Chapter 44: Semifinal 2
29th July
Seido with their ace coming back look fired than usual, they headed to their dugout and preparing for them game. Different kind of actions decipher the team mood for instance Sawamura.
"Tanba-senpai don't worry I got your back! Never give up never what?! "
".."
"NEVER WHATTT?! "
"...never give up"
"Hey that's isn't loud enough! we need to show them b-"
*kick*
Sawamura loudness stop when Kuramochi wrestle with him. Haruichi grimace as he observe Sawamura and Kuramochi way of getting along. The commotion stop when they saw Yuki got the lineup from Chris, they surround the captain.
Lead-off - Kuramochi
2nd-Ryousuke
3rd-Yuki
4th-Fujikawa
5th-Jun
6th-Miyuki
7th-Masuko
8th-Shirasu
9th-Tanba
The small change between the lead-off and cleanup left a question mark on Furuya and Sawamura face. With their dense personality they will realize it later than planned so Chris explain it for them.
"We need to take every opportunity that we have, with Fujikawa ability to get on the base and his batting average also the highest in our team so we need someone on the base so that he can score more. Not that the other senpais was unreliable but every chance there is an opportunity to reach koshien "
Sawamura and Furuya look at each other before asking a question.
"Then flower boy's batting average is.. "
"0.300"
".."
Chris explain that he take the current information of seido's hitter starting from the day the first year join and until now, meaning he have been noting every players at bats. Thus left Sawamura and Furuya speechless. They pestered Chris until the game announced to be start. They do their warm up and waiting for captain Yuki to come back from rock-paper-scissors. Haruichi approached Mio taking his chance to chat with him.
"Welcome back, I want to say that yesterday but you just disappeared out of nowhere "
" hmm, thank you. How's your practice? "
"I think I'm doing better. It's all thanks to you "
Haruichi gave a small smile. Thinking about Mio who practice with him secretly, he was thankful and excited at the same time. He was growing faster than ever.
"That's a good news to hear"
"Fujikawa! "
Mio wanted to cheer him up but the game was starting so he wave and head out.
"Have a nice game Mio-kun "
An okay sign was given.
"WITH THIS THE SEMIFINAL MATCH BETWEEN SENSEN AND SEIDO SHALL START! "
***
Both Sensen and Seido start their respective ace and former ace. The game start off strong with Tanba more resolute than ever not even giving the Sensen's batter a chance to hit his pitches.
Maki, Sensen's ace and starting pitcher observe seido movement. The first batter coming up, kuramochi. The audience and opponent were flabbergasted. They anticipate that seido will start with their first year start player but turn out they change the lineup. The first pitch kuramochi let it go as it called a strike, to be more precise kuramochi can't react to his pitch. The cheers from dugout didn't reach kuramochi at all, he was so engrossed that he can't hear anything. He fouled the second pitch.
'That sting'
Kuramochi adjust his grip and stablize his footing. Watching Kuramochi resolve getting stronger, Maki mock seido internally. He carries a grudge from having never being invited to Seidou to play, seeing it as an insult to his abilities and seeing there's four freshman on the team, Maki want to shut seido down. The catcher call for a fastball, with his fastball comes down from a high angle it was hard to determine whether kuramochi can hit it or he'll get jammed.
"STRIKE"
"Come on Maki, you can do this"
2 strike. The tension suffocate a portion of the audience and half of it give them an excitement.
'Will he throw his fastball again or his curve ball? '
The pitch come but then Kuramochi suddenly show a bunt and the ball speed slow down. Kuramochi took this chance to run and slid toward first base. Sensen was caught off guard, seido's lead-off rarely bunt and given kuramochi ability they didn't expect him to do it.
"Nice cheetahing and bunt senpai! you can learn more from me"
*tsk*
Kuramochi ask for a timeout to dust off the dirt, he look up and saw Maki frowning. After that, Ryousuke come and he persistently fouling off Maki's pitches. Kuramochi want to steal second but the infield was preventing him to do so. Ryousuke manage to pulled a long hit on right when Maki's control is slipping off. Cheers fill the stadium but a second later the stadium completely void of any noise. That's because the third batter coming up is the captain and the acknowledge cleanup on the team.
"The captain is third?! "
"Then who bat after him?!"
***
"Do you think Miyuki will be the cleanup? "
"There's a high chance that will be him"
"Huh are talking about kazuya? I think Mio will be the one taking that spot"
Mei with Shirakawa and Carlos analyze the game as Mei throwing tantrum that he want to watch seido match, that's why they are here. At the same time they can see their likely opponent for the final.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone