Chapter 54: Battle!
"Haha, perfectly timed hit!!!!"
"A textbook cleanup hitter, Tetsu!"
"Great job, Yuuki!"
"Excellent start, captain. You're so reliable."
This batter is an extraordinary presence!!!!!!
In the dugout, Coach Matsumoto wore a serious expression, thinking that they must avoid facing him recklessly.
Tetsu's timely hit gave Seidou High momentum, momentarily suppressing Kiryu High. However, it was clear that Kiryu would not let Seidou High have their way.
Following Tetsu's hit, the fifth batter, Tooru Masuko, hit a rather exaggerated infield fly. Of course, it didn't go far, just very high.
Kiryu High's third baseman easily caught it for an out, keeping Seidou's score to just one run in this inning.
"Precision control, perfectly timed pitch selection, unwavering demeanor, trusting your teammates' defense—Sawamura, you understand why the coach put you in this game, don't you?"
Watching Hiromi jogging away, Miyuki spoke with a tone full of meaning.
"Yes, I understand, Miyuki-senpai," Eijun replied solemnly, nodding.
"This inning, make sure to keep your pitches lower, okay?"
"Yes!!!"
"Top of the second, Kiryu High's attack, cleanup hitter and pitcher, Hiromi-kun."
A pitcher who also bats cleanup?
In the batter's box stood a towering figure with a terrifying grin, making Eijun's expression grow even more serious.
This is the true posture of an ace.
Eijun's gaze flickered with a distinct meaning.
When Hiromi took his position, Miyuki's eyes showed a look of understanding. As expected from the Osaka team coach, he's already identified Sawamura's unique pitching qualities.
Is he planning to fully utilize the metal bat's characteristics?
Truly a cunning strategist.
Miyuki glanced at Coach Matsumoto, who was smiling in the dugout, feeling a bit impressed internally.
Powerful arm, strong batting, absolute strength—this batter also has the sensitive pitching sense of a pitcher, and with the instructions from the dugout, your pitching style and quality have no element of surprise. It's all about direct power against power now. Sawamura, you realize that even the slightest gap will be easily exploited by this batter, right?
Miyuki's eyes flashed with intense seriousness.
"Yes, I fully understand, Miyuki-senpai," Eijun nodded gently.
"First pitch, go for an outside straight ball. No need to force it into the zone, but it must be precisely low," Miyuki signaled with a sign.
Eijun slightly bent his body, then stood straight.
With a high leg lift and arm motion, every movement seemed seamlessly smooth and unhesitating.
"Whoosh"
At that moment, a bright light flashed from his fingertips.
A crackling bolt leaped out, roaring like thunder, flying towards home plate.
In the batter's box, Hiromi fully focused, suddenly saw a sharp gleam flash straight in his eyes, causing his pupils to contract abruptly.
In an instant, Hiromi could only rely on his instincts.
He stepped forward, swinging the bat horizontally, trying to cover as much area as possible.
In his mind, he remembered the coach's instructions: this pitcher has unique movement and quality to his pitches, but his fatal flaw is clear—the speed is only 130 km/h, and his pitch force is weaker compared to peers. Use power to smash it out!
"Whoosh"
The vigorously swung bat made a "whooshing" sound through the air.
The white light approached unexpectedly for Hiromi.
"Pop"
The ball perfectly avoided the bat, landing in Miyuki's glove.
"Strike!!!"
An outside pitch? And such a straightforward one!?
Hiromi's face took on a more intense aura of determination.
Eijun, from not far away, felt a shiver, questioning whether this was really the timid player from the book he had read? He seemed so different.
Eijun felt a bit uncertain internally.
Great, made him swing. Next, Sawamura, throw this pitch, just as Chris-senpai taught? The classic four-seam fastball.
Miyuki's lips curved into an attractive smile.
After a brief pause, Eijun nodded slightly, a special gleam flashing in his eyes.
His raised left arm, his entirely twisted body.
"Whoosh"
A pitch thrown with all his might.
A four-seam fastball, the simplest and most direct pitch.
The white light piercing the sky flashed brilliantly.
A straightforward, flying white light, enhanced by Eijun's unique posture, displayed an extraordinary momentum.
Straight down the middle? Inner corner!?
Or perhaps?
At this moment, Hiromi couldn't afford to think twice. As the white light rushed in, he instinctively swung his bat.
"Crack"
Hiromi executed the dugout's instructions perfectly, catching Eijun's pitch path this time.
A loud, piercing crack echoed.
The ball flew back hard, and Eijun's expression changed instantly.
"Left-center field!!!!" At home plate, Miyuki stood quickly, shouting towards center field.
He hadn't expected this guy to swing so fully from this angle. Some miscalculation here, Miyuki thought, biting his lip with a tinge of self-criticism.
"Whoosh"
Though it didn't hit the sweet spot, Hiromi, as Kiryu's cleanup hitter, naturally led the team in power, and Kiryu was renowned for having the strongest batting lineup nationwide.
This pitch, with pure brute force, Hiromi pulled and hammered it out.
The rapidly-moving white light flew over the infield.
Center fielder Jun Isashiki and left fielder Furuya sprinted rapidly, trying to close the distance to the white light overhead.
"Thud"
In the end, they both fell just short. Even though the ball's speed wasn't as fast as expected due to its trajectory, Hiromi's power made up for it.
The ball landed right in front of the approaching Furuya.
Cleanup hitter Hiromi successfully reached first base.
"Oho, Tachi! Nice job!"
"Cleanup hitter, ace, great hit!!!!"
"Haha, I knew you could do it, Tachi."
"Keep it up, keep it up, let that kid know what the Kiryu lineup is all about."
If the angle had been slightly different, it would have been me who got suppressed, Hiromi thought inwardly, glancing at Eijun on the pitcher's mound from first base.
Perhaps due to Hiromi's successful hit or a creeping sense of fatigue, Eijun's control became unstable when facing Kiryu's fifth batter.
He struggled particularly with outside pitches that failed to reach the corners.
Once again, Eijun's outside pitch was seized upon.
It was hit perfectly down the right field line for a long drive.
With no outs and runners on second and third, Eijun found himself in a jam in just the second inning.
-------------
If you want to read 10 advance chapters ahead.
Visit my patreon: patreon.com/Leonzky