The white baseball arced high in the sky, flying all the way to the deepest part of the field.
The Yokohama pitcher, who had been confident in getting Zhang Han out, felt his heart pound with tension.
This guy is incredible!
He should have mis-hit that pitch, yet he still managed to blast the ball.
Fortunately, their outfielders already knew that Zhang Han's hitting power was extraordinary.
They had retreated to the deep outfield in advance, ready to catch a high fly ball.
But even this outfielder was now unsure if the baseball would actually come down.
Based on the baseball's flight trajectory, he wouldn't have been surprised if it had continued all the way into the stands.
Fortunately, when the baseball was still about twenty meters from the wall, it finally ran out of momentum and began to fall.
Yokohama's outfielder quickly ran a few steps to get under the baseball, opened his glove, and securely caught the baseball in his glove.
"Pop!"
"Out!"
Zhang Han was caught out.
Seido High School Baseball Team's first three batters, known as the offensive engine, all went quiet.
Three up, three down!
The first inning ended with Seido High School Baseball Team, known as the National First Batting Line, completely suppressed.
The score was 2:0, with Seido trailing by two runs.
In the stands, the supporters of Seido High School Baseball Team were filled with regret.
It was such a pity; just a dozen meters more, and the baseball would have flown out.
If that ball had flown out, Seido High School Baseball Team would not only have scored a run, but the situation they faced afterwards would have been completely different.
It wouldn't have been impossible for Seido High School Baseball Team's subsequent batters to get consecutive hits, completely tying or even taking the lead.
Now, nothing could be done.
The result at the start of the game was this: Seido High School Baseball Team was behind, and by two runs.
Fujio, who had just arrived at the stadium and finally found a seat, witnessed this scene.
He was surrounded by supporters of Seido High School Baseball Team, and their expressions of regret were not quiet.
But Fujio did not agree with their views.
What do they mean by 'just a little bit short'?
There isn't much difference between 'just a little bit short' and 'a lot short'.
The current result fully proved that Yokohama's pitcher was extraordinary.
It would not be an easy task for Seido High School Baseball Team's players to score runs off him.
Under these circumstances, for Seido High School Baseball Team to stabilize the situation and even turn the tide, they had to first stabilize the score.
Only by stabilizing the score could Seido High School Baseball Team's batters have a chance to step up and turn things around.
If Seido's pitching and defense at this point were still like a sieve, then this game might end prematurely.
Fortunately, Fujio's worries were unfounded.
The players of Seido High School Baseball Team knew better than anyone what their current responsibilities were.
By the top of the second inning, Tanba had completely adjusted to the rhythm of the game.
Even though his current partner was Miyuki and not Chris, Tanba also began to gradually show his pitching characteristics.
When pitches that looked like they were about to hit the batter suddenly curved and dropped sharply, the players of Yokohama Kohoku's baseball team were a bit stunned; they had no answer for such pitches.
In Seido's dugout, Manager Ota excitedly rubbed his hands.
He watched with his own eyes as Tanba successively retired three Yokohama batters.
"Koichiro is looking more and more like an Ace now!"
Even the strict Coach Kataoka couldn't help but nod.
From the first round against Shonan Gakuen, they could all see Tanba's improvement.
Although he couldn't lead the team forward with his pitching like his senior Hidezawa, meaning he couldn't be the kind of Ace Coach Kataoka envisioned, the characteristic of Seido High School Baseball Team had never been their Ace Pitcher, but rather their powerful hitting ability.
So Tanba didn't need to shut out the opponent; as long as he could keep the runs given up within a certain range, then he would be a qualified Ace candidate for Seido High School Baseball Team.
The current Tanba had already begun to gradually show this presence.
If he could maintain this state, Coach Kataoka even started to consider having him consistently partner with Chris.
Although frequently changing catchers was a big taboo for a team, Seido High School Baseball Team's two catchers were both so excellent.
Even if they were rotated based on different pitchers, Coach Kataoka had nothing to worry about.
The key was whether Koichiro Tanba's performance was worth such an effort.
From all the current signs, Kataoka believed it was worth it.
"Three outs, change of sides!"
In the top of the second inning, Seido High School Baseball Team also did not give Yokohama a chance to further extend their lead, retiring their batters three up, three down as well.
This also gave a strong boost to the morale of Seido High School Baseball Team's die-hard supporters.
"Yokohama is nothing special!"
"From now on, they probably won't have that kind of luck anymore. Zhang Han was just unlucky to be caught out. I don't believe they can stop all the balls."
The fans in the stands discussed animatedly.
They knew their own team's players very well.
Facing Uehara, who had already thrown seven different pitches, Seido High School Baseball Team had already devised some targeted strategies before stepping up to bat.
So far, Uehara had thrown Fastball, changeup, slider, inward floating ball, and then the three consecutive low pitches against Zhang Han.
A total of seven pitches.
Forkball, regular curveball, fast forkball.
Even if the players of Seido High School Baseball Team were unwilling to admit it, they couldn't deny that the three consecutive pitches against Zhang Han were very formidable.
Let alone seeing such a pitch for the first time; even after seeing it, few players on Seido High School Baseball Team were confident they could hit the ball.
Not to mention hitting the ball out!
These three pitches were too similar; your probability of guessing correctly was only one third.
And when these three pitches appeared alternately, it was very difficult not to be affected and accurately hit the ball you had chosen.
Even if you chose the ball, you might not be able to clearly judge the pitch and hit the ball out.
"Give up on all low-angle breaking balls and focus on Fastball, changeup, and inward floating ball…"
Coach Kataoka offered his countermeasure.
From the opponent's previous pitching, it was almost an impossible task for Seido High School Baseball Team to completely break down the pitcher on the mound in a short period.
Under these circumstances, they might as well abandon such unrealistic notions and concentrate on scoring runs.
As long as the pitcher and defense didn't have problems, Kataoka believed his disciples would definitely be able to catch up run by run.
In the bottom of the second inning, Seido High School Baseball Team was on offense.
The first to step into the batter's box was Seido High School Baseball Team's Fourth Batter, Yuuki Tetsuya.
Yokohama High School's players were currently in excellent form.
After getting Zhang Han out, their players' confidence in the game greatly increased, and they were all eager to retire Seido High School Baseball Team's batters one by one.
But very quickly, Yokohama's players were harshly put in their place.
"Boom!"
A swing like thunder struck the white ball fiercely, sending it flying.
Yokohama High School Baseball Team's players didn't even have time to try and stop it, as they watched the baseball land and bounce into the outfield.
Even the bounced ball was faster than they had imagined.
The shortstop dove but couldn't stop the ball's path.
"Safe!"
At the very beginning of the bottom of the second inning, Seido High School Baseball Team's captain, and their team's Fourth Batter, Yuuki Tetsuya, successfully got Seido's first hit.
No outs, runner on First Base!
In Seido High School Baseball Team's dugout, Miyuki said with great admiration, "With that speed, even if the opponent was prepared, they couldn't have stopped it."
Saying that, he glanced at Zhang Han.
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