Chapter 62: Necessary

The freshman center fielder who replaced Kagami obviously didn't have the same skills as Kagami.

The heavy pressure felt like multiple big locks had been placed on his body, preventing this star player—who was also well-known in middle school—from displaying even half of his true strength.

"Chase after it!"

Nishiyama could no longer care about the frustration he was feeling. He hurriedly reminded his teammate to cover the position and throw the ball back.

What was originally a nearly certain catch turned into a long hit, which was already frustrating enough.

'But if the runner made it to second base…'

Nishiyama felt like his lungs were about to explode from anger.

And then, his lungs really did explode!

Kenichi, who had reached first base, seemed to have no concept of stopping. After reaching first base, he kept running towards second base without hesitation.

The new outfielder wasn't a slacker either. In the critical moment, he managed to recover some of his former style, quickly picking up the ball and attempting to throw it back.

However, the throw was off by several meters, nearly three meters too far…

Nishiyama on the mound opened his mouth wide to scream without a sound.

'AHHHHH!!!! IT'S OVER!!'

By the time the shortstop caught the ball, and threw it to second base…

Oka Kenichi had already reached the second base safely.

"SAFE!!"

What should have been an easy catch had turned into a double.

This was a fatal blow to the freshmen.

Originally, they thought that with all the star players they had replaced, they would be able to turn the game around in one go.

But the reality will always sucker punch people. During the actual game, the senior team exploded with an even stronger offense.

No Outs, runner on second.

This situation was very dangerous.

The score on the field was still 13-1, a gap so wide it was almost unimaginable.

If the freshmen had any ambition left and didn't want the game to end like this, then they absolutely couldn't afford to give up any more runs.

The score had to be controlled. Otherwise, even if they managed to recover some points later, it would be in vain.

"Sorry!"

The center fielder apologized with a gesture.

He knew his performance had let down the whole freshman team. After all, not all the freshmen had the chance to play in today's game. As a freshman who had the chance, making such a mistake was simply unforgivable.

"It's fine!"

"Don't take it to heart."

Nishiyama and Yui both sent comforting signals.

No matter what their true feelings were, maintaining the unity was a must.

Infighting was the most taboo thing in a game.

Reflection could only come after the game.

During the game, they needed to turn the page as quickly as possible, adjust their mindset, and face the next challenge.

In the senior team's rest area, Sawamura watched the freshmen acting maturely with each other and felt a great sense of relief.

'Nishiyama, Yui!'

'No wonder Coach Kataoka and the entire coaching staff of Seidou High School's baseball team favored these two.'

'What teacher doesn't love a good student?'

As a senpai, Sawamura felt that it was necessary for him to teach these two players a few things.

So he decisively gave a sign to the players on the field.

'Walk the runner!'

Now the opponent had changed, and it was Nishiyama and Yui's turn to team up.

It was probably impossible to keep hitting consecutive singles off of these two guys and keep extending the score.

Ten birds on the tree are worth less than one in the hand.

Right now, it was better to secure a solid run first and then talk about it. Let these two guys truly experience what high school baseball at a prestigious school is like.

"Let's show them how Seidou plays baseball!"

After receiving the sign from Sawamura, the players from the Seidou High School baseball team immediately began to move collectively.

The second batter stepped up and set up for a bunt.

It seemed like they were going to walk Kenichi Oka to third base.

Yui and Nishiyama exchanged looks.

'They ultimately agreed to this approach.'

Trade a man on third base for an Out.

Is this deal a good one? It's hard to say.

But both sides got what they needed.

The freshmen team urgently needed an Out, while the Senpai team needed a score.

The two sides quickly reached an agreement and played a tacit game.

Of course, this tacit understanding was only temporary. The real storm was about to come after this.

After the second batter walked Oka, he was also Out.

The situation turned into one Out, with a runner on third base.

At this point, the cleanup batters of the Senpais team began to step up.

The first to bat was Mimura Ryouta.

Since he got into the field, he performed very well.

As Mimura stepped into the Batter's Box, he saw the sign that Sawamura had given to him.

After nodding slightly, Mimura turned his focus to the mound.

Yui, the catcher, couldn't keep his heart calm.

Dealing with this difficult situation tested the catcher's skill.

'The first step, of course, was to analyze the current situation and the opponent.'

'One Out, runner on third.'

'There were many potential ways to attack, and all of them needed to be prepared for.'

In addition, based on the characteristics of their opponents, adjustments had to be made.

'Just now, Sawamura-senpai had given a sign!'

The entire rhythm of the senpai team was controlled by Sawamura. If it weren't for that big leader sitting at the helm, even with so many star rookies, the number of points they could have scored would definitely not have been just that one.

The seniors were strong, no doubt about it.

But the gap between the two teams was definitely not as large as it seemed on the scoreboard.

13:1.

This wasn't even a contest between teams of the same level.

Therefore, besides considering what actions the seniors might take on the field, Sawamura's tactical ability had to be taken into account as well.

A good catcher cannot be without a good brain.

If you just want to be a competent catcher, it's relatively easier—just catch the ball well and know a few simple techniques.

But if you want to be excellent, even the best in the country…

That alone isn't enough. More effort is needed!

To reach the level of Yui Kaoru takes more than just hard work—it requires sufficient talent.

Yui was a player who worked hard and had great talent.

After considering all the circumstances, he still believed that the Senpais were likely to force a run.

Because only this way of scoring was the safest!

Having seen through everything, he immediately gave Nishiyama a signal.

'Keep an eye on the runner out of the corner of your eye. If the runner starts running, don't hold back—just throw the ball straight into my Mitt!'

After seeing the signal from Yui, Nishiyama hesitated for a moment but nodded.

As he set up to pitch, he saw Yui Kaoru suddenly stand up and move half a meter toward the outer corner of the strike zone!

'Got it!'

Although Nishiyama didn't directly see the runner, he could guess that the runner must have started.

"Sorry, Senpai!"

Since you're walking into the trap, don't blame me for taking advantage of it.

The ball had yet to leave Nishiyama's hand. He still had time to adjust his direction.

Whoosh!

The ball flew straight toward the outer corner of the strike zone.

In the Batter's Box.

Mimura watched the ball as it missed the strike zone.

'Tsk!'

He knew very well that the two younger players had seen through their plans.

They had set a trap, and now the runner had already sprinted. Even if he wanted to return to third base, it would be too late.

Gritting his teeth, Mimura threw his entire body forward. Using his extended body, he managed to knock the ball with the tip of the bat.

Ping!

The ball rolled out after being knocked.

'Eh?'

'Wha…?'

"Wait they can do that!"

At that moment, all the freshmen seemed frozen.

They had never imagined such a maneuver.

What kind of fighting spirit did the Senpais have?

"SAFE!!!"

The senior team scored another run, extending the score to 14-1.

"Time!"

Just after conceding a point, Yui Kaoru immediately called for a timeout.

This scene made the audience feel a sense of déjà vu.

Speaking of which, the freshman catchers who had played earlier were all quite interesting. They all called for a timeout right at the beginning.

Yui Kaoru jogged up to the pitcher's mound, covering his mouth with his mitt, and quietly spoke to Nishiyama.

"Just now…"

He wanted to explain, but he didn't know how to put it.

Nishiyama flashed him a big smile, also covering his mouth with his mitt, and whispered, "Don't worry about it, that wasn't our fault just now."

There are many ways points can be conceded. In most cases, it's because the defense made an error that the opponent exploited.

But that wasn't the case just now.

All they could say was that the Senpais team was really putting in the effort. They managed to force their way through and score a point with sheer will.

"But next…"

Yui didn't look any better after hearing Nishiyama's reassurance.

The next batter up was Takatsu, who they needed to watch out for the most.

Takatsu Hiromi—his strength had clearly surpassed that of the second-string players.

Now, after conceding a point, they would have to face him.

Yui really wasn't too thrilled about it.

"let's unlock the Gyro ball directly!"

Nishiyama said calmly.

Yui Kaoru hesitated. "But after that, we still have to face him again. When Takatsu-senpai gets his turn again… it's already a foregone conclusion…"

He didn't complete his sentence, but his meaning was clear.

Using the Gyro ball against Takatsu once shouldn't be a problem. Whether it's used initially to throw off Takatsu's judgment, or saved for the final Strike, it would definitely catch the opponent off guard.

But when it comes to the second round, it's hard to say…

In his previous game against Yakushi High School, Nishiyama had obviously struggled in the second round.

Even with the Gyro ball, which was supposed to be a winning shot, it didn't help.

"Oi, your mentality is all wrong. We're the Kohais now, we're no longer leading the national team! The most important thing right now is to show our strength. Don't you understand?"

These words hit Yui Kaoru like a bolt of lightning, giving him a sudden flash of insight.

'Yeah, how had I gotten so confused?'

Today's game is not a duel between freshmen and Senpai.

From the beginning, this match was meant to test the strength of players in both teams.

As a member of the freshman team, of course, they wanted to recover the score. But at the end of the day, the score itself wasn't that important.

What mattered most was showing their own prowess and skills, demonstrating their abilities, and achieving satisfying results.

With that in mind, it would be better to go all out. Even if they ended up getting beaten, they could still show their indomitable fighting spirit.

"Alright!"

With that thought, Yui stopped hesitating and immediately returned to his catcher position.

Once Nishiyama and Yui had built up a plan, they moved quickly.

Both of them were very familiar with each other, and with that understanding, they were able to work together smoothly and effectively.

Soon, the pitch was delivered.

Takatsu, standing in the Batter's Box, was also on high alert. He had already researched Nishiyama's pitching.

After all, he had cheered for Nishiyama and his team before as a member of the cheering squad.

When he saw the small ball coming his way, he immediately knew it wasn't the Gyro ball.

He swung at it with no hesitation!

Ping!

The ball was struck, but it flew Foul.

Ping!

The result of the second pitch was exactly the same as the first.

Two consecutive Foul balls.

At this point, even a fool would understand what Takatsu was up to.

He was waiting for Nishiyama's decisive pitch—the Gyro ball that had stumped many strong hitters!

This bold provocation instantly fired up the surrounding audience.

"So thrilling!"

"This is exciting!"

With a 13-point lead, the seniors no longer cared about the score. What they wanted was to completely crush the freshmen.

And among these freshmen, it wasn't just the previous group, but also the best of the ones standing on the field now.

"Really gutsy!"

In the senior team's rest area, Sawamura was watching with great interest.

The players around him looked at Sawamura with strange expressions.

"Isn't this a bit unnecessary?"

They were Senpai, so bullying the freshmen was one thing, but this felt like they were actively looking for trouble.

"Of course it is necessary! He is a first-string player! What better way to show off your power than defeating a first-string player"

Sawamura's words silenced everyone.

They thought about it carefully—yeah, how had they been so foolish?

Now standing on the mound wasn't just any freshman, it was Nishiyama, who had already been promoted to the first string.

As second- and third-string players, if they wanted to break through the first-string's 20-player barrier and infiltrate the first-string team, they had to pull one of the first-string players down.

In regional competitions, each team could only have 20 players.

At Seidou High, the first-string team had a maximum of 20 members. With the addition of Nishiyama and Yuuki, these 20 slots were already packed.

If one of them wasn't knocked out, the others would never have a chance to be promoted.

So, of course, this chance for a head-to-head confrontation couldn't be missed.

Takatsu's actions might seem childish, but in fact, they were necessary.

If he chose to avoid the confrontation, he would lose his ambition and confidence to make it into the first string.

'Bring it on!!!'

Takatsu, standing in the Batter's Box, remained silent. His whole body was as still as a statue.

But the quieter he was, the more dangerous it felt.

Everyone knew that under this calm exterior, a storm was brewing.

'This is getting interesting, no wonder he's the Senpai's cleanup!'

On the pitcher's mound, Nishiyama could feel every cell in his body buzzing with excitement.

In his previous game against Yakushi High School, he had suffered a great loss.

Facing the top national opponents, his previously famous weapons seemed to have lost their original power.

For an ordinary person, such a heavy blow could have led to collapse.

But Nishiyama was different! The setbacks he had experienced had helped him grow.

Now, he was confident enough to challenge again.

Just a single night of rest had restored his pride and ambition.

In his gut, he felt that although Takatsu-senpai was not as strong as Todoroki Raichi, he could be a similar match-up to Mishima and Sanada.

This was an opponent worth giving his all, an opponent worthy of pushing his limits.

Taking the form of the Gyro ball, Nishiyama's fingers twitched slightly during the pitch.

Whoosh!

The small ball flew as though shot from a gun, catching everyone off guard.

'It's coming!'

Takatsu, however, seemed ready. He raised his bat early, and as he saw the ball flying toward him, he swung at it without hesitation.

Ping!

The ball was hit and bounced back to the ground.

Nishiyama, on the mound, smoothly raised his mitt and caught the ball that had bounced back.

SNAP!

After catching it, he immediately threw it to first base.

"OUT!"

Takatsu, who had previously been hitting everything, was now struck out.

From the outside, Nishiyama appeared unphased as he solved Takatsu as if it were just.

As if he did it all for granted.

In his mind, he was roaring like he had gone crazy.

Finally!

Finally!!!

After losing the World Little Series at the final step, Nishiyama felt that his strength had stagnated.

As a pitcher with endless ambition, he could not tolerate this.

That was why he had come to Seidou, the harshest environment for the pitchers.

One can sharpen their skills by learning from others.

One should gather knowledge from various sources.

Then what is better than being with the best and challenging the very best?

With no other way out, he decided to give it a try.

Hard work pays off.

Nishiyama succeeded.

Because of the challenge presented by his opponent, this prodigy experienced further growth.

…