catcher.
You have to know that Seidou High School's current first-string catchers, Miyuki and Ono, are both third-year players, which means they will retire in four months.
From the perspective of developing new talent, Seidou urgently needs a catcher for the first string.
Only in this way can someone step in when the third-year players retire.
In fact, it's also expected that Yakushi and Inashiro Industries will promote a pitcher to the first string this year.
This is also based on the same consideration.
"These two guys are definitely monsters!"
Nothing is more convincing than results.
The outstanding performances of Yuuki Masashi and Yui Kaoru have made a nuclear-level impact among the freshmen.
Of course, there are those who refuse to back down and choose to challenge.
For instance, Okumura!
Okumura Koushuu also performed well, scoring 11 points thanks to his excellent ball sense.
He hit one home run, three outfield hits, and two infield hits.
Although his score still fell short of those two, he certainly showed a competitive attitude.
"This guy!"
Watching Okumura's impressive performance, Yui Kaoru had to be cautious.
One must admit, his rival is quite strong and skilled.
Takuma, following closely, also did well, but his hitting ability was slightly lacking.
He had four outfield hits, one infield hit, and one strikeout.
His total score was 9 points!
In this aspect, compared to the other three, he was definitely behind.
However, his specialties lay not in hitting but in speed and defense.
When combined, he held his own against the others.
Next up was Kagami.
This newcomer, though expressionless, showed he had considerable hitting power.
He achieved one home run, three outfield hits, and two infield hits.
Quietly, he produced a score almost identical to Okumura's.
His total score was also 11 points.
So far, only these four had reached double digits in hitting.
As the contestants continued to be tested, it was almost time for Sawamura Eijun's two underclassmen.
"Wow, these guys are all like monsters. How are we from the countryside supposed to survive?" Hirota muttered to himself.
Matsumoto looked at him in surprise. "What, are you scared?"
"Just kidding! How could I be scared?"
Hirota's eyes shone with a fierce light.
How could he be afraid? He was excited!
Being at Seidou High School was incredible; where else would he find so many monsters?
"Next up, Matsumoto Jun!"
It was soon Matsumoto's turn!
His performance was quite standard: three outfield hits and three infield hits.
He scored 9 points.
Besides those four monsters, he quietly caught up to Takuma.
"Wow, this guy is also really strong."
"He's just hitting the ball with a straight face."
"Not a single mistake, hitting the ball precisely every time."
There was quite a buzz around them.
It's no wonder they were impressed; all the previous top performers were renowned monsters among the freshmen.
Their transcripts naturally outshone the others.
But Matsumoto, previously so unassuming, now had suddenly risen to the top.
It truly astonished them.
"This guy has such a keen eye for balls!"
Sawamura, watching from the sidelines, gave Matsumoto a thoughtful look.
Though Sawamura had never asked, he had observed that Matsumoto likely possessed strong dynamic vision.
Matsumoto could see the trajectory of the baseball's flight very clearly.
It was precisely this ability that made his catching and hitting seem so effortless.
But!
This guy also had an obvious weakness.
That was his lack of effort.
When the three of them first met, Sawamura had hugged and shaken hands with the two underclassmen.
Hirota's palm had developed a hard, stone-like callus.
After all, he was a wealthy second-generation, a typical noble son; his life of luxury was unimaginable.
In this context, the presence of that callus indicated he had been diligently practicing his swings in private.
Conversely, Matsumoto's palm had only a thin layer of small calluses, and they were not very hard!
This clearly showed the significant difference in their training levels!
If Matsumoto Jun worked as hard as Hirota, his achievements would be simply unimaginable.
"I really feel sorry for you guys. Despite having good strength, you're competing in the same era as a genius and chose to attend the same school as me."
As Hirota walked to the batting zone, he muttered to himself.
This guy was a typical showman with a bit of a Chunibyo tendency.
Once at the batting zone, he calmly took his stance and held his bat high.
'The hero Hirota was ready to make a splash.'
Whoosh!
The ball from the pitching machine came out incredibly fast, reaching Hirota in the blink of an eye.
'Perfect!'
He had no idea how many times he had practiced hitting such a ball in private.
His family owned a batting cage, and he had been honing his hitting since he was six.
By the time he joined the Akagi Middle School baseball team, he already had good hitting skills.
In the three years of middle school, after training under Sawamura, his strength had skyrocketed.
"Shisho, how do you hit a home run?"
This was the most common question Hirota asked Sawamura.
"It's simple; just swing for the fences with all your might."
'Got it!'
Seeing the white ball approaching, Hirota felt a rush of excitement.
He had a hunch that he could hit this ball.
BUZZZ!!
As Hirota swung, there was a sound like thunder, and he felt as though the whole world had shifted.
PAANG!
After connecting with the white ball, it soared high, heading straight for the home run wall.
His first swing resulted in a 125 km/h home run.
It might sound easy, but up until now, the freshmen had managed very few home runs.
As soon as Hirota stepped up, he cleanly hit a home run.
This scene completely stunned the surrounding teammates.
"Who is he?"
"I didn't expect someone like him to be on the team besides Yuuki."
"Captain of the Akagi Middle School baseball team, Hirota Hikaru!"
The commotion caught Kataoka's attention; he turned to President Ota beside him and asked, "Get this guy's information."
Although the stats in the softball league might be inaccurate, they could still offer insight into the player's abilities.
Coach Kataoka was very interested in seeing Hirota's stats.
With a swing like that, his data couldn't be bad!
…
T/N: Starting with a Bang! A BANG!!