April 21st, five days remained until the semifinals.
As usual, a crowd had gathered outside the field, even larger than in previous days. Quite a few scouts from other schools were mixed in, including players from Ichidai Third High.
'They aren't doing live batting practice and are hitting slow pitches instead?' He wrote down all of Seido's arrangements in his notebook. From the players' shouts, he learned that Seido was practicing consistently hitting toward center field. 'Are they trying to link together extra-base hits? Well, that isn't surprising.'
Next came Bullpen practice. When the Ichidai Third High scout arrived, he found the area surrounded by layer upon layer of people. He had initially worried about being discovered and making them wary, but it seemed Seido's Baseball Club was not afraid of anyone investigating them. They openly put everything on display for outsiders.
'There are seriously so many people. Is this the appeal of a Spring Koshien Champion team?' Following that train of thought made him less than happy. 'Most people probably want Seido to keep winning.'
Peering past all the cameras, he saw a spacious, brightly lit new Bullpen. 'As expected of Seido. Even their facilities are brand-new.'
Without realizing his thoughts had completely gone off track, the scout carefully wrote down everything he saw and heard.
Of course, he had not forgotten his other important task for the day: observing the individual training routines and developments of Seido's players in the Bullpen.
Since both sides of the Bullpen were open and surrounded by people, Kōshū stood on the Pitcher's Mound in the middle. With pitchers on either side, he had some cover.
Across from him stood Seido's starting catcher, Miyuki Kazuya.
"Nice! Another fastball!"
What the two were practicing was the Cutter. The Cutter was the Changeup closest in