Chapter 414: Ouya Match – Innate Talent
"Whoosh!"
"Ping!"
"Bang!"
"Foul ball!"
As expected, this is tough...
Once again, he barely managed to send the outside fastball foul.
Standing in the batter's box, Ouya's second batter, Kamii, wore a strained expression.
Fastball after fastball—he could only just keep up. A single mistake, and he'd be out.
Kawakami's control was sharper than they had anticipated.
The tricky angles, the movement on his pitches, the weight behind each throw, and—worst of all—how every pitch targeted the hardest spots for batters to hit. He was proving to be far more difficult to handle than expected.
"This Seidou second-year relief pitcher..."
If this continues, he's going to—
"Whoosh!"
"Not good!!!"
A sharp glint flashed.
That streak of white came hurtling toward him.
Kamii froze for a split second, his expression shifting dramatically.
But there was no time to react.
The ball curved perfectly, tracing an elegant path across home plate.
In Kamii's stunned gaze—
"Pop!"
The ball landed neatly in Miyuki's glove with a crisp snap.
"STRIKE THREE! BATTER OUT!!"
"Damn it, a slider?! And placed that precisely?"
"No chance at all..."
Kamii gripped his bat tighter, then let out a wry chuckle. He had been completely dominated.
"Great pitch, Kawakami!"
"Hah! A called strikeout! Beautiful!"
"Keep up the pace!"
"Two outs! One more to go!"
Excited voices echoed from the dugout and stands. Players like Kuramochi and Maezono, as well as retired seniors like Sakai, all cheered with satisfaction.
Chris and Yuuki nodded slightly, their expressions unreadable but clearly approving.
Kawakami was in excellent form.
That was all they needed to know. Any worries about his condition had been unnecessary—he was executing flawlessly.
Out in left field, Eijun cast a glance toward the mound, a faint smile on his face.
"Nice pitch, Kawakami-senpai."
In the dugout, Coach Kataoka nodded, while Ochiai narrowed his eyes in satisfaction.
"A solid relief side-armer like this takes so much pressure off the ace."
More importantly, Kawakami was disciplined. He followed instructions.
A talented player who listened—exactly the kind of player Ochiai liked best.
"Third batter, catcher, Sumi-kun."
With two quick outs, it was now time for the next challenge.
Kawakami is really in full throttle today, giving the subsequent batters no chance at all. Unlike the second game against Nanamori High School where he seemed disinterested, he's fully engaged now.
The batters from Ouya High School are quite skilled.
At the very least, they can make Kawakami feel excited.
Miyuki fully understands Kawakami's current mood and effectively channels his emotions.
This makes the momentum of his pitching even more intense.
"Whoosh"
"Smack!"
"Strike, batter out, three outs, change of sides!"
Compared to the top of the inning where Wakabayashi struggled to handle the top three batters from Seido High School, Kawakami and Miyuki's coordination in the bottom of the inning to deal with Ouya High School's top three batters seemed much more effortless.
They didn't give Ouya any chance, quickly securing three outs.
Three outs, change of sides.
Kawakami's performance made Ouya High School realize one thing:
Kawakami, the second-year substitute sidearm pitcher from Seido, is not just about good control.
"Nice pitch, Kawakami, you're in good form today, keep it up," Miyuki said with a smile as they returned to the dugout.
"Hearing praise from you is quite unusual," Kawakami replied with a faint smile, joking for once.
"Haha."
Miyuki showed no sign of embarrassment. After all, he's Miyuki Kazuya, known for his thick skin.
A few words like that won't faze him.
In the third-base side dugout, Ouya High School's team was discussing.
"Although we expected it, it's still impressive. As expected of Seido. Their ace, the 'Diamond,' is one thing, and their same-year pitcher, Sawamura, is also exceptionally talented. Even their second-year sidearm pitcher is so reliable. Just one inning, and it's clear that it won't be easy to get past this pitcher," said the captain and cleanup hitter, Kasuga, shaking his head in amazement.
"Yeah, that pitcher's control is incredible. Every corner pitch is so precise, making it hard to swing," agreed the third batter, Sumi.
"That's what you call a prestigious school, right? We knew what we were getting into, and that's exactly why we need to crush them. Defeating them is the best way to prove our worth and our purpose!!!"
Wakabayashi Gou's slightly raised head and the determined look in his eyes.
This inspired all the players from Ouya High School.
Yes, isn't this why we aim to defeat these prestigious schools? What we've done before, we can do again. Seido is just one of them, definitely not the first, nor the last.
"Natural talent is something that can't be learned or given. Wakabayashi Gou possesses such potential, which allows him to grow continuously and inspire the team to grow with him. The ceiling for this team is far from being reached," Coach Araki said with a pleased smile as he looked at Wakabayashi's profile.
In his many years of coaching, Wakabayashi is one of the few pitchers who has truly impressed Coach Araki.
Coach Araki firmly believes that Wakabayashi's future will be even brighter and more powerful.
"Let's go, show these prestigious schools our determination!"
"Ooooooh!!!"
"Top of the second inning, Seido High School's attack, fourth batter, catcher, Miyuki-kun."
Our facilities may not compare, our practice time may not compare, and our natural talent may not compare, but our love for baseball and our determination to win will never lose to yours.
"Whoosh!"
The swinging arm.
The glint of light.
The ace of the metropolitan high school, Wakabayashi, the fleeting shadow of the ball, roars with the will of Ouya.
Starting with a splitter on the first pitch!?
"Whoosh"
The approaching ball, a white light dropping sharply.
In the batter's box.
Miyuki couldn't help but show a hint of surprise.
"Swish"
The swinging bat.
The electric spark dancing at the edge of the ball's trajectory.
"Ping!"
The ball shot out.
Bouncing off the ground.
In a flash.
It was caught cleanly by the shortstop, and in one fluid motion.
"Snap!"
"Out!!"
With just one pitch, the cleanup hitter was out, and the stadium erupted in cheers!!!
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