Chapter 46: Deal With The Pressure

With one Out and runners on second and third, facing the furious assault of the third-year seniors like a raging tide, Kawakami stood firm despite conceding a Run before.

"Yeaaah!"

After delivering the pitch, Kawakami excitedly waved his arms.

At this moment, he evolved!

The gap between him and the third-year seniors was already significant, especially after their experiences at Koshien. Now, that gap had widened even further. Kawakami realized he couldn't compete head-on with the third-year Senpai anymore.

Once they faced off, he'd be utterly overwhelmed.

Except for Sanada, Sawamura, Narumiya, and Honjo, few pitchers in the nation could expect to fare well against these third-year seniors from Seidou High School.

It wasn't just about the vast difference in skill; it was about their experience and tenacity on the field.

Kawakami even suspected that even the retired Tanpa, despite his growth, might struggle against his teammates in the third year. It wasn't that Tanpa wasn't strong enough; it was just that his opponents were too fierce.

They were the National Champions for a reason.

This showdown had given Kawakami confidence.

He finally had the means to face off against the third-year Senpais. Though he might still give up runs, he could at least keep the score within a certain range. That alone was already a significant achievement!

Even Ota and Ochiai nodded repeatedly at that.

To be honest, Kawakami's growth had been a pleasant surprise.

"Well done! Well done!"

Stroking his small goatee, Ochiai said, "Furuya is still a bit immature. It will take until next spring for him to become a decent fighting force. For now, having Kawakami help Sawamura share the burden should be sufficient."

President Ota rubbed his hands together, nodding in agreement.

He had always held high hopes for Kawakami, and now that he was not disappointing, he was naturally delighted.

The game continued, now moving into the bottom of the third inning.

It was the ninth batter's turn, the third baseman, Higasa.

"Shu! Shu!"

Higasa, with his catchphrase, stepped up to the plate.

It was evident that the young man hadn't completely adapted to his new role, showing signs of nervousness.

Seeing such a junior, Chris instinctively furrowed his brow.

The starting position of the national powerhouse's main number wasn't something just anyone could handle. Higasa was good in every aspect, both in defense and offense. When the seniors from the third year were still around, his presence was almost negligible. To be honest, it wasn't entirely his fault; it was just that the seniors' presence was too strong.

Now that most of the third-year seniors had left the team, his presence had suddenly emerged.

In the previous struggle for the starting lineup, his performance had been remarkable. Coupled with his solid foundation, he naturally inherited the third baseman's position left by Masuko.

However, once he actually wore the starting number, his lack of experience began to show.

Seidou High School now was no longer comparable to the Seidou High School of the past. It could even be said that with them winning the national championship, they had completely transformed into a different team.

The pressure brought by a champion team wasn't just about the honors but also the expectations. Not everyone could handle this kind of pressure.

As practice continued, discussions about the third baseman position grew more frequent.

Compared to Higasa, who hadn't shown any outstanding performance, Kanemaru, who had made a name for himself in middle school, appeared more dazzling.

Not to mention that Kanemaru had once been one of the top four teams in the country, a key member of the prestigious Matsutake junior club team.

The aura he exuded seemed more suited to the current Seidou High School baseball team than Higasa.

All this pressure was now on Higasa's shoulders, and despite being promoted to the starting lineup and wearing the main number 5, he felt his position was not secure.

In such a situation, it was only natural for a young man to feel nervous.

In the past, Chris would not have hesitated to comfort such a junior. He would have gradually integrated him into the team, helped him adapt to his new role, and gradually brought out his full potential. Even if he temporarily lost his starting position, as long as they didn't give up, there would always be a day when they could shine!

But now, after this last practice game, the interaction between the third-year players and the current Seidou High School baseball team players was becoming less frequent.

They were unlikely to have the opportunity to personally mentor these juniors hand in hand again. Even if they occasionally had time, it would only be to discuss the overall situation of the team with Sawamura and Miyuki.

They didn't have the luxury of time to guide each individual.

Since that was the case, their approach naturally had to be different.

'Let's use another method to teach these juniors what they lack!'

"STRIKE!"

"STRIKE!"

"STRIKEOUT!!!"

there were no high-drop curveballs in these pitches, nor Tanpa Koichiro's Winning shot, the Forkball.

All three pitches were straight!

Chris and Tanpa collaborated, using three straights to cleanly resolve Higasa.

At this moment, their momentum soared to its peak.

Now the New team's players watched in astonishment at the showdown on the field.

They knew Higasa's strength very well.

Such a person, facing Tanpa Koichiro's fastball, couldn't even touch the ball.

When did Tanpa become such an amazing pitcher?

They were utterly puzzled.

Meanwhile, the game continued.

Looking at Higasa standing dumbfounded on the spot, Chris said in a calm tone.

"You can think about what just happened after the game. And don't linger here now; you're in the way!"

Every word of this statement weighed heavily on Higasa like a ton of bricks.

With an unpleasant expression on his face, he walked off the field.

"Hyaa-ha-haa!"

Following Higasa's departure, Kuramochi came up to bat.

Seeing Higasa's crestfallen expression, Kuramochi sighed inwardly.

'The Senpais are really harsh in this game!'

At this moment, the third-year seniors of Seidou High School brought the pressure of Koshien-level play on the New team.

Under such immense pressure, players who had not experienced the Koshien tournament found it challenging to adjust.

Higasa himself was now deeply perplexed, and suddenly encountering such a situation only added to his confusion.

Though he could understand Higasa's feelings, Kuramochi understood even better that without such determination, he wouldn't even deserve to represent Seidou High School on the field.

So if he truly wanted to secure his position, he would have to grow.

One Out, no one on base!

"First batter, shortstop, Kuramochi!"

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