ALL NOVEL Chapter 74: <74> Men and Women
Chapter 74: Men and Women
In summary, this batting lineup heavily relies on the first through fifth batters to score.
The goal is for the first three batters to get on base, allowing Sendo to bring them home.
If Sendo gets on base, he will try to steal his way to third, setting up Sawamura for a bunt to score the run.
As for the sixth batter onward, the strategy is similar to what was introduced earlier: relying on Takada's "lottery-style" power hitting.
The sixth batter, Oyama, isn't as strong as the top batters but still reliable enough.
If he manages to get on base, the seventh batter, Aoki, will do his best to advance the runner.
If Oyama reaches scoring position, it's up to Takada to take a swing—if he hits a home run, they'll earn big points.
Overall, this lineup maximizes each player's unique strengths, assembling a team strategy that best suits their current abilities.
The main goal of any lineup is to score runs!
The entire team, except for Sawamura, understood how this lineup was meant to operate.
Sawamura, however, thought the team was counting on him, as the fifth batter and cleanup hitter, to clear the bases with a big hit.
Sendo decided not to correct him—better to keep him motivated for now.
"This game, we're taking the last offensive inning, so let's stay focused and put pressure on them from the start."
"..."
"What's wrong, everyone? Are you nervous after seeing the previous match? You all look worried."
"Don't worry!"
"Our ace is different from Tokumei's ace."
"Yes, they have more experience, better skills, teamwork, and overall ability because they're university players. But they can't escape the fact that they are women. Do you know why girls are allowed to play in junior high school tournaments?"
"Though it might stem from a mindset that underestimates girls, I believe it's because middle school is the last stage where physical abilities between boys and girls are relatively similar."
"After this point, the gap will widen. So in terms of physical strength, they're about on par with us right now."
"While their skills and experience may be superior, we have someone who can be their nemesis!" Sendo pointed to Sawamura, trying to boost the team's morale.
"Huh? Me?"
"Ei-chan is their nemesis?"
"Exactly! In Japanese baseball, players can only use metal bats up until high school. In university and beyond, wooden bats are mandatory."
"Eijun's 'moving ball' changes its trajectory just before reaching the batter. Using a wooden bat requires a strong grip and precise timing, and his pitch behaves unpredictably like a knuckleball!"
"Understand? A pitch that changes direction suddenly is a nightmare for hitters using wooden bats. Even bats with a wider hitting surface offer limited help."
"Let's go!" Ohno, regaining his confidence from Sendo's explanation, called out.
"Yeah!!!"
"Wait! Hold on, everyone! I didn't understand a single word of that!" Sawamura exclaimed, looking completely lost.
"It's fine if you don't get it! Just focus on my glove and pitch with all you've got! Leave the rest to us. Even if runners get on base, I'll handle them!" Sendo said, casually waving his hand.
"Alright!" Sawamura replied, though he looked a bit deflated.
"No sulking! Watch it, or I'll give you a good smack!" Sendo poked Sawamura in the chest with his finger.
"Okay, okay, I get it!"
"Alright, everyone, get ready. The game is about to start!" Checking the time, Sendo gave a final word to his team.
"Takada, help me put on my gear!"
"Sure!" Takada, the chubby teammate, agreed with a smile.
---
On the other side:
"I don't need to say much. Give it your all! The opponent is a newly formed team, so don't hold back—crush them!" Coach Mitani instructed the players of Sakura Girl's University before the game.
"Yes!!!" Their high-pitched, spirited response caught everyone's attention.
"Let's go!" Sendo simply said to his team.
"Yeah!!!"
The game officially began!
"Didn't Sendo say I could pitch with my full strength during the official game?"
"He did, right?"
"Yeah, that guy isn't afraid of my pitches at all! He always catches them so easily and perfectly," Sawamura thought to himself as he stood on the mound, warming up with practice pitches, his thoughts running in their usual, uniquely roundabout way.
....
"Pop!"
"Time's up! Play ball!" With that final pitch landing squarely in the glove, the umpire announced the end of warm-ups, signaling the official start of the game.
"To be honest, this girl has quite an impressive figure. Look at those legs, her hips, and her chest...tsk tsk! Her face might not be the most striking, but she's definitely above average," Sendo thought to himself as he appraised the first batter stepping into the box.
"When it comes to pitch selection, there's no need to overthink it. A straight fastball will be more than enough!" With that in mind, Sendo positioned his glove on the inside corner.
First pitch... delivered!
"Pop!"
"Strike!"
"Wow, that was fast!" The batter, not used to such speed, didn't even attempt to swing.
For women's baseball players, a full-power pitch from Sawamura—who had been training his explosiveness from a young age under Sendo's influence—was extraordinarily fast.
This highlighted the inherent physical difference between male and female athletes.
"That must be at least 130 kilometers per hour," remarked Sakura Girl's University's ace from the dugout.
"If it's not, it's close," Coach Mitani responded.
For middle school players, a 130 km/h pitch is considered quite fast.
In Japan, it's rare for middle school players to throw well above 100 km/h.
Most hover just over that mark. In competitive junior high school baseball, prominent teams might feature pitchers with such speeds, or players from youth baseball leagues might join the middle school team for specific matches, contributing to the high velocity.
In youth baseball, a speed of around 130 km/h isn't outstanding but isn't slow either. There are quite a few players capable of hitting that speed.
"That looked good. Let's keep it up!" Sendo observed Sawamura's full-power pitch performance and the batter's reaction closely.
"This guy's really bold!" Sawamura grumbled as he noticed the glove's placement, preparing for the next pitch.
"Right down the middle?!"
Crack!
The ball weakly rolled along the ground.
"Second baseman!" Sawamura shouted excitedly, already turning his head.
Pop!
Kondou easily fielded the ball.
"Out!"
"Alright! Let's rack up as many outs as we can while the momentum's on our side," Sendo thought, satisfied with the first out.
"Hmm?" Coach Mitani furrowed his brows but chose to stay silent.
Now, the second batter was ready at the plate.
Pop!
"Strike!"
"What kind of pitch was that? Is his fastball supposed to move like that? It's so tricky!" The second batter, aiming to observe and adjust to the pitch speed, was surprised to see the fastball suddenly veer off course.
"Let's observe another pitch," the batter decided, opting to get a better read on Sawamura's unusual fastball.
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