[185] A Battle of Equals Against Yokohama Kouhoku
Chapter 185: A Battle of Equals Against Yokohama Kouhoku
Whoosh!
Crack!
Thud!
"Foul ball!!!"
Whoosh!
Pop!
"Strike! Batter out!!!"
With precise control, seamless breaking balls, and sharp fastballs, Eijun's performance became increasingly composed and confident.
His delivery—tricky to time—left Yokohama Kouhoku's cleanup hitter, Furano, visibly struggling to keep up.
Adding to Furano's surprise, it seemed that Eijun adjusted his pitching motion slightly for different pitch types.
This unorthodox approach shocked Furano, who thought, Can pitching really be this versatile?
In the end, Furano was defeated by a simple yet powerful fastball, unable to match its unexpected strength.
...
"Batting fifth, the third baseman, Tsumura!"
Whoosh!
Crack!
Thud!
"Foul ball!!!"
"Damn it!" Tsumura clenched his teeth in frustration at the plate.
He couldn't stop overthinking the changeup.
Despite his cautious mindset, Eijun's motion made it nearly impossible to react properly.
I need a few more pitches to adjust, he thought.
Forget the other pitches. Focus on the fastball and commit to it, Tsumura resolved inwardly.
In the dugout, Yokohama Kouhoku's coach, Yamagake, had analyzed the situation.
Eijun's breaking pitches were incredibly difficult to time, whether it was the sharp cutter or the perfectly controlled changeup.
However, all these were built on the foundation of his solid fastball.
The key was to target his fastball.
The instructions reached Tsumura in the batter's box.
He nodded slightly and steeled his resolve.
Overthinking would only harm his performance; it was better to swing boldly and go all out.
...
Behind the plate, Miyuki's eyes gleamed with a calculating light as his fingers signaled the next pitch.
Eijun caught the sign and grinned.
That's exactly like Miyuki-senpai, he thought.
Eijun raised his right leg, his fingers gripping the ball in a different way, his posture and motion noticeably altered.
The brewing tension emanating from the mound sent chills down Tsumura's spine.
Whoosh!
The pitch was thrown.
Wait—the motion changed? The release point is so obvious—could this be…?
Tsumura's pupils widened in shock.
He barely had time to process the situation before the pitch—a blazing fastball—streaked toward him.
Swish!
Tsumura gritted his teeth and stepped forward, swinging his bat with all his might.
Crack!
He managed to make contact, but the ball's rising trajectory and sudden deceleration caught him off guard, leaving him unable to adjust properly.
Thud!
The ball bounced weakly.
"Shortstop!" Eijun turned sharply and shouted toward the right side.
"Leave it to me!" Kuramochi darted forward with a quick slide, scooping the ball cleanly into his glove.
Whizz!
Pop!
"Out!!!"
Tsumura stood frozen at first base, his mind racing.
That pitch… was it the special pitch Shinagawa mentioned?!
Tsumura gave Eijun a deep look from the batter's box, shook his head, and walked back to the dugout.
In the stands, the crowd erupted in astonished murmurs.
From their perspective, the last pitch seemed like a straightforward inside fastball.
Unlike the pitch thrown to the cleanup hitter, this one didn't even have a tricky angle.
Yet Yokohama Kouhoku's fifth batter had been overpowered so easily.
The hushed discussions and surprised exclamations rippled through the stadium.
On the mound and behind the plate, Eijun and Miyuki shared knowing smiles.
This type of pitch sequence was their most reliable winning formula.
Even with scouts in the stands, the subtle nuances of Eijun's pitches were nearly impossible to decipher without facing him directly.
Indeed, Eijun was the kind of pitcher whose true difficulty could only be understood by stepping into the batter's box against him.
In Yokohama Kouhoku's dugout, Coach Yamagake let out a quiet sigh.
This left-handed pitcher was an exceptionally tricky opponent to deal with.
...
Whoosh!
Crack!
Pop!
"Out!!!"
With just two pitches, Eijun forced Yokohama Kouhoku's sixth batter to hit a high fly ball to left field.
Sakai easily caught it, securing the third out.
Seidou High's ace had effectively shut down Yokohama Kouhoku's power-hitting lineup, showcasing his exceptional pitching and unwavering composure.
The crowd could now truly grasp what it meant to be a "king's ace pitcher."
...
Bottom of the second inning
While Sawamura had displayed ease in handling Yokohama Kouhoku's cleanup hitters, the pressure shifted back onto their side.
The atmosphere grew heavier as Seidou's captain, Yuuki Tetsuya, stepped into the batter's box.
For Ino, the moment Yuuki took his stance, the air felt suffocating.
The captain, Seidou's cleanup hitter, and first baseman had left a deep impression on Ino during the Kanto Tournament.
Now, facing him again, Ino could clearly feel that Yuuki's commanding aura had only grown stronger.
Whoosh!
Crack!!!
A no-nonsense swing on the first pitch.
Yuuki's bat speed was so fast that Yokohama Kouhoku's infielders barely had time to react.
Thud!
The ball sailed into left field for a clean single.
The sheer force of the swing caused a pang of unease in Ino's chest.
Yuuki's first at-bat resulted in him safely reaching first base.
"Nice hit, Captain!"
"Awesome, Tetsu-san!"
"Great job, Captain!"
"Keep it going, Masuko!"
Yuuki's sharp swing, undeniable power, precise hitting technique, and lightning-fast reaction time once again proved why he was one of the nation's top batters.
...
"Batting fifth, the third baseman, Masuko-kun!"
With the leadoff batter on base, Seidou now had plenty of options.
As a team known for taking any measure to score—even having power hitters bunt to secure runs—Coach Yamagake quickly adjusted Yokohama Kouhoku's infield defense to guard against a potential bunt.
Yuuki's single had snapped Yokohama Kouhoku into focus.
They tightened their defensive strategy, ensuring they were ready to counter Seidou's aggressive offense.
Masuko barely managed to make contact with an inside sinker, sending the ball toward third base.
However, the infield defense held strong, and Masuko was thrown out.
Following him, Miyuki hit a fly ball to center field and was caught for the second out.
Lastly, Sakai struck out in just three pitches, unable to make an impact.
While Yuuki advanced to second base thanks to Masuko's hit, he remained stranded there.
Seidou High also came away empty-handed.
...
As the game progressed into the third inning, both teams' lower-order batters were swiftly dealt with.
The opening stages of the game revealed an intense, evenly matched battle between two powerful teams!
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