Chapter 22: Sawamura-senpai

"Seidou really has incredible luck!"

Okamoto Ippachi, the coach of Teito High School couldn't help but show a hint of envy in his eyes.

In recent years, Seidou has struggled with recruitment.

Even though Seidou has not made it to Koshien in the past few years, opinions about Coach Kataoka remain high. He has managed to keep a group of second-tier talents competitive against elite schools.

After all, even a skilled coach can do little without the right players.

Given these objective constraints, Coach Kataoka's accomplishments are quite remarkable.

Now, he has finally turned the tide, with recruitment over the past two years going surprisingly well.

Baseball is a nine-player sport, but when it comes to identifying the most crucial player, there is no doubt that it is the pitcher.

During offense, the pitcher is just 1/9 of the team; this applies to every player in every position.

However, during defense, the significance shifts dramatically. In a typical team, a pitcher can account for 60 to 70 percent of the team's effectiveness. In weaker teams, this can rise to a staggering 70 to 80 percent.

Even in a well-rounded elite school, the pitcher's importance generally exceeds 60 to 70 percent of the team.

If the team is centered around its pitcher, this figure can reach around 80 percent.

Thus, Seidou is truly fortunate. Previously hindered by a lack of pitching strength, they couldn't break through Tokyo's barriers.

Last spring, with the addition of the Ace pitcher Sawamura, Seidou received the most crucial piece of their puzzle.

Since then, Seidou's success has been unrelenting.

Furuya, Kominato, Toujou...

Along with Miyuki, Kuramochi, Shiratsu...

A powerful team has formed.

However, even the strongest teams can only maintain their dominance for two to three years.

'After all, players have a very limited time in high school; they cannot stay forever.'

'Eventually, they will graduate, go to college, and even enter professional baseball.'

By then, Seidou's Era will have passed.

Can a team consistently maintain its elite rhythm?

Ultimately, it depends on the new recruits!

Currently, the nine players on the field for Seidou are primarily second- and third-year students.

But there are also two new rookies, and importantly, one of them is a pitcher with solid skills.

This means that even when Sawamura and the others graduate, Seidou's level will remain strong.

The legacy of the Champions has been passed down, and it's believed they will continue to improve.

In this situation, it's no wonder other coaches feel envious...

They looked at Nishiyama Kibo with a mix of complicated emotions.

"Why isn't it our team?"

In the past, Coach Okamoto would never have such complaints.

Their Ace pitcher is now in a second year. Theoretically, at this time, there shouldn't be any standout pitchers joining Teito High School.

Geniuses are often proud; how could they willingly sit on the bench for a year and a half?

Yet now, the reality is evident. The Ace pitcher at Seidou is also a second year and holds a more stable position than Teito High School's Ace.

Under these circumstances, if Nishiyama can join Seidou, he could surely join Teito High School too.

'Why weren't we more persistent with him.'

The Coach of Teito High School felt immense regret.

On the other side, the coach of Yakushi High School, Todoroki Raizou, was not in a better situation.

Though he smiled, the grin did not reach his eyes.

He initially thought they had performed exceptionally well in recruitment this year, but in comparison to Seidou, the gap was significant.

'The biggest thorn in West Tokyo now seemed tougher than before.'

'Why had I foolishly joined Yakushi High School? In other regions, reaching Koshien would be much easier.'

"Only geniuses who grow up in such harsh environments can go further in the future."

Muttering to himself, he shifted his gaze to his son.

Raichi!

Regardless, Raizou's confidence in his son's abilities was unwavering.

'Keep pushing forward.'

'Your opponents have become more formidable than ever.'

The audience was astonished by Seidou's performance, and even the commentators at Jingu Stadium couldn't stop his praise.

Moreover, there was a feeling that started circulating in the audience.

It is just a feeling for the audience, but for the experts, they are surer of it.

Something big is about to happen.

In the dugout of Seidou, the atmosphere was calm but, you could feel a bit of tension.

With a five-point lead, there isn't much joy to be seen.

Especially among the third-year players, their expressions are surprisingly serious.

The pressure from the newcomers is unimaginable.

It's one thing for the players to feel this way; even the coaches are quite indifferent.

Nishiyama has just made a timely hit, yet he is met with such a cold reception upon returning.

No matter how mature he is, he feels uncomfortable. He sits silently on the bench, waiting for the seventh inning to start.

In the first half of the seventh inning, it's Seidou's turn to attack again.

Leading off is still Kuramochi.

"Hyaa-ha-haa!"

Ignoring the low-pressure atmosphere in the dugout, Kuramochi steps up to the plate, brimming with enthusiasm.

His previous performance was commendable, giving him reason to feel relaxed and more focused.

Meanwhile, in the dugout, Sawamura, who had been sitting quietly, suddenly waved at Yuuki and Nishiyama.

The Ace, the soul of the team actively invited them over.

Nishiyama and Yuuki did not display the eagerness typical of Kohais; instead, they approached Sawamura respectfully.

"How do you feel?" Sawamura's question seemed a bit random.

However, Nishiyama Kibo and Yuuki Masashi understood immediately; they knew he was inquiring about Amahisa Kousei's pitching!

"Strong!"

Yuuki Masashi's response was brief, embodying his brother's demeanor.

He looked a bit down when he spoke.

Sawamura nodded and then turned to Nishiyama.

"The fastball is sharp, and the Slider is tricky. Especially the new vertical Slider; if you use it in combination with a regular Slider, the effect might be doubled…"

Nishiyama answered carefully and seriously as if taking an exam.

The players in the dugout unconsciously perked up their ears.

Even Coach Kataoka and Coach Ochiai noticed what was happening.

"Good eyes!"

Sawamura nodded at Nishiyama and continued, "Did you rely on your own strength to hit that ball just now, or was it luck?"

Surprised by the straightforwardness of the question, Nishiyama looked momentarily stunned. Yet he answered honestly.

"Both."

"Because I knew from the beginning I couldn't hit the vertical Slider, I aimed for a regular Slider…"

In the end, Amahisa threw a regular Slider!

Of course, Nishiyama hit the ball with his own strength!

But he had avoided the vertical Slider from the start, so it's fair to say he was covering for it.

"Just as I thought." Sawamura nodded in approval.

Several players around showed looks of concern.

Amahisa Kousei's Slider is undoubtedly as tricky as Sawamura's level 2 breaking ball.

The reason Sawamura's pitches are difficult to hit is not because they are inherently trickier and more varied than Amahisa's.

From previous encounters, Seidou's batters have aimed at the Slider.

Yet the results were consistently poor.

With such a tricky pitch, Nishiyama was able to hit the ball with his own strength.

This new student's skills may have already surpassed those of most veterans on the field.

"This opponent can rank among the top 20 in the country. He's one of the best pitchers nationwide!"

Sawamura stated this matter-of-factly, his tone steady and measured.

"We are different from before. We are now the Champions who won the summer and spring. If you're not confident in hitting this pitcher's ball, it will be hard to earn your number!"

His words seemed to be both a lesson for Nishiyama and a message to the rest of the team.

Everyone listened thoughtfully.

"Across the country, the teams that can genuinely threaten Seidou can be counted on ten fingers! Each ace pitcher on those teams is stronger than Amahisa-san. If you lack the confidence to face such opponents, winning a number at Seidou will be very difficult!"

"You've all already faced the opponent three times; Yuuki, your last swing was far from the pitch. Nishiyama was struck out twice, and the last time he got a lucky hit. Plus, your inexperience in defense…"

"If I were the coach, I wouldn't give you the main roster number at this stage. Although your hitting skill is on par with some main players, your defensive weaknesses are too many. If your hitting wasn't so outstanding that I couldn't ignore it, I wouldn't even consider putting you in the main lineup."

Hearing Sawamura's words, both Yuuki and Nishiyama looked quite disheartened.

Miyuki, sitting nearby, scratched his head awkwardly.

He understood that Sawamura wanted to give the Kohais a lesson, but was this approach too harsh?

Overall, the two Kohais had performed quite well. Even if, as Sawamura said, they couldn't yet become main players, they should be able to hold down a rotation position…

Sawamura ignored the expressions on their faces and continued, "With three months left until the summer competition, if you want to become an indispensable member of the team, think about what you can contribute right now!"

"Keep striving upward. I'll be here waiting for you."

…