Chapter 246: Resolve
"Ah! Yosha!" Just a second or two after Coach Kataoka told everyone to swing without hesitation, Sawamura missed the ball right in front of him. His swing, however, was full of determination.
"One millimeter! Did the bat drop by one millimeter?" After the swing, Sawamura yelled, holding the bat.
"He... at least he swung with full force!" Ota commented, his voice full of exasperation.
"Yeah..." Coach Kataoka murmured, also showing a sense of helplessness.
It was like a live performance of a slap in the face!
"Ping!"
Just as Sawamura was still lost in his thoughts, the batter beside him, Furuya, had already made solid contact with the ball.
Pitchers usually have good ball sense, and with Furuya's explosive power, he could easily match the speed of the fastball.
"Oh! Furuya!"
"Just as expected, his hitting is also impressive!" The nearby OBs (former players) commented with admiration.
But Furuya had a displeased expression.
Sawamura stared blankly at Furuya, then noticed that even behind him, Haruichi was hitting well.
"Haruichi! Tch! You jerk!" Sawamura couldn't help but feel upset when he saw this.
"Sawamura! Bunt!" Just as Sawamura was about to show off his hitting skills, Miyuki, with a strange look on his face, placed the bat on his shoulder and called out.
"Huh?" Sawamura instinctively reacted to the voice.
"Bang!"
"Ding!"
The ball was perfectly deflected, rolling smoothly down the third-base line!
"Nice!"
"That was a perfect deflection! Such a great job at killing the speed of the ball!"
"This is a 150-kilometer fastball! How could a bunt be that good?!"
The senior players on the bench were amazed. Sawamura stood up, mimicking Miyuki's nose-snorting action.
"Is this for real?"
"Is there any short bunt this kid can't handle?"
"Oh no! I'm starting to think he's actually impressive!"
That thought really wasn't good! Sawamura being impressive—hahaha!
"It's because he's not afraid of the ball!" Kawakami said, explaining with envy.
"Is that really the issue?" Shirasu responded with a tone that clearly said, "Don't think you can fool me just because I'm not well-read!"
"Wow, he's amazing! A short bunt expert!"
Tanba, holding the bat, was deeply moved.
When Miyuki shouted "Bunt," Sendo had started watching closely from the sidelines.
He wasn't too good at bunting himself, mainly because he didn't have the time to practice, or even if he did, he just didn't want to.
"Why not just use bunting for all the at-bats?" Jun said with a laugh.
"Wh... what?!" Sawamura replied, still unable to believe it, though using polite language.
"Hahahaha!" The people around him were already laughing hysterically.
Miyuki had long since been clutching his stomach, and if you exaggerated a little, his actions could be described as rolling on the ground with laughter.
...
Even the spectators nearby couldn't help but laugh.
"Damn it! I was just about to show everyone my true form...!"
"That's enough! You just need to practice bunting!" Coach Kataoka interrupted Sawamura, who was about to try again.
"General...!" His nickname changed again!
"We'll have defense practice in the afternoon, gather at one o'clock after lunch!" Coach Kataoka wrapped up the morning practice session.
"Alright!"
"Good luck!"
"We'll be cheering for you tomorrow!" The spectators cheered for the players before heading off to rest.
"Kawakami! Sawamura! Let's watch some information on Inashiro during lunch!" Senior Tanba, along with Senior Miyuki, took charge, bringing the whole pitching team together.
"Ha! It's luing!" Sawamura saluted in response.
"I really don't want to comment on you anymore!" Koharu had completely given up on trying to fix Sawamura.
"With Senior Tanba leading the pitching team, it feels a bit easier for us!" Miyuki said to Senior Chris.
"Ah! This team has managed to win all the way through thanks to the four pitchers. The person who understands this best is that guy!"
"Senior Chris!... And you too!"
"What do you mean by 'you'? You should call me 'senior'!" Miyuki shouted.
"Can I take up a bit of your time tonight? I want to confirm... hmm... your stance!"
"I have no problem, my job is to support you guys!" Senior Chris immediately agreed.
"But I want Senior Chris to keep it a secret!"
"Is it a special training secret? Alright."
"Thank you so much!"
"Such politeness! Except when it comes to me!" Miyuki sarcastically remarked to Sendo.
This sarcastic remark had already been made to Sawamura before, and whether it was that time or this time, it was completely useless when directed at these two guys from Nagano.
...
"Indeed, we need to pay special attention to the top of their lineup!" After lunch, the pitchers and catchers gathered for a meeting, with Chris speaking first.
"They'll try to disrupt us with speed too! After all, their leadoff hitter has speed that rivals Kuramochi's, and their on-base percentage is even higher!"
"The second batter, whether it's for a pinch runner or a bunt, can switch between various tactics at will. He's quite tricky as well." Tanba agreed.
"Of course, we must also be cautious of their powerful middle lineup!"
"The scariest thing about Inashiro's batting order is their obsession with winning!"
"Obsession with winning?" Sawamura didn't quite understand what Chris was referring to.
"Ah! In last year's game against Inashiro, the game was decided by the fourth batter's forced run!" Chris explained.
"The fourth batter?" Both pitchers were surprised.
"Isn't that obvious? If you want to win, who cares what batter it is? If you're not confident you can hit, then scoring is the most important thing!" Sendo, who had snuck into the pitchers' meeting, said.
"Exactly! To secure that one run, they have the fourth batter go for a forced run! These strong-willed players will seize every opportunity and attack as a united front!" Chris added.
"Hey, hey! Is that why you refused to practice various tactics?" Miyuki joked after Chris finished speaking.
"How could that be? But bunting really does affect the image!"
"Hey!" Miyuki wasn't sure if Sendo was serious or joking, so he could only make a sarcastic remark.
"This means they know exactly how to play a game they absolutely cannot afford to lose!" After the sarcastic remark, Miyuki explained to the two pitchers, since they were a bit slow on the uptake.
The two pitchers nodded, signaling they understood.
"Anyway, we can't throw meaningless four balls!"
"This afternoon, we'll check each of your pitches in the bullpen!" Four balls can't be completely avoided, so they need to focus on strengthening their training.
"Got it!" Sawamura responded.
"Ha! Hoo!" After the meeting ended, Sawamura let out a deep breath.
"What's wrong, Sawamura?" It was obvious that he had something to say.
"Four balls are, of course, an issue, but right now, my pitches are getting hit into the outfield!"
"Just like you said, in yesterday's game, they were hit out there too. Although with everyone's help, it didn't result in a hit! But this can't continue like this."
"What's the matter? Are you scared again?" Although Miyuki knew Sawamura had something to say, he couldn't resist teasing him a little.
"I'm not scared!!"
"Don't say 'again'!!"
"I know the game is tomorrow, and I know it might be embarrassing, but can I say it?"
...
"I... want to learn a curveball!"
Both Miyuki and Chris were taken aback for a moment...
"Alright! Let's get started with the afternoon practice!"
"True, true! Sendo! There's no one around now, so I can help you check your stance!"
They quickly found an excuse and slipped away.
"So that's what's going on..." Sendo muttered quietly.
"Please wait..." Sawamura extended his hand, trying to stop them.
However, Sendo had no time to comfort Sawamura. He had to make use of the time he had.
...
In the empty indoor practice field, three users arrived.
"The afternoon practice is about to begin, so let's make the most of our time!" Chris said as they entered.
"Hey!... Shady Glasses, you head to the pitcher's area!"
After respectfully agreeing to Chris, Sendo spoke to Miyuki.
"This attitude is too much of a difference! You jerk!"
But since Sendo ignored him, Miyuki had no choice but to follow the instructions and head to the indoor pitching area while Sendo walked to the batting area.
"You're going to pitch for a bit!" Sendo said to Miyuki, holding a bat in front of him.
"Huh? What the heck are you playing at?" Miyuki asked.
"Don't worry about it! Just pitch!"
At that moment, the net behind the home plate was already set up!
"Here it comes! (Next!) Throw it with full power, just like a catcher's pitch!" Sendo tossed a ball toward Miyuki.
"Hey! This is an indoor field! Are you trying to put a hole in the ceiling?"
Miyuki didn't think that Sendo could hit his pitch, and with Sendo's batting ability, this wasn't practice, it was more like demolishing a house.
"Don't worry! What you're imagining won't happen!"
"Oh!" Miyuki found this statement believable.
No matter how reckless Sendo was, he wouldn't make a pointless joke like that.
"Let's start then! Swing with full power! Don't avoid it!" Sendo urged.
"Whoosh!"
"Thud!"
Miyuki's full-powered pitch landed perfectly in the net, with a straight trajectory.
"What the hell are you trying to do?" Miyuki looked at Sendo, who was completely still, somewhat speechless.
But then he realized that while Sendo wasn't moving, he was still observing closely, as if deep in thought. At that moment, Sendo even closed his eyes.
"I see! That's how he moves! ...Hmm, I've got it!" Sendo muttered to himself.
"No, you don't!" If Sendo's body had consciousness, it would definitely want to say this, but in situations like this, Sendo would actually...
"Come on!"
"Have you decided how you're going to act? Well, I'm about to pitch!" Miyuki said.
"Yeah!" Sendo replied.
"..." At that moment, Chris suddenly had a flash of inspiration.
"Could it be...! This guy wants to practice...!"
"Whoosh!" Miyuki's pitch interrupted Chris's train of thought.
However, the next move by Sendo confirmed his suspicions.
"Clink!"
"A bunt... a bunt?" It wasn't just Chris who was shocked.
Miyuki was also stunned when he saw what Sendo was doing.
And that bunt stance looked so much like Sawamura's!
But the first pitch came out of nowhere, and Sendo's bunt flew.
The stance was impressive, but the result was a failure...
"Too bad! It's a catcher's fly ball!" Sendo said with a frustrated expression.
Both of the other two were still processing the shock in their minds.
Sendo actually wanted to practice bunting?
Though he was doing it in such a covert manner.
"Hey! Didn't you say you wanted me to accompany you...?"
"Yeah! What else could there be? Or... could it be?" In the end, Sendo pretended to be surprised and crossed his arms, almost looking down at Miyuki like he was trash!
"Hey!" Even though Miyuki knew Sendo was joking, he still felt uncomfortable and instinctively wanted to tell him, "I'm not gay…"
"Haha! Sendo! What made you think of practicing bunting? When did this start?"
"I just wanted to expand my arsenal and distract that white-haired guy and Inashiro's defense! They're all on guard for my long hits, so if I suddenly use a bunt, even if it's just a foul ball, I think they'll consider bringing the infield in to prevent me from reaching base. That way, there will be more chances to get a hit! But this is harder than I thought. Without actual practice, I definitely wouldn't have used it in tomorrow's game! Looks like it was the right call! I mimicked Eijun's bunt, but it still had some issues! Hahaha! As for the timing... well, it was just the day before yesterday!"
"The night before the Sensen battle? I hadn't realized that Sendo had already made such a big decision. Though, he's probably more concerned about his own rivalry with Narumiya!" Chris thought to himself.
"I see! Time is limited, let's make the most of it! After all, we'll have to gather soon!" Chris had no objections to Sendo's actions.
If Sendo, with his incredible speed, became proficient in bunting, it would be a huge advantage for his hitting.
The opponents would have to constantly consider the possibility of Sendo using a bunt to get a safe hit.
This would force their infield defense into a dilemma, compressing the already limited coverage area, increasing the chances for Sendo to get a hit.
It's like the relationship between a fastball and a changeup—you need to defend against his long hits while considering his potential short game. Also, with the infield coming in, the middle ground between the infield and outfield will inevitably create defensive gaps.
The stronger the batter's hitting ability, the more invincible this strategy becomes.
Kuramochi can move infield to prevent a bunt, but once Kuramochi's hitting ability improves in his third year, it becomes difficult for the opponent to judge whether to bring the infield in or not.
If they bring the infield in, they risk being targeted and hitting a double or more into the gap. If they don't bring it in, it allows for a safe bunt and the batter gets on base.
"This also shows that Sendo understands how hard it is to get a hit off Narumiya," Chris commented, feeling proud of Sendo's awareness and dedication.
"So, you want to practice the bunt so that it doesn't become a fly out, right?" Miyuki asked.
"Even if I can consistently hit foul balls, that would be fine. If I can execute it well, even better! But I must keep this secret from others!" Sendo emphasized.
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