Chapter 207: Semi-finals VS Ichidai Sanko

Because of the matches, this kind of pitching practice was only conducted three times in total.

First batter, Kuramochi Yoichi, 30 pitches, 14 swings and misses, 8 foul balls, 6 infield hits, 2 outfield hits, batting average. 260.

Second batter, Kominato Ryosuke, 30 pitches, 7 swings and misses, 14 foul balls, 8 infield hits, 1 outfield hit, batting average. 300.

Third batter, Isashiki Jun, 30 pitches, 10 swings and misses, 10 foul balls, 7 infield hits, 3 outfield hits, batting average. 330.

Fourth batter, Yuki Tetsuya, 30 pitches, 9 swings and misses, 7 foul balls, 8 infield hits, 6 outfield hits, batting average. 460.

Sixth batter, Miyuki Kazuya, 30 pitches, 7 swings and misses, 5 foul balls, 14 infield hits, 4 outfield hits, batting average. 600!

Seventh batter, Masuko Toru, 30 pitches, 14 swings and misses, 7 foul balls, 3 infield hits, 4 outfield hits, batting average. 230.

Eighth batter, Sakai Ichiro, 30 pitches, 13 swings and misses, 11 foul balls, 4 infield hits, 2 outfield hits, batting average. 200.

Ninth batter, Shirasu Kenjiro, 30 pitches, 14 swings and misses, 9 foul balls, 4 infield hits, 3 outfield hits, batting average. 230.

Looking at these statistics, Coach Kataoka really could not be happy.

Although Huangqian Yangyi's pitching was formidable, and if it were any other school's batting lineup, they certainly wouldn't be able to hit such a batting average, these Seido players had been fed pitches by Huangqian Yangyi for so long, yet the resulting batting averages were so unsatisfactory.

How should one put it, say they weren't working hard?

Coach Kataoka knew better than anyone how hard the players trained every day; he hadn't heard of a single person slacking off.

But even so, facing Huangqian Yangyi's pitching, they could only produce this kind of performance.

It wasn't that they weren't formidable, but that Huangqian Yangyi was too terrifying.

Takashima Rei, who also saw these statistics, reached this conclusion, but then she thought, if even their own players who frequently watched Huangqian Yangyi pitch could only produce these results, then the opponents in the match would likely have even lower batting averages.

"Miyuki's batting average is actually 60 percent!" Department Head Ota exclaimed aloud.

"Heh, he is Huangqian's catcher, he has watched Huangqian's pitching at least ten thousand times, it's not strange to have such a batting average, or rather, it's still low!" Coach Kataoka said very sternly.

Department Head Ota shrank his neck; in his view, for Miyuki to have such a batting average was already very impressive, the pitcher was Huangqian after all.

Coach Kataoka was not satisfied, so someone had to be punished.

Calling the 8 starters to his front, Coach Kataoka looked at everyone with a dark face.

"This is each of your performances while facing Huangqian's pitching, Kuramochi! Batting average. 260! You've focused on practicing left-handed batting for a year and only have this batting average, what have you been doing this whole year?"

Kuramochi, who was called out, lowered his head, not daring to look into Coach Kataoka's eyes.

"Kominato, batting average. 300." After reading this, Coach Kataoka glanced at Kominato Ryosuke; he did not voice criticism for him, as one of Kominato Ryosuke's batting styles was to constantly hit foul balls and battle with the pitcher, so a lower batting average was normal.

"Isashiki, batting average. 330, your goal is to raise your batting average to. 400 before the Summer Tournament."

"Yes! Coach!" Isashiki shouted.

Next was Yuki Tetsuya, batting average. 460, including six extra-base hits; this result was already quite good, but Coach Kataoka still demanded he raise his batting average to over. 500.

Calling names one by one, in the end, not a single person among the starters had a smile on their face; they were all miserable.

In the blink of an eye, the day of the match arrived, and Seido High School was about to welcome the 8-to-4 Quarter-finals.

Kasuga High School, a baseball powerhouse in East Tokyo, although not comparable to the four major giants of Tokyo, maintained a standard of being in the top 8 of East Tokyo every year, and this time they had even fought their way into the top 8 of the Spring Metropolitan Tournament, and would compete with Seido for a spot in the top 4.

After 7 innings of play, Seido High School ultimately defeated Kasuga High School with a score of 14:2 to enter the top 4, and their opponent in the Semi-finals was precisely Ichidai Sanko.

On the day of the match against Ichidai Sanko, after Huangqian Yangyi finished breakfast and packed his things, he carried his bag to the stadium, where Coach Kataoka and Coach Ochiai stood before the 20 members of the First String.

"Get on the bus!" Coach Kataoka shouted to everyone.

"Yes!"

Lining up in a row, Huangqian Yangyi walked in the middle, looking at the other members who were also lining up to board the bus in another direction; Sawamura Eijun and Furuya Satoru were both among them.

It is worth mentioning that it was said that Sawamura was attacked by a tire by the new Manager Haruno while running this morning.

Meiji Jingu Second Baseball Stadium.

When Seido High School and Shidai Sanko met outside the locker room, Huangqian Yangyi scanned the area, and sure enough, he could not find the figure of Amakusa Kosei.

This guy, did he really quit the team to fall in love just like in the original story?

Both sides exchanged greetings, and before long, they were prepared, subsequently entering their respective dugouts; after a brief warm-up, the match began.

Top of the first inning, Seido was on offense first.

Although Ichidai Sanko's ace pitcher Zhenzhong Yao had a somewhat unstable start, Kuramochi successfully reached base relying on an infield hit, and subsequently cooperated with Kominato Ryosuke's batting to complete a hit and run tactic to reach second base, though unfortunately, Kominato was tagged out.

Isashiki Jun, who came up to bat as the third batter, blasted the baseball against the right field wall with a powerful hit; it was almost a home run, but at this distance, Kuramochi relied on his freakish speed to sprint all the way back to home plate to score.

Isashiki Jun himself was unfortunately called out in front of the second base bag.

Next, the fourth batter Yuki Tetsuya and the fifth batter Huangqian Yangyi each blasted an extra-base hit.

Two outs, runners on first and second, Miyuki Kazuya stepped into the batter's box.

After Zhenzhong Yao achieved a two-strike count with an outside fastball and an outside curveball, Zhenzhong Yao proactively threw a ball to lure Miyuki into swinging, yet Miyuki remained motionless.

Currently, the count is two strikes and one ball, two consecutive outside pitches, the batter doesn't want to swing anymore, at this time just stuff a high-speed slider into the inside corner, defeat him with your best pitch!

This thought flashed through the catcher's mind, and at the same time, he gave the signal.

Zhenzhong Yao nodded his chin slightly and threw the baseball with a clean and crisp motion.

Yoshi! It went exactly as I said...

Bang!!

A black shadow flashed before his eyes; the catcher's internal monologue hadn't even finished, and the baseball had already been smashed away by Miyuki.

The little white ball tore through the sky and slammed straight into the guardrail outside the stadium.

"It's out!"

"A home run!!!"

"A three-run homer in the very first inning!"

"Is he that Miyuki Kazuya?!"

"Too amazing. To be able to carry an inside slider that far."

The audience was in an uproar; the opening was so full of gunpowder, worthy of a duel between giants.

"Oh. What good luck."

Miyuki Kazuya ran back after completing a lap, smiling as he high-fived Huangqian Yangyi and Yuki Tetsuya.

"Go ahead and gloat, that was a three-run homer."

"Heh heh, Zhenzhong Yao-senpai happened to throw exactly the pitch type I'm good at, and besides, his pitch calling was too easy to guess," Miyuki said.

Returning to the Dugout, Kuramochi also immediately came up to congratulate him.

"Yahahaha, nicely done! Look, Zhenzhong's face has turned into the Incredible Hulk," Kuramochi said.

"Just a stroke of luck," Miyuki smiled modestly.