Chapter 114: Yakushi Battle - A Clash of Wits
As expected.
From below, Eijun observed and subtly shook his head. Sakai-senpai was too set in his ways when it came to his batting style.
This was both a strength and a weakness.
Indeed, a strong player should stick to their style.
But a true hitter, besides having a unique style, must adapt to various environments, pitches, and pitch types, making the right choices in different situations. In this regard, Ichiro Sakai could never compare to the likes of Captain Tetsu and the others.
Of course, that's easy to say, but when facing Sanada, I probably wouldn't fare any better either.
It's like the pot calling the kettle black.
"Eighth in the line-up, pitcher, Sawamura-kun."
Facing the pitcher's mound, in the line of sight coming clearly from Sanada, Eijun took a deep breath, with a wry smile on his lips, and stepped into the batter's box. Even though he knew the odds were just one in a thousand, he still had to give it a try.
But it was clear that Sanada wouldn't give Eijun such a chance.
It was an unmistakably direct fastball suppression.
Using his pitch's power and late break to suppress Eijun's strength, a well-known weak spot of Eijun.
Eijun was helpless.
Unless he could predict the pitch type and placement.
However, this difficulty was really high, and the unexpected luck he had during the Akikawa match wouldn't appear again. Relying on pitch sense, experience, bat speed, reaction ability, dynamic strength, arm force, and overall body strength—all these comprehensive factors.
Eijun was at a significant disadvantage.
Sanada didn't use fancy techniques; he simply overpowered Eijun.
Barely holding on with sense of the pitch and struggling through a few pitches, Eijun was eventually struck out. With no outs and a runner on first base, Seido High School couldn't capitalize effectively on the situation.
Following the outs of Sakai and Eijun.
The game's momentum shifted into Sanada's hands, who subsequently struck out Shirasu, keeping Yakushi High School's defense intact, and sealing the Seido lineup with a shutout this inning.
Sanada's performance strongly asserted their unyielding stance of never giving up or backing down!
Such sharp determination—this was Sanada Shunpei.
With him at the core, Yakushi High School's fighting spirit remained at its peak.
"Refusing to lose, huh? Well then, I will break your backbone!"
In the dugout, Eijun could fully sense the indomitable fighting spirit radiating from Sanada. To be honest, Eijun used to quite like this pitcher.
Skilled, mentally composed, and with a charismatic presence.
In terms of overall prowess, he was among the top figures in the Ace of Diamond series. Especially when that handsome face broke into a bright smile, he had the endearing image of a sunny boy-next-door.
But here, it was different. This was a battlefield.
Their battleground as baseball players, and Sanada was, therefore, Eijun's enemy.
An enemy that must be defeated.
Victory can only belong to one side. Therefore, Eijun must outshine Sanada, dismantle Yakushi High's lineup, and crush their fighting spirit.
Victory brings joy, defeat brings tears.
Sawamura Eijun of Seido High School refused to be the one defeated; he aimed to be the sole victor!!!
"The top of the seventh inning, Yakushi High School's offense, seventh in the line-up, catcher, Watanabe-kun."
Coach Todoroki leaned back lazily in the dugout chair, his gaze sweeping over the impressive presence of Eijun on the pitcher's mound, a faint gleam in his eyes.
Remember, you must admit, that pitcher's deviation has somewhat exceeded expectations.
However, this pitch isn't impossible to hit, aim fully for the outside pitch. That guy's outside pitch is definitely not as sharp as his inside pitch.
Don't overthink it. Given your swing speed, against varying pitches, even if a cutter comes your way, you can react accordingly.
The pitch's power and late break aren't as strong as imagined, your strength can overpower it. What if the expected pitch or placement is different? Hah, even if you're late on timing, as long as you can connect with the ball, anything is possible!!!!
Don't rush it; the score difference is only two points. You can definitely turn it around. The most crucial aspect is to adapt; this is your job's time!!!
"Whew… huh…"
Watanabe stood in the batter's box, scraping the dirt beneath his feet with his cleats. He exhaled slowly, clearing his mind, while recalling Coach Todoroki's instructions from the dugout.
Focus entirely on the outside pitch, even if you miss your timing. As long as you make contact, rely on your strength to overpower the pitch's force.
Has the atmosphere changed? Did someone from their dugout give new instructions?
Miyuki furrowed his brow slightly.
Then, he turned his gaze towards Eijun on the pitcher's mound.
Forget about them. We don't need to worry. Sawamura is in excellent form right now, and as long as he maintains this smooth rhythm, we can keep control of the game firmly in our hands!
First pitch, inside fastball, keep it low, down to the knees, Sawamura!
Eijun nodded lightly from the mound.
"!!!!"
"Whoosh"
With the umpire's call, Eijun launched a quick attack from the mound, using his rhythm to dictate the pace of the game and break the opponent's rhythm.
This is how a winner, the advantageous side, should choose their strategy.
The sharp pitch left Watanabe momentarily breathless in the batter's box.
Here it comes!!!
"Swish"
"Ping!!!!"
Not good, missed by a bit, Watanabe's expression changed suddenly.
Aiming for the outside pitch, he left a bit of room, benefiting from his swing speed and reaction training (courtesy of Coach Todoroki's special training), plus Eijun's fastball wasn't incredibly fast.
He barely managed to swing in reaction.
But ultimately, he misjudged the timing significantly.
"Whoosh"
The ball ricocheted away, hitting the ground hard.
"Foul ball!!!!"
Third baseman Masuko had already rushed towards the landing point, but unfortunately, it unexpectedly veered foul.
"That was close, really close...."
Having tossed the bat and started running, Watanabe halted and returned to the batter's box with a relieved expression. Luckily it went foul; otherwise, at that spot, he would have certainly been out.
However, this guy—each pitch seems to have even more power than the last?
Watanabe thought with some incredulity.
A pitcher's strength growing sharper over the course of a game despite fatigue?
That swing timing earlier...
Both Miyuki at home plate and Eijun on the mound frowned.
In a shared glance, both understood the doubt mirrored in each other's eyes—Yakushi High School was definitely up to something!!!!
That was the conclusion Miyuki and Eijun reached in that instant of eye contact.
Although they couldn't yet determine what the plan was, or even confirm with certainty that there was one, they both sensed a deeper significance in that play.
However, nothing obvious had revealed itself yet.
Being overly cautious would merely hinder their rhythm.
Releasing their rhythm freely was the best course of action for now!
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