Chương 253: [253] Kiryuu's Offensive Initiative
Chapter 253: Kiryuu's Offensive Initiative
On the first-base side, in Seidou High's dugout:
"Kiryuu's ace, you all know his pitch types by now," Coach Kataoka addressed the gathered Seidou players.
"At this stage of the summer tournament, he's bound to feel the strain of consecutive games, no matter how good his stamina is. Early in the game, don't rush things."
"Wait for pitches you're comfortable with, and swing decisively. Today's heat will take its toll—just force his pitch count higher, and his mistake rate will rise. Don't fear striking out. Weak, half-hearted swings will only fuel their momentum. We need to bring our spirit and overpower them!"
"Yes, coach!" Yuuki, Miyuki, Eijun, and the rest of the team responded in unison.
"Line up."
"Bow!"
"Please take care of us!"
The stadium reverberated with loud sirens and the teams' rallying cries.
The highly anticipated first semifinal between Seidou High and Kiryuu High had officially begun, watched eagerly by the packed stands and millions of viewers across the nation.
Both teams' players met each other's gazes, a fiery determination evident in their eyes.
This was their battlefield.
Unlike their previous practice match, this was an official game.
The winner would move forward; the loser's journey would end here.
Neither side was willing to yield.
Victory was essential—not just to advance, but to prove their worth.
In sports, only victory matters.
In sports, only championships define you.
Everything else is just noise.
The reigning champions, Seidou High, and the formidable challengers, Kiryuu High—once again, they clashed on this grand stage.
"Top of the first inning. Seidou High is up to bat. Leading off, the shortstop, Kuramochi-kun!"
"Let's go, Kuramochi-kun!"
"Show them your speed and get on base!"
"Hiromi, crush that guy! He's got nothing but his legs!"
"Ace, it's up to you here!"
"Kuramochi, go for it!"
Kuramochi stepped up to the batter's box, gripping his bat with a casual smirk. He immediately assumed a bunting stance, prompting Kiryuu catcher Kyohei Shibata's pupils to contract sharply.
Here we go.
This team might have mediocre batting skills overall, but once they're on base, they become one of the most troublesome opponents.
Kuramochi's speed made him a constant threat despite his weaker batting ability, giving him an unusually high on-base percentage.
Opening with a bunt stance was classic Kuramochi.
This guy…
Shibata gritted his teeth.
A headache right from the start.
On the pitcher's mound, Tachi wore a cold expression.
Meanwhile, both benches—Coach Kataoka's and Coach Matsumoto's—remained composed.
After all, this was just the opening phase of the game.
No matter the tactics employed, it was all par for the course.
The umpire glanced at both teams and loudly called for the game to begin.
To deal with Kuramochi, Shibata decided to keep things straightforward.
If he wanted to bunt, let him bunt.
They would overpower him with Tachi's sheer strength.
"Fastball! Take him down!" Shibata signaled with a subtle finger motion.
Tachi's lips curled into a sinister grin, a smile that sent a shiver down Kuramochi's spine.
That unsettling grin hadn't changed at all.
With a sharp flick of his wrist, Tachi unleashed the pitch.
A streak of white light flashed toward Kuramochi, cold and fast.
Kuramochi quickly adjusted, shifting from a bunt stance to a standard swing.
He needed to see for himself how Tachi's pitching had evolved over the past three months—his pitches, types, and quality.
Ping!
The resounding crack of bat meeting ball echoed across the stadium.
The vibration reverberated through Kuramochi's hands, accompanied by a sharp sting in his palms.
Kuramochi flinched involuntarily.
Whoosh!
Bang!
The ball ricocheted sharply off the ground.
"Foul ball!"
So heavy, so dense, so painful!
These were the only three thoughts running through Kuramochi's mind as he winced, his expression twisted in discomfort.
In the Seidou dugout, his teammates immediately understood what was happening just by looking at his reaction.
"This guy's pitches… they've gotten even scarier since last time, haven't they? And that speed—did it just hit 145 km/h?" someone murmured.
Kuramochi's lips twitched in frustration.
Even bunting this ball is going to be tough.
Whoosh!
Ping!
Bang!
"Foul ball!"
Clearly, Kiryuu wasn't about to give Kuramochi any time to think.
They kept the pressure on, delivering one relentless fastball after another.
It almost felt like Kiryuu was on the offensive, with Tachi's heavy pitches, intimidating power, and increased velocity leaving Kuramochi completely on the defensive.
Despite pitching through fatigue, Tachi showed no mercy, leaving Kuramochi struggling to cope.
Whoosh!
Another inside fastball.
Ping!
Kuramochi gritted his teeth as he made contact, his expression showing just how overwhelmed he was.
Bang!
"Foul ball!"
Three consecutive fastballs left Kuramochi's hands numb from the impact.
Then, Kiryuu catcher Shibata Kyohei spotted his chance.
For the fourth pitch, he signaled a forkball.
The ball streaked toward the plate with a sharp light, and Kuramochi's pupils contracted.
He couldn't react in time.
Whoosh!
Pop!
The ball avoided his bat entirely and landed squarely in the catcher's glove.
"Strike three! Batter out!"
In just four pitches, Kiryuu's pitcher-catcher duo efficiently retired Seidou's leadoff batter, Kuramochi Yoichi.
"Was it heavy?" Ryousuke asked with a sly smile.
"Yeah," Kuramochi replied, his tone serious. "Be careful, Ryo-san. His pitches are way heavier than before. Don't try bunting too much—it's better to focus on power to counter his strength."
But his warning was mostly rhetorical.
Seidou's first two batters weren't known for their power.
Ryousuke, in particular, was a technical hitter rather than a power slugger.
While his skills were excellent, his strength was nowhere near that of batters like Yuuki, Jun Isashiki, or Masuko.
"Batting second, second baseman, Kominato-kun!"
In this rematch three months later, Tachi's already formidable pitch quality had further improved.
Seidou's offense in the first inning faced significant challenges, struggling to find a breakthrough.
After Kuramochi's strikeout, Ryousuke stepped into the batter's box.
Using his technique, he managed to extend the at-bat, but Kiryuu's battery stuck to their strategy of overwhelming him with sheer power.
Knowing that Ryousuke couldn't overpower Tachi's pitches, they focused on fastballs, alternating between inside and outside corners.
Ryousuke barely managed to fight through four pitches before grounding out to the infield, leading to another out at first base.
Next up: Seidou's third batter, Jun Isashiki.
While not a pure power hitter, Jun Isashiki had enough strength to contend with Tachi's pitch quality and velocity.
It was now up to him to break through Kiryuu's early dominance.
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