Chapter 418: The Battle of Ouya – Delicate Skill
Damn these elite schools.
On the pitcher's mound, Wakabayashi's eyes flashed with a shadow of frustration.
He knew that letting that guy get on base would lead to trouble.
And now, the guy standing in front of him wasn't going to be easy to deal with either.
"Don't worry about the runner. If he wants to run, let him run. Focus on getting the batter out. At most, we'll let that guy reach third base. Be prepared to give up one run this inning, but securing the outs is the most important thing."
From the dugout, Coach Araki subtly signaled a sign.
On the field, the Ouya High players, including Wakabayashi, nodded slightly.
Since they allowed Kuramochi to get on base, the Ouya High players were already prepared for the consequences. Besides, they never expected to completely shut down Seido's batting lineup from the start.
That would be unrealistic.
Their goal had to be something practical and achievable.
For this inning.
Their goal was to minimize the risk. Even if they gave up a run, it had to be one that Seido High had to fight tooth and nail for. Otherwise, if Seido scored too easily, the floodgates would truly open.
"For the first pitch, let's be cautious, Gou. I don't think this batter will bunt, but let's play it safe with a forkball."
At home plate, Sumi's fingers moved slightly, signaling the pitch.
Wakabayashi nodded with a serious expression.
His bold stride forward.
Made Haruichi grip his bat even tighter.
"Whoosh!"
A dazzling streak of light.
Cut through the sky like a blade.
Heading straight for home plate.
Haruichi's expression tightened as he straightened his posture, raised his bat, and stepped forward forcefully, swinging the bat with all his might.
At the same time, Kuramochi on base broke into a sprint.
"A hit-and-run!?"
Seido's aggressive play.
Everyone on the field froze, their eyes locked on the action at home plate.
"Whoosh!"
The ball came rushing in.
A burst of light filled the air.
The ball suddenly dropped at the last moment, causing Haruichi's eyes to narrow.
With his excellent physical conditioning and precise batting technique.
Haruichi released his right hand, gripping the bat with one hand. To the astonishment of Wakabayashi and Sumi, he adjusted his swing, speeding up the descent of the bat.
"Swish!"
"Tap!"
At the last possible moment.
In a split second.
The bat met the ball.
The bat and the ball collided in a brilliant clash.
A crisp sound rang out.
The ball ricocheted away.
"Thud!"
"Foul!!!"
The timing was right, but the precision wasn't enough.
Haruichi's one-handed swing was undoubtedly spectacular, but unfortunately, it didn't deliver a fatal blow.
After the ball went foul.
Kuramochi retreated near second base.
However, he still maintained a large lead, his hawk-like eyes fixed on Wakabayashi's back, making Wakabayashi feel as if he were sitting on pins and needles.
It was incredibly unnerving.
"The first pitch was a forkball?"
In the on-deck circle, Eijun frowned. This pitcher was more cautious than he had imagined.
But he wasn't worried.
If the pitcher throws too many forkballs, wouldn't his control falter in the later innings, allowing us to pick up on his patterns?
A thoughtful expression flashed across Eijun's face.
What Eijun didn't know.
Was that Wakabayashi himself was in a difficult position. Did he not know that he couldn't throw too many forkballs? Not to mention the risk of Seido easily picking up on his patterns in the later innings.
Breaking balls, in general, shouldn't be overused.
Especially pitches like the forkball.
If thrown too many times in a single game, the sensitivity of the fingers can become an issue. If the pitcher can't grip the ball properly later on, the chances of a wild pitch or a mistake increase dramatically.
For a pitcher, this is a double-edged sword.
Not every catcher can handle it like Miyuki.
Who can scoop up balls in the dirt and even has a chance of catching wild pitches. Most catchers, if their pitcher makes a mistake or throws a wild pitch.
The outcome is only one.
Self-destruction.
So, when it comes to self-control, a pitcher must be meticulous.
But right now.
Wakabayashi was truly backed into a corner by Seido's batting lineup. If he threw the forkball, the risks would increase later. But if he didn't throw it, the current crisis would be hard to overcome.
Weighing the pros and cons.
The best choice was to get through the present moment.
He'd deal with the consequences later.
"Whoosh!"
"Tap!"
"Thud!"
"Foul!!!"
After the forkball, an outside fastball followed, released from the same point.
Haruichi's judgment was quick, but there was still a slight deviation. This pitch.
Already a foul ball.
In the dugout.
Coach Ochiai's eyebrows furrowed slightly as he muttered under his breath.
"What a stubborn kid."
In Ochiai's eyes.
Haruichi was undoubtedly a talented player, but using a wooden bat at this stage was premature. Admittedly, his batting average with the wooden bat was decent.
But from Ochiai's perspective.
With such excellent ball sense and hitting technique.
His lack of power could be compensated for by using a metal bat. Haruichi could even serve as a cleanup hitter. This suggestion was something Ochiai had discussed not only with Haruichi himself.
But also with Coach Kataoka.
Unfortunately.
One respected the player's choice, while the other remained stubborn.
This left Ochiai somewhat dissatisfied.
"Whoosh!"
"Thud!"
"Ball!"
"Whoosh!"
"Tap!"
"Thud!"
"Foul!"
"Whoosh!"
...
Damn, what a troublesome guy.
No matter where Wakabayashi pitched, Haruichi seemed to shadow him perfectly, relentlessly tracking his pitches. Even the forkball was fouled off with quick reflexes.
This was starting to frustrate Wakabayashi.
It was only the second at-bat, and he was already hitting with such precision?
Damn these elite schools, damn these champions, damn Seido.
On the pitcher's mound, Wakabayashi's expression turned into one of gritted teeth.
"Is that guy starting to get impatient?"
At the plate, someone as sensitive as Haruichi instantly noticed the subtle change in Wakabayashi's demeanor and the shift in atmosphere. After all, teenagers aren't adults.
High school players who can remain calm and poker-faced in any situation.
Honestly, they're one in a million.
Or rather, no high schooler can truly achieve that.
And it was this slight emotional shift.
That made Haruichi, who had originally planned to wait for the right opportunity.
Instantly change his mind.
His intuition told him this was a perfect chance.
The next pitch.
He decided to swing with all his might.
The subtle signal.
At second base, despite Wakabayashi's presence blocking the view, Kuramochi instantly caught the sign.
And so.
"Whoosh!"
When Wakabayashi angrily delivered that inside pitch—
Even if it was just a ball.
Haruichi instantly stepped forward.
Kuramochi, on second base, also started running at the same time.
Precise yet forceful.
"Swish!"
"Tap."
A clear sound rang out.
"Ping!"
Accompanied by the sound of wood splitting.
Haruichi's expression shifted slightly.
In terms of timing and angle, Wakabayashi still held a slight advantage on this pitch, but Haruichi gritted his teeth, forcefully held back the bat, and still managed to smash the ball away.
His dazzling movement.
Was set against Wakabayashi's dark, grim expression!!!
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