Score First

"I'm off!!" Sendou muttered the instant his bat met the ball.

Thwack!

The ball shot through the infield like a laser and dropped into the outfield, giving the infielders no time to react.

However, because the opposing outfielders had been positioned so deep, the ball landed between the infield and outfield, allowing Sendou to reach second. Otherwise, he could only have made it to first.

Though for Sendou, there was no difference between first and second...

"All right!!"

"Nice hit!"

"You bastard, you made it look easy again!!!"

"This bastard!!!"

The first hit sent Seidou's morale soaring, with laughter, teasing, and cheers ringing out nonstop.

Even if it was the cleanup hitter, seeing someone hit so casually made the others feel that this pitcher was not that formidable, giving them a psychological sense of superiority.

It was the same principle as when a powerful pitcher retired the cleanup hitter and made the opposing side feel that this was simply the kind of pitcher he was, leaving them under crushing pressure.

The Houmei side also looked somewhat incredulous. Their ace had been hit so easily by a player who had just returned.

As a prestigious team from Kyushu, however, their morale was not so easily shaken.

But with a runner in scoring position and the strong part of the batting order still coming up, they still felt the pressure.

Any powerhouse would likely feel the same in this situation. They could accept allowing runs, but they absolutely could not accept giving them up so easily.

They were about to face their true test from the very start.

"Fifth batter! Catcher, Miyuki-kun!"

"Top of the second inning, no outs and a runner in scoring position—a crisis. Facing Miyuki, Seidou's other cornerstone on both offense and defense, who had also been away from