The Seido High School Baseball Team, though actively discussing the strength of their opponent, did not show any tension on their faces.
Even Zhang Han and Miyuki, who had previously witnessed Aoki's pitching and knew that he was exceptionally strong when he went all out, were not overly worried.
Compared to the rampaging Aoki, they had more confidence in their own teammates.
They believed that the Seido High School Baseball Team's hitting power would surely show the Shonan Gakuen players what it means to be a top-tier national powerhouse.
It was under these circumstances that Kuramochi stepped into the batter's box.
Every cell in his body was trembling with excitement, and his eyes were fixed on his opponent without blinking.
Kuramochi was highly excited.
In the previous inning, it was because he got off to a good start that the Seido High School Baseball Team managed to score six runs in one go.
His performance in defense was also very good; he successfully fielded a ball, threw it to First Base, and got the batter out.
Kuramochi felt that he was in good form today.
At this moment, he was eager to press on and get another hit.
But soon, Kuramochi realized that he might have been too optimistic.
The opponent he had been so confident in dealing with before seemed to have undergone a complete transformation.
His pitching had gotten faster!
But that wasn't the most important thing; given the previous practice intensity of the Seido High School Baseball Team, a pitch speed of 145 kilometers per hour was not a problem for the main players of the Seido High School Baseball Team.
During their usual practices, they had even hit balls traveling at 150 kilometers per hour.
Coach Kataoka's training standard had always been to let the players experience the most brutal challenges before they even stepped onto the field.
He made the players undergo the strictest and most brutal tests in training first.
Then, when it came to the actual game, they would be able to handle it with ease.
Although such training methods are now controversial, you have to admit that such training methods are indeed very effective; whether they made it into the First string team or not, the players of the Seido High School Baseball Team have made great progress and improvement.
It was precisely because Kuramochi had experienced such training that he now had such high spirits.
But Aoki's pitching was different from the rigorous training Kuramochi had experienced; although he could accept the opponent's pitch speed, the tricky locations made it impossible for him to cope.
As a result, he didn't even touch the first ball.
"Strike!"
Seeing Kuramochi swing and miss the first ball, the Seido teammates, who had been relaxed and discussing their opponent, suddenly fell silent.
Although Kuramochi's hitting ability was basically unranked among the First string players of the Seido High School Baseball Team.
But even if he was just one of the weaker hitters among the main players of the Seido High School Baseball Team, he was still a main player of the Seido High School Baseball Team.
A representative who stood out from hundreds of players.
Next, this result did not change at all.
Aoki did not use any breaking ball, only Fastballs, but Kuramochi did not touch a single ball from beginning to end.
"Pop!"
"Strike!"
"Strikeout!!"
Three swings, not a single ball touched.
The Shonan Gakuen supporters, who had been so suppressed by the Seido High School Baseball Team's performance that they dared not lift their heads, now seemed to have come back to life, looking at the Seido High School Baseball Team's players as if they were not so invincible after all.
"Well done!"
"That's it."
In the dugout of the Seido High School Baseball Team.
Everyone's previous relaxed expressions had vanished.
Their previous premonition was correct; the opponent was much stronger than they had imagined.
The game continued, and next up to bat was Kominato Ryosuke.
Unlike Kuramochi, when it came to being difficult to deal with in the batter's box, his strength was directly comparable to Zhang Han and Yuuki.
His presence in the batter's box also represented the belief of countless players in the Seido High School Baseball Team.
With the same Fastball, Kuramochi didn't touch a single one.
Kominato Ryosuke, however, started hitting the ball foul from the second pitch.
"Foul!"
"Foul!!"
The super-fast Fastball, approaching 145 kilometers per hour, completely lost its effectiveness when facing this man who was less than 1.6 meters tall.
It could only be hit foul again and again.
The sparks of hope that had accumulated in the hearts of the Shonan Gakuen players were helpless at this moment.
The two sides continued to battle for five pitches, and Kominato Ryosuke did not miss once, hitting every ball foul.
At this point, he was actually being pushed, but no one thought he was the one being cornered.
Instead, it was the pitcher who was completely forced into a corner and had to make a choice.
Aoki on the pitcher's mound was enjoying pitching Fastballs; he simply couldn't believe that Kominato Ryosuke could hit all of his pitches.
Even if he eventually got Kominato Ryosuke out with Fastballs, it wouldn't be a worthwhile trade for them.
In the first inning, although the players of the Seido High School Baseball Team didn't prolong the at-bats too much, because he had faced nine batters in a row, his pitch count had already exceeded twenty.
If he continued to waste physical strength, even with his ample stamina reserves, he wouldn't be able to last.
Under these circumstances, he had to make a choice.
Aoki's pitching became a little strange.
At the Seido High School Baseball Team's on-deck circle.
Zhang Han's eyes immediately lit up.
Is he going to throw a breaking ball?
Aoki's performance had made Zhang Han look at him with new respect.
Aoki had honed his pitch speed and control to a very high level; the combined power of just these two was already extraordinary.
If he added a breaking ball, Aoki's threat level to the Seido High School Baseball Team would likely climb several notches.
Even if Zhang Han had confidence in his teammates, he couldn't help but feel a little uneasy.
No matter how you looked at it, it wouldn't be too difficult for the Seido High School Baseball Team's teammates to deal with Aoki next.
However, facing the incoming baseball, Kominato Ryosuke decisively swung.
Just as his bat was about to connect with the ball, the white ball suddenly dipped.
Curveball?
A hint of surprise flashed in Kominato Ryosuke's eyes.
But he quickly rejected his own guess; the trajectory of this ball didn't look like an ordinary curveball, but rather a vertical slider.
"Pop!"
The bat and the baseball crossed paths, neither able to make contact with the other.
"Strikeout!!"
After Kuramochi was struck out, Kominato Ryosuke, who batted second and was one of the better hitters for the Seido High School Baseball Team, was also struck out.
Two outs, no one on base.
"Third batter, outfielder, Zhang Han."
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