Chapter 653 - 653: Childish

"What happened?"

Three outs, change of offense and defense.

Zhang Han returned to the dugout to change his equipment and couldn't help but ask his teammates.

At that time, his gaze was focused on home plate, and he didn't notice the change behind him at all.

"Shirakawa's throw was intercepted by Narumiya Mei. That guy didn't even care about First Base; he threw the ball directly to home plate. Just like a child, he specifically targeted you!"

Miyuki watched very carefully; he was waiting for his turn in the batter's box at the time.

Zhang Han nodded.

He was wondering why Narumiya Mei had stuck his tongue out at him when it had just ended.

So that's what happened.

Although he didn't see it with his own eyes, Zhang Han could visualize the scene at that moment.

When Shirakawa fell while catching the ball, his position was basically level with the pitcher.

At this time, he threw the ball to First Base, which happened to pass the pitcher's mound.

Narumiya Mei probably saw his action and, on a whim, blocked the ball with his glove and then threw it to home plate.

Not only Narumiya Mei, but every player on Inashiro Industrial High School Baseball Team is not a slacker.

Their ability to adapt to changes is definitely not inferior to Seido High School Baseball Team.

"It was my miscalculation!"

Zhang Han actively admitted his mistake when he returned to the dugout.

Coach Kataoka nodded.

"No one has the ability to foresee the future. Your aggressive offense just now was not wrong."

The characteristic of Seido High School is to actively aim for the next base. While increasing their scoring opportunities, this inevitably involves taking some risks.

The bitter outcome of Zhang Han being out is the price Seido High School Baseball Team must pay when they decide to make aggressive advancement to the next base their style.

"Change your mindset and go out to play defense. Our real challenge has just begun."

Coach Kataoka did not reprimand Zhang Han; instead, he comforted him in a calm tone.

Several third-year players, led by Vice Captain Isashiki Jun, felt as uncomfortable as if they had eaten grass.

Today, Zhang Han was the Fourth Batter for the team, and they already had some thoughts about it. Fortunately, Zhang Han's strength was outstanding enough to perfectly complete the task of the Fourth Batter, helping Seido High School Baseball Team score the first run.

Even if they were uncomfortable, there was nothing they could say.

His strength was evident; what more could you say?

After all, Seido High School Baseball Team's consistent principle is that whoever is capable plays, not based on seniority.

But now, Zhang Han even made a misjudgment, so why couldn't they say a few words?

If it were them, would Coach Kataoka be as gentle?

Recalling the Coach's attitude towards them when they made mistakes, Isashiki Jun felt like they were strangers.

The difference was too great.

Isashiki Jun, who was holding back his anger, and the other third-year players, after changing their equipment, howled and rushed onto the field.

Not to mention Coach Kataoka had already made a judgment on Zhang Han's actions. Even without Coach Kataoka's words, speaking from the heart, they themselves didn't think Zhang Han's action was wrong.

Under these circumstances, they naturally couldn't vent their anger on Zhang Han and could only vent it on the players of Inashiro Industrial High School Baseball Team.

Furuya Satoru also seemed to be infected by something, his fighting spirit terrifyingly high.

This made Miyuki smile bitterly.

Under Coach Kataoka's deliberate motivation, the competition between these second-year players and the third-year seniors was almost out in the open.

Whether they wanted to or not, they couldn't back down.

You say they were pushed to the forefront, used as targets to stimulate the third-year seniors, and that was that.

But you, a first-year player, why are you getting so excited?

Although he was complaining in his heart, Miyuki Kazuya's own fighting spirit was clearly aroused.

He went to the catcher's position with great enthusiasm, ready to catch the ball.

On the other side of the field, in the dugout of Inashiro Industrial High School Baseball Team.

Before going up to hit, Narumiya Mei specifically walked up to Harada.

"The three useless guys before have been struck out. Harada-senpai, as our team's captain, you won't be like them, will you?"

He spoke loudly, and even though they knew he was joking, Carlos and Shirakawa's faces were as red as a monkey's backside.

They were extremely red.

If the law didn't prohibit it, and the occasion wasn't wrong, they would probably have a real fight with Narumiya Mei.

Harada was also under immense pressure.

The first-year pitcher of Seido High School Baseball Team was much stronger than they had imagined.

No matter how much the players of Inashiro Industrial High School Baseball Team talked tough, they couldn't deny this point.

It was not an easy task to hit that first-year's pitch.

Despite this, Harada did not soften.

"I won't give you a chance to mock me like that."

Harada, with a black line on his forehead, stepped into the batter's box.

Although he spoke boldly, when Furuya Satoru threw the baseball in his hand, Harada was still startled.

"Boom!"

The pitch itself came with a huge roar, arriving in front of him in a blink of an eye.

Facing the suddenly appearing baseball, Harada gripped his bat tightly with both hands, ready to swing.

He found that the baseball floated upward as it approached.

Exactly as Coach Kunitomo had said before.

What a troublesome guy.

Facing such a high-pressure pitch, batters would instinctively want to swing their bats to resist.

No wonder Yoshida and Shirakawa couldn't help but swing at such obvious bad balls.

Harada had some psychological preparation, plus excellent mental fortitude, which allowed him to barely restrain his desire to swing.

But even he, just for a moment, couldn't help but want to swing.

"Snap!"

"Strike!"

When Furuya Satoru previously got three consecutive strikeouts, the supporters of Seido High School Baseball Team were already extremely excited.

Many spectators felt that, although this young man's performance was not as handsome as Zhang Han's smile just now, it wasn't bad either.

His terrifying ball speed and perfect performance in overpowering Inashiro Industrial High School Baseball Team's batters all made the supporters of Seido High School Baseball Team and the spectators on site extremely excited.

There were even a few hundred people who were shouting Furuya Satoru's name when he was pitching.

In their words, compared to Seido High School Baseball Team's current Ace, Koichiro Tanba, Furuya Satoru was the man more qualified to become Seido High School Baseball Team's Ace in the future.

Amidst this enthusiastic cheering, Furuya Satoru threw his second pitch.

Seeing the baseball flying, Harada, who had already witnessed Furuya Satoru's pitching, did not continue to wait.

He seized the opportunity, aimed at the flying baseball, and swung his bat fiercely.

Above the Fastball, two balls.

"Ping!"

The bat solidly hit the baseball, and the hit baseball drew a huge arc in the sky.

It fell in the outfield.

The baseball was hit out too fast, and even though Zhang Han and Isashiki Jun desperately rushed to the landing spot of the baseball, they were still a step too late.

The baseball penetrated their block, landed, and bounced.

"Safe!"

Harada Masakatsu ran directly to Second Base.

No outs, runner on Second Base.

In the dugout of Seido High School Baseball Team.

Coach Ochiai stroked the little beard on his chin and shook his head.

"Is this as far as it goes?"

Thinking about Furuya Satoru's perfect performance in the first inning, it seemed a bit regrettable to take him out just like that.

But looking at Harada's hitting just now, if you were to say that he had just gotten a stroke of blind luck and happened to hit the ball out, that didn't seem right either.

After all, that kind of Fastball isn't something you can hit just by chance, is it?

Coach Kataoka's expression was very calm, as if all of this was within his expectations.

He did not get furious because Furuya Satoru gave up this hit.

On the contrary, his reaction was very calm.

Instead, Miyuki, in the catcher's position, furrowed his brows.

Due to the distance, Coach Ochiai and Coach Kataoka could only guess.

Miyuki, however, saw it clearly.

Harada-senpai had clearly aimed for it just now, and it was evident that the players of Inashiro Industrial High School Baseball Team had already deciphered the secret of Furuya Satoru's Fastball.

"They noticed it so quickly! But don't underestimate our junior too much. This kind of pitch isn't something you can necessarily hit just by knowing what's going on?"

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