hotmtlnovel Chapter 128: Third Round (9)
Chapter 128: Third Round (9)
The bottom of the fourth inning began with Kenta at the batter's box, and the sound of the ball being hit hard echoed quickly.
WOOSH
DOONG
Shun watched as the ball flew quickly toward center field, but it didn't take long for him to notice that the angle at which the ball had left Kenta's bat wasn't quite right.
PAH
"Out!"
The center fielder caught the ball just a few meters short of the fence, causing Shun and the rest of Shoto Junior High's players to sigh in disappointment.
Kenta returned to the dugout frustrated, having almost put his team ahead on the scoreboard. The next two Shoto batters quickly stepped up to the plate.
Next up was Daigo, the fourth batter.
WOOSH
DING
"Out!"
He was thrown out after grounding a sinker toward the shortstop. After him, the fifth batter, Jiro, stepped into the batter's box.
WOOSH
DING
PAH
"Out!"
A line out straight to the first baseman's glove eliminated the nerdy kid and ended the inning. Without wasting time, Shun returned to the mound, and the fifth inning began.
WOOSH
PAH
"StrikeOut!"
PAH
"Ball Four!"
WOOSH
PAH
However, contrary to what one might expect, Shoto's players weren't at all thrilled with this play.
"Another reckless move..." - Shun muttered with a sigh as he watched Ryosuke on third base.
"This brat..." - Kenta grumbled in frustration. As captain, he had tried to get through to Ryosuke in various ways, but the kid was just too stubborn.
Shun observed his irritated friend but didn't say anything. He then glanced at his coach, and although Coach Yamada wasn't voicing his complaints like Kenta, Shun could see the irritation in the man's eyes.
"What an annoying guy..." - Aoba's ace thought, glaring at Ryosuke on third base. This first-year was the only Shoto Junior High player who had reached base in both of his at-bats, and not only that, he had reached third base each time.
Without wasting time, Aoba's ace looked to his catcher for the signal, nodded, and began his wind-up. But just as the ball was about to leave his hand, something unexpected happened.
Tomo gripped his bat with both hands and leaned in toward home plate, taking his position for a bunt. With only one out in the inning, as long as Tomo could put the ball in play and give Ryosuke enough time to reach home, they could open the score.
But unfortunately, Aoba's captain had already anticipated that Tomo would attempt a bunt.
POFT
"StrikeOut!"
"Fuck!" - Tomo cursed in frustration after being struck out. Even in a bunt stance, he couldn't make contact with the ace's insane forkball.
"Tch! Useless..." - Ryosuke grumbled irritably from third base. Even though he had managed to reach third again, now with two outs, a sacrifice hit to bring him home was no longer an option.
Ryosuke watched the ninth batter step into the box with frustration, that was Takeya, Shoto's first baseman. The first pitch of the duel came.
WOOSH
PAH
"Strike!"
Takeya swung through the air, missing the sinker. The second pitch came.
WOOSH
POFT
"Strike!"
This time, Takeya missed even more, barely coming close to the forkball.
"Tch!" - Ryosuke scowled at the scene, knowing there was no way Takeya could manage a hit after seeing these two pitches. He didn't want to stand on third base watching the inning end again, so as soon as the catcher threw the ball back to Aoba's ace, he sprinted toward home plate.
"Steal!" - The third baseman shouted in surprise when he saw Ryosuke attempting to steal home.
"Huh?" - Aoba's catcher looked up in shock as Ryosuke charged at full speed toward him. He definitely hadn't expected an attempt to steal home at this moment.
The moment Aoba's pitcher heard the third baseman's shout, he threw the ball back to his captain at home plate.
Shun watched the scene from the dugout and sighed. Regardless of the outcome of this play, it was likely that Ryosuke would get chewed out when he reached the dugout, as his friend Kenta was practically fuming with anger.