Chapter 240: Two Home Runs!

In the Mishimen dugout, Manager Chiba Junichi was nearly in tears. No, how could it be like this? They had given up 4 runs without recording a single out—could there be anyone more miserable than them?

Facing a powerhouse like Seido, Manager Chiba felt that if they couldn't seize the initiative and score runs at the start, they had already half-lost; yet now, they were trailing by 4 runs immediately—how were they supposed to play this?

There was no chance left. For some reason, Manager Chiba felt a sense of relief in his heart. Originally, they had come aiming for victory; even though the opponent was Seido, they hadn't planned on surrendering from the start. But after truly clashing, Manager Chiba had to admit that the gap in strength between the two sides was too great.

Even though the pitcher Seido sent out was only a First Year, their batting lineup was enough to crush them.

On the field, Nanpei Mamoru looked at the monster batter opposite him, who had already hit 35 home runs after debuting in high school for just over a year; to say he wasn't nervous would be pure self-deception.

Just standing on the field, out on the Pitcher's Mound, even if he was terrified inside, he had to throw the ball.

Just then, the Catcher gave a signal.

A ball?

Huh? Wait!

That's right, he could still issue a Base on Balls!

The corners of Nanpei Mamoru's mouth curled up slightly. There was no one on base now, so even if he gave Huangqian Yangyi a Base on Balls to First Base, it wouldn't have much impact; he could just focus on dealing with the subsequent Batters afterward.

Thinking of this, Nanpei Mamoru's pressure eased significantly. The runs had already been given up, and no matter how frustrated he was, it was useless; the most important thing now was to get outs.

Whoosh!

The baseball flew out, and Nanpei Mamoru threw a ball toward the outside corner.

Pop!

"Ball!"

Huh?

Is he trying to give me a Base on Balls?

Huangqian Yangyi understood the opponent's intention in an instant. Although a Base on Balls was a good thing—being able to stand on First Base safely and easily—if that happened, wouldn't the Manager's purpose in sending him up to bat be unfulfilled?

No way, even if it's a ball, I'm going to hit it!

Huangqian Yangyi gripped the bat in his hands tightly. The first pitch was an outside ball, which wasn't easy to hit, so he would just keep waiting!

Pop!

"Ball!"

Pop!

"Ball!"

After two more balls, Huangqian Yangyi was just one pitch away from being given a Base on Balls.

Off the field, seeing Huangqian Yangyi unable to swing the bat, his teammates angrily booed Nanpei Mamoru; they were also looking forward to Huangqian Yangyi breaking his home run record.

Phew~

Having watched three pitches, all of which were outside balls far from his body, Huangqian Yangyi felt very helpless. If they pitched like this, even if he wanted to force a swing, it would be hard to hit well; even if he managed to make contact, he would likely be put out, so it was better not to hit at all.

However, just when Huangqian Yangyi himself was planning to give up, Nanpei Mamoru actually made a mistake in his delivery. The outside ball he intended to throw drifted a bit, flying right along the edge of the strike zone. Although it was still a ball, this pitch was hittable!

Huangqian Yangyi's eyes caught the trajectory, and he swung the bat in his hands hard at the baseball. Trying to pitch balls, are you? Watch me blast you out of here!

Bang!

The little white ball was struck by the bat, flying out almost right along the boundary line toward First Base.

"Get out of here!" the Seido fans shouted loudly.

"Go foul!" the Mishimen crowd also roared.

In the end, the baseball finally landed after flying to the outfield, less than a meter foul.

"Tch!"

Huangqian Yangyi snorted coldly; he really hadn't hit that pitch well.

Phew~~

The Mishimen players let out a long sigh of relief at the same time. It was too scary; it was just a hair away from flying out, just a hair away from being fair.

Standing on the Pitcher's Mound, Nanpei Mamoru felt his heart pounding violently, as if it were about to jump out of his chest.

That was close. Nanpei Mamoru looked back at Huangqian Yangyi. He never expected that even though his intention to issue a Base on Balls was so obvious, the opponent would still swing. He really didn't want to give them any chance at all, did he?

Suppressing the nervousness in his heart, Nanpei Mamoru threw the fifth pitch. This one was even more wildly off-target, and the Catcher had to stand up and stretch his arm to catch it.

"The opposing pitcher is on the verge of a breakdown. Seize the opportunity, show no mercy, and blast him out of the game!" Manager Kataoka said.

Huangqian Yangyi was given a Base on Balls to First Base. Miyuki, who came up to bat, turned his head to look at the dugout, and Manager Kataoka immediately made a gesture for an aggressive attack.

Miyuki nodded and looked toward First Base. Heh heh, there's a runner on base and the pitcher is nearly broken—what a great opportunity.

Smiling as he looked at the pitcher, Miyuki chose to observe when the opponent threw the first pitch. This way, the opponent's options for subsequent pitches would become fewer, and the Catcher's pitch-calling strategy would be easier to guess. After two strikes, Miyuki swung his bat when the third pitch came flying in.

Bang!

Accurately catching a Fastball that was relatively high compared to the previous ones, Miyuki hit it into the spectator stands.

"Hahaha, another home run."

"Miyuki!!"

"2 runs!"

"The Mishimen pitcher must be going crazy."

"How pitiful!"

"Seido isn't holding back at all; they're playing this fiercely in the first inning."

On the field, Huangqian Yangyi and Miyuki returned to home plate one after the other to high-five and celebrate.

"Not bad, you really hit it out."

"Admiring me?"

"Admiring, admiring. This is one of your few home runs, too," Huangqian Yangyi teased.

After Miyuki, the Seventh Batter Masuko Toru seized the opportunity of the pitcher's unstable state to hit an Extra-base Hit to First Base, and the Eighth Batter Shirasu hit an Infield Hit to steadily advance the runners, though he himself was put out. Next to stand on the Pitcher's Mound was the First Year player making his first appearance in an official game, Furuya Satoru.

In his first at-bat, Furuya Satoru couldn't find his rhythm against the erratic pitches of Nanpei Mamoru, who was struggling with his form, and like Shirasu, he was put out.

Having secured two Strikes, the Pitcher Nanpei Mamoru's eyes gradually regained their luster; the blow dealt by the two Home Runs had truly been massive.

Just one more, one more out.

Nanpei Mamoru muttered to himself; this was only the top of the first inning, yet he felt as though time was moving so slowly, having never experienced such a long inning before.

As Kuramochi Yoichi stepped into the Batter's Box again, Nanpei Mamoru baited Kuramochi into swinging with a ball close to the strike zone; the baseball landed in the infield and flew toward the Second Baseman, and Kuramochi was quickly put out.

The top of the first inning ended here, with the score 6-0, Seido leading.

"What rotten luck, he threw a ball on the very first pitch; what is he trying to do?" Kuramochi couldn't help but complain after returning to the Dugout.

"It's not that he wanted to throw a ball; that Pitcher has likely lost control of his pitching," Ochiai Hiromitsu said while stroking his mustache.

Director Kataoka, standing to the side, also nodded and said, "The opponent will very likely change their Pitcher; regardless, we must attack aggressively!"

"Yes!!"

In the bottom of the first inning, standing on the Pitcher's Mound for his first official game, Furuya Satoru appeared calm on the surface, but his heart was incredibly excited.

"Well~ don't get too excited, just pitch steadily and reliably."

Miyuki stood at the Catcher's position and established a battery connection with Furuya.