With the exception of Aragaki and Sasa, who had just graduated from school, most of the members of the amateur team at the 4-chome shopping street were veteran ruffians who had been playing for more than ten or twenty years. Pen "Fun" Pavilion www.biquge.info

In the face of these experienced veterans who lack physical strength. Akio Yabe on the pitcher's mound had a hard time restraining them with his half-baked change ball.

Instead, it is a straight ball from some corners, even if it is a bad ball that is slightly off. These casual baseball players, who don't care about winning or losing at all, will chase after them because of pure playfulness. Turn into a non-threatening infield bocce ball or simply swing it into the air.

And in terms of shopping streets. Their starting pitcher was Sasaki, the owner of the fish shop.

This is a guy in his thirties, tall, long-armed, and physically strong. It looks like it's going to be a ball of power. In fact, the maximum ball speed is just over 120 kilometers away. Of course, because of his good figure and physique, the angle and tail strength are excellent.

As for the change ball, Sasaki can throw a finger cross ball as well as a fast finger cross ball called "SFF".

Rely on the difference between these types of ball slowness and drop. In the contract battle with the nearby amateur team, Sasaki can also be regarded as having a high winning rate.

However, against a college team that uses a metal bat. Using a quick finger fork ball to get into the base and instantly fall to get the effect of the boccia ball may not be ideal.

With such two defective pitchers dominating, the first two innings were tied at 2-2.

The first half of the three rounds of the shopping street attack. As soon as he was out, it was the turn of Lawson's clerk Aragaki and Sha to strike.

"You know the guy with the DV in the third base stand."

Before the pitcher starts pitching. Li Yuanrang, who was squatting at home plate, said to Hesha.

"Looks like I've seen it somewhere before."

And Sha replied.

She is a left-hand player and doesn't need to turn her head to see the spectators on the third base.

"I used to be a TV commentator, but now I'm a scout for a professional baseball team......"

In the rest area just now, Yabe introduced the situation of Aragaki and Sand to Li Yuanrang. And suggested that he use the topic of professional baseball scouts to talk to the other party.

The purpose is not all to make the opponent nervous. Half of the reason is for fun.

And the other half, Yabe hopes that Li Yuanlet get used to talking to the opposing beater while crouching. After all, shaking the opponent with words is one of the necessary auxiliary skills of a good catcher.

The rest of the shopping street team is quite different in age from college students, so it may not be easy to talk to. But Aragaki and Sa are the same age as everyone else. It might be a good idea to start with her.

I don't know if it was Li Yuanrang's words that had an effect.

This time, Aragaki and Sand did not respond as calmly as in the previous round. Instead, he was bent on making a good hit.

Facing a deceptive outside corner kick by the arrow. And the sand vigorously swings into the air. Eat a strikeout.

"In the second half of the inning, do you want to try to hit a ball in the direction of second base?"

Before leaving the strike zone, He Sha said to Li Yuanrang.

"I haven't practiced to the point where I can play wherever I want."

In the second half of the game, the blow to the Peace School will start from the eighth bat, and Li Yuanrang, who is the first batter, will be the third hitter.

Aragaki Kazusa probably wanted to show off his guarding skills in front of the scouts, so he made this request.

In the past few months, I have participated in the amateur team's competitions, and the sand has been somewhat tainted with some habits in the field of grass ball.

In these neighborhood team games, the hitter sometimes asks the pitcher for the type of ball he wants to challenge. Defensively, they sometimes say things like "play a fly ball" or "play boccia".

This is not an act of expecting the opponent to release water, but purely adding to the fun of the game without the pressure of winning or losing.

In fact, this habit of making demands on opponents coincided with the early form of baseball.

In the mid-19th century, when the sport was just born, hitters could shout to pitchers what they wanted to play.

At that time, baseball technology and rules were not perfect, and the hitter would only be escorted after nine bad balls, if the hitter did not specify the way he wanted the ball to the pitcher. I'm afraid the game will be difficult to continue in the endless bad balls.

……

After seeing the behavior of several players in the shopping street taking the initiative to ask for the ball, in the second half of the third inning, when it was Li Yuanrang's turn to strike, he asked the opponent's pitcher to throw an inside corner kick in the same way. The purpose is, of course, to overcome one's own weaknesses.

Pitcher Sasaki smiled. Shot a very large drop inside corner finger cross.

Lee Wonrang swung hard, and the ball hit the middle of the bat, becoming a strong roll in the direction of the pitcher.

The tall Sasaki bent down to intercept it, and it was too late.

At the moment when she was about to break through the infield, second basemen Kazuma Aragaki flew sideways to catch the incoming ball, and then she rolled on her side and got up, passing the ball to first base.

Li Yuanrang was blocked and out.

"You really hit a ball that needs a second baseman to catch."

When he returned to the rest area, Yabe chatted with Li Yuanrang while helping him put on the catcher protector.

"Oh, you heard all the conversations?"

"There are not many people on the sidelines, and I think even Mita in the stands should have heard you two talking so loudly."

"I didn't mean to do that, either."

"yes, I guess you're not strong enough yet. And ......"

After Yabe helped Li Yuanrang put on the protective gear, he took his gloves and prepared to play, at which time he continued.

“…… And your style of play is obviously not hit, if the wooden stick is hit in this position, it will be broken a long time ago. ”

"The bat will break?"

Li Yuanrang's previous knowledge of baseball was basically in the field of college baseball using metal bats, and he did not understand the characteristics of wooden bats.

"It's going to break, especially if you're new to changing from a metal bat to a wooden one."

Yabe replied.

……

In the first half of the fifth inning, Aragaki and Sha's third blow.

"Is it true that I heard that sticks break?"

Li Yuanrang asked the other party.

As Yabe said earlier, it is easier for someone who has just switched from a metal bat to a wooden bat to break the bat.

Aragaki and Sa only graduated from high school in March this year. There are less than two months to participate in the competition using wooden sticks. I think it's a player who belongs to this kind of adaptation period.

"I haven't interrupted once."

"What if it breaks?"

"Don't say such unlucky things!"

Breaking the bat itself is not uncommon on the field. It's not unlucky. But for Aragaki and Sha, it is a situation that is extremely avoidable.

The amateur team in the shopping street shares all the costs. The players also bring their own equipment.

Aragaki and Sa have to find time to train on their own, so they have limited time to work at a convenience store. The monthly income is only 100,000 yen.

A broken ball set was a financial disaster for her.

After tentatively throwing two bad balls.

On the third ball, Yabe threw an inside corner ball.

Kazusa's swing slowed down, and the details of the bat hit the ball, and then broke off in response.

Li Yuanrang, who was behind home plate, first took a look, only to find that the ball had landed in bounds. When he picked up the ball and was about to pass it to his teammates, he found it was too late.

"My 20,000 yen!"

A roar from Aragaki and Sand came from the direction of first base.