31 A starter you didn't expect

It's been half a month since he joined the 1st String. You could say that Shigeno Shin can keep up with the intensity of the 1st String's training. Of course, Shigeno Shin knows very well that this isn't the 1st String's real highest-intensity training. In the manga/anime, summer training and winter training are the real training sessions of hellish intensity, while the current ones can be considered average.

What Shigeno Shin needs to do at this stage is continue to fill out and polish his foundations more solidly, so that he can become an indispensable force in the team more quickly, so that he has the opportunity to play and prove his abilities and worth.

Shigeno Shin initially thought that he had just entered the 1st String and that it would be some time before he got the chance. However, he didn't expect Coach Kataoka to sometimes act out of common sense.

Making some decisions that would surprise most people.

Tomorrow, Friday, April 11, Seidou High School will face its second opponent in the spring competition, and the name of this opponent is also that of a school with which Shigeno Shin is slightly familiar.

Nanamori High School, the opponent that Seido High School met in the second round of the fall tournament in the manga/anime, was also a key event for protagonist Sawamura Eijun to overcome his Yips of not being able to make a pitch on the inside corner. In the manga/anime, Nanamori High was completely crushed by Seidou High School. Sawamura Eijun went hitless in five innings, Seidou High School gained a huge lead of more than ten runs, ended the game in the top of the fifth inning, and successfully advanced to the top 16 of the fall competition.

Shigeno Shin still had some impression of this school. After all, it was the key battle for protagonist Sawamura Eijun to return to the ace starting line.

Sitting at the bottom end of the table, Shigeno Shin narrowed his eyes slightly, flashed a smile, and whispered in his heart.

"I didn't expect us to meet at the spring tournament. It is fate..."

Although it was only a game against a team that wasn't very strong and could even be said to be relatively weak, Seidou Secondary School held a pre-match meeting with great care.

Tactical arrangements for the game.

There's also the question of selecting the starters.

Coach Kataoka is meticulous in his preparations.

However, at the end of today's meeting, coach Kataoka chose the starting pitcher that surprised most people.

Coach Kataoka stood up solemnly and looked at Shigeno Shin, who was sitting behind Chris-senpai and spoke softly.

"Finally, tomorrow's starting pitcher will be you, Shigeno."

Shigeno Shin was stunned for a short time.

(ha? Start? tomorrow?

Was it so sudden?).

Shigeno Shin even felt like he was hearing hallucinations. Logically speaking, he had just joined the first team, shouldn't he just be a reserve and accumulate experience? Even if the Spring Tournament is suitable for training, they'll opt to get a big head start on the game before letting the freshmen play, right?

Although Nanamori High School is only a team ranked at the bottom of the table, but coach, is it appropriate that you so deliberately choose a freshman who just joined the club less than a month ago to start in the group stage of the Spring Tournament?

The senpai around.

Except for Chris, who already knew the layout of the Coach, most people looked at Shigeno Shin, who was sitting in the back, with a surprised expression.

Particularly Inoue-senpai and Tanba-senpai.

Initially, I thought that my kouhai would have to walk a bit more if he wanted to catch them, but today I discovered that this kouhai is ready to play.

Regardless of coach Kataoka's objective in placing Shigeno Shin in the starting line-up.

What is certain, at least, is that Coach Kataoka recognized Shigeno Shin's strength before letting him climb the mound. Otherwise, Shigeno Shin would have been tempered for a period.

Ace is not the same as the starter.

Being a starter doesn't mean being an ace.

But at a baseball game.

Especially in high school games, the significance of the starting pitcher's existence is still different. Strictly speaking, whether it's a starting pitcher, a reliever, or a closer, how important are they to a team? It's all the same.

But for the players.

The meaning is completely different.

There's no need to say anymore.

A single sentence can express this.

Only the starting pitcher has the chance to complete the game!!!

From this point of view alone, for every pitcher, the importance of starting is fully reflected.

At least in the Japanese high school competition.

The meaning of being the starter has a different value, which is why Shigeno Shin was stunned.

"Shigeno?"

It seemed that he was a little dissatisfied with Shigeno Shin's hesitation.

Coach Kataoka's slightly raised voice and his slightly colder eyes made Shigeno Shin shiver instantly. He quickly regained his senses and replied loudly, "Yes, Coach!!!"

"Hm."

Coach Kataoka nodded slightly.

"Our opponents aren't a strong team. We just need to put in a normal performance to win. However, when we manage to score more runs, show no mercy. Understand?"

"yes!!"

Azuma Kiyokuni, Yūki Tetsuya, Isashiki Jun, and others immediately responded loudly.

"That's it, let's end the meeting."

After finishing the final remarks.

Coach Kataoka took the lead and left.

Minister Oota and Takashima Rei followed closely behind.

After Coach Kataoka and the others had left, Azuma Kiyokuni, who was sitting in the front, approached with a big smile, patted Shigeno Shin hard on the shoulder, and said gruffly, "I didn't expect a brat like you to be able to do this. You started the second game. It looks like the coach appreciates you. Have a good rest tonight and don't mess up tomorrow, brat."

Azuma Kiyokuni's vigorous clapping.

Shigeno sShin smiled immediately. Even after a period of experience on the first rope, his body was still unable to withstand the blows to Azuma Kiyokuni's shoulders. Or, rather, there weren't many people in the whole team who could take it. Come on, Shigeno Shin finally realized who Isashiki-senpai learned his moves from. This is exactly what he inherited from Azuma-senpai.

Just like in the manga/anime.

Maezono Kenta admires Isashiki Jun, and Isashiki Jun makes it clear that he also admires Azuma Kiyokuni.

Maybe this is the lineage of Seidou High School, somehow?

Shigeno Shin secretly thought in his heart.

"Yes, Azuma-Senpai, I'm going to try very hard!"

Shigeno Shin immediately replied loudly.

"Haha, don't let the team collapse at the start of the game tomorrow, lose too many runs, and get thrown off the pitcher's mound by the Coach, Shigeno."

Isashiki-senpai was always so frank and said everything that came into his head, so much so that Shigeno Shin didn't even know what to say.

"Come on."

The future captain, Yūki Tetsuya, also looked at Shigeno Shin with a look of encouragement and said this concisely.

"yes!"

The preview of summer, the fierce battle of spring.

I thought it would be a while before I got the chance.

Now, finally, it's happened to Shigeno Shin.

This opportunity!

I have to hold it firmly in my hand.

This is the sincerest ambition from the depths of Shigeno Shin's heart!

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A/N: I posted and ran