[371] Overview of Each School

Chapter 371: Overview of Each School

The use of the new tactics and some issues with teamwork adjustment meant that while Seidou High School didn't score as extravagantly in the following innings as they did in the first, the runs they secured were still quite substantial.

They scored five runs in the second inning, four in the third, three in the fourth, and another five in the fifth.

On the defensive side, Kawakami truly upheld the reputation of a champion, delivering a shutout performance that didn't disappoint Seidou's players or fans.

Nanamori was left scoreless, hitless, and didn't draw any walks. Over the five innings, Kawakami faced 15 batters and retired all of them.

The final score: 26-0.

This game marked the most lopsided victory seen in the official matches throughout Tokyo—and perhaps all of Kanto—this year.

When the umpire declared the game over, Nanamori's team let out a collective sigh of relief.

The game had been incredibly one-sided.

Whether in defense or offense, they seemed to be sleepwalking through the innings.

Out after out, they relied on luck rather than skill.

If Seidou hadn't been experimenting with new strategies and batting techniques, occasionally making mistakes in the process, some innings might never have ended.

Nanamori was considered a mid-tier team in East Tokyo, which generally wasn't as fiercely competitive as West Tokyo.

Still, they were no pushovers. Yet here they were, crushed by Seidou High School for a staggering 26 runs—without Seidou even playing at full strength.

Spectators were amazed, but scouts from rival schools grew increasingly serious.

Although they dismissed Nanamori's ace as below their own standards—certain they, too, could finish off a game in five innings—Seidou's ease and dominance were something else entirely.

"Looks like we'll need to be even more cautious about Seidou," someone commented.

"Besides Sawamura in the third spot and Miyuki batting cleanup, we'll need to keep a close eye on Kominato, Shirasu, Maezono… the whole lineup is already at summer-season levels."

"Their pitching staff is also intimidating. Even without Sawamura on the mound, they kept a clean sheet."

"That game against Teito High wasn't a fluke."

"This autumn version of Seidou doesn't seem any weaker than their summer lineup."

"Focusing on how to counter Sawamura is key. Their batting lineup, after all, isn't the best reference. Neither the preliminary teams nor today's Nanagamari have much comparative value. Even the game against Teito had its share of unpredictability—worthy of attention, but not too much worry."

"More importantly, Sawamura is both the pitching and batting core. If we can break his pitching, it'll likely affect his batting as well."

"Alright, that's the plan."

As the players from both teams left the field, scouts from Inashiro Industrial and Yakushi High finished their notes and returned to their respective schools.

At the moment, Seidou High School was undoubtedly the team to watch in the Tokyo region.

As they steamrolled their way into the top sixteen, other schools were also battling it out in their respective brackets.

One particularly intense bracket included Yakushi High, which faced a tough challenge right from the start.

Yakushi's first opponent was Kasugaichi High, a well-known East Tokyo powerhouse second only to Teito High.

At first, Coach Todoroki, aiming to give younger players some experience, sent out first-years Akiba and Mishima as pitchers.

This led to a slugfest in the early innings.

Fortunately, ever since the summer tournament, Raichi had made remarkable progress. His powerful hitting dominated Kasugaichi's ace, keeping Yakushi in the game.

Over the first five innings, Raichi alone drove in five runs.

Akiba and Mishima combined to give up four runs, prompting Coach Todoroki to reconsider his strategy.

Recognizing that he had underestimated Kasugaichi, he brought out his true ace, Sanada, in the fifth inning.

Against Yakushi's shining ace, Kasugaichi High found themselves stymied.

From the fifth inning to the ninth, Sanada only allowed one run due to a defensive error. Otherwise, he perfectly shut down Kasugaichi High's offense.

Under Raichi's lead, Yakushi High's batting lineup displayed a fierce aggression.

It must be said that Eijun's arrival not only altered the destiny of Seidou High, but also had a butterfly effect that contributed to Raichi's growth.

This, in turn, spurred the evolution of Yakushi High's entire batting lineup, making them an extremely formidable force.

Ultimately, Yakushi High clinched their opening victory with an 11-5 score.

In their second game against Akikawa High, they faced a greater challenge in the form of You Shunshin, a talented pitcher from Taiwan.

Though Akikawa's batting lineup was exceedingly weak—they couldn't score even a single run while Akiba and Mishima were pitching—You Shunshin's pitching posed a huge problem for Coach Todoroki.

Known for their heavy-hitting lineup, Yakushi High struggled against him, finding themselves at risk of being completely shut down.

As the saying goes, You Shunshin, after facing Seidou's batting lineup, emerged as one of the top-tier pitchers not just in Tokyo, but likely across all of Kanto and perhaps Japan.

In the end, it was Raichi and Sanada who pulled Yakushi High through the crisis.

Their perfect coordination in the fourth and fifth spots finally broke through in the bottom of the eighth inning with a timely two-run hit.

Yakushi High eked out a hard-fought victory, but it wasn't easy. Even so, You Shunshin, despite his lone dominance (coupled with a less-than-ideal coach), eventually had to accept defeat.

With this win, Yakushi High advanced to the round of sixteen.

In the same bracket, Ichidaisan High also emerged victorious, setting up a clash between the two schools in the third round.

In the eyes of Tokyo's spectators, if Yakushi High could defeat Ichidaisan High for the second time in a year, it would solidify their claim as the fourth major powerhouse in West Tokyo.

The question remained: would Ichidaisan High manage to avenge their earlier loss, or would the underdog prove their worth once again?

This highly anticipated rematch, rooted in their summer encounter, drew the attention of every baseball fan in Tokyo.

Meanwhile, Inashiro Industrial, one of the three top schools in West Tokyo, was also considered a strong contender for the championship in this year's autumn tournament.

Their ace, Narumiya Mei, especially stood out.

After the one-run loss in the summer finals, it was as if Narumiya Mei had matured overnight.

Just as he had in the previous summer, he demonstrated remarkable growth not only during practice and post-summer scrimmages but also in the start of this autumn tournament.

Narumiya's calm, composed, and powerful presence left a lasting impression on all the Tokyo spectators.

This ace of Inashiro Industrial, the "Prince of Tokyo," not only improved his skills but also took his mental game to the next level.