Chapter Thirty-Six: A Battle at Jiashien in Spring
At 8:30 in the morning, the Alpine seats in Koshien were already filled with students from the music club and cheerleading team who were supporting their school. There were also a large number of spectators sitting in the stands on both sides. Everyone from Aomichi to the stadium players
One after another came out of the tunnel, walked to the rest area on the third base side, put down their backpacks, took out their ball covers or bats, walked out of the rest area, and started to warm up at the edge of the field. Soon, the players from Seido and Hokkaido Sakae were all
They have already entered the outfield area to practice, and the stadium staff are also making final arrangements for the infield field. Soon, the score screen at the back of the field shows the list of players from both sides.
At 8:59 in the morning, Kentaro Matsuda walked onto the court with Yu Sakai and said to him with a smile: "Are you nervous?"
Sakai Yu nodded and looked at Kentaro Matsuda: "What about you, you probably won't be nervous, right?"
"No way, I'm super nervous too!"
Kentaro Matsuda said and looked in the direction of the stands, "There are still a few people coming to watch the game. Sure enough, there are not enough people watching Koshien in the spring. It is best to come here in the summer."
Following Kentaro Matsuda's words, Sakai Yu imagined the crowds of people in Koshien in summer, and his nerves became even more tense.
"Hahaha!" Kentaro Matsuda laughed and patted Yu Sakai's chest with his ball cover, and continued: "Ayu, you are the one who doesn't need to be nervous the least. As a starting pitcher, no matter whether you are good at pitching or not.
Damn it, there is Yagami behind you. If Yagami can't withstand it, isn't there Jinguji Temple?"
"So don't think too much, just throw the ball boldly! Just throw the ball where I want it to be."
"I don't want to leave a mess for Jinguji and Yagami." Sakai Yu shouted at Matsuda Kentaro.
"That's it, remember what you just said. Let's work hard together! Partner." After Kentaro Matsuda said, he ran all the way behind the home plate, squatted down and punched the ball sleeve, and then ran to Yuhi Sakai who ran up the pitcher's mound.
Give the secret code.
"call out!"
"Bang!"
"call out!"
"Bang!"
"call out!"
"Bang!"
After Yu Sakai and Kentaro Matsuda simply threw a few balls to warm up, the referee signaled that the 78th Selection High School Baseball Tournament 1st match between Seido and Hokkaido Sakae was about to officially begin.
"play ball."
"Buzz buzz-"
At 9:02 a.m., as the air raid siren sounded, Yu Sakai shook his arm and threw the first ball of the game.
"call out!"
…
Accompanied by the cheering song played by the music department, Higashi Kiyokuni walked to the batter's box again, looked at the Seido runners at first base and third base, turned to look at the dugout, and after receiving instructions from Director Kataoka
Finally, he raised the bat and made a gesture waiting for a hit.
Hokkaido Dorei's catcher glanced at Dong Qingkuni, moved his body slightly, and gave a signal to the pitcher.
The Hokkaido Sakae pitcher nodded, turned to look at the runner at third base, and then swung his arm to throw the baseball in his hand.
"call out!"
Dong Qingguo looked at the direction of the baseball flying from the pitcher's mound, and took two steps back to avoid the obvious bad ball.
Hokkaido Doei's catcher stretched out his sleeve to catch the bad ball. Dong Qingkuni waved the metal bat in his hand and stood up on the batter's box again.
"call out!"
"Whoa!"
"Ping!"
"It was a long hit to center field! Azuma, the ball was hit very accurately. It flew directly to the depths of center field, and the runner at third base ran back! The current score between Aomichi and Hokkaido Sakae is
6:0, Qingdao leads by a big score."
Dong Qingguo, who successfully ran to first base, laughed loudly, took off his protective gear, and handed it to the team member who came up to get something.
Behind Higashi Kiyokuni was Daiki Murasuke, who came on as the fifth bat. He waved the metal bat in his hand and hummed his own cheering song as he walked up to the batter's box. After receiving instructions from Director Kataoka, he hit the ball.
Ogami stood still and looked at the Hokkaido Sakae catcher who was still talking to their ace on the pitcher's mound.
After several rounds of batting rotations, Hokkaido Sakae's Ace Club has almost learned about the pitch types and ball speeds. It is not difficult to analyze the Hokkaido Sakae catcher's next pitches.
Hokkaido Sakae's catcher trotted back from the pitcher's mound to behind the plate and squatted down again. Murasuke Daiki swung the bat, waiting for a hit.
"call out!"
The baseball flew off the pitcher's mound and headed straight for home plate. Daiki Murasuke waved the metal bat in his hand without hesitation.
"Whoa!"
"Bang!"
The baseball flying from the pitcher's mound flew over home plate and went into the pocket of the Hokkaido Sakae catcher behind the plate.
Daiki Murasuke, who stood on the batting box again, waved the bat in his hand, raised the bat and continued to wait for a hit.
"call out!"
The baseball flew from the pitcher's mound again, and Murasuke Daiki vigorously swung the metal bat in his hand.
"Whoa!"
The metal bat swept over home plate and collided with the baseball speeding from the pitcher's mound.
"Ping!"
After hitting the flying baseball, Murasuke Daiki dropped the bat in his hand and started running the bases.
Higashi Kiyokuni and Fujii Takashi, who were some distance away from first and second base, saw the baseball flying from the pitcher's mound being hit hard by Murasuke Omura, and started running towards second and third base.
“safe.“
As the second and third base trials were ruled, a burst of cheers came from Qingdao's side, happy that Qingdao had the bases loaded.
Unfortunately, Tetsu Yuki, who came in behind Murasuke Daiki, didn't play well either. He hit an infield bunt. In addition to allowing Takashi Fujii to return to home plate smoothly, he could only barely run to first base.
Kotaro Tojima, who came in next, hit an infield fly ball and was caught by Hokkaido Ei's shortstop.
"Three outs, exchange offense and defense."
At third base, Dong Qingguo raised his hand and took off his batting helmet, jogged back to Qingdao's dugout, picked up his ball cover and put on his ball cap, and returned to the field.
Iori Yagami was walking toward the arena a few steps in front of Dong Qingguo. Dong Qingguo followed quickly, patted Yagami Ye on the shoulder, and said loudly: "There is still the last half of the game, come on!"
"Let's work hard together, captain." Yagamiye responded to Dong Qingguo's encouragement.
After Yagami Yagami and Higashi Kiyokuni walked onto the field, one walked towards the pitcher's mound, while the other trotted towards first base.
Yagami picked up the baseball on the ground, wiped off the dirt on it, threw the baseball into the ball cover in his right hand, and raised his left hand to straighten the ball cap.
With only three outs to go, the game between Aomichi and Hokkaido Sakae is about to come to an end in the first round of the 78th High School Baseball Selection Tournament.