Chapter 430: The Explosive Power of Ouya Battle
"Strike, batter out!"
"The final pitch, a slider moving from inside to outside at a perfect low position, the batter swings and misses, strike three. Two outs, Seidou High School holds its ground with unyielding momentum, pushing Ouya High School to their last stand."
"Great pitch, Nori!"
"Awesome job, Nori!"
"Two outs, two outs, it's already two outs, Kawakami-senpai."
"Just one more, just one more."
On the field, from the benches,
Seidou High School's side erupted in a burst of enthusiastic cheers.
This way, they were pressuring Ouya High School into a corner.
In the stands,
Sitting among the audience, Tetsu and Chris both displayed a faint, relieved smile.
With such juniors on the team,
There was no need for worry.
On the third-base side, Ouya High School's bench,
"Sorry, I was aiming for an inside pitch to drive it to right field, I didn't expect..."
"Your choice wasn't wrong, don't doubt yourself. You all as well, go full force at your targeted objectives, give it your all, that's correct. We've talked about this before, let loose, we have nothing left to lose, so, the only option is to keep pushing forward."
Coach Araki waved his hand to interrupt Makunouchi's words, showing a firm and sunny smile.
With a determined yet composed tone, he spoke such words,
Which left all of Ouya High School's players looking even more inspired.
"You too, Gou, aim for your target, keep moving forward, keep searching."
Coach Araki looked at Wakabayashi, who, holding his bat and walking steadily to the plate, had an intensely deep look in his eyes.
"Batting ninth, pitcher, Wakabayashi-kun."
The baseball I admire.
The team I admire.
This is the field I admire.
This is the path I have chosen.
Wakabayashi took a deep breath as he stepped into the batter's box, his mind wandering through the past two years of his journey.
As a student from a high school with extremely high academic standards,
While ensuring his academic commitments,
He had devoted all his other time entirely to baseball.
"This high school, this team, this style of fighting, this is real baseball. Prestigious schools are just some talented so-called prodigies, teams that just train a bit more than us. I'll show them with my own style that their way of playing baseball is the lowest, the trashiest, just teams relying on brute force. What's there to boast about?"
The momentum surged.
In this moment, Wakabayashi exhibited a frightening level of focus.
At home plate.
Miyuki's expression remained unchanged.
His finger subtly moved.
On the pitcher's mound, Kawakami nodded slightly.
It was already two outs, and the batter at the plate, whether in power or skill, was relatively weaker. Striking him out would end the inning.
Of course, the closer it got to this point, the more Kawakami's inner tension tightened.
With years of experience as a substitute,
And several painful lessons from being overturned at the last moment,
The more crucial the moment,
The less he could afford to relax.
In this regard,
Experience was invaluable.
Kawakami truly outshone Eijun and Furuya by a long stretch.
After all, they had only started undergoing this kind of training and competition from high school, unlike others who had been through professional training and competitive experiences since their youth league days.
Kawakami only needed to resolve one issue: his mindset.
And this,
Under the rapid development and stimulation provided by Eijun and Furuya, Kawakami had slowly begun to change, strengthening his inner resolve.
"First pitch, low inside fastball."
At home plate, Miyuki's fingers lightly moved, signaling a sign.
"Whoosh"
As he raised his arm,
A flash of light surged here.
The fierce breath.
As it howled in.
"Snap!"
A low pitch, a sidearm trajectory, Wakabayashi didn't move.
"Strike!!!"
But the call from the umpire that followed,
Made Wakabayashi's expression change.
Was that really in the strike zone?
This sidearm.
Even more precise than the scouting reports had indicated.
Second pitch, high outside fastball.
A perfect diagonal and tricky pitch.
In Kawakami's hand, it seemed so effortless and natural.
"Whoosh"
The swinging arm.
Once again, a burst of white light came flying in.
This time...
Wakabayashi did not sit idly by; after reading the pitch, he swung his bat fiercely.
"Swish"
"Bang"
A resounding boom echoed.
Wakabayashi clenched his teeth, a flash of determination passing through his eyes.
With all his might,
"Whoosh"
The ball shot off.
Towards first base.
Maezono made a sudden dive, intending to intercept the ball and secure the final out of the inning.
"Whoosh"
"Bang"
However, the ball landed just before reaching first base, striking the foul line hard and then bouncing away.
"Foul!!!"
"The second pitch was an outside fastball, ninth batter, Wakabayashi swings hard, foul!!!"
"Wow, two pitches with such tricky trajectories."
"Of course, when it comes to control, Kawakami is definitely the best in Seidou, even top five, or maybe top three among pitchers nationwide!!!"
"Yes, his slider and forkball are also thrown very skillfully, and his mindset is much more stable now than in his first year. If it weren't for Sawamura's exceptional talent, the ace title would actually belong to Kawakami."
"Yes, yes."
Kawakami's outstanding control and the strong psychological quality, different from the fragility of his freshman year, drew exclamations and discussions among Seidou High School's supporters.
Of course, they wouldn't know that,
Even if Eijun wasn't currently as dazzling,
In the original story, Kawakami didn't become the ace not only because of some mental issues but also because Furuya, a traditional right-handed power pitcher with a fastball exceeding 150 km/h, had limitless potential and was the type of ace pitcher that top high schools compete to develop.
Of course, the same old saying applies now, Eijun is too dazzling, overshadowing nearly everyone else's brilliance.
"Good, we've pressured him now, next, pitch it here."
Miyuki glanced briefly at Wakabayashi, who was biting his lip, a spark of determination flashing in his eyes, and his fingers moved gently again.
"Whoosh"
"Snap"
"Ball!"
"Whoosh"
"Bang~!"
"Boom"
"Foul!!!"
Each pitch, Kawakami controlled precisely on the edge of the strike zone. Such challenging pitches, all concentrated within the strike zone and coupled with the sidearm's tricky trajectory, made it extremely difficult for Wakabayashi, who lacks the kind of power to ignore slight deviations in the pitch's heart.
Wakabayashi, striving to connect with the heart of the pitch,
Was inevitably at a significant disadvantage in such a duel.
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