In the previous innings, Miyuki and Kawakami had shown excellent synergy.
Kawakami's strength wasn't particularly high, but he was obedient, coachable, and had a certain natural talent. His control stood out most. He could place the ball on the inner or outer corners of the strike zone with precision.
While his overall ability was still lacking, he was a good partner. For a dominant catcher like Miyuki, Kawakami was definitely a suitable match. A slight lack of velocity didn't matter. His control was just enough. On top of that, he had the advantage of sidearm pitching.
For most catchers, drawing out Kawakami's full potential would not be easy. It required too many qualities. But that was how the world worked. Heaven was never fair.
Some pitchers didn't need much guidance. They naturally had unique qualities that were obvious from the start. Most pitchers, however, didn't have such frightening potential. To verify their talent, you had to watch them over many games. Kawakami fell into this category.
If you observed carefully, you could see the potential in him. As the game progressed, he became more stable. He had already retired several Old-timers in a row. In Miyuki's eyes, a Kawakami performing this well must be in great condition.
And since Kawakami was a freshman, he shouldn't be aiming unrealistically high. What he had achieved already was good enough. The rest of the game should have been nothing more than a bonus. He should have been relaxed.
But because the opponent was Chris, Miyuki had to devote most of his attention to him. Eighty percent of his focus went straight to the opposing catcher. Of the remaining twenty, half was spent worrying about the New School Teammates' defense.
Given Chris's skill, making him swing and miss was almost impossible. Miyuki didn't bother entertaining such a fantasy. What mattered was choosing the right location to induce contact, so they had the best chance to stop the ball.
The answer was clear.
Zhang Han, Shirasu, Kuramochi.
This wasn't Miyuki bragging. Coach Kataoka and the coaching staff had sharp eyes. The players they chose were usually the most reliable of the freshmen.
Asou and the others should also have had good potential. They performed well in tryouts, and their middle school achievements were impressive. But today, their problems were severe.
First, they were nervous. Against the Old-timers and under their pressure, their original one hundred percent strength dropped to eighty percent, or even less. It was unbelievable.
If the New School Teammates were losing badly, Miyuki could understand. But they weren't. They were actually in the lead.
Even so, several freshmen, including Asou, were still nervous.
He himself was a little tense too. He wanted to perform well, but that only made his body stiffen.
In a game, a calm mind mattered. Without it, you might get lucky once or twice, turning nervousness into strength. But eventually you would pay the price.
Baseball was a contest of skill. Luck only played a small role and rarely decided the outcome. Could such teammates be trusted? For Miyuki, the answer was no.
"The placement has to be tricky. Don't let the ball go to the outfield. With Kuramochi and Zhang Han guarding the infield, as long as the ball lands there, we have a high chance of stopping it."
Miyuki took a confident stance. He believed his actions at this moment had to be decisive. No hesitation. He wanted to guide Kawakami's pitching through his own resolve.
It was a good plan. If it worked, the New School Teammates had a high chance of retiring Chris, maybe even turning a double play. He just overlooked one thing. A player's condition wasn't stable. It fluctuated.
When he saw the pitch Kawakami threw, Miyuki was stunned.
Why throw it there?
Why make a mistake now?
Why, of all times, when the batter was Chris?
These questions had no answers. All he could do was watch the baseball fly straight into the center of the strike zone.
Based on Miyuki's understanding, Chris would never let such a pitch go.
"Ping!"
Just as Miyuki expected, even if Chris hadn't intended to swing at first, once the ball entered the heart of the strike zone, he changed his mind in an instant. He swung hard.
The ball sailed over the shortstop's head. Kuramochi backpedaled and leaped. His fingers came up twenty centimeters short.
"Pop!"
The ball dropped into the outfield. Shirasu sprinted toward the landing spot, but it was clear he wouldn't make it. He could only chase it down after the first bounce.
Chris, who had already reached second base, advanced to home. The score became 3 to 2.
Once the Old-timers started catching up, the three runs Zhang Han and Miyuki worked so hard to secure suddenly felt meaningless. They closed the gap with almost no effort.
And it didn't stop there. A second-year batter stepped up. He wasn't tall, but he was built like a tank. Standing next to Zhang Han, he looked like he could fit two of him inside his frame.
Zhang Han and the others had no impression of this player. His spot in the batting order seemed low. But this quiet Old-timer picked the perfect moment to slap them across the face.
"Ping!!!"
His bat smashed the ball, sending it flying far into the distance.
A two run home run.
The score flipped to 4 to 3.
Miyuki wore a wry smile. He had considered the possibility of losing, since the gap in ability between the two sides was large. But he didn't expect it to collapse this quickly, and this miserably.
People said this generation of Old-timers was the weakest in Seido High School's history.
Miyuki didn't see it at all.
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