The bottom of the second inning began with Daigo at bat, but like Kenta, the boy couldn't hit the forkball from Aoba's pitcher and was struck out.
Jiro was Shoto's fifth batter in this game. The nerdy boy managed to make contact with the first sinker that came his way, but the ball was hit straight into the second baseman's glove.
Thus, the sixth batter for Shoto Junior High, the first-year Ryosuke, stepped into the batter's box, carefully watching the mound.
The first pitch came.
POFT
"Ball!"
The first pitch of the duel was a forkball that dropped to the ground. Ryosuke saw the pitch and held back his swing. The second pitch came.
WOOSH
DING
"Foul!"
"So that's how it moves..." - Ryosuke thought after fouling off the sinker in the lower part of the zone. The third pitch of the duel came.
WOOSH
DING
"Foul!" - Ryosuke again fouled off a sinker in the lower part of the zone.