Azuma Kiyokuni had his own plans in mind. His sharp eyes locked onto Kazashima Eita like a starving tiger catching sight of prey.
If the ball comes, I'm swinging. First pitch—I'm taking it!
Just moments ago, this guy dared to throw a Palmball Changeup to Yuki. Azuma needed to stay wary—it was possible Kazashima might pull the same trick again. Still, the chances were low. A Changeup usually needed setup from previous pitches, and a Palmball was the easiest of all to recognize—its early deceleration and heavy drop made it obvious.
That meant the first pitch would most likely be either a Straight ball or a Curveball.
And whichever it was, Azuma was confident.
On the mound, Kazashima Eita clenched the baseball. What should he do?
Walk him? No—that would put runners on first and second, and Seido's 5th and 6th batters were just as dangerous.
The best move was simple: get Azuma out right here.
After a quick exchange of eye signals with the catcher, Kazashima wound up and fired.
The moment the ball left his fingertips—
Azuma's bat exploded toward the outside corner.
Bang!
A beautiful, clean hit rang across the stadium. The ball shot high into the sky.
"Left field!!"
Azuma sprinted toward first as the ball climbed. The height… the speed…
A home run was possible—but it could just as easily fall short.
But then it drifted… drifted…
And finally—
It cleared the wall and dropped directly into the stands.
"Home run!!"
The umpire's call was swallowed by the thunderous noise of the stadium.
"Seido's 4th batter, Azuma Kiyokuni, hits his first Koshien home run!"
"Azuma!! Azuma!!"
"Seidooooo!!"
In just their first game at Koshien—in the very first inning—Seido's cleanup hitter had blasted a home run. The stands shook with cheers.
To be fair, Kazashima's pitch was not bad. His Straight ball was fast, sharp, and positioned well. Normally, even if someone connected with that pitch, it wouldn't fly far.
But Azuma wasn't just any hitter.
He crushed it.
"Hahahaha!"
Azuma laughed boisterously as he and Yuki returned to home plate, scoring two more runs for Seido.
Kazashima Eita stood frozen on the mound, devastated. He had never faced such an oppressive lineup—not only strong, but hungry. Every Seido batter wanted blood.
After the home run.
Tanaka Wataru fought Kazashima to a full count before striking out on a Changeup.
Isashiki Jun smashed a Curveball for a single.
Araki Keita grounded out, ending the inning.
Seidou led 3–0.
The next inning, Nanjo Taishi and Tanaka Wataru combined to smother Seika's lineup completely, not allowing a single runner.
In the bottom of the second:
Yoshikawa Junpei struck out.
Nanjo reached first with an infield hit.
Shida Shota, fooled by a Changeup, struck out swinging.
Kominato Ryosuke swung at a tough inside pitch and flied out.
Still, Kazashima Eita's mental fortitude impressed even Kominato—this pitcher was clearly experienced in high-stakes situations.
Seika still couldn't do anything against Nanjo.
Seido added two more runs.
By the time the game reached the 8th inning, the scoreboard read:
10 – 0.
The spectators were stunned.
Seika Academy, the dark horse many came to watch, was completely crushed.
And Seidou?
They looked like monsters.
After the 6th inning:
Tanba Kouichirou took the mound
Miyuki Kazuya, a first-year, took over as catcher
Even then, Seika still couldn't score.
Tanba looked nervous, but with Miyuki's sharp guidance, he escaped crisis after crisis.
In the stands, professional scouts exchanged glances.
A first-year catcher with this level of control, command, and game sense?
Unbelievable.
Catchers were rare in pro baseball—reliable catchers even rarer.
Miyuki had already earned a spot on their watchlists.