Kōshū's steady performance eased the unease caused by the ace leaving the mound. After striking out the first batter with a solid fastball, new instructions came from Yokogaku's Dugout: Hit a fly ball and get the run in quickly!
The seventh batter, Ginshiro, brushed the brim of his cap. He wasn't sure he could get a hit, but since the pitcher was a first-year, there had to be weaknesses. He would try to foul off as many pitches as possible and watch a few more.
"Foul!" *2
That was close! The second pitch had landed especially near the first-base line, but fortunately, it was foul.
His bat's really sticky. Let's give him something he hasn't seen before.
On the third pitch, the seventh batter swung and missed, his heart jolting. A cutter?
"Strikeout!"
"Why didn't you hit a fly ball? What were you looking at?!" Yokogaku Coach's voice reached him before he had even made it back to the Dugout. Unfortunately, they no longer had that chance.
Two outs, bases loaded. If they couldn't score here, it would be a huge blow to Yokogaku.
Let's finish this in one go. Miyuki knew the most crucial moment of the inning had arrived. This might be a good chance to lift the team's batting spirits.
An outside fastball, a two-seam fastball in the same outside location, then an inside fastball. The eighth batter's rhythm was disrupted, and he got jammed on the third pitch, sending it weakly into the infield.
"Yaha!" Kuramochi caught the ball and threw it to Kominato at second.
"Three outs! Switch sides!"
"Yo, first-year, you did pretty well!" The infielders all came over.
I thought we'd give up at least one run. Turns out the other side got careless.
"It won't be this easy starting next inning. Go