"You've really figured us out well," Takigawa Chris said. "We shouldn't have forced that attack earlier. We should've let that first pitch go."
"Second batter, second baseman, Kominato," the announcer called.
Kominato Ryosuke stepped into the box, a sly grin forming on his face.
"Your defense is impressive. I've traveled all the way from Kanagawa to Tokyo, and you're from Taiwan—I have to admire that. But don't get too comfortable. I might make you suffer a bit," he said.
You Shunshin didn't hesitate. He threw the first pitch.
"Strike!"
Clang!
"Ball!"
Clang!
"Ball!"
Seven pitches in, and Kominato had already managed to hit every pitch out of bounds—or just missed them altogether. Only clear bad balls were left unchallenged.
Seidou's supporters cheered Kominato's performance.
"Great! Seven balls already traded!"
"With Ryosuke's tenacity, the pitcher's stamina is bound to be tested!"
"Keep it up, Ryosuke!"
On the mound, You Shunshin observed carefully. Hmph. Not only does this team have pitchers who don't hold back, they've got technically skilled hitters too, he thought.
Deciding he wouldn't linger in a stalemate, You Shunshin signaled to his catcher.
After confirming the code, he threw.
"Strike!"
Snap!
Ryosuke froze. He knew this pitch was just shy of the strike zone, so he held back.
The umpire at home plate watched, impressed. This pitcher… he's been placing the ball perfectly wherever the catcher sets his glove. And now he's moving the glove slightly toward the zone… is he planning to trap the batter into a strike? He's still in high school!
Another pitch followed.
"Strike!"
Ryosuke judged it short and held back again, expecting a walk.
But then the umpire's voice rang out.
"Strike! Batter's out!"
Kominato stared, incredulous.
"Is that… allowed?"
"It's fine," the umpire said.
Though frustrated, Kominato didn't argue and walked back to the dugout.
"My brother… he got struck out," said Kominato Haruichi, astonished.
No matter how he sets his glove, he can still make the pitch count. Even the umpire is affected by him. This… this is precision engineering, Miyuki Kazuya thought, secretly applauding You Shunshin's mastery.
"Third batter, center fielder, Jun Isashiki," the announcer continued.
No corner or edge for me to exploit, Jun Isashiki thought, frowning.
But You Shunshin didn't waver. He delivered a pitch on the outer edge.
"Here goes!" Isashiki roared, swinging with all his might.
Clang!
The ball arched into right field. Shiratori couldn't reach it.
"Don't underestimate me, bastard!" Isashiki shouted as he raced along the bases.
You Shunshin's eyes widened. His swing posture is completely off… yet he can still hit with power!
A perfect single to right. Two outs, runner on second.
Next up was Seidou's captain and cleanup hitter, Tetsuya Yuki.
We cannot underestimate him. How should I approach this? You Shunshin's catcher, Sekiguchi, signaled via code.
"We'll take him on. If we can strike him out here, the momentum swings completely to our side," You Shunshin thought.
He studied the batter: unwavering eyes, calm stance, and confident posture. This wasn't an ordinary opponent. But if they could remove him now, everything would tilt in their favor.
The strategy was simple: start with the outside corner, then challenge the inside.
He took a breath and threw.
"Strike!"
Snap!
The ball landed on the outer corner, just shy of the strike zone. Tetsuya Yuki didn't swing.
Seeing it develop as planned, You Shunshin followed up with another pitch.
"Strike!"
This one dipped low on the outside corner.
Yuki didn't hesitate this time. He swung with full force.
Clang!
The ball shot toward left field.
He actually hit it! You Shunshin's mind jolted. Even when being pushed around, he still reached the outfield…
Isashiki Jun started shouting, "Pass it back to Kyoto!"
Takada rushed toward the ball's landing spot, calculating the trajectory. If it's the same spot as before… I must block it.
Before he could finish, he stumbled, falling face-first—but perfectly into the glove she held.
Wow! A miraculous slide catch!
"It… it's in my glove!" Takada gasped, tears welling up.
"Haha! Don't cry, Takada. You did amazing!"
Akikawa's players rushed over to celebrate him spectacular catch.
Though You Shunshin's plan didn't go perfectly, the outcome was the same: momentum now fully favored Akikawa Academy.
The first inning ended with Akikawa leading Seidou 2–0.
The second inning was quieter. Furuya Satoru, gradually regaining form under Miyuki Kazuya's guidance, retired Akikawa's seventh, eighth, and ninth batters with minimal difficulty.
Meanwhile, You Shunshin, still in top form, stymied Seidou's hitters. Although Miyuki Kazuya managed a single, You Shunshin prevented any further damage, keeping Seidou scoreless.
The second inning concluded without any change to the score.