LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 277: [277] Sharp Offense in the Finals
Chapter 277: Sharp Offense in the Finals
The dust rose in the air as Eijun lifted his right leg high.
His left arm, brimming with power, unleashed his full strength into the second pitch.
Whoosh!
A dazzling light streaked through the air.
In the batter's box, Nishi's eyes flashed with a sharp glint as he stepped forward again, fully prepared to swing.
But once more, the unexpected pitch trajectory caught him off guard.
Whoosh!
Ping!
The ball, with a fierce, cutting trajectory, veered sharply as it reached the plate.
The sudden shift in movement created a solid impact sound when it collided with Nishi's bat.
His hands trembled from the vibration, his expression changing instantly.
Bounce!
The ball shot off his bat, landing sharply on the infield dirt.
Kuramochi slid deftly into position, effortlessly intercepting the ball. With a quick reverse throw, he sent it flying toward first base, where Yuuki calmly secured it in his mitt.
Pop!
"Out!"
"Damn it… so this is that pitcher's cutter?"
Nishi had barely started running before realizing he was out.
Frustrated, he halted his steps and cast a look of disbelief toward the pitcher's mound.
Though he had seen video footage of Eijun's cutter during the semifinals, standing in the batter's box and experiencing it firsthand was entirely different.
The pitch's sharpness and unexpected movement far exceeded his expectations.
In the Komadai dugout on the third-base side, Coach Nitta frowned slightly, his face showing a hint of apprehension.
Meanwhile, Hongou let out a cold snort.
Every time he saw Eijun shine, an unexplainable irritation flared up within him—something he never felt with other opponents.
Perhaps it was because Eijun was both a finals rival and someone his age.
"Nice pitch, Sawamura!" Kuramochi laughed loudly.
"One out to start—take it slow, Sawamura," Masuko added with his usual hearty tone.
"Keep it up, Sawamura!" Isashiki's booming voice rang from the outfield, as energetic as ever.
The audience, watching the game live, couldn't help but marvel at the sharp angle and precision of Eijun's cutter.
Even professional scouts in the stands nodded approvingly.
For a first-year left-handed pitcher, Eijun's performance throughout this tournament had already begun to win over the scouts.
If he could continue growing at this rate, they believed that two summers from now, he would truly ascend to greatness.
By the time of the fall draft in his third year, Eijun might become the most sought-after player by professional teams.
"Next up, second batter, shortstop, Taninaka!"
"Be careful, Taninaka. That kid's pitches are tougher than the scouting reports suggested," Nishi murmured as he passed by, his voice low but serious.
Taninaka nodded slightly.
Although he hadn't faced the pitch directly, the clean and precise delivery he saw had already put significant pressure on him.
Eijun's condition seemed excellent, and Miyuki nodded in satisfaction.
As a catcher, nothing was better than a pitcher like Eijun, who didn't need a warm-up period and could fire on all cylinders from the start.
It gave Miyuki the flexibility to fully utilize his strategies.
"First pitch: low and outside, control the subtle edge," Miyuki signaled with a quick motion.
Whoosh!
Eijun's arm swung, and a beam of light roared toward the plate with commanding momentum.
Taninaka, though fully prepared, found himself facing yet another overwhelming challenge.
As the ball's light flashed, Taninaka was momentarily stunned, an uncontrollable hesitation that became his fatal mistake. By the time he swung the bat, he already knew it was too late.
Whoosh!
Pop!
"Strike!"
The pitch—a low and outside ball—was placed with incredible precision. The control demonstrated by this pitcher was nothing short of terrifying.
Taninaka's eyes flickered, and he silently reflected on the mastery of the pitch.
The second pitch came—a high inside ball.
Whoosh!
Another streak of white light cut through the air, perfectly utilizing the diagonal of the strike zone.
Still reeling from the memory of the outside pitch, Taninaka's reaction was slightly delayed.
Pop!
"Strike!"
Caught off guard, he couldn't swing in time and could only watch as the ball landed crisply in Miyuki's mitt.
"Whoa!?"
With two quick strikes, the pitcher had cornered the batter after already retiring the leadoff hitter with ease.
Eijun's performance had the entire stadium buzzing with amazement.
Seidou High School was making a powerful statement in this opening inning, exuding an overwhelming sense of dominance.
Could this game turn into an intense scoring battle right from the start?
The crowd's faces lit up with anticipation.
For the third pitch, Miyuki decided to end it quickly.
He didn't want to give Komadai's batters any chance to adjust.
He signaled decisively, and Eijun nodded in sync before swiftly delivering the pitch.
Whoosh!
A faint glimmer of light flashed—sharp and cold.
The ball sped forward, seemingly poised to seal the deal.
Taninaka swung rapidly, but the ball arrived slower than expected, and his expression twisted as realization hit.
A changeup!?
Pop!
"Strike three! Batter out!"
"Yes!! Great pitch, Sawamura!"
"That was amazing, Eijun-kun!"
"Haha, two outs! Two outs!"
"Perfect form, you bastard Sawamura!"
From the dugout to the cheering section, Seidou's players and fans erupted with excitement.
Even Eijun's grandparents and parents beamed with pride.
Watching their grandson and son shine on such a grand stage filled their hearts with joy.
Eijun's grandfather was so thrilled he couldn't help but wave his arms and cheer loudly.
On the sidelines, Wakana watched Eijun standing tall and proud on the mound. Her cheeks flushed slightly, her eyes fixated on him, filled with admiration.
"Eijun… you're getting cooler and cooler."
Next up: the third batter, Komadai's ace pitcher, Gakuto Iguchi.
Eijun had effortlessly dismantled Komadai's first two batters with just five pitches, creating an almost crushing atmosphere.
The faces of Komadai's players turned serious as their ace, Iguchi, stepped into the batter's box with a stern expression.
They had already placed high expectations on this left-handed pitcher, but even so, they had underestimated him.
Now, Iguchi readied himself, knowing he couldn't afford to be anything less than decisive.
Whoosh!
Ping!
Thud!
"Foul!"
The sharp inside pitch caused Iguchi to furrow his brows in frustration.
Whoosh!
Pop!
"Strike!"
The unexpected changeup completely disrupted Iguchi's timing, leaving him unable to make contact.
Whoosh!
Ping!
Thud!
Eijun's excellent control and seamless switching between inside and outside corners, combined with the subtle and deep outside pitch, left Iguchi struggling to track the ball effectively.
"Foul!"
Three pitches.
Just three pitches, and warning signals were blaring in Iguchi's mind.
Finally, the decisive moment came.
Whoosh!
Pop!
"Strike three! Batter out!"
The straight fastball, sharp as a sword, pierced straight through the heart of the strike zone, sealing Iguchi's fate.
The third batter was struck out with pinpoint precision.
Eijun's relentless and razor-sharp pitching led to a flawless first inning: three up, three down.
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