Chapter 140: The First Inning

Whew~

Nanjo Taishi walked onto the Pitcher's Mound, feeling the atmosphere inside the stadium, and his whole body fell into an inexplicable sense of tension.

He never imagined that one day he would actually be able to stand on the Pitcher's Mound at Koshien; the fervent atmosphere at the scene made him feel somewhat unreal, and his hands couldn't help but tremble slightly.

"Director..."

Department Head Ota noticed Nanjo Taishi's nervousness and looked anxiously at Director Kataoka beside him.

Director Kataoka didn't speak, just watched Nanjo Taishi on the field quietly; being at Koshien and standing on the Pitcher's Mound, it was impossible not to be nervous, and whether one could perform to their full ability under such circumstances was also a standard for judging whether a pitcher was excellent.

As for Nanjo Taishi, Director Kataoka believed he could handle his own emotions.

In the Batter's Box, the first Batter for Seika was equally nervous, gripping the bat and swallowing hard several times without calming down; compared to the players of Seido, their tournament experience was pitifully scarce, especially in such a big scene.

With both sides nervous, it depended on who could regain their composure faster.

Tanaka Wataru looked at his teammates' defensive positions on the field, then looked at Nanjo Taishi on the Pitcher's Mound, and finally, his gaze fell on the first Batter of Seika.

According to the information in the data, this person was the best at bunting in the entire Seika batting lineup and was also the fastest runner, so they had to be careful.

The signal was given, and Nanjo Taishi's pitch quickly flew out.

The Seika first Batter swung subconsciously, missing!

"Strike!"

Having secured one Strike, Nanjo Taishi's rapidly beating heart gradually returned to calm; it wasn't any different, just like usual.

"Strike!"

A cutter made the Batter swing and miss again.

Just as the third pitch was thrown, the Seika first Batter poked out his bat.

Bang!

The baseball bounced toward Third Base.

"Dong!"

Tanaka Wataru turned his head and shouted.

Dong Qingguo, who had been prepared, quickly rushed forward to intercept the ball, then threw it hard toward First Base.

"Out!"

The Seika first Batter had thought the quality of this bunt was good enough to let him reach base, but he hadn't expected the baseball flying from behind to be so fast.

"Hahaha."

Dong Qingguo laughed loudly; although he didn't run fast, his arm strength was great.

Having successfully secured an out, the tension among the Seido group slowly dissipated.

Off the field, Huangqian Yangyi leaned against the railing, watching the game on the field and sighing; he also really wanted to play!

"What's wrong with you?" Miyuki turned his head and asked.

"I want to pitch!!"

"Go to the Bullpen then, aren't you supposed to be acting today?" Miyuki chuckled secretly.

"Tch, I want to play." Huangqian Yangyi rolled his eyes.

Hearing this, Miyuki shook his head, "Just stay put; even if you weren't injured, as long as we aren't facing a strong enemy in the upcoming games, I don't think the Director will send you out."

"I know, I'm just complaining," Huangqian Yangyi said.

The Koshien schedule was grueling; if Seido wanted to go further, the stamina of their ace definitely had to be considered. Before encountering a strong enemy, Director Kataoka would never let him go out and waste his stamina, while also avoiding having Huangqian Yangyi's information collected by other strong schools.

During the conversation, the second and third Batters of Seika Academy were struck out, and the top of the first inning ended.

As soon as Nanjo Taishi returned to the Dugout, Huangqian Yangyi eagerly leaned in and asked: "Senior Nanjo, how does the Koshien Pitcher's Mound feel?"

Hearing this, Nanjo Taishi smiled: "Not bad, it feels quite comfortable to step on."

"Is that so? Were you nervous?" Huangqian Yangyi asked, knowing the answer.

"Of course," Nanjo Taishi nodded, "My hands were shaking so hard at the start."

While the two were chatting, Zhitian Jiangtai had already walked onto the field carrying his bat.

The 9 players of Seika Academy also jogged toward their respective defensive positions.

Bottom of the first inning, Seido on offense.

Zhitian Jiangtai, who was the first to stand in the Batter's Box, was about to swing for Seido's first at-bat.

"What great momentum."

Fengdao Yingtai stood on the Pitcher's Mound, glanced at Zhitian Jiangtai, and muttered softly.

Unlike the other Seika players, Fengdao Yingtai had experienced big scenes, and he looked no different than usual, remaining very calm.

Receiving the Catcher's signal, Fengdao Yingtai decisively threw the ball, starting with a Fastball aimed at the outside corner.

Whoosh!

Zhitian Jiangtai frowned as he watched the baseball enter home plate and drill into the glove; as the first Batter, his task was not just to reach base, but also, as the first person to see the opponent's pitching head-on, he had an obligation to observe for a while longer and collect information on the opponent.

The ball speed was indeed very fast, and the landing point was also very precise; is this really someone who has only been in contact with baseball for a year? Zhitian Jiangtai expressed doubt.

Before he could think too much, the second pitch flew over.

The rhythm is so fast!

Zhitian Jiangtai frowned, but still did not swing.

"Ball!"

After observing two pitches, Zhitian Jiangtai let out a breath; the Fastball speed was fast and the control was accurate, that much was certain.

But, the opponent's Curveball didn't seem to have such good control; if he guessed correctly, Fengdao Yingtai had intended to throw this pitch to the outside corner, but unfortunately, it veered a bit and became a Ball.

Is it because of nerves? Or is the Curveball not proficient enough?

Regardless of which it was, it seemed reasonable, but Zhitian Jiangtai leaned more toward the second possibility; after all, the opponent had only been in contact with baseball for a year, and having his current level was already quite good, and he had also mastered the Curveball and Palmball, so it was understandable that he would be lacking in proficiency.

The count was one ball and one strike; Zhitian Jiangtai made up his mind to lock onto a Fastball for the next pitch.

Very quickly, Fengdao Yingtai threw the third pitch, an inside Fastball!

Zhitian Jiangtai swung his bat hard, Bang!

After a crisp sound, the little white ball flew over the inside corner and headed toward the Left Fielder.

"Zhitian!!"

Amidst the cheers of the spectators, Zhitian Jiangtai safely reached First Base.

"Nice!"

"Well done!"

With no outs and a runner on First Base, Seido's leadoff Batter hit a Single as soon as he came up.

The Seido fans who had come with the team immediately let out a synchronized and enthusiastic cheer; the chance for Seido to score in this inning was very high!

The Seika Academy Catcher cast an apologetic look at Fengdao Yingtai; judging by the decisiveness of the Batter's swing, the opponent had definitely guessed his pitch selection.

Fengdao Yingtai shook his head to indicate he did not blame him; he had long been mentally prepared for the Seido batting lineup, but he just hadn't expected to be hit for a Single so quickly by the very first Batter. As expected, a powerhouse is a powerhouse; for them to win the game, they would have to perform at 120% capacity to have a chance, including his pitching.

"Kominato!!"

In the stands, the Seido fans were calling Kominato Ryosuke's name again; everyone was looking forward to him continuing the offensive, hitting Fengdao Yingtai's pitch, and helping Zhitian Jiangtai reach Second Base.