"If you can hit it, go ahead. Just make sure you're tracking the ball at every opportunity."
"Yes sir!"
Still filled to the brim with morale, the Japanese players shouted back with vigor. There was an obvious shift in their mood after Ken's magic-like words on the field earlier.
"Batting 3rd, 1st base, Hiroki."
As Hiroki stepped into the batters box, the Head Coach approached Ken. While his gaze was stalwart, inwardly his impression of Ken had increased by leaps and bounds.
"You'll be pitching starting next inning. Think you can handle it?"
Ken felt his spirits soar at these words, yet his face remained determined. He had been waiting for this news ever since he had made the National Team over a week ago.
"Yes sir!" He replied, almost saluting out of reflex.
Coach Takashi's face broke into a smile briefly before he headed back to Chris at the entrance to the dugout.
Amidst Ken's joyful mood, he looked out at the field and could see that Hiroki was watching the ball carefully. He seemed to take the coach's words to heart and hadn't even swung at a ball yet.
The count was currently 2-2, yet Hiroki had not budged. He'd successfully completed his mission by seeing as many balls as possible.
WOOOSH
Ding
PAH
"Strikeout!"
Unfortunately for him, the final pitch still eluded his bat.
However, instead of looking depressed, Hiroki returned with a smile on his face. He said a few words to Daichi on the way past before heading into the dugout.
"I touched the ball… It was only a little, but I felt it." He told Ken before closing his eyes, as if he was replaying the moment over again in his mind.
"Batting 4th, Catcher, Daichi."
It was now Daichi's turn to face the tricky sidearm pitcher. Since this was his second time, he thought that he may be able to grasp something.
The pitch approached him at speed, rising from a low angle before dropping as it came into his range. It felt rather awkward, but Daichi tilted his arms slightly before sending a swing at the ball.
DING
"Foul."
The ball shuttled along the ground into the foul zone behind 1st base with speed. After making contact with the ball, Daichi felt his confidence soar.
DING
"Foul."
DING
"Foul."
Frustration began to appear on Antonio's face after his pitches were continually fouled off. Though no one had gotten a proper hit from him in this game, he still wasn't in the business of wasting pitches.
The next ball was a wicked slider which brushed the side of the strike zone on its way over the plate.
Daichi did his best to follow the trajectory, but was left hitting nothing but air.
"Strikeout!"
"Nice Antonio! 2 outs!"
Not to be outdone by the Japanese team, Jorge shouted from his position on 2nd base. Unlike when he first started the game, his ego had been fully reigned in.
He would no longer underestimate the Japanese National Team.
"Nice work making contact Daichi." Ken said on his way past to the equipment.
Daichi nodded, "I'll definitely hit it in my next at-bat." He declared with confidence.
"Looking forward to it." Ken said with a grin before grabbing his bat and helmet.
Yet not even a couple of minutes later, he returned back to the dugout since Ichiro was struck out in 5 pitches.
"3 outs, changeover!"
As the teams were changing over, Chris ran over to the plate umpire and spoke a few words before returning to his spot.
"Japan substitution, Pitcher Kei Hama will be replaced by Ken Takagi. Tomoya Shibata will be moving to the right outfield and will be replacing Atsushi."
Daichi's eyes lit up as he heard the news over the speakers. Though he'd seen Kei icing his shoulder, he hadn't known that Ken would be replacing him as pitcher.
It wasn't only Daichi who felt ecstatic at the news, his teammates almost jumped for joy.
"Looks like they're releasing the monster." Masayuki said with a hollow chuckle.
Riku waltzed beside the captain, his face wearing a carefree smile, "Awesome, we'll be able to relax in the outfield for the rest of the game, hehe~"
Yet after feeling Masayuki's glare drilling into the side of his face, he was forced to admit he was joking.
"Tch, you're no fun." He mumbled.
"Hey isn't that the outfielder on the mound?" One of the spectators asked in question.
"Yeah, what's he doing on the mound? I know he had a killer arm, but it takes more than that to be a pitcher." Another responded matter-of-factly.
"GO KEN! GO DAICHI!"
A lone female voice shouted out in Japanese as she waved the red and white flag. Yuki felt a wave of pride which threatened to make her emotional after seeing both her boys together.
She hadn't seen her son pitch in person in over 2 years when he was in middle school. Of course she'd watched Koshien on TV, but it was not the same.
This was also the first time her sons had played as a battery, at least officially.
"Ah, camera. Where's my camera?" As if suddenly remembering their family photo album, she quickly fished through her bag and looked for her camera.
Ken happened to hear her voice and turned his gaze, sending her a wave before turning back to Daichi behind the plate.
He felt his body heat up in that moment as he stared at his brother.
Finally, they were able to pair up as a battery on a big stage.
In the final year of middle school, Ken was still injured and unable to pitch. After Daichi got into Osaka Toin, he thought that there might not be a chance to fulfill this dream until they both became professionals.
Yet lo and behold, they both made it into the National Team. Even then, they both needed to be better than all their peers in order for this opportunity to occur.
Ken grinned.
"Let's get this win."