7 upperclassmen vs first years part 2
Bottom of 4 inning, two outs and no one on the base and it was 6th hole time which was Masuko-senpai
Sawamura and Catcher were on the mound discussing
"Masuko-senpai is every good batter but especially he too good in hitting a straight fastball"
Sawamura said
"Then what calls should I call"
Catcher asked
"I will throw a changeup as a decoy."
Sawamura replied
"What! You have an offspeed pitch??"
"well it will be first time I will be throwing it s-"
"What are you crazy to throw it h-"
"Listen to me I will only throw it if the situation calls for it"
Sawamura said
"Fine"
Catcher with tired face went behind the Home plate and took the stance
Kuramochi:
"Nya ha ha sweet roommates face-off!!, how masuko-san's record so far?"
Miyuki:
"He has been in great shape and he's definitely motivated to get back up to first string!." said and continued
"This will be the real test, Masuko-senpai
Might have figured out something about sawamura, this is sort of match up that will really show his actual skills"
On the field
"I'm definitely going to be back on the varsity squad. So don't go easy on me!!"
Masuko loudly said seriously
"Well I never thought going easy on you!!"
Sawamura replied with same way with smile
Catcher signalled the pitch for out and low
But I shook off my head
"Then this"
"No"
"Then this one"
"No"
" Do you seriously want to go high and inside seriously!??"
"Yes!"
I nodded my head
Sawamura started doing his windup and he swung the arm strongly, the ball went straight like a line towards the strike zone
Voom~
Masuko " huh"
He got stunned seeing where ball was heading he took a step back and
Thwack~
Sound of ball hitting the mitt sounded
"Ball!"
Sawamura "huh"
"Ball 2"
Next pitch was out and low but it was called a ball
Sawamura said with a troubled face
"Now I'm totally sure"
"Well what happened? Did the pressure get on the pitcher?"
"I don't think it's about pitcher look at him he's not nervous at all but Catcher is looking quite stiff"
"Yes your right"
People's on stand were talking
"It seems in presence of Masuko, the pressure got on first year catcher"
Tetsu said
"Yes, his making unnecessary movements and with the two pitches sawamura thrown were sharp at the edge of the corner even little movement can make it seems as outside the plate pitch from umpire side and this Coach kataoka knows and want to see what sawamura does in this situation, will he overcome it or he will fail"
Miyuki said and continued
"And if pitcher is smart enough to figure out that Catcher is making mistakes than pressure on pitcher will be higher"
On the field
Well I can't blame the catcher here after all he just first year the pressure from an experienced batter is different then anything he felt in middle school
Sawamura thought and glanced at the fielders
It seem they are also little bit stiff, men if I throw my improved forkball here I would come out of this pinch easily but will Catcher really able to catch it I won't risk it, if it fails it will make this situation more dire,
Well I wish I had practised some breaking balls..but no there's no time to regret I made my batting foundation quite solid now in high school I can focus on pitching, after all my goal is still far beyond!.
I didn't want to throw a changeup here without any proper practice, but. Sawamura thought deeply and signalled at Catcher
Catcher "What yo-"
Sawamura glared seriously at Catcher and made him quiet.
He held the ball with a straight changeup grip.
As long as I throw in strike zone then it's enough for now
Started the windup
"In manga when that coach who advised sawamura to how to throw changeup"
"Shift my weight onto my front leg and swing my arm aggressively"
Woosh~
Ball was heading towards inside corner right down the middle
Masuko swung the bat hardly but masuko eyes got widened in shock when he saw ball was coming slowly and had little movement
Bang~
Ball hitting the mitt sounded
Masuko swing and missed widely
"Strike!"
"Hoooo"
"Wh-what was that a changeup"
"Yes that was Change up"
" Men, this first year pitcher can throw a changeup!"
People on stand were talking in craze
On the field
First years previous mood was already gone and now added with cheers
Masuko and others upperclassman had troubled face but they quickly recovered because it might be a fluke since he only pitched it was only once
Catcher signalled
"Which pitch now?"
Sawamura
"Changeup again"
Right now he still isn't distracted little bit from changeup in Masuko mind it might be just fluke, so it's better to throw a changeup here foul or strike either are acceptable
Catcher nodded seriously
"Huh it's seems he recovered little confidence than before well good for me"
Sawamura thought with a smile
Earlier changeup was a fluke I didn't aim inside position, I threw right down the middle, I guess my hand got tensed up that moment but it was beautiful fluke changeup
Well it won't happen for the second one.
Sawamura started winding up and swung his arm aggressively
The ball went straight down the middle.
Masuko just thought it was a meatball straight down the middle he swing the bat aggressively
Wooshh~
Bang~
The ball went into catcher mitt straight at middle of the strike zone
Masuko swing and missed again
"Strike 2!"
"Wooo"
"Again again change up but this time right down the middle"
"Masuko swing and missed two times"
Stand was getting heated up
Kuramochi said with sup
"Changeup again!?"
"Masuko underestimated the pitcher! "
Tetsu said with a smile while fighting spirit flowing out of him
"Well first changeup that went into the right corner, anyone will think it was fluke, but he throwed second changeup without hesitation right down the middle, let's see what he throws next?"
Miyuki said with a grin on his face
On the field
Masuko and upperclassmen had solemn faces and they no longer underestimated sawamura.
Masuko right now seriously faced sawamura
Sawamura who was shaking his head for the pitch finally nodded.
Catcher was surprised but soon recovered from the last 2 innings he's been catching for sawamura, right now he trusts sawamura.
" Right now Masuko-senpai won't underestimate me, that's why he won't put out the change up from the mind and that will create even a distraction right now to finish this inning, if I throw any sloppy and without enough speed then it might go outside the field!. So right now I have to throw my best 4 seam fastball of the day!ahh"
Sawamura thought in his heart
Sawamura started winding up and swinged his arm strongly, the ball shoot forth
Wooshh~
Masuko who saw where the ball was heading to, Swing his bat aggressively without hesitation
Bangg~
Ball went through the slight space below the bat made due to Swinging a little bit early with a thin gap between the ball and bat in motion, ball sailed into the mitt and sound of ball hitting the mitt sounded around.
There was silence for few seconds then
"Strike! Batter out! Change!"
Coach kataoka announced loudly
And smiled a little bit but no one was able to see it due to umpire gear.
"Woooo"
"He striked out masuko swing and miss in a row"
" And that was low and inside pitch was sharp and more faster than previous pitches"
People on stand
"Hahaha that guy went and pitched inside and that also against masuko-san!"
Miyuki was enjoying himself
"That was aggressive pitching, while he made me remember of someone's aggressive pitch calling"
Big brother of haruichi, Kominato ryousuke told while smiling innocently with his eye closed
Miyuki got chills in his back after hearing and seeing ryousuke.
" What a guy, he seen masuko-san hitting Home Runs earlier from inside pitches but he still threw there"
Kuramochi said
should I be happy that my roommate kohai strike out or sad for roommate senpai whose been strikeout
Kuramochi thought with troubled look
"What a gutsy guy"
Jun said
Tetsu, who was standing with a smile , was overflowing with fighting spirit after seeing Sawamura strikeout Masuko.
Miyuki who saw all this reactions said
"Hm that last pitch was sharp and it seems it was his best fastball he threw today but what is surprising here was total offensive pitch calling but instead of Catcher here, pitcher was leading the Catcher!"
Miyuki said with a smile while being impressed by sawamura's pitching and leading
Tetsu who was quiet this all time finally spoke
"He has potential as a pitcher and ace!"
"Don't forget about his batting!"
ryousuke said with a smile
"What do you think about him,Miyuki?"
"Well he has quite solid foundation of pitching and batting then any pitcher I have seen in first years and he's got the characteristics of an ace pitcher"
Miyuki said and continued
"but it depends on how he grows from here on!"
Bottom of the 4th inning was over and the top of the 5th inning started.
Tanba has if motivating his team after last inning , went three up and three down finishing the top of 5 inning quickly
In the bottom of the 5th inning Sawamura went to the mound. It was quite a shaky one performance for the first time in this game due to stamina and he was sweating a lot. After all, he was going all out.
Two base were loaded and zero outs but even after that he pitched strongly getting into the rhythm, taking two outs in a row with only 2 pitches, #9 batter popped the ball towards the third base and #1 batter popped the ball up towards the mound sawamura caught the ball easily and the #2 batter was strikeout with ins and outs
Pitches.
[First years: 0. 0. 0. 5. 0. ]
[ Seniors: 12. 9. 0. 0. 0. ]
In the top of 6th inning first to bat was sawamura.
This time battery took sawamura seriously
Pitch count of 2 ball, two strikes and 3 foul balls total of 7 pitches were thrown and 8th pitch incoming.
But unfortunately like a bullet sawamura made the ball go through between the first and second basemen and ball kept on going, when outfield who finally got the ball saw that sawamura was already almost reached second base
Next batter was haruichi, well he didn't disappoint he perfectly hit the ball over basemens when it dropped between outfielder and basemen sawamura ran through third base and reached home plate at the same time ball came into the Catcher mitt but I was the final winner and haruichi had reached second basemen.
Remaining batters used sacrifice bunts to advance haruichi to home plate and they successfully completed and brought haruichi home adding two more points for first years. Last batter was strikeout by tanba and with that 6th inning was closed
In bottom of 6th inning Sawamura was pitching on low stamina, on the #3 batter he throwed 7 pitch before strike him out,
#4 he threw the Changeup but it ended up been meatball right down the middle and third year didn't let it slide and hit it between basemen and reached 2 base, #5 batter he got strikeout swinging with three changeups in a row, and once again #6 batter Masuko-senpai turn came.
This duel between sawamura and Masuko-senpai became quite intense whil being on 8th pitch thrown to Masuko-senpai this abat, at the 9th pitch sawamura threw a good changeup even while he almost out of stamina but unfortunately Masuko-senpai hit the ball in front the outfielder, runner on second base advanced to 3 base but runner wasn't able to advance further to home Masuko-senpai reached the first base.
After having been hit off him clearly sawamura took the next batter out with sheer willpower even with shaky ball control and ended the top of 6th inning
Bang~
"Strike! Batter out! Change sides"
"Huff puff ahh yossh!"
Sawamura was sweating and breathing quite heavily anyone would see from this he was out of stamina.
Coach kataoka who looked at sawamura in the mound thought with a smile
"He was already running low on stamina from 5 inning still he didn't let them score a run, and shut them down with the sheer willpower and pitching, well it's time to change the pitchers then"
"We are changing pitchers, pitcher change kaneda come on the mound"
Coach kataoka announced loudly
Sawamura: "Huh"
" I have seen what I wanted, and sawamura eijun you first will join the second string!"
Coach kataoka said seriously loudly
"Yes coach!"
Everyone was surprised with sudden promotion but quickly recovered.
"Well I thought he might be promoted to first string"
"Yah me too but it's in second string"
"I don't think supervisor kotaoka will keep him in second string for much time" "well it might be for gaining stamina?"
"Yes it can be"
People on stand talked to each others
"The coach said you FIRST will join right"
Kuramochi said with suprised face
"Yes it's coach way to say before first string you will join second string"
Ryousuke said with a smile
" I guess coach want him to gain stamina and develop somethings before summer"
Miyuki said with interested face
"It's without the doubt that his an good pitcher and batter sooner or later he will join the first string that time I will let him pitch against me"
Tetsu said
"_"
When sawamura reached in the dugout many first years came with a cup of water
After drinking and removing the shirt which has been soaked with sweat and sat down on the bench
"Ahhh.."
Sawamura took a big breath and relaxed
While the game was going on sawamura was reviewing his on stats in this game
He pitched for 5 innings going all out from the start, 68 pitches, 12 strikeout , 3 hits and plus batting 1st at-bat scored a two-run homer and at 2nd at-bat he advanced the bases.
"I would have pitched more, but due to changeup using for first time it, it took unnecessary stamina"
Sawamura thought
Game went on
First years played the game without losing spirit and upperclassman too
"_"
Evening, Sun started setting.
People who were in stand were going home after the First years vs upperclassmen match was finished
"seido really has an awesome batting line-up"
"it really ended up being in decisive victory for third years"
"But in middle innings I thought there might be chance for first years for comeback"
"Even I thought when that first year pitcher was pitching"
"Yes it's a pity that he was subbed off due to stamina"
"He didn't even lose a single run"
"What was his name? Again"
"It was sawamura eijun"
" Also there was Furuya who only threw one pitch and got promoted!"
"Well I hope to see both sawamura and Furuya in the future"
" Yeah me too. Do you think they could be
The saviour of seido weak pitching line?"
"well they better find somebody after all it been 5 years since we went to koushien you know"
The supporters of seido who came to watch the upperclassmen vs first years were talking while walking towards their destination
After bottom of 6th inning, upperclassmen didn't concede any run till the end and first year lost runs in 7th , 8th
After the game tanba and masuko were called into first string again and sawamura and haruichi were send to second string.
At the end of the game stats were
[First years : 0. 0. 0. 5. 0. 2. 0. 0. 0]=7
[Seniors. :12. 9. 0. 0. 0. 0. 4. 3. X]=28
