Chapter 415: The Pitcher's Duel in the Ouya Battle
The trajectory of that last pitch...
This pitcher's deviation value might be even higher than expected.
Getting out with just one pitch.
A flash of astonishment crossed Miyuki's face before he tightened his grip on the bat, took a deep look at Wakabayashi Gou, and walked off the field.
Miyuki knew full well that in that duel, while part of his hesitation stemmed from his internal considerations and caution toward the sidearm pitcher—holding back slightly to leave room for adjustment—it didn't change the fact that this pitcher's mastery of the splitter was already at an exceptional level for a high schooler.
Moreover, the angle and direction of that swing, combined with the defensive shift, demanded the utmost vigilance.
As Miyuki glanced toward the stands, Watanabe gave an almost imperceptible nod.
The data had hinted at something similar, but Seido had only grasped the signal of a rightward shift equating to an outside fastball.
The other defensive shifts corresponding to different pitches remained unknown. Still, this much was already of significant value to Seido High.
"Fifth batter, first baseman, Maezono-kun."
With a face as fierce as a demon and eyes as intimidating as a monster, Maezono Kenta, the powerhouse of Seido High and the fifth batter, stepped up with an imposing aura.
Miyuki's gaze flickered slightly.
The "gorilla" senior wore a rock-solid expression, giving a slight nod before striding confidently into the batter's box.
His menacing presence surged skyward, causing Sumi, the catcher, to raise an eyebrow involuntarily.
"Hmph, the big dumb gorilla of Seido," Wakabayashi muttered under his breath, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes.
While Wakabayashi outwardly dismissed Seido's other batters, he secretly held them in high regard.
However, for batters like Kuramochi and Maezono, his contempt was genuine. Their swings lacked any semblance of intelligence.
"A gorilla should just go back to its cage. That's the right choice!"
"Whoosh!"
With a ferocious expression, Wakabayashi unleashed a blazing pitch.
The ball shot toward the plate like a streak of light, its sharp trajectory seemingly unstoppable.
Maezono's eyes widened, his mouth splitting into a fierce grin as he took a powerful step forward, swinging his bat with full force.
"Boom!"
The air exploded with the force of his swing.
As Seido's powerhouse, Maezono's strength was even acknowledged by the likes of Isashiki Jun, the "shaggy dog" senior, who once admitted he couldn't match Maezono's raw power.
The sheer force of his swing created a palpable pressure that even Sumi behind the plate could feel, his face paling slightly.
"Swish!"
The white light of the ball flashed by.
In the next instant, the ball dipped sharply, perfectly evading Maezono's bat. His mighty swing met nothing but air.
"Snap!"
The crisp sound of the ball hitting the catcher's mitt echoed.
Maezono's fierce expression grew even more intense.
"Strike!!!"
Two batters in a row, and the first pitch was a splitter both times. Ouya High really knows us well.
In the dugout, Eijun's eyes flickered with a hint of unease.
In his mind, Eijun couldn't help but recall the scenes from the original story where Ouya High had held Seido scoreless for the first four innings. A cerebral, strategy-driven team, huh?
It really does seem quite interesting.
A slight grin crept onto Eijun's face, revealing his growing interest.
"Whoosh"
"Smack!"
Just as Seido High had anticipated, Ouya High truly lived up to their reputation as a cerebral, strategy-driven team.
For every player on Seido's roster, they had thoroughly researched their characteristics, personalities, habits, and any other available data. They had tailored defensive strategies for each batter, something rarely seen in high school baseball.
From the leadoff hitter Kuramochi, to Haruichi, Eijun, Miyuki, and now Maezono, Ouya High had a specific defensive plan for each of them.
For example, against Maezono, Wakabayashi's approach was to lure him into swinging at inside pitches for foul balls to build up the strike count, or to get him to hit a fly ball on an inside pitch for an easy out.
Then, they would finish him off with an outside fastball or a splitter, or even use a sidearm pitch to decide the outcome.
Everything went according to script.
On the third pitch, an inside high fastball.
Maezono, swinging with all his might, managed to pull the ball toward left field. Unfortunately, in his first at-bat, he still struggled to control his power and angle.
The ball reached the right area, but its speed and height were slightly off.
The left fielder easily caught it for the out.
"Snap"
"Out!!"
With back-to-back outs against Miyuki and Maezono, Wakabayashi's confidence soared. Facing the sixth batter, Shirasu, he grew even more aggressive, striking him out in just three pitches.
Two consecutive innings of three-up, three-down performances.
Even the majority of the spectators in the stands began to take notice of Ouya High's ace.
Even though it was only the first round through the lineup, Wakabayashi's performance was already outstanding.
"Three outs, change of sides!"
"Nice pitch, Gou!"
"Great job, Wakabayashi!"
"Perfect pitching, shutting down the heart of the lineup with no hits. That's our ace for you."
"Gou, you're looking sharp!"
The game has only just begun, you darn prestigious school. This time, I won't let you have your way.
Wakabayashi slightly tilted his cap, his gaze turning toward Seido's dugout.
The sharp glint in his eyes revealed the determination burning within Ouya High's ace.
Wakabayashi's dominant performance led the team, but Kawakami was not to be outdone.
Two pitchers, both excelling in control as their primary weapon, found their rhythm early in the game, making it difficult for either team's batting lineup to break through the opposing defense.
On Ouya High's side, they had prepared extensively for Eijun as the starting pitcher, leaving them somewhat underprepared for Kawakami's unexpected start.
On Seido High's side, they were busy finalizing the intelligence gathered by senior Watanabe, confirming the details of their strategy.
As a result, the early stages of the game saw both teams locked in a stalemate.
Bottom of the second inning, Ouya High's attack.
Starting with their cleanup hitter, Kawakami and Miyuki were determined not to give them any openings.
With his precise control and a decisive slider, Kawakami made it nearly impossible for the batters to make solid contact.
After getting two strikes, the cleanup hitter, Kasuga, had no choice but to swing at a slider.
However, he mistimed his swing.
A swing and a miss, resulting in a strikeout.
The following batters, Yamazato and Kato, also failed to break through Kawakami and Miyuki's first line of defense.
Both pitchers excelled in their roles, effectively suppressing the opposing lineup.
The inning ended scoreless.
The third inning followed a similar pattern.
On Seido's side, Kanemaru managed to make contact with Wakabayashi's fastball, pulling it into the outfield.
Unfortunately, the distance wasn't enough.
The ball landed right in front of the center fielder, who made the catch for the out.
Tojou and Kawakami were both struck out, ending Seido's half of the inning.
Meanwhile, Kawakami faced a slight hiccup as Ouya High's batters seized a small opportunity.
However, the subsequent batters were effectively shut down.
By the end of the third inning, neither Kawakami nor Wakabayashi had allowed the other team to score.
The game remained tied at zero, entering the middle stages with both pitchers in firm control.
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