"Ball!"
"Ball!"
"Ball!"
"Ball!"
"Four balls. Walk to first base."
…
Zhang Han was extremely excited when he stepped into the batter's box, bat raised high.
He thought to himself that the pitcher and catcher of Nioh Gakusha really had guts. They had not backed down against Yuuki or Azuma Kiyokuni. They were true men.
Even if this approach led to a more crushing defeat, Zhang Han admired their courage and secretly gave them a thumbs-up in his heart.
Since they had already faced the two ace players of Seido head-on, then surely they would also face a minor player like him directly.
The opponent would definitely pitch to him.
Kawauchi's inside slider, whether due to his grip or pitching style, had an extremely small break. If they had not been watching from the field, it would have been almost impossible to notice.
They had watched the video countless times before and still failed to identify the issue.
Zhang Han was very curious about this pitch and could not wait to step up and hit it.
However, the opponent had no intention of facing him at all.
They walked him directly with four balls.
Zhang Han was stunned.
Since when has his status become so important?
They dared to face Azuma Kiyokuni and Yuuki, but they walked him.
Were they crazy?
No outs. Runners on first and second.
Zhang Han himself was completely confused and could not understand why Nioh Gakusha's pitcher and catcher made such a choice.
For the fans and reporters in the stands, however, Nioh's decision was not surprising at all.
They booed briefly, and that was it.
Nothing more.
People often say that bystanders see more clearly.
The audience's reaction shocked Coach Kataoka.
Within the team, Zhang Han's ranking was definitely behind Azuma Kiyokuni and Yuuki. In fact, even placing him third was somewhat forced.
Tanaka and Hidezawa's performances were not necessarily inferior to Zhang Han's.
But in the eyes of the fans and reporters, it seemed perfectly natural for Nioh Gakusha to choose to walk Zhang Han instead of forcing a direct confrontation.
Did that not mean that in their hearts, they had already regarded Zhang Han as a core hitter comparable to Azuma Kiyokuni and Yuuki?
Why did the audience think this way?
Was the audience wrong, or was their own evaluation wrong?
Zhang Han felt particularly uncomfortable about being walked.
"A bunch of cowards."
Originally, Zhang Han had held Nioh Gakusha's pitcher in high regard.
It was not easy to lead Nioh Gakusha this far. Even without facing the three major powerhouses, reaching the finals was proof of his ability.
Maybe he would not make it to Koshien in high school, but his future was not without prospects.
Whether in university baseball or professional baseball, his performance so far was enough to attract attention.
After all, this was Tokyo.
Even players who failed to reach Koshien could still receive attention here.
Seido High School had been in this situation before. They had not made it to Koshien for several years, yet almost every year they sent players into professional baseball.
Azuma Kiyokuni himself had already received interest from professional teams before reaching Koshien.
Although his high school career was not over, he had already decided to submit a draft application after the Summer Tournament.
Kawauchi also had such potential.
But now, Zhang Han's opinion has changed.
No matter what hardships this man had endured, or how strong he was now, his future prospects likely would not be very bright.
In professional baseball, walking a power hitter is not an issue.
A mature professional must know how to seek advantages and avoid disadvantages.
But students are different.
If the team's survival truly depends on it, such a choice can be understood.
However, it will never be praised or encouraged.
This is determined by the player's identity.
Professional players are paid. People want to see obedience, discipline, and team priority.
But for students, even professional scouts hope to see players who dare to challenge strong opponents.
This game had just begun, and at the first confrontation with a power hitter, Nioh Gakusha immediately chose to walk him.
It was difficult not to see this as cowardly.
Once this impression was formed, no professional club would appreciate it.
Not only that.
Zhang Han also had a very bad feeling.
Did Nioh Gakusha really think that walking him would solve everything?
If they truly believed that, then they were gravely mistaken.
On this team, besides Yuuki and Azuma Kiyokuni, there was another player whose strength absolutely could not be ignored.
Especially with runners on base. The pitcher of Nioh Gakusha used all his strength to finally deal with Isashiki Jun.
Isashiki was a batter who did not play by the rules. His swing was strange, and he was particularly good at dealing with pitchers who also did not play by the rules.
This time, he nearly hit the ball out, but it was fortunately caught.
One out. Runners on first and second.
The next batter stepped up to the plate.
Miyuki Kazuya.
The moment they saw him, the pitcher and catcher of Nioh Gakusha felt a massive headache.
As one of the two main rookies of Seido High School, Miyuki received no less attention than Zhang Han, and in some ways, even more.
Once someone reached base, this batter was like a cat that smelled fish.
He entered an aggressive state.
Although his performance could be unstable, compared to Zhang Han, Miyuki Kazuya was still easier to deal with.
Zhang Han was also positioned among the lower batting order. That was why they were tempted to walk him.
But Nioh Gakusha still miscalculated.
They underestimated the rookie known as Seido's savior.
Objectively speaking, even though Zhang Han's performance in this tournament was more dazzling, Miyuki's contribution and importance to the entire Seido High School Baseball Team still surpassed Zhang Han's.
"Ping!"
Miyuki seized the opportunity and swung hard. His eyes lit up the moment the ball left the bat.
He knew this hit was solid.
"Thwack!"
The baseball landed behind the first baseman and bounced far away. The ball traveled nearly one hundred meters before hitting the wall.
A super long hit.
Yuuki returned to home plate from second base. Zhang Han also crossed home safely.
The score became three to zero.
Given the gap in strength between the two teams, this game no longer had much suspense.
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