IMPORTANT
I did google about baseball and softball as I translated this chapter, however, it’s very possible that I might have misinterpreted/mistranslated some terms or information regarding the baseball elements.
Let me apologise in advance for that.
The Bottom Of The Third Inning, One Out!
The lessons for today are over, and it’s currently the time for the Short Homeroom before going back.
After this, there’s the roster-based classroom cleaning, but the students that are not on the roster are free to go.
I’m also one of those people. I shall go out of the classroom temporarily so that I don’t get in the way of the cleaning. And after that, I’ll return to my seat and……yeah, read a book or something.
Just right as I settled on my plans, the chime that announces the end of the SHR sounded.
The students’ actions after that were extremely quick.
Those who head to their club activities, those who make their way home, those who arrange their detours with their friends……. I think there’s pretty much nobody who’s conscious of it, but every one of them is moving at a fast pace, trying to live the moment to the fullest.
I often see the expression,『blew past your youth』, on the television and the internet. But, that’s a tautology.
In reality, if you allow me to say it as one of the people who’s experiencing that ‘youth’ period――.
I think youth is a period that you’re unable to not go all out and burn through it with all kinds of things.
Be that as it may, I’m somewhat treating it as someone else’s problem huh. I’m neither dedicating myself to anything, nor am I looking to have fun by playing with my friends.
I think that’s why I’m able to overlook this current period in such a manner and analyse it; it’s because I’m looking at those other people who are right around me――it’s because I’m looking that fellow.
One after another, my classmates depart the classroom. I leave the classroom as well.
I, who returned to the classroom after the cleaning, about 10 minutes later, sit on my seat and stare outside the window.
The sky……it’s cloudier compared to this morning, and its blue is no longer visible.
But, that’s not my current objective.
It’s below.
In the schoolyard, the softball club has started preparing for the match.
At the outskirts of the outfield, they’ve set up movable fences, drawn the lines, and placed the bases.
I wonder why they placed two bases on the first base. Did somebody make a mistake and ended up placing two layers? As I was blankly thinking about such things, I, once again, slipped into a slumber.
By a loud cheer that arose out of a sudden, I was woken up.
It seems I’ve ended up falling into a deep sleep for a little. Darn, I’m glad the match didn’t end while I was sleeping.
I looked down at the diamond and understood the reason for the cheer just now.
Mai, who’s probably on her second round in this match, was standing in the batter’s box.
I place my eyes on the scoreboard to check out the direction the match is heading, but I can’t really see it from here. Judging from the situation, I think they’re on the third inning though. The only thing that I do know is, that there are runners on all the bases.
I know nothing else other than that. Are they winning, are they losing?
――I wonder, did that fellow manage to properly contribute. ……I wonder if she’s having fun.
“The bottom of the third inning, one out! Although it’s one against three, it’s fine. Let’s grab ahold of this chance! It’s possible to turn it around in one blowー! Maiー, take em’ out!”
The voice now is Naru-tan…….otherwise, it’s Micchiー. It’s either one of the two softball club members that came to persuade Mai today.
But, nice, Naru-tan, Micchiー.
We’re two points behind huh. Thanks for providing me with the information I wanted.
Just as I thought they’d go right into pitching as it is, there are changes with the players. It looks like they’re substituting the pitcher.
I missed whether they are switching with some other positions or whether they’re purely substituting with the reserves, but that isn’t the problem.
Against Mai, who stood in the right batter’s box, they changed the left-handed pitched to a right-handed pitcher.
It differs from person to person as well, so I can’t say that it applies for all, but it’s said that that a right-handed pitcher generally has the advantage against a right-handed batter. Ah, this is baseball knowledge huh. I only know that softball is pretty much the same as baseball, so please take it with a grain of salt.
By the way, the source of my baseball knowledge is, baseball games and baseball manga……also the breakdowns during the baseball games’ intermissions that I occasionally watch『while doing things』.
Ah, other than that, the baseball breakdowns variety shows like the editorial conference for the baseball dictionary1 on public broadcast during the off-seasons. They’re extremely interesting.
Despite all of them being platforms with baseball as the common theme, there are all kinds of approach to it. That’s where it’s interesting.
My attention was drawn back to the ground. It’s because this time around, Mai moved.
That fellow, who confirmed something with the umpire――.
switched to the left batter’s box!
You’re underestimating it too much! No matter how you look at it, you’re underestimating softball too much, Mai!
Your opponents, they’re a bunch who spend day and night on rigorous practices in softball wholeheartedly.
If what I was thinking about before I dozed off just now applies, the girls are burning through their every day, to hone the sports known as softball.
As high as your physical prowess may be, they’re no opponents that an untrained amateur can win against. Furthermore, needless to say, to do something like switching hands.
Aren’t you a little cocky there, Mai.
Well, please get crushed here, and leave behind a bitter memory. And then, tell Narutan and Micchiー, ‘I’m sorry’ and do a ‘tehepero2‘.
Regarding that ticket, well, I guess you can just receive it as a payment for your time. I thought in that manner.
As was expected, the game restarted, and the pitcher readied herself inside the mound……like white line ring.
raーther, what’s with that pitcher.
Huge!! She’s huge, you know!?
They said it’s a practice match, so that’s a highschool girl……right?
『KUZUKO』is written on her uniform, so there’s probably no mistaking it.
A firm upper body, and a pair of bulging thighs. Her height is also fairly tall. ……haha, I guess even Mai can’t go head to head against this.
If I compare her with Mai, it’s like beauty and the beast. Well, I’m very much opposed to assessing Mai as a ‘beauty’ though.
And then, the first ball was thrown.
Zudobann!!!
Waiiiiーーーーーー!
What’s with that ball!? It’s ruled as ‘ball’!? Something like that doesn’t matter.
The ball had an absurd force. The catcher who caught it called for a timeout. It looks she’s complaining about the pain in her hand that caught the ball, despite it being over the mitts, and she’s having it sprayed.
While I’m at it, let me say that the ball floated up so much that I can tell even from here. It’s called a rise ball, is it!? It approaches from the bottom, and yeah, probably looks as though it’s aiming for the face. My fear for it prevents me from imagining it. It’s just imagining, but it ends up preventing me from doing it!
Alright, Mai. I’ll cheer you on just a little. Good luck, good luck, at least avoid it. It’s alright not to hit it, avoid a dead ball at the very least.
If something like that lands, it’s not the ball, but Mai who will end up dead.
In contrary to such thoughts of mine, that fellow went for a swing at the second ball that was thrown.
It seems that it hit the bat, and made a dull sound, but the fielder didn’t move at all.
In that case, where exactly did the ball go then?
That question was answered right away.
Doga!
“Nuoo!”
That gave me a shock. It struck right above me, who’s in the classroom on the second floor, between the school building’s second and third floor’s outer wall.
“Hie, hieーー……”
I’m glad something like that didn’t hit the glass. Not to mention, I’m rea――――ly glad it didn’t hit me!
The next pitch also ended up with a foul.
However, for her to suddenly hit it with the bat, as expected of her huh. Good grief, the things that fellow does are out of the ordinary.
Zudoban! Ball――!
One out, two balls, two strikes. An even count. It’s highly possible that the next battery will decide the outcome. Now then, Mai. Don’t let the chance slip if it’s an easy ball. And, if it’s a difficult ball that feels like it’ll hit you, then run away without hesitating. It doesn’t matter even if you end up leaving the batter’s box! I’ll forgive you.
As was expected, the fifth ball was thrown.
Mai is in a swinging motion. That’s right, the pitcher, who doesn’t want to let it become a full count, is irritated³. Go! Hit it!!
But――.
“Ball!”
What, ball? Looking at it closely, Mai stopped her swing with ease.
I casually wiped the sweat on my forehead.
That pitcher……, she missed it purposely. On top of that, she’s making a composed look. I see, how ballsy.
Nevertheless, it’s Mai. It’s a situation where even I, who’s merely an audience, is leaning forward, you know. It’s a situation where the striker who’s high on hitting would want to swing even if she misses the strike zone. That fellow, she saw through it ever so rationally.
No, wait, although the pitcher changed, the catcher remained as is. It’s possible that, she read the pitches from the trend thus far.
……well, I guess Mai would be the last person to do that.
“Fuu……”
I take a deep breath. This is what it means to be on a rollercoaster of emotions huh.
Whatever it is, it’s the next pitch.
One out, full count, full base. If I’m not wrong, according to the softball’s rules, the runners can’t leave the bases until the pitcher releases the ball, was it? In simple terms, it means they can’t take a lead.
With that in the equation as well, it’s easy to advance to the next base at this count, isn’t it. They don’t have to worry about whether or not to run the bases.
They just have to start the moment they see the pitcher release the ball. If it’s a foul, they can safely return to the bases, if it’s a hit, then hooray.
The problem is when it flies outfield, but even so, it gives them the time to return to the bases as it’s lingering in midair.
Depending on the situation, the third base runner can reach the home plate with a tag up and get a point.
It’s gotten complicated huh, let’s try slightly sorting it out inside my head.
The count is one out, full count, full base.
Mai’s turn at batting is fine for one more out.
If she goes for a hit, she can aim for a big score in one go, so it’s okay.
If she’s prepared to risk one out and flies it outfield, she can get one point, so this is also okay.
They can receive one point from a walk even if it’s a foul ball, so this is okay as well.
If it’s an infield ground ball, a double play will end up crushing their chances, so that’s what they want to avoid.
Also, a dead ball has to be avoided no matter what. It’s because Mai will end up dead.
Uh-huh, I managed to sort it out.
If it’s a ball that won’t become a dead ball, she might as well go for a full swing.
It just has to go out of the infield; that’s the conclusion I drew.
Besides, since they probably don’t want to end up with a foul ball, they’ll undoubtedly aim for the strike zone.
Alright, Mai. Swing with all your strength. Fly it outfield!
And then, the last ball was thrown.
Mai is going for it; she used her whole body, placing the bat on the trajectory of a full swing.
“Ah!”
But, I instinctively shouted. I could see it. It was visible to me.
(You can’t, Mai. You can’t swing at that!!)
That beast of a pitcher was more monstrous than I had imagined.
If a foul ball gets overlooked, a point will end up presented to the opponent. That’s why, she can either make her swing with a dirty ball that’s on course that cuts it close, or cut it. In either case, it has to go into the strike zone.
In such a close-call situation――.
she missed.
It wasn’t a misthrow, it probably went on the planned course, and veered off course on top of that. If she overlooks it, it’s undoubtedly a ball. It’s one point from a walk. However, Mai has started a full swing. She can’t stop it anymore. Besides――.
She’s aiming for the inside corner!?
It’ll hit Mai at this rate!
The sound of the first ball that struck the mitt, the sound of the second ball that slammed into the school building’s outer wall, they playback inside my brain.
“Run away, Mai!”
Run away, avoid, evad……. In my head, there no longer existed anything but such negative prayers.
However, that fellow…… That woman――!
She planted her leg firmly outwards. She turned her upper body. She folded her arms in compactly, and without killing the momentum of the swing even the slightest, she struck that fastball with the bat entirely――.
Kaa!
The batted ball steadily extends to the outfield.
A little too much angle has been applied. But, it’s good enough.
It didn’t end up with a dead ball. That fact, relieves me. I carry on to blankly chase after the direction of the batted ball.
It’s more than enough to fly outfield…….
As I’m staring in that manner――.
Nn, it’s still not dropping? It’s extending unexpectedly much. ……eh, wai. Wait?
The ball passed way above the movable outfield fence that defines the field.
It’s a comeback grand slam.
“No……way――”
I could only stare dumbfoundedly at the batted ball that’s still continuously extending its distance. It looks as though the sky that turned completely cloudy ended up swallowing the yellow ball that’s no longer distinguishable.
On the other hand, on the ground, the batter and the runner were running around the diamond.
As was expected, the large-breasted hero that returned to the home base, was showered with vehement praises from her teammates.
“Haha, seriously……. That fellow sure is amazing”
I had lifted my hips before I know it.
I sat back into the chair, clap clap clap……and as I gently clapped for her, I could hear that fellow’s bright and lively voice clearly.
“Ahーーーー, it feels goodーーーーーー!!”
- I didn’t quite understand what kind of variety show this is, so I translated it literally.
- てへぺろ(Te He Pe Ro) It’s a type of expression. (๑><๑) (๑❛︎ڡ❛︎๑) (ﾉ≧︎ڡ≦︎) (・ω<)
