[60] A Manifestation of Willpower!
Chapter 60: A Manifestation of Willpower!
"Whoosh"
"Pop"
"Ball!"
Darn it, I can't focus on the center of the strike zone at all.
Eijun wiped the sweat off his forehead, an anxious expression crossing his face. No matter how hard he tried to control the feel with his fingertips, he couldn't quite place the ball in the intended spot.
If he aimed low in the zone, the ball wouldn't stay within the strike zone. If he tried to keep it inside the strike zone, the pitch would just float high, leaving Eijun feeling frustrated and unable to reach his objectives no matter what he did.
Why does everything feel so exhausting at this moment...?
Eijun bit his lip, harboring a sense of frustration deep down.
He knew all too well that the more anxious and forceful he became, the less precise his fingertip control would be, further distracting him from his target. Yet, that feeling of being just one step away and never reaching the goal was infuriating.
This uncontrollable agitation simmered within Eijun.
Most importantly, consecutive hits, combined with his excessive focus on fingertip control, had drained his stamina and energy far more than usual. Plus, the pressure from the Kiryu lineup was immense.
Physical fatigue and mental pressure were mounting.
It was only the sixth inning, yet Eijun felt he was nearing his limits.
"Don't lose heart, throw another low outside pitch, Sawamura."
At home plate, Miyuki, with a solemn expression, placed his mitt at the outside corner again.
Eijun gritted his teeth, stepped forward, swung his arm, and focused all his strength on his fingertips, ensuring controlled and precise pitch delivery with no unnecessary variation.
"Whoosh"
He stepped forward, his form darting.
A streak of white light appeared, whistling toward the batter's box.
In the batter's box, the Kiryu batter's pupils narrowed at the sight of the incoming pitch, and he stepped decisively, quickly swinging his lowered bat.
By this third rotation through the lineup, the Kiryu batters had already become accustomed to Eijun's pitching technique.
"Swish"
Relying on experience and intuition to judge the timing of the swing.
Too high!!!!
As Eijun released the ball, Miyuki's pupils contracted sharply, mentally screaming.
Go for it!!!
"Crack!"
Sure enough, the Kiryu batter keenly caught the trajectory of the pitch, slightly high on the outside.
With one strike, he launched the ball.
"Bang!"
Fortunately, the angle of the hit wasn't perfectly aligned to head upwards; instead, it went downward, hitting hard on the side of the pitcher's mound, then deflecting at a different angle.
At this moment, Ryousuke at second base quickly dove.
"Pop"
He easily snatched the incoming ball.
With a swift turn, he threw it toward first base.
"Out!"
That was close, so close, so close!
Watching the Kiryu batter who had reached halfway but was now showing frustration, Eijun felt a wave of relief in his heart. Right after that pitch, he had a bad feeling.
Almost another hit given up.
Eijun wiped the sweat from his forehead, thinking silently to himself.
With one out and a runner on first base, it wasn't the worst situation. The key was whether he could contain the next set of batters.
As the heart of the lineup came up, this was the crucial moment!
"Third batter, center fielder, Asano-kun."
That pitcher's stamina must be reaching its limit, and it seems like his control is slipping. No need to worry about the cutter, focus on the outside pitches.
That pitcher can't manage his pitches on the outside; this is our big chance!
Coach Matsumoto's eyes flickered with insight.
In the batter's box, Asano adjusted his cap to signal that he understood. Ultimately, the outside pitches had drawn Kiryu's attention.
It wasn't that Miyuki's strategy had been completely unraveled by the opposing team.
It was just obvious that Eijun's outside pitches were more unstable compared to inside pitches—naturally, an easy target.
This was a reasonable conclusion.
It's okay. They haven't fully caught on to your pitches. Start with an inside pitch to adjust, then go for the low outside pitch again, Sawamura. Understand the importance of this throw.
Eijun slightly bent his body and nodded seriously, fully aware that Miyuki wasn't deceiving him.
Backing down now would mean all previous efforts were wasted. Most importantly, Eijun felt a slight sense of connection at his fingertips. It was a good sign; if he could just get through this crisis, the next pitch might open up new possibilities.
A look of determination flashed in Eijun's eyes. He raised his right leg high and suddenly stepped forward, his right arm forming a wall, his left arm like a bow.
In the next second, he swung his left arm powerfully.
"Whoosh"
The white light released from his fingers, but in that moment, a change in Eijun's expression signaled trouble—the slight slippery feel at his fingertips warned him that this pitch might be problematic.
Right down the middle!?
Simultaneously, as the white light streaked forward, Miyuki's expression also changed at home plate.
He hadn't expected Eijun to make a crucial control error here.
Right down the middle!?
In the batter's box, Asano, after a brief moment of surprise, quickly recovered.
Not missing any opportunity, Asano took a big step, twisted his body, concentrating all his power in the upper half, tightening his grip, and swung the bat hard.
"Crack!!!"
It was precise and swift.
The sharp sound resonated as the white ball shot into the air.
On the mound, Eijun's face turned pale with shock.
The opportunity isn't granted by the heavens; it's crafted by our own hands. When the moment arrives, seize it and keep it within your grasp.
In the dugout, Coach Matsumoto watched the streaking white ball with a faint smile.
This is the baseball philosophy of Kiryu High School!
Meanwhile, in Seidou's dugout, Coach Kataoka and Chris's expressions changed, and Director Ota looked as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.
"Right field!"
At home plate, Miyuki stood up and shouted towards the outfield.
The right fielder, Shirasu, was already sprinting with all his strength, but the ball had been hit with such precision, both in terms of contact and power, that it left little chance for Shirasu.
The gleaming white ball soared high over right field, near the boundary line, and started its rapid descent.
"Plop"
The ball hit the ground with a moderate thud and bounced further into deeper territory.
"Great job, Asano!!!"
"The third batter, no surprise there."
"Haha, Asano-kun, well done."
With this deep hit to right field, the Kiryu runner on first base seized the opportunity to quickly reach third base. If not for Shirasu's strong defensive arm, that runner might have gone all the way home to score.
Even so, Kiryu High School, after consecutive hits, found themselves with the best scoring opportunity again in the top of the sixth inning.
One out, runners on second and third, and stepping up to the batter's box was Kiryu High School's undeniable core player, the fourth batter—Hiromi Tachi!
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