Chapter 141: Key Moments in the Game Against Inashiro
After just two pitches, Harada gained a clear understanding of Eijun's hitting capabilities.
Unaware of this, Eijun didn't realize that Harada had already seen through his level with only two pitches.
In the original story, Eijun's understanding of Harada wasn't very detailed, likely due to his own limited knowledge of the Inashiro player.
Harada, chosen by the scrutinizing Coach Kunitomo as team captain, cleanup hitter, and starting catcher, is undoubtedly one of the top talents among high school players. He's also a master at reading his opponents' thoughts.
"That hurt..."
Narumiya's fastball power was no joke. The impact between the bat and the ball sent a painful shock through Eijun's hands, making his grip ache.
"Hiss... Phew..." Eijun took a deep breath to regain his focus.
He knew he needed to slightly adjust his swing angle and quicken his bat speed to use height differences and timing to weaken the force of Narumiya's pitch.
Although an outfield hit might be unlikely, right now, Eijun's main goal was simply to make contact—an infield hit would still be a hit. At the very least, he aimed to generate a ground ball that could give him a chance to run to base.
However, Harada, who had thoroughly analyzed Eijun's batting style, wasn't going to let that happen.
The third pitch!
"Whoosh!"
As the white blur of the ball came into view, Eijun quickly judged its trajectory and swung fiercely, only to find his bat slicing through empty space.
A changeup?!
"Smack!"
"Strike!"
Eijun's overly forceful swing made him stumble slightly, his body unsteady. Was Narumiya really using a changeup here? The disbelief was clear in Eijun's eyes. "Really? A changeup just to strike me out?"
This unexpected pitch choice surprised even his teammates in the dugout. Kuramochi and Miyuki frowned, while Coach Kataoka's usually calm gaze showed a slight reaction.
But Eijun, standing in the batter's box, didn't have time to dwell on this.
After cornering him with the changeup, Harada immediately called for a fastball on the inside.
Even though Eijun's mind registered this, the impact of the previous changeup still lingered heavily.
As Narumiya's inside fastball sped toward him, Eijun instinctively froze, unable to react in time. With his current level of hitting skill and power, it was impossible to counter Narumiya's fierce pitch.
The perfect timing was missed.
Eijun swung and missed, watching helplessly as the fastball dropped into Harada's glove.
"Whoosh!"
"Smack!"
"Strike three, batter out!"
Striking out, Eijun retrieved his bat and sighed internally.
He had hoped he might have a chance, but the odds were low—especially since he didn't have the power to handle Narumiya's pitches.
With the addition of the changeup, it was inevitable that he'd be out.
Surprisingly, this was Narumiya's first changeup of the game, used not against the cleanup batter, Tetsuya Yuuki, but against Eijun himself.
"An impressive performance by Inashiro's pitcher-catcher duo. After conceding a run in the first inning, they quickly settled down. Starting off the second inning with full intensity, they're giving Seidou High no chances. The seamless blend of changeups and fastballs earned them their second out!"
"Nice pitch, Narumiya!"
"Two outs! Two outs!"
"That's how it's done!"
"Narumiya, keep it up!"
"Ninth batter, right fielder, Shirasu-kun!"
In theory, Shirasu Kenjirou is an underestimated batter in Seidou High's lineup.
His skills are certainly beyond what one would expect from a lower-order hitter.
However, due to Seidou's current lineup arrangement, placing Shirasu in the ninth spot provides a better balance, linking the lineup smoothly from bottom to top.
Additionally, his role in supporting the main hitters makes him indispensable. Shirasu's calm demeanor and straightforward batting style suit this bridging role well.
In the original story, after the third-year players retired, Shirasu's true potential shone. In the sequel, he even became a key cleanup hitter, which demonstrates his strength and potential.
As a second-year player now, Shirasu's skill level isn't at the point it reaches in the sequel, but his solid batting approach poses a challenge for Narumiya.
Batters like Shirasu are tough to handle because they lack obvious weaknesses, forcing Narumiya to use more pitches against him. If it weren't for the threat of Narumiya's changeup, which Shirasu saw him use against Eijun, Shirasu might have prolonged the at-bat even more.
"Whoosh!"
"Bang!"
"Thud!"
"Out!"
Ultimately, Narumiya used his exceptional pitching skills, forcing Shirasu to ground out with a slider that was hard to handle. The grounder between first and second led to a force out at first.
"Such resilience!"
"Of course, he's Inashiro's ace. This is the true Narumiya Mei!"
"And Seidou's pitcher is doing well too. Maybe he's feeling the competitive drive?"
"Is that Sawamura Eijun? An interesting pitcher indeed."
"This final is becoming more and more thrilling."
"Will Seidou keep the pressure up, or will Inashiro turn the tables by overpowering this first-year pitcher and shifting the game?"
"Ha! I can't wait to see how it unfolds."
"Will it be Seidou or Inashiro?"
As the game entered the second inning, the stadium's tens of thousands of spectators were already captivated. This match was living up to its reputation as a high-stakes final.
In particular, Eijun's debut in the finals left those unfamiliar with him pleasantly surprised.
Meanwhile, fans who'd been following him since the battles with Akikawa and Yakushi High felt even more validated in their support.
Standing boldly on the mound, Eijun displayed his pitching style without hesitation, showing the poise of a seasoned pitcher rather than a first-year.
Many spectators sensed that the game's outcome would hinge on the pitchers' abilities to keep the opposing batters in check.
The showdown between two left-handed aces could very well decide this final!
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