Chapter 87: The Pitcher's Duel in the Akikawa Match
"Whoosh!"
"Pop!"
"Strike! Batter out, three outs, switch!"
After taking down You Shunshin, Eijun's momentum reached its peak. He was in absolute top form.
The next batter for Akikawa High, their sixth hitter, couldn't stand up to Eijun at all. Three pitches, and he was struck out. With that, Eijun smoothly ended Akikawa's attack for that inning, another perfect three up, three down performance.
As the sides switched, the bench and the cheering squad erupted in applause.
"Nice pitch, Sawamura!"
"Beautiful pitching! You're on fire today."
"Stay calm, it's only the second inning."
"Keep attacking, Sawamura, you've got this!"
"Go, Eijun!!!"
In the Seidou High cheering section, seated above first base, four female managers from the baseball club sat together. Haruno watched Eijun's lively figure, her slightly teary eyes revealing her feelings.
The two upperclassmen beside her chuckled softly.
"Sawamura's pretty cool, huh, Haruno?"
"Y-yeah, Sawamura-kun really is..." Haruno nodded instinctively at the voice beside her, quickly agreeing.
Realizing what had just happened, she caught the sly grins of her two seniors, causing her face to flush red with embarrassment.
Third-year manager, Takako-senpai, gave a gentle smile and patted Haruno on the head, making her even more flustered, as if steam were rising from her head.
"Your pitches are really something. Feeling good today?"
Back in the dugout, Miyuki, while taking off his catcher's gear with some help, smiled as he spoke to Eijun.
"Maybe. It could also be that I'm feeling extra motivated today, who knows," Eijun replied with a rare serious tone.
"That guy is an impressive ace."
Even though it had only been one inning, that brief pitching duel had left Eijun with a deep impression.
Coupled with the original game, where You Shunshin's performance against both Seidou and Yakushi High during the Autumn Tournament had stuck with Eijun.
He's a pitcher worthy of admiration, in every sense.
Eijun's words made Miyuki pause for a moment, a flash of recognition passing through his eyes.
"Yeah, he's a great pitcher," Miyuki nodded slightly, his gaze drifting towards the third base dugout where You Shunshin sat with Akikawa's team.
"Now, in the bottom of the second inning, Seidou High's attack, batting fifth, third baseman Masuko-kun."
Masuko is probably the type of batter You Shunshin loves to face, Eijun thought as he watched Masuko step up to the batter's box.
In contrast to Eijun's current state, where his control was not yet refined, relying on his quirky pitches, Masuko, with his pure power-hitting ability, posed a real threat to Eijun.
The kind of power where even a slight touch of the ball could send it flying out of the park—that strength was terrifying.
On the other hand, Masuko's technique wasn't as refined as some of the other players.
You Shunshin, with his pinpoint control, loved facing hitters like this.
"Whoosh!"
"Pop!"
"Strike!"
Just as Eijun had this thought, a low outside pitch flew past Masuko, leaving him swinging at air for the first strike.
Then...
"Whoosh!"
"Crack!"
Masuko's expression changed.
"Zoom!"
"Plop!"
"Foul ball!"
A powerful hit, the ball flew quite far, but under You Shunshin's precise calculation, it went completely foul.
In just two pitches, You Shunshin had already backed Masuko into a corner.
When it came to pitching, You Shunshin always calculated every move with extreme precision.
Unnecessary pitches simply didn't exist. His pitching was truly airtight and methodical.
"Whoosh!"
"Pop!"
"Strike! Batter out!!!"
An inside high-breaking ball! Completely fooled...
After swinging and missing, a faint look of frustration appeared on Masuko's face.
"Hmph, if all you've got is power, there's no way you can touch my pitches..." You Shunshin casually caught the ball thrown back by the catcher, Sekiguchi, letting out a soft hum, his thoughts clear in his mind.
Since scoring off that pitcher would be incredibly difficult, this game was clearly heading toward a battle of endurance.
He knew he had to hold on, keeping the score tightly controlled.
There might be situations where it would be acceptable to let Seidou's heavy hitters get on base, but allowing them to score was out of the question.
If even he couldn't hold the line, this game would be over.
A glint of determination flashed in You Shunshin's eyes.
"Batting sixth, catcher, Miyuki-kun."
No wonder they call him a precision machine. That kind of pitching must have left Masuko-senpai feeling stifled.
A faint smile tugged at the corners of Miyuki's lips as he slowly stepped into the batter's box.
As Miyuki took his position, You Shunshin, standing on the mound, narrowed his eyes slightly.
All the information he had on Miyuki flashed through his mind. To You Shunshin, Miyuki was the ideal type of catcher. Not only was his skill as a catcher exceptional, but his hitting made him a core part of the team's offense.
If he could take this batter down here, it would further suppress Seidou's momentum.
You Shunshin bent his body slightly, patting his left arm. Behind the plate, Akikawa's catcher, Sekiguchi, tensed up and then nodded, shifting his glove to a new position.
For a strategic batter like this, the first pitch has to be...
As You Shunshin raised his arm, a flash of white streaked toward the plate.
"Whoosh!"
Here it comes!?
As the white blur neared the plate, Miyuki's hands moved ever so slightly. His pupils flashed with a trace of surprise as he held back his swing.
"Pop!"
"Strike!!!"
The call rang out, and Miyuki furrowed his brows.
An outside corner pitch—it wasn't unreasonable to call that a strike, but umpire, wasn't that a little too quick to judge?
Sure enough, You Shunshin's precise control was starting to influence the umpire's decisions. Pitches near the edge like this were probably going to be called in Akikawa's favor from now on.
What a tricky situation.
Miyuki gripped the bat tightly, adjusting his grip for a longer reach and standing closer to the plate.
"Hm?"
You Shunshin's brows knit slightly. Standing closer—is he trying to block inside pitches? Targeting the outside corner?
Miyuki's subtle adjustments hadn't escaped You Shunshin's watchful eye. In an instant, his mind raced through countless possibilities.
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