WOOSH
PAH
"Strikeout! 3 outs, changeover!" - The umpire announced the end of the inning after the third batter swung and missed for the third strike.
"Yeeeahhh!" - Daigo roared as he stood up excitedly. Meanwhile, Shun made his way back to the dugout calmly, knowing he was still far from the time to celebrate.
"Nice pitching, Senpai!" - Daigo approached Shun excitedly, grinning as he raised his glove toward Shun.
"Hm. We need to stay on the offensive, Daigo." - Shun nodded and spoke calmly as he tapped his glove against Daigo's.
"Yes!" - Daigo replied determinedly. After that inning, he understood even more about Shun as a pitcher, realizing that the way his senpai was most effective was when he pitched aggressively.
Shun entered the dugout, but before he went to his locker to prepare to hit, he waited for his friend Kenta to arrive.
"That was a great catch, thanks!" - Shun said with a smile, raising his hand in the air toward Kenta.
"Don't mention it, I'll catch everything that comes my way!" - Kenta replied with a confident grin as he reached out to slap his friend's hand.
* Clap *
---
"That was a great play! That shortstop is really good both physically and technically, and his bat has a lot of potential... Is he one of the other players you've asked the scouts to keep an eye on, Jack?" - Kazuma Ushida said, impressed as he recalled Kenta's catch.
Unfortunately, this wasn't good news for Shoto Junior High, which needed to score at least one run against Imai to win the game. Shun attentively watched from the dugout as the first duel of the inning began.
Hisashi stepped into the batter's box with an aggressive stance, determined to make contact with Imai's pitches. From what Shun had explained to the team, Imai was a great pitcher, but unlike Takumi, he didn't usually get many strikeouts and typically eliminated batters with ground balls to the infield or fly balls to the outfield.
Of course, that wasn't a flaw, especially considering that Kasuga's defenders formed a solid defense behind Imai. However, as long as Shoto's batters made contact and put the ball in play, they would have a chance to reach base, even if it was a slim one.
Imai, on the other hand, didn't plan to give Kasuga's batters any chances. Kasuga's ace also entered this game with an aggressive mindset, determined to shut down the opposition and not allow Shoto Junior High to score.
On the first pitch of the duel, Imai threw a high four-seam fastball on the inner corner. Hisashi swung and missed, giving Imai the first strike of the game. The second pitch was a cutter with the same trajectory as the previous four-seam, but this time Hisashi managed to make weak contact, sending the ball foul. As a result, he found himself in a two-strike count.
Imai didn't want to waste time in this duel, so he decided to end it quickly on his third pitch. Hisashi watched as the ball came high toward him, and he held back his swing, believing it would be a fastball outside the zone. But just before the pitch reached home plate, it dropped sharply.
PAH
"Strike!" - The umpire called as Hisashi stood frozen, staring in shock at the Kasuga catcher's glove.
"Yeeaaahhhh!" - Kasuga's crowd celebrated the first out from their ace as Hisashi walked back to the dugout, frustrated and with his head down.
"Ka- Su- Ga! Ka- Su- Ga! Ka- Su- Ga!"
"Ka- Su- Ga! Ka- Su- Ga! Ka- Su- Ga!"
The crowd continued their loud cheering as Shoto's ninth batter, Takeya, approached the batter's box to hit.