The pitcher was replaced, and the catcher took the field.
After such a major change in the freshman team, the players naturally gathered to discuss their strategy.
Kariba Wataru, the catcher, approached Sawamura directly and said with a serious expression, "You just boasted so much out there. If your pitching isn't up to standard, I won't let you off the hook. Tell me what breaking balls you know. Tell me what kind of pitching you're skilled at. Don't worry, I'll catch it."
In this game, Kariba, with his buck teeth, had witnessed and learned a lot. He was well aware that there was a clear gap in strength between the freshman team and the senior team. But the gap wasn't so large that competing was impossible. If their pitcher was good enough, they still had a chance.
"What breaking ball?"
Sawamura's question hit Kariba and the surrounding freshmen like a punch.
Could this guy genuinely not know what a breaking ball was?
Considering Sawamura's background, it wasn't entirely impossible. Middle schoolers are generally not encouraged to throw breaking balls. Practicing them too early can damage a player's fingers or cause other physical problems. Sawamura's middle school coach might have taken that into account and simply never taught him any.
"Then what kind of pitching are you good at?"
Kariba needed to know before he could call pitches.
"Hmph!"
Sawamura sneered.
Hope ignited in Kariba's eyes immediately.
Could it be that this guy had no single preferred pitch but could hit every location at will? Inside corner, outside corner, high, low. If he could place the ball anywhere in the strike zone on command, then even without a breaking ball he would be effective. Zhang Han himself hadn't used any breaking balls so far in this game, relying entirely on velocity and control to suppress the freshman batters one after another. He had even struck out Kominato Haruichi and Jinguuji.
If Sawamura had that kind of precision, Kariba's confidence suddenly went up.
"I would never throw such an evasive pitch. All my pitches will be right down the middle."
Sawamura said it with complete conviction.
Kariba felt a chill run through him.
It's over. This guy is out of his mind.
As the freshman team's catcher throughout this game, Kariba had a clear sense of the senior team's ability. Never mind Zhang Han, who was in a category of his own. Even Masuko, Chris, and Miyauchi among the first string hitters were extraordinary. And the second string seniors who had batted had shown astonishing hitting ability too.
Throwing fastballs right down the middle against this lineup. Kariba had no confidence in that at all.
And worst of all, Sawamura had said it loudly enough that the senior team on the other side of the field had heard every word.
How were they supposed to play now?
Kariba was utterly deflated. The freshmen around him looked grim. The only thing keeping them on the field was that they had all begged for the chance to continue together. They really could not work with a pitcher like this.
On the other side of the field, the senior team's dugout had equally grim expressions, but for completely different reasons.
They knew Sawamura's record. Even if there had been an element of coincidence involved, striking out Azuma Kiyokuni meant Sawamura's pitching had something real behind it. And now he was standing there saying he would only throw pitches right down the middle?
Was this a provocation?
The players were ready to walk out and deal with him personally. They had already decided not to hold back, and now they were even more determined to make Sawamura pay.
One out, nobody on base.
Chris stepped into the batter's box first.
Even someone as composed as Chris had a fire burning in him at this moment. This freshman was not putting the Seido senior team in his eyes at all. He wanted to see exactly what this guy had.
Behind the plate, Kariba crouched in position, trembling, and placed his glove directly in the center of the strike zone.
If Sawamura's pitching got hit, that was nothing to do with him. Even if Sawamura ended up in tears, Kariba had already privately decided he would not go forward to comfort him. This was entirely self-inflicted.
Sawamura, for his part, was buzzing with excitement. He warmed up for quite a while, and only after Coach Kataoka urged him along did he finally wind up and throw his first pitch with everything he had.
His body was fully extended through the delivery, his motion fluid. By Chris's strict eye, there were still some non-standard elements, but the overall motion looked the part.
"Whoosh!"
The ball shot out.
The direction was exactly what Sawamura had promised. Right down the middle.
Chris had not intended to swing at the first pitch. However infuriating the freshman's arrogance was, given that he had struck out Azuma Kiyokuni before, Chris had planned to observe two pitches before committing.
But when he saw the ball truly heading right down the middle, he couldn't hold back.
As a qualified hitter, no one ignores a fastball right down the middle. Other pitches, you can let them go. But a fastball over the heart of the plate is a pitcher's mistake 99% of the time, and as the opposing hitter, letting go of your opponent's mistake is your own mistake.
Chris swung decisively.
Half a year away from the game had left no mark on him. His swing was fluid, and he connected cleanly.
"Strange."
Even after making contact, a flicker of surprise crossed Chris's face. Something about that pitch had felt a little off. But the overall direction of his hit was within his prediction. The ball landed behind first base.
"Good!"
Someone in the senior team dugout had already opened their mouth to cheer.
The word hadn't fully left their lips when a figure came sprinting in. As the ball descended, the player made a diving catch, glove perfectly positioned.
"Thwack!"
"Out!"
"How did the second baseman get there?"
"That was beautiful."
"Out!"
Sawamura, in his very first at-bat as pitcher, had recorded an out cleanly. But at that moment, nobody was thinking about his pitching.
Every eye was on the second baseman on defense, who had sprinted seven or eight meters and caught the ball behind first base.
Simply extraordinary.
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