"It's really a hit!"
"True to the monster that emerged during the Spring Koshien, his strength is truly extraordinary."
"Setting aside all the rumors before, just looking at this performance, Raichi is definitely one of the top hitters in the entire Tokyo area."
The result of the face-off between Sawamura and Raichi left a huge impact on everyone at the scene.
The players from both the Seidou High School Baseball Team and the Yakushi High School Baseball Team had very different reactions to this.
As for the Yakushi team, they had finally managed to secure a hit after much anticipation.
In such a situation, it's no wonder they're so ecstatic.
The players from Yakushi High School were incredibly excited, looking like they might fly off at any moment.
In stark contrast, the players from Seidou High School appeared much more composed.
Even after Sawamura allowed a hit, they didn't show any signs of panic.
This doesn't mean they were indifferent.
How could they possibly be indifferent when their team faced such a situation? They only looked so calm because they had full confidence in the great Sawamura.
Getting a run-off Sawamura isn't something that can be done just by getting a hit.
There's a reason why Sawamura is known as the number-one pitcher in the high school. It's not just his natural pitching talent; his defensive skills, including his performance on the mound, are key as well.
Having runners on base might be a huge threat to most pitchers, but for Sawamura, it's just another part of the game.
No Outs, a runner on second base.
At this point, the second batter for the Yakushi team, Akiba, steps up to bat.
Akiba is a well-rounded player. While he might not excel in any one area, when you combine all his skills, his strength is undeniable.
With no Outs and a runner on second base, facing an opponent like Sawamura, Akiba didn't appear as nervous as one might expect.
Sawamura, however, did not take this situation lightly. If he thought he could just relax, he would have been caught off guard many times by now.
'Stay humble, avoid being complacent, and never underestimate any opponent. That's the mindset of a true champion pitcher.'
Raichi on second base was clearly itching to make a move, ready to charge forward.
Akiba, the batter, didn't appear to be passive either.
Sawamura and Miyuki didn't seem bothered by this.
But the question is, would Yakushi High School take the risk of going head-to-head with them?
To the average viewer, Yakushi High School has a very tough, direct style of play.
In their previous matches, they hardly ever used bunts.
They would usually face pitchers head-on.
Even if they did try a bunt once or twice, it wasn't something the audience remembered well.
This led many to naturally believe that Yakushi would continue to battle Sawamura head-on.
But Sawamura wasn't fooled. He knew Yakushi's tactics very well, and so did the other Seidou players, to some extent.
It's not that Yakushi doesn't know how to bunt.
They absolutely do, and they've got players with great squeeze skills.
Raizou once said something famous that was later quoted by veteran baseball journalist Fujio in Baseball Kingdom Magazine:
"A player who can't pull off a brilliant bunt when the team needs it doesn't even deserve to be on the field."
For someone who can say something like that, you can imagine how strong his team's bunt skills must be.
So Sawamura and Miyuki never even considered the possibility of not facing a bunt. The only thing they needed to consider was:
What would Yakushi do in this situation?
Would they try to go head-to-head with Sawamura? Or would they attempt a bunt?
To be honest, if Yakushi decided to go for a bunt in this situation, even with Sawamura on the mound, their chances of advancing a runner would still be there.
Of course, this would only give them a single run at best, and there was still a possibility of failure.
Even then, it might not be their best option.
The best option for Yakushi would be to take advantage of Raichi's hit and try to drive in a run by taking Sawamura's pitches head-on.
If Yakushi could string together multiple hits off Sawamura, the game's outcome might even change.
Ping!
Without making the Seidou players wait too long, Yakushi made their choice.
The baseball was bunted, and Raichi, on second base, darted toward third base like lightning.
Though Seidou's players had anticipated this and were already positioned, they still couldn't make it in time to stop him!
Even when the third baseman threw the ball to first base, they still could barely stop Akiba from reaching base.
Akiba's speed was impressive—just a little over four seconds from home plate to first base.
If Seidou could catch him, they still couldn't stop Raichi from advancing to third base.
"SAFE!!"
"Kehahah! Kehahahaha!!"
Accompanied by a strange and loud laugh, Raichi stepped onto third base.
The situation was now one Out, runner on third.
Standing in the Batter's Box is Mishima, the third batter for the Yakushi High School baseball team in today's match.
The core strength of the Yakushi High School baseball team lies in its trio of second-year players.
Among this trio, Mishima is ranked second, and within the entire team, his fame is second only to Raichi and Sanada.
His pitching is not as good as Sanada's, and his batting is not as strong as Raichi's.
It seems that Mishima has always been destined to be the eternal number two of Yakushi High School.
Of course, he is dissatisfied with this fate deep down inside.
Mishima has never been someone who quietly accepted his position. He likes the spotlight and enjoys the feeling of being a star.
Naturally gifted, he has been learning baseball from Raizou and trains hard in his daily practice.
With his increasing strength, he has become an indispensable core player for Yakushi High School's baseball team.
Now, standing in the Batter's Box, he faces the mighty King of Seidou High School, the Demon King, Sawamura, in a direct confrontation.
Just thinking about it is thrilling.
Mishima is no exception. His eyes are red like he has contracted a case of red-eye disease.
This ball—he had to hit it out, no matter what!
In the dugout, the Coach did not give any signals for a bunt.
It was up to Mishima to decide.
If there was an opportunity to face Sawamura head-on and hit the ball out, that would be the best.
If there wasn't, using a bunt to get a run was also acceptable.
In the Yakushi High School baseball team, not many players have earned such trust from Coach Raizou, and Mishima is one of them.
Coach Raizou had completely entrusted the situation to him.
For Coach Raizou to make such a judgment, there's no doubt about Mishima's strength. At least both Mishima and Coach Raizou don't think Sawamura is invincible.
As long as they are lucky, they believe they can take down the Demon King.
I have to say, this idea is truly beautiful.
Unfortunately, this beautiful thought was shattered after Sawamura threw his pitch.
Roaar!
The baseball shot through the air like a streak of light, instantly covering the 18-meter distance and landing in the Mitt of Miyuki.
Boom!
"STRIKE!"
Mishima, standing in the Batter's Box, felt cold sweat rolling down his forehead.
In the previous round of confrontation, although Sawamura had shown perfect form, after seeing that pitch, Mishima felt a small flicker of hope in his heart.
Could he hit it out?
Truthfully, Mishima did have a bit of confidence.
Maybe purely relying on strength wouldn't be enough, but with the right opportunity and luck, he believed he could hit it out.
As for whether the ball would be caught or caught in the air?
That was down to luck…
However, after seeing the pitch just now, Mishima's heart completely sank.
He couldn't hit it!
This feeling was quite fatal, instantly wiping out all his fighting spirit.
Fortunately, Coach Raizou had trained him well. Even in the face of despair, Mishima didn't forget what he was supposed to do.
'What now?'
If he couldn't hit Sawamura's ball from start to finish, what would happen in the end?
The answer was clear.
He'd be struck out, and the runner on third, Raichi, would just be a decoration.
With two outs, Seidou High School wouldn't even need to worry about him.
Despite feeling reluctant, Mishima still adopted a bunting stance.
With one Out and a runner on third, the entire atmosphere in the stadium froze.
What the Yakushi High School baseball team wanted to do was already obvious.
They were going for a bunt, trying to use the bunt to hit the ball.
At the same time, the runner on third base would likely take action.
They were forcing a score!
This strategy is quite common in baseball.
The players of Seidou High School could naturally respond by shifting into a defensive position.
Theoretically speaking, if Mishima's bunt could make contact and land on the ground,
It would be very difficult for Seidou High School to stop Raichi from advancing.
Miyuki, the catcher, was well aware of this.
However, unlike the others, he wasn't feeling desperate. In fact, he even seemed eager to try.
As Sawamura's pitches became stronger and stronger, more and more players targeting them were opting for a battle of attrition, i.e., bunting and pinch-running.
Since that time, Sawamura and Miyuki had been studying if there was a type of breaking ball that could make it impossible for the batter to even make contact with the ball, even if they attempted a bunt…
I have to say, it was a crazy idea.
For most pitchers, it would be almost impossible to achieve.
At best, they could make the bunt a little more difficult. But for the batter to miss entirely? That was extremely hard unless the batter's skills were lacking.
But when it came to Sawamura, it didn't seem that impossible.
Although it wasn't fully perfected yet, it was worth trying at this moment.
...
T/N: Well, That's it for now!
As always, Thank you all for reading guys!
Have a good day!
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