Chapter 203: Huangqian, Chris VS Miyuki

Hearing Kuramochi's complaint, Chris looked up and said, "Since you've already guessed it's a forkball, you should adjust your swing trajectory to scoop the ball up when you swing. If you just sweep across like that, it'll be very difficult to hit a ball with such a large downward break."

Kuramochi nodded after listening, "I understand, thank you, Senior."

After Kuramochi, Kominato Ryosuke stepped into the batter's box. The First Years who had just finished training were also watching from the sidelines. Among the crowd, Kominato Haruichi clenched his fists, silently cheering for his older brother.

Unexpectedly, Kominato Ryosuke chose a forkball on his first pitch, but unfortunately, he lacked the power; although he managed to scoop the ball up, the distance wasn't very far.

On the second pitch, an inside high four-seam fastball—though his swing was cramped, Kominato Ryosuke used his excellent hitting technique to carry the ball outside the first base line on the right.

On the third pitch, an outside two-seam fastball, Kominato Ryosuke stretched his arms to barely reach it. However, Huangqian Yangyi's ball quality was too heavy, making it difficult for Kominato Ryosuke to generate power in his posture. In the end, the baseball bounced up, neither high nor far, landing right near the pitcher's mound.

"That ball would have been a putout," Chris said.

Like Kuramochi, Kominato Ryosuke is also a left-handed batter. Facing Huangqian Yangyi's two-seam fastball, Kominato Ryosuke is even harder to hit than Kuramochi; after all, his physical limitations are right there.

"Heh heh, that's right. If it were an official game, Huangqian definitely wouldn't miss the chance for a putout," Kominato Ryosuke said.

Afterwards, the third batter, Isashiki, followed an inside low two-seam fastball, and the baseball slammed into the ground, flying toward first and second base.

"At this speed, if it were Inashiro's defense, it would be a putout," Chris said.

Isashiki Jun nodded unwillingly.

After him, the 4th batter, Yuki Tetsuya, chose a forkball. Like Kuramochi, he didn't time the hitting point correctly, but the difference was that Yuki Tetsuya's explosive power was far greater. Even without hitting it squarely, he forcibly scooped the ball up. Although the baseball didn't fly high, its speed was extremely fast. While the landing spot was diagonally in front of the second base bag, no matter who the second baseman was, it would be very difficult to intercept this ball. Clearly, this was a base hit that pierced through the infield defense.

Under the condition of limited pitch types, even Huangqian Yangyi could not easily suppress Seido's batting lineup, especially since, compared to other schools, the people most familiar with his pitching and most adapted to his ball speed were these teammates.

After Jiecheng, Miyuki stood in the batter's box with a grin, holding his bat. Seeing this guy, Huangqian Yangyi felt a headache coming on.

In all of Seido, there was likely no one who understood his pitching better than Miyuki.

"Bases loaded, no outs," Coach Kataoka suddenly said.

Huangqian Yangyi's expression collapsed instantly; why increase the difficulty?

Hearing Coach Kataoka's words, Miyuki showed a gloating smile toward Huangqian Yangyi, while Chris chuckled slightly.

Since the bases are loaded with no outs, one must consider how to create a double play without giving up any runs, and take as many outs as possible.

Chris thought for a moment. Based on his understanding of Miyuki, if he hesitated at this moment, it would only give Miyuki an opportunity. Start with an outside low two-seam fastball; even if it's hit, the probability of it going far is low. With Huangqian's ball speed, the possibility of hitting a grounder toward third base is higher.

Seeing the sign Chris gave, Huangqian Yangyi nodded calmly. Miyuki is a left-handed batter, and a two-seam fastball away from his body is relatively difficult for him to hit. However, Miyuki is very familiar with his pitch repertoire, so a ball aimed at his outside corner is easily guessed by Miyuki as a two-seam fastball. In other words, whether or not he can get a strike on this first pitch is entirely a head-to-head duel between himself and Miyuki.

Since Senior Chris dared to call the game this way, it means he trusts him. As long as he can get a strike on this ball, there will be enough room for maneuvering in the subsequent pitch calling.

It's not for nothing that they say pitching is a work of art completed by the pitcher and catcher together.

Huangqian Yangyi took a deep breath and adjusted his state to the best; he wanted to respond to Senior Chris's expectations with this pitch.

Seeing Huangqian Yangyi's expression, Miyuki immediately felt a sense of foreboding. He was too familiar with this expression; this guy always looked like this whenever he got serious.

Miyuki loosened his wrists. Since Senior Chris and Huangqian were both so serious, he also had to focus himself and hit the ball!

On the sidelines, the second and third-year members were all watching the duel on the field with extreme seriousness. Huangqian Yangyi, Miyuki Kazuya, and Chris—this was the first time these three had faced off, and no one wanted to miss such a moment.

Whoosh!

As Huangqian Yangyi lifted his left leg, his arm looked like a flexible whip in everyone's eyes. The small white ball shot out, drawing a white laser beam in the air.

At the same time, Miyuki had also swung his bat early in the direction the ball was coming; the path he chose was the outside low position!

Miyuki's eyes remained fixed on the incoming baseball, and his forcefully swinging bat swept toward the bottom of the baseball.

Sure enough, the moment the baseball entered the home plate, it underwent a rapid downward break toward the outside.

Bang!

The bat bit tightly into the baseball, and Miyuki felt a numbness in his hands for an instant.

"Haaah!!"

Miyuki roared as he gripped the bat tightly. If one looked closely, they could see he was exerting force from his toes to the tips of his hair.

The position of this ball still had a slight deviation from what he had anticipated. If he hadn't swung, this ball would likely have been a ball, but at this moment, Miyuki could only bite the bullet and carry the ball out.

The small white ball flew toward third base, and everyone watched the baseball in the air with tense expressions, anticipating where it would land.

The baseball flew over third base and finally landed outside the third base line.

"Jianjie!" Coach Kataoka shouted.

Phew~~

Everyone on the field unconsciously let out a sigh of relief at the same time, then all eyes turned to Fujiwara Takako, who was standing not far from Coach Kataoka.

Just by looking at that last pitch, one could tell the speed was very fast, and some even speculated whether it had reached 160 kilometers.

Watched by the expectant gazes of the crowd, Fujiwara Takako looked at the radar gun in her hand. When she saw the number clearly, her pupils immediately dilated, and her small mouth formed an 'O' shape.

"1, 159!"

Fujiwara Takako looked up at Coach Kataoka and said.

"What!!"

"So fast!"

"Did I see that right?"

"Hey, hey, that's almost 160!"

On the pitcher's mound, Huangqian Yangyi shook his wrist. Although he had thrown his maximum speed on this pitch, he hadn't been able to control it very well. But he was lucky; if it hadn't been for that, he might have really been caught by Miyuki and blasted out.

Looking at Miyuki, Huangqian Yangyi really didn't know what to say. This guy could actually keep up with such a ball speed instantly. His own pitches were seen through by him too much; his eyes and reactions had long since become accustomed to them.