NOVEL NEXT V7_Chapter 13: Awesome!
V7_Chapter 13: Awesome!
Furuya, having just climbed the mound, was like a powder keg ready to explode.
Roaar!!
He took his stance and threw the ball with tremendous speed.
The ball screeched toward the plate, leaving Ouya’s first batter stunned.
‘Whoa! This speed is insane. It’s unfair!’
The baseball roared past him with no time for reaction.
Boom!
“STRIKE!!”
A bead of sweat, as big as a bean, rolled down the batter’s forehead. The Ouya batter’s face turned pale with shock.
‘Is this guy really a substitute?’
‘Even if Sawamura were on the mound, his pitching wouldn’t be this intimidating.’
Not just the batter on the field, but everyone on Ouya High School’s bench was bewildered.
“This pitch is faster than we expected,” the recorder said in shock.
Araki nodded: “It seems that Seidou used the month after losing to Inajitsu to improve their training.”
Furuya’s pitching seemed completely transformed.
‘It was hard to imagine such a pitcher being a substitute.’
‘But for a player like Furuya, being on the same team as Sawamura could be advantageous. A smooth high school career might not be beneficial for future development. Conversely, overcoming difficulties can lead to a bright future.’
Shaking off these unrealistic thoughts, Araki focused on the task at hand: winning the game.
“Observe a few pitches, don’t rush to swing. First, get used to the opponent’s speed, and make him throw as many pitches as possible!”
Araki quickly formulated a plan. Ouya, familiar with this kind of game rhythm, knew that in Tokyo, where many strong teams existed, composure and tactical flexibility were key to advancing.
The game entered a strange cycle.
Seidou High School and Ouya High School engaged in an intense pitching duel.
“STRIKE!”
“STRIKE!!”
“STRIKE! BATTER OUT!!!”
“STRIKE! BATTER OUT!!!!”
“STRIKE! BATTER OUT!!!!!”
Furuya secured three Outs quickly. Although he threw a few Balls, his total pitch count wasn’t high. Wakabayashi, on the other hand, used nearly 20 pitches to get three Outs.
Furuya, with around fifteen or sixteen pitches, also got three Outs!
The game turned into an unexpected tug-of-war.
By the end of the first three innings, the score was still 0-0.
Wakabayashi, with his distinctive mushroom hairstyle, managed to stifle Seidou High School’s offense through three innings.
Among non-elite teams, only Yoh Shunshin from Akikawa High School had previously achieved such a feat. Now, it seems Wakabayashi might be added to that list.
“This stinky mushroom head is unexpectedly tough to deal with,” Kuramochi remarked.
The last batter to be dealt with in the third inning was Kuramochi himself. He was clearly outsmarted by the opponent, forced to swing at a pitch he shouldn’t have. And they were expecting his hit like they knew the future and solved him before he could use his speed.
After the inning ended, Kuramochi was deeply frustrated. He tried to outsmart them, only to be outsmarted instead! This made him feel like he is a moron, and he hated this feeling.
Moreover, Kuramochi had little patience for pitchers who relied on smart tricks.
“I have to admit, the opponent is very clever!” Sawamura said.
In terms of pure pitching, Wakabayashi wasn’t particularly impressive. Compared to Sawamura or even Furuya, Wakabayashi’s skills were significantly lacking. By pitching alone, Wakabayashi’s abilities were barely on par with Kawakami's on a bad day.
Such pitching could easily handle average teams, but against top-tier teams like Seidou High School, it should be insufficient.
However, Ouya High School’s strategy was highly intelligent. Their defense wasn’t solely focused on pitching but was a comprehensive system. They had clearly studied every batter from Seidou High School.
‘When a batter steps into the box, not only does the pitcher target him with specific pitches, but the fielders also adjust their positions. Every time a batter changes, their defense shifts subtly.’
This level of coordination was something Sawamura had never encountered before, even in the Major Leagues.
“It’s impressive!” Sawamura remarked. The amount of practice and scouting needed to reach this level was beyond his knowledge. It was clear that Ouya High School’s advancement was no fluke. They were genuinely good, even if their strength differed from widely accepted norms.
“If the game continues dragging on like this, it could turn into a fierce pitching duel, which isn’t ideal for us,” Miyuki said with a frown.
“Then let’s focus on scoring first!” Sawamura replied indifferently.
While they were talking, Kominato Haruichi was struck out. He had aimed to hit but was caught by the opponent’s pitch placement.
Snap!
“OUT!!!”
‘Again! They did it again!’
Kominato, dragging his bat back to the dugout, was filled with disbelief. After watching the video of Ouya High School’s match against Inajitsu, he thought the opponent wasn’t that sharp. But in this game, they seemed to have drastically improved.
“If you had used a metal bat just now, even a mishit would have resulted in a hit!” Coach Ochiai said, pinching his chin.
“I…” Haruichi hesitated not knowing what to say.
“Sticking to principles is your own matter. We can’t interfere, but if this continues, it will be difficult for the team to keep you in the lineup,” Ochiai said.
Coach Kataoka glanced at them but chose not to comment, focusing back on the field.
“Third batter, outfielder, Sawamura-kun!”
It was now Sawamura’s turn to bat. He walked calmly to the Batter’s Box, holding his bat high and ready to swing.
‘Should we walk him?’ the catcher asked, glancing at Sawamura before discussing it with Wakabayashi.
Wakabayashi shook his head vigorously. ‘You have to be joking! With one out and no one on base, there is no way I am going to Walk Sawamura.’
‘Now is a good chance to take down the big guy, isn’t it?’
Wakabayashi was determined.Seeing his partner’s resolve, the catcher didn’t argue. He settled into position, ready to catch the pitch.
He might have been wrong, but he had a strong feeling that this pitch would be hit.
‘Facing Sawamura, even a four-ball Walk isn’t ideal. In this case, aim for the tricky corners,’ the catcher suggested.
Wakabayashi nodded slightly in agreement. He made his stride and threw the ball.
Sawamura wasn’t going to let the first pitch go by. He was prepared to swing at the very first pitch!
Although he wasn’t sure of the opponent’s exact pitching strategy, it was clear they aimed for corner pitches.
‘The first pitch was likely a high inside ball, designed not to be a strike but to force the batter back. Once the batter backed off, the outer corner would become more effective.’
Sawamura was confident in this assessment.
Why was he so sure? The fielders hadn’t moved, confirming his judgment.
‘The next pitch was definitely going to be a high inside ball.’
Whoosh!
As expected, the ball zipped toward Sawamura’s chest and aimed for the catcher’s Mitt.
“Good one!” Sawamura shouted, swinging his bat like a samurai sword.
Ping!
The ball soared over the first baseman’s head and into the outfield.
Although the hit wasn’t the longest, it landed in a gap, allowing Sawamura to sprint.
He dashed past first base, and second base, and headed straight for third base!
“Third base?”
“That’s too reckless!”
Many in the stands gasped in surprise. Although Sawamura’s hit was impressive, advancing to third base seemed unwise.
But Sawamura’s speed was astonishing.
He moved like a flash of lightning, and his running speed was as fast as Kuramochi’s. His start might have been slower, but his full running speed was exceptional.
The outfielder picked up the ball, but Sawamura was already near third base.
‘Too late!’
The outfielder hesitated momentarily but still threw the ball to third base.
The third baseman missed the catch!
The ball bounced off his mitt.
‘Awesome!’
Without delay, Sawamura charged home base!
…
T/N: As always, Thank you all for reading!!
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