Capítulo 61: <61> It's Coming! It's Coming!!
Chapter 61: It's Coming! It's Coming!!
"Ryo-san!"
Having successfully reached base, Kuramochi raised his arm high.
It looked as if he were discussing some strategy with Kominato Ryousuke, who was in the batter's box.
Kominato Ryousuke adjusted his cap with a smile on his face.
Seeing Ryousuke's demeanor, even the players of Kokai U Sagara High School—who hadn't given much thought to anything before—couldn't help but become vigilant now.
In the stands, three first-year Seido players sat at the front of the team.
Kanemaru teased his teammate, Kominato Haruichi, "Just like brothers, your strategies are the same!"
With such subtle actions, they could, to some degree, shake the confidence of the opposing pitcher and catcher.
This way, Ryousuke would have the upper hand in his duel at the plate.
Back when they played during the intrasquad, Haruichi had used a similar tactic.
However, it was completely countered by Sawamura, who paired with him.
"That kind of indirect jab isn't good!"
The current Sawamura was no longer the baseball novice he used to be.
Under Chris's guidance, he understood that teamwork was essential on the field.
Looking back, he indeed had caused his teammates quite a bit of trouble.
"I just wonder if such a strategy will work against a Kanto Region top-four level opponent?"
Kanemaru asked Haruichi.
"It definitely will!"
Haruichi had almost blind faith in his older brother.
He firmly believed that his brother would definitely make an impact on the field.
"But what if they see through it? Or what if they remain unfazed...?"
Kanemaru frowned.
In his view, this tactic was a psychological game.
As long as the opponent's mental fortitude was strong enough, no matter how clever Ryousuke's strategy was, it wouldn't shake their resolve.
"You still don't get it! If they fall for it, that's great. If they don't budge, their bluff becomes a genuine tactical arrangement for them."
Haruichi spoke calmly.
His voice was steady, but the eyes of Sawamura and Kanemaru were nearly bulging out in surprise.
"You mean...?"
"Exactly, this tactic is meant to appear obvious. Whether or not the opponent takes the bait, it won't hinder their subsequent actions."
Everyone on the Seido High School baseball team knew about the solid synergy between their defense at second base.
However, this sort of synergy wasn't limited to their defensive play alone.
The ace pitcher of Kokai U Sagara High and their catcher clearly recognized this as well; their faces turned incredibly serious.
"This guy…"
The catcher of Kokai U Sagara High frowned and sent a signal to his partner on the pitcher's mound.
Oda nodded while standing on the mound.
His heart was racing uncontrollably.
Thump, thump…
His body's reaction reminded Oda that today's match was different from those he had played before.
Oda didn't mind this feeling; he was someone who genuinely enjoyed seeking thrills.
As the team's primary ace, every confrontation with an opponent felt like a self-challenge.
"Come on! Come on!! Come on!!!"
Having made up his mind, Oda decisively threw the baseball.
Oda was eager to see what these two guys from Seido High School were planning.
Just as Oda settled into his pitching stance, preparing to deliver the throw, Kuramochi, who was originally staying put at first base, suddenly took off.
"Stealing second?"
The players of Kokai U Sagara High School widened their eyes in shock.
They had already suspected that these two from Seido High School wouldn't play by the rules.
Now it seemed their guess was absolutely right.
These two certainly weren't to be underestimated.
"Are you underestimating me?"
The catcher for Kokai U Sagara narrowed his eyes slightly.
He was already prepared to throw the ball to second base as soon as he caught it.
Kuramochi, in terms of speed, was indeed formidable.
But he wasn't any easy target either.
As the main catcher for Kokai U Sagara High School, he was known for his cannon-like arm.
He was determined to find out whether Seido's first batter was faster or if his own reflexes were sharper.
However, just at the moment this main catcher was set on his course of action, the baseball he was focused on suddenly got intercepted.
The ball was knocked away by the batter's swinging bat.
How could this happen?
In that instant, the main catcher of Kokai U Sagara felt his mind go blank.
He had thought Kuramochi was merely attempting a basic steal.
It wasn't until this moment that he realized just how wrong he had been.
The two players from Seido High School were actually intent on using a hit-and-run tactic from the start.
"So the little actions before weren't just for show?"
Although that was indeed the case, the main catcher of Kokai U Sagara still found it hard to believe.
"Ping!"
The white baseball was knocked away forcefully.
Most of the Kokai U Sagara players were just as shocked as their main catcher was by this unexpected turn of events.
The cooperation between the first two batters of Seido High School clearly exceeded their expectations.
Fortunately, the long hours of training had ingrained muscle memory in the players.
Even if their brains didn't have time to react, the players instinctively began to chase after the baseball.
But this instinctive response was still a step too slow.
The ball bounced off the ground and ricocheted away.
In the Seido High School dugout, when the teammates saw this scene, they felt a surge of excitement coursing through their veins.
"It went through!"
"It went through!!"
This meant that Seido High School had secured a hit, allowing Ryousuke to easily reach first base.
At the same time, Kuramochi was sprinting toward third base. He had already passed second base.
"It's too late!"
By the time Kokai U Sagara's players picked up the ball in the outfield, they were stunned to realize they had no hope of getting the ball to third base in time.
"Damn it!"
Just as the Kokai U Sagara players were silently cursing their misfortune, they were astonished to see Kuramochi racing toward home plate without any intention of stopping at third base.
He sprinted directly from third base toward home.
Not only the fans in the stands but even Kuramochi's own teammates felt their breath catch for a moment.
"Isn't that too outrageous?"
As for the players of Kokai U Sagara High School, their eyes almost bulged out in disbelief.
"That's going too far!!"
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