บท 137: <137> The Battle of Tokugawa Begins
Chapter 137: The Battle of Tokugawa Begins
"Wow, there are so many spectators today!"
"Of course! The first game is already a highlight: Akagi versus Tokugawa—a rematch from the summer! I was so moved by their summer showdown! Look, Akagi's fans are clearly outnumbering Tokugawa's!"
"That may be true, but the second match is definitely going to Susabano!"
It was Saturday, and as the crowd steadily filled the stadium before the match began, spectators started chatting among themselves.
The players, however, had not yet entered the field.
Backstage, Sano and Sawamura were deciding the batting order.
"Long time no see, Sano-san, Sawamura-kun!" greeted Coach Kunimi from Tokugawa Middle School.
"Long time no see!" Sano replied warmly.
"Hello!" Sawamura bowed politely as he greeted them.
Tokugawa's new captain was also a familiar face: Egawa, their fifth batter from the summer. He was the one who, during their near-collapse in the summer game, had rallied the team with a desperate shout, waking up Fukushima and the other players to turn the game around.
That shout must have earned him significant recognition, as he was now the team captain for the autumn season.
The batting order was decided with a simple game of rock-paper-scissors. Sawamura, enjoying a stroke of luck, won and chose to bat second. Both teams then returned to their dugouts.
...
"We're back!" shouted Ohno, the most energetic of the team, as he spotted Sano and Sawamura returning.
"How did it go?"
"I won! We're batting second!" Sawamura exclaimed triumphantly, flashing a peace sign.
"I see. Well, let's get ready to head out. Let's go!!!"
"Yeah!!!"
...
Outside, the stadium was packed, with the Akagi supporters visibly outnumbering the others.
"And now, for today's first game: Akagi Middle School versus Tokugawa Middle School!
Tokugawa will bat first!
Akagi will bat second!"
The announcer's voice echoed through the stadium, signaling the start of the game.
"They're here!"
"Tokugawa!"
"Sawamura!"
"Sendo!"
"Wakana!"
The players began entering the dugouts, and the crowd erupted into cheers, rooting for their favorite teams.
Tokugawa also had its own fan base, with the cheers evenly matched between the two sides.
Even Sendo had his own group of supporters now—something that moved Sano to tears in the bathroom!
The next 20 minutes were dedicated to warm-up practice, with both teams taking turns on the field.
"Players, please take the field!" the announcer declared a few minutes later.
"Line up!" The referee's command followed immediately, and the players marched onto the field.
"Let's go!"
"Alright!"
...
"Nice to meet you!" Both teams lined up in two rows, bowing politely to each other.
Akagi, as the fielding team, began their defensive drills.
Clap! Clap! Clap!
The seamless throws and coordinated defense were a sight to behold, showcasing Akagi's improvement since the summer.
"They've really stepped up their game. Their defense is tighter, and their teamwork is even better. I wonder how much their coverage has expanded," Coach Kunimi observed, watching Akagi's drills with a wary eye.
"Unlike us, who are a newly rebuilt team and have only been practicing together for two months, they haven't replaced a single player!"
Back in the summer, Akagi's coordination was already impressive, though their individual defensive ranges were limited, which allowed opponents to seize scoring opportunities.
"But one thing's for sure: Akagi's performance this summer was extraordinary. If they play at that level again, we'll be in trouble," Coach Kunimi thought.
However, in his opinion, Akagi now appeared to have reached that summer peak as their baseline, and apart from Sawamura, the entire team's offense had also improved.
This made them formidable enough to go toe-to-toe with Tokugawa.
"This game is going to be evenly matched!"
Tokugawa had its strengths as well.
Although their coordination was lacking, their individual players had grown significantly stronger, maintaining their overall team power at least on par with their summer performance.
Moreover, Tokugawa had several promising players joining the team next year, some of whom were already capable of stepping into starting positions.
In Nagano, Akagi and Tokugawa had established themselves as the top two teams, with Susabano trailing slightly behind.
Teams like Tokumei, which traditionally hovered around the quarterfinals, were on an even lower tier.
This was evident when Tokumei was obliterated by Akagi, even though Akagi hadn't gone all out.
After a brief pitching practice, the game officially began!
...
"Top of the first inning, Tokugawa Middle School's offense!
First batter, shortstop, Mito-kun!"
Mito, who had taken over as the starting shortstop after the third-year players retired, had quickly developed into a reliable leadoff hitter for Tokugawa.
"A moving ball with minimal movement… You can't really grasp what it's like unless you're in the batter's box," Mito thought nervously as he faced Sawamura's pitch for the first time.
"If he's never faced Eijun's pitching before, let's not hold back. Throw it right down the middle and rack up strikes!" Shin decided.
"A perfect pitch to hit!"
Ping!
"So fast! And such an unpleasant feeling!"
Pop!
"Out!"
An infield pop-up to first base, and Mito was taken out on the very first pitch!
"Mito-kun clearly wasn't used to Sawamura-kun's pitching," the commentator remarked as the teams rotated for the next batter.
"Second batter, second baseman, Nakajima-kun!"
"Second batter, second baseman, Nakajima-kun!"
Since the third-years retired, Tokugawa's top two batters now coincidentally mirrored Seidou's defensive positions from previous years, with their third and fourth batters swapped—third being a first baseman, and fourth an outfielder.
"Sorry, Nakajima-san! I got taken out in one pitch!"
"Don't sweat it! Sawamura's pitches are tough to get used to. Even I might not hit them right away. If I do, it's pure luck!" Nakajima joked, comforting his younger teammate.
Then, Ping!
"Ah! Right to the shortstop!"
Pop!
"Out!"
Nakajima lasted only two pitches, much to the amusement of the dugout.
"Third batter, first baseman, Sumiyoshi-kun!"
"Third batter, first baseman, Sumiyoshi-kun!"
"Next up, Tokugawa's power hitters! Their autumn cleanup hitters have a batting average over .500, making them a terrifying presence in Nagano," the commentator introduced Tokugawa's central lineup as the inning progressed.
...
"These guys… it's been a few months since we last faced them. Better test the waters first," Shin thought, eyeing Sumiyoshi carefully.
"Especially this guy—he's excellent at targeting pitches and hitting them accurately!" Despite Sumiyoshi's impressive batting average, Shin wasn't intimidated.
After all, other teams were just other teams, but Akagi was Akagi.
Their recent string of victories had greatly boosted Shin's confidence.
"Got it!" Sawamura nodded in response to the signal.
"Whoosh!"
Pop!
"Strike!"
"Huh? This guy can already control his outside pitches? Though he still can't keep them low," Sumiyoshi thought, surprised by the first pitch. In the summer, Sawamura's outside balls often floated into the strike zone.
"Second pitch!"
"Inside pitch! But…"
Pop!
"Ball!"
The pitch veered slightly off.
"Phew…" Sumiyoshi took the opportunity to exhale deeply.
"Third pitch!" The commentator's voice rang out enthusiastically.
Ping!
"Foul ball!"
"A fastball on the inside corner, but it's fouled off! Akagi's battery isn't giving Sumiyoshi any room to breathe. Next pitch!"
Ping!
"Foul ball!"
"Back-to-back fouls! They're putting a lot of pressure on Sumiyoshi. His ability to time pitches is the best in Tokugawa, so he's not going down easily…"
Ping!
"It's hit! Between second and shortstop—so quick! Akagi's shortstop reacts fast!"
The ball was thrown to first base, but it was a close call.
"Safe!" The umpire signaled that Sumiyoshi was safe with an infield single.
The commentator took a breath and added, "But Akagi's defense is as solid as ever. Their range has clearly improved since summer. Sumiyoshi barely managed to get on base!"
Hearing this, Akagi's supporters cheered loudly for their team.
Although the runner was safe, the crowd was thrilled by Akagi's evident improvement.
Back in the summer, they had been worried about the players' mental state.
However, the team's dominant wins in the Autumn Tournament had reassured them, and today's game was further proof of the team's growth.
Among the spectators were the school principal and many students who had come to cheer voluntarily, including Wakana's friends, with Reiko being the loudest.
"Fourth batter! Center fielder, Ike-kun!"
"Fourth batter! Center fielder, Ike-kun!"
As the cleanup hitter, the announcer emphasized "fourth batter" with extra enthusiasm.
When the fourth batter stepped up, the game reached its first climax.
After all, not every cleanup hitter was a "dud" like Sawamura (at least in his opponents' eyes). Of course, Sawamura would vehemently disagree—his self-perception was sky-high, though no one knew where his confidence came from.
"That Sumiyoshi guy barely managed to hit the ball. This next one…" Ike muttered to himself as he prepared to step up.
At that moment, Sendo signaled something from the field.
"Hey, hey, are they planning to walk me?" Ike wondered, recalling some unpleasant memories from the summer.
Even Tokugawa's new captain, Egawa, had flashbacks to that summer incident.
But they were all wrong.
Sendo's signal meant play aggressively.
Sendo's goal for this game was to test their skills, so he wasn't going to issue an intentional walk this early.
Sendo wanted to see how his team could hold up against Tokugawa's lineup.
Winning wasn't the priority—after all, in Sendo's mind, Tokugawa was their only real opponent in Nagano.
Susabano, despite their talented first-year players, lacked proper coaching and struggled with teamwork, resembling a collection of strong individuals rather than a cohesive team.
Following Sendo's signal, the first pitch was delivered.
Pop!
"Strike!"
"An inside fastball! The batter didn't swing! Has Akagi's battery changed their pitching strategy? Moving on to the second pitch!"
Pop!
"Strike!"
"Another inside pitch? Are they really changing their approach now?" Ike thought, recalling Sendo's signal. He had expected an outside pitch but was thrown off by back-to-back inside fastballs, leaving him unable to swing.
Now, Ike found himself cornered.
"Where will the next pitch go? Outside? Or another inside pitch?" Ike was unsure.
"Whoosh!" Before he could decide, the third pitch was already on its way.
Pop!
"Strike! Batter out! Switch sides!" the umpire announced loudly.
"The final pitch was a straight fastball down the middle, and the batter swung and missed! A sudden change in pitch strategy and aggressive execution! The cleanup hitter, Ike, strikes out swinging!"
"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Sawamura was ecstatic as he ran off the mound, unable to contain his excitement.
"That's how it's done! Akagi isn't like your previous opponents!" Even the spectators had begun referring to Akagi as "our team," proud to see them dominating.
In the stands, Akagi's fans believed that the only school in Nagano capable of challenging Tokugawa was their own. Watching Akagi suppress Tokugawa filled them with pride.
...
"Sorry, Coach! Swinging and missing at a straight pitch down the middle…" Ike said as he returned to the dugout and removed his helmet.
"Don't worry about it. That's Akagi Middle School for you—our rivals! If getting hits off them was easy, we wouldn't take them so seriously!" Coach Kunimi reassured him.
"Ah, if only we could've played a practice game against them earlier!" Kunimi grumbled, still annoyed by Akagi's repeated refusals to schedule a practice match.
"Alright, everyone, focus up!" Kunimi clapped his hands to get the team's attention.
"It's time to defend. Akagi's offense has clearly evolved based on their recent games. Be cautious and take it one out at a time!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Bottom of the first inning! Akagi Middle School's offense!"
"First batter, shortstop, Ohno-kun!"
"First batter, shortstop, Ohno-kun!"
"The thrilling battle in the top of the inning is over, and now we get to see Akagi's counterattack! Based on their recent games, Akagi's batting lineup has significantly improved! Back in the summer, they couldn't maintain such big leads consistently. But now, they're capable of ending games early with mercy-rule wins! Today's Akagi is definitely worth watching!"
The commentator, who had clearly been an Akagi fan since the summer, was excitedly hyping up the team's performance.
"Leading off is shortstop Ohno!" the commentator introduced again, highlighting Akagi's first batter.
"Hit it out, Ohno! Hahaha!" Sawamura shouted from the dugout, his confidence growing with each game.
In the stands, Akagi's cheering section erupted in support of Ohno, who prepared to reclaim some of the pride lost in the summer.
"The real payback will come next summer, with the divine beast leading the charge!" Ohno thought, stepping into the batter's box with determination.
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