Bottom of the Sixth Inning, Kyoma University's defensive turn.
"Masamune..." Renji turned around and called his ace, but he met Hongo's eyes. The other party didn't say anything, but just walked straight past Renji, seemingly still immersed in the sticky black oil.
"It's no problem." Hongo had just stepped out of Dugout, and Nitta Manager, who was holding his arms beside him, followed suit.
After a pause, Hongo replied softly, "No problem."
After such a short confrontation, Nitta Manager stopped talking and only stared at his back before going to Pitcher's Mound.
'What's the problem? It's just Home Run. ' I told myself to relax, but Hongo's movements of sweeping away the soil became more and more rough.
Ultimately, he was still unconvinced.
Seido's nine-bat hitter Asou, looking at the fierce pitcher on the opposite side, his Adam's apple couldn't help but roll twice.
In today's game, the only hits contributed by Seido were only four or five at-bats, and Kyoma University's ace ball could hardly be touched in other at-bats.
Hearing the shouts of Seido Cheering Squad and his teammates, Asou was also furious and wanted to change his performance in the lane.
Renji was always paying attention to the atmosphere in the court. At this time, he felt that the pitcher was in an unusually high mood. He spread his hands flat and put them on his chest and pressed down, indicating to Hongo that he should calm down. This is just a low-down line and there is no need to go all out.
"Tsk," Hongo was a little uncomfortable, but he still held it back.
So the aggressive pitcher deceived nine bats with just one tentative pitch.
"Out!"
"Damn, I'm so nervous." The catcher noticed it, so he directly used Bait Ball.
"You must see clearly before making a move."
Kuramochi nodded, "I understand."
"Huh--" The attacker circled his palms and gathered his breath into his palms.
At this time, it was already the third round of Kuramochi facing Hongo. He recalled the scene of being struck out in the first two rounds in his mind, and he couldn't help but tighten his grip on the bat.
'This time, it must be On Base! '
The same emotion erupted as the batter's, and the ace on Pitcher's Mound said, 'Now it's time to hit the line, that's it! '
Renji was stimulated by his partner's fighting spirit, and then said Signals, 'Then come on, but don't go all out. '
"Whoosh -" The cuffs were inflated, the air was torn, and a white ball came straight towards the outside corner of the batter.
The batter thought he was well prepared, but when he suddenly saw this straight ball, he had difficulty following it and just watched the ball go into the base.
"Good shot."
Behind him was the referee's firm ruling, and the batter secretly thought, "This guy's pitching is still so powerful." '
From the auditorium, perhaps this sense is more direct. Even on the Bottom of the Sixth Inning, with more than 100 shots, Hongo can still reach 150 kilometers.
Therefore, in Seido Dugout, not only Kataoka Manager, but also all the players had the same reaction when they saw the ball speed displayed on the scoreboard again, 'This guy's physical strength is simply abnormal! '
"Bump -" Kuramochi pushed the ball away, and before he even took a few steps toward first base, he saw Kyoma University's second baseman waiting in front of the ball.
"Bang -" the first baseman quickly caught the ball.
"Out!"
Kuramochi failed for the third time.
Everyone at Seido was silent for two seconds. The performance of Kyoma University's ace told them that even though there was a point difference now, the game was still going on and what might happen next.
"Haruichi, fight out!"
"Come on!"
However, Hongo recovered his brutality and hit a straight ball from the outside corner.
Haruichi's eyes under his bangs were following closely. The bat was heading towards the trajectory of the white ball. The next second after the intersection, the vibration was transmitted directly to Haruichi's bones, 'It's so heavy! '
In the confrontation of power, the batter did not have the advantage, and the initial speed of the ball was not very high. The fielders in the outfield hardly moved, and opened their gloves to catch the Fly Ball.
"Three outs, exchange offense and defense!"
So, so quickly, Bottom of the Sixth Inning's attack was in vain.
"Okay, let's go, we are Two-Point Lead now, let's continue to block the other side in this round!" Miyuki spoke, attracting a lot of responses.
In the midst of this optimistic voice, Kataoka Manager's lens flashed with light, "Kōshū, how much strength do you have left?"
Suddenly, a well-known guess was put on the table.
Seido, as a practitioner of the follow-up strategy and the protector of the ace's arm, has never been able to allow Kōshū to pitch in too many games. Coupled with the shadow of a series of injuries last fall, Seido's ace has such a glassy physique in everyone's impression.
'I asked, so the supervisor won't let Kōshū complete the investment? '
'No, it's not easy to gain the upper hand.. ' Although Kyoma University's hitters are very obedient in front of Kōshū and always get out, but if you look at their games with other teams, you will know that these hitters are not weak at all.
'But since the beginning of the game, the ball speed has been hovering around 146. Is there a physical limit? '
Surrounded by everyone's sudden silence, Kōshū gestured a thumbs up behind him, "It's enough for us to win."
enough.. Let's win..
Kataoka raised the corner of his mouth for a moment and then lowered it. Reason still prevailed, "I will look at the situation. Let's go first."
"Let's go!"
Player Seido ran out of Dugout. As soon as everyone in the infield stepped onto the sand on the court, they roared out the emotions they had just suppressed in their hearts.
"Kōshū, great job!"
"Strike them out!"
"Keep going, you can do it!"
No matter who heard Trump speak like that, it became absolutely impossible to maintain inner peace.
enough.. Let's win..
'Our ace is leading us to victory! ' Suddenly, all the Seido players in the field resonated with the same sentence.
"Play ball!"
The last three games of this game officially started, and Seido entered the final sprint stage with a 2:0 lead.
"I really didn't expect that Seido would be in the lead."
"None of the previous predictions have come true."
"No, what should I do if I kind of like Seido."
"This kind of game can be regarded as a final. I feel that there will be no suspense in the final the day after tomorrow."
The buzz in the stadium turned into waves in the distance. Kōshū stood on the shore far away from the seaside, just staring quietly at home plate on the opposite side.
He could indeed clearly feel the decline in physical strength. Even though Miyuki had made plans for this time before, the flaw of having too little experience in completing the shot, or the shortcoming of being easily injured, was indeed dragging him towards the abyss of exhaustion.
what to do?
What else can be done?
The front, the back, and Dugout are all his teammates. He has brought them to the stage of Spring League. How can he not continue on?
'Go ahead and vote, Kōshū! '
Taking a deep step, the ace on Pitcher's Mound threw out all his strength and attached himself to the white lightning.
The batter's bat fails to adjust its angle and will simply miss the top edge of the ball.
"Good shot!"
'They've pretty much got your rhythm. 'Miyuki conveyed the message silently, and the pitcher nodded.
Outside the duel, everyone else was staring at the new number jumping on the scoreboard, "148 kilometers!"
"Well, we are worthy of being the last team. The two aces retained their strength until the end."
"I can still shoot 148 now, which is amazing."
Kataoka frowned and paid attention to the movements in the field, and Ochiai Coach, who sensed his mood, stepped forward and said at the right time, "I think it is better to leave it to the players to decide. Since you want to cultivate an ace, you need to have the mood to leave the entire game to him."
Hidden behind this sentence was Ochiai Coach's muttering, 'We are already in the semi-finals of the Spring League anyway, isn't this game just right to train our aces? '
Kataoka Manager softly said "hmm", but his attitude was still very vague.
After eating big meals for two days in a row, my stomach can't stand it.
I will go out to play tomorrow and continue to eat, eat, eat
Looking back on the graduation season back then, I could organize a dinner party at any time.
It's been a long time since I graduated. I must go back to my alma mater when I get a chance.