After introducing the opponent's information, the players of the Peace School Baseball Club began targeted training. Pen? Interesting? Pavilion wWw. ｂiquge。 ｉｎfo

Ichihei Fukushima beckoned everyone to move a recently bought second-hand ball machine from the warehouse.

"This is a machine that the boss of the driving range in front of the station has given us at a special price, and it can only be used to distribute rubber balls, so we have to use a soft bat to play."

Fukushima introduced the machine to the team.

"Why do you want to practice with this machine?"

Li Yuanrang didn't quite understand why he wanted to buy this second-hand machine that could only play soft balls.

"The opponent in the next game, Kikusui University, their ace ball speed was already very fast last year, and it is difficult to predict how fast it will be this year. The newly purchased machine can be projected to a maximum of 165 kilometers. I just use it to train the blow to a fast straight ball. ”

"One hundred and sixty-five? Isn't that ......?"

Li Yuanrang thought of the ball machine he had seen the last time he went to the driving range.

"It's the one we played last time, because the boss wants to change to a faster machine, so the special price is given to our baseball club."

Yabe replied.

"Faster?"

"Well, I said that this time I want to enter a machine with a top speed of more than 170 kilometers, so as not to upgrade the equipment frequently next year......"

……

After the ball machine is set and adjusted, the players in the latter part of the ball start to take turns using the machine for training. However, Li Yuanrang was asked to put on catcher equipment and squat behind home plate on the court.

The infield garrison training is about to begin.

"It's just that if you don't need to take the pitcher's pitch for training, you can do it without protective gear."

Li Yuanrang hopes to practice with a light attitude.

It's the height of summer in July, and many teammates are training with only lined or breathable T-shirts instead of team tops.

Li Yuanrang wore heavy catcher armor, not only did he not move, but he also felt stuffy.

"It is necessary to simulate the actual combat environment to practice."

This time, the content of the infield defense training is mainly to deal with the ball.

Part-time coach Kazusa Aragaki was in charge of throwing the ball from the direction of the pitcher, and Akio Yabe stood in the strike zone to strike. Pitcher Issei Fukushima, who was resting and adjusting after the game, stood on first base as a passing target for Lee Wonrang after picking up the ball.

"Isn't it a bit too grand for the three of you to train alone with me?"

For this kind of training that is clearly aimed at "opening a small stove" for himself, Li Yuanrang feels a little uncomfortable.

"No way, the team is small. And the other infielders have some experience in this area, only you have only recently started to contact baseball, and now the position of the striker catcher is the weakest, and the responsibility of dealing with the striker is the heaviest, of course, you need special training. ”

Yabe explained.

The intensified training against Li Yuanrang is not unfounded. Although Kikusui High School has not held a practice competition at all since this spring. However, the team's current roster was selected for last year's fall tournament.

Because most of the players who play hard have graduated, at last year's autumn conference, Kikusui High School was forced to change to the "mobility" route.

With the exception of the four-batter Yamato, players will almost certainly hit the push as long as there is someone on base. Even if there are no runners, the late baseball players who are not confident in their striking power will sneak up on the short to try to inflict a safe touch.

The initial stage of training was first to familiarize Li Yuanrang with the division of labor in the defense of the touch ball. The ball that should be handled by the catcher in front of the catcher, he has to pick up the ball as soon as possible and pass it to Fukushima on first base.

Instead, it should be the pitcher or the first or third baseman to handle the ball, and Li Yuanrang should guard his position and not rush to attack, and shout loudly that he should go to the defensive position where he should receive the ball.

After practicing for a while, Yabe saw that Li Yuanrang's mastery of these basic concepts was no longer too problematic, so he added new elements to the training.

"From now on, you're going to pass the ball to first base before I get on base."

After each subsequent hit, Yabe will actually start running bases. Li Yuanrang had to simulate the situation in actual combat and pass to first base in time.

This kind of practice has been carried out dozens of times in a row, and Li Yuanrang has not felt tired yet, but it can be seen that Akio Yabe, who is in charge of running the base, is not easy, and he is already sweating profusely.

"Yabe, aren't you too overdrawn like this?"

Li Yuanrang asked.

"It's okay, I've only played half a game anyway, and if I'm not a catcher, the other positions don't require so much stamina."

Unlike other ball games, many of the positions on the baseball field are not too much exercise in daily games. Baseball requires explosiveness more than endurance.

Because of this, professional baseball is played six days out of seven days a week during the season. Pitchers need a rotation of five or six people, and a team of catchers might have two or three. As long as the athletic status is okay in other positions, it is not uncommon to play more than 100 games in a row throughout the season.

After a short break, Yabe's training continued. This time he stepped into the left-hand strike zone. Li Yuanrang raised questions about this.

"Haven't you always hit the right?"

"It should be fine to switch to a left hit when you hit, I want to try to shorten the distance on the bases, and you can handle it."

In the training just now, Li Yuanrang gradually found some tricks. Most of the time, you can block Yabe before first base.

Next, Yabe intends to take advantage of the left-hand hitter's move closer to first base to increase the difficulty of training.

However, on the first ball in the strike zone here, Yabe turned the ball fed by Aragaki and Sa into a small fly ball in front of the catcher. Li Yuanrang took a step forward and easily received the ball with his gloves.

In actual combat, this is pretty much one of the worst results when hitting a sacrifice hit.

"It looks like I'm still not suitable for left-hand play."

So Yabe honestly returned to the position of the right-hand hitter.

"Speaking of which, our team has too many right-hand hitters."

Li Yuanrang recalled the practice match he participated in earlier, as well as the battle that had just ended.

Most of the opponents they have faced at the School of Peace have three or four left-handed players in the starting lineup.

And the Peace Academy starters and substitutes are all counted, and only the first baseman Masaoka is a left-handed player.

Although regarding the difference between the two sides, Li Yuanrang only knew that the left side was closer to first base. But in any case, he feels that the current configuration of the team is not balanced enough.

"If you play left, there is a suitable candidate, he should have started training."

Yabe pointed his finger at the batting practice cage on the sidelines. Shortstop Tokuda, a recent addition to the team, is standing on the left side of the batter and facing the pitching machine.

It was clear that he wasn't used to the blow on this side enough. There are still problems with the smoothness and certainty of the shot.

I don't know if the results of the training will come in handy for next weekend's game.