Ogawa from Seiko is my least favorite character in Daiya no Ace. That is all.
Enjoy!
At the bottom of seventh, Seiko already got their two outs and Kazuya is up at-bat. So far, Ogawa hasn't let Kazuya hit anything, and it's no different this time around. He walks Kazuya to first base yet again. Zono is up next and he hits Ogawa's pitch strongly to third, who throws it to first, outing Zono. Seiko manages to hold Seidou back from scoring again.
"Seidou High School has announced a change in players. Replacing the sixth batter, Furuya-kun, will be Sawamura-kun. Batting sixth and pitcher, Sawamura-kun."
Now that it's certain that Furuya isn't going to play again, Yukari takes him to the waiting room and leaves his cooling down to Yasushi so she can return to watch the game.
"I'll have balls flying left and right, so fielders, thank you in advance!" Yukari hears Sawamura's tagline as she returns to the dugout.
Sawamura easily strikes out the first batter. The second batter fouls his first pitch, but manages to hit his change-up at the last minute. It falls right between right and center. The third batter is Nagata. He swings powerfully at an out-low pitch but misses. Yukari can tell that the pressure is getting to Sawamura when he throws his change-up to the ground.
Sawamura pitches another outside fastball and Nagata powerfully hits it above the right field fence. With the two-run homer, the score is tied.
Yukari is a little bit worried about the mental damage that the home run might inflict on Sawamura. She knows just how strong the first year southpaw can be, but while it might not be as traumatizing as hitting a batter on the head in the finals, that home run must hurt somehow. The fielders then gather in the mound, possibly to check how Sawamura is doing.
"K-Kawakami!" Oota chokes out. Yukari notices Kazuya peeking at Kataoka from over his shoulder from the mound and Kataoka nods back at him subtly.
The next batter enters the batter's box. This is where we need to stop their momentum; otherwise, it'll be game over for us.
Yukari frowns when Sawamura's first pitch goes wide. His next pitch is jammed by the batter toward third base and Kanemaru misses it. The batter gets on first base.
Yukari takes a deep breath and closes her eyes when it doesn't reach her lungs. She exhales sharply and continues to try and stabilize her breathing. She's not succeeding; it only makes her dizzy. She ultimately gives up and refocuses on the match as she tries to hide her quickening breaths. She can't afford to distract anyone again.
As Sawamura pitches to the batter, Yukari realizes that the runner on first's lead has gotten bigger. She bites her lower lip as she watches Sawamura, who seems to be focused on the batter. Her eyes widen when he does a pick-off to Zono and retires the runner. She smirks. He's doing just fine, isn't he?
Sawamura then proceeds to strike the next batter out. Yukari sighs with a small smile. Sawamura and Furuya are getting better and better with every game. It's honestly scary just how fast they progress.
When the players reach the dugout, Sawamura bows and apologizes for the tying run before Youichi kicks his butt, "I'll make up for my mistakes with my bat!" Sawamura says determinedly.
"Just pitch lower in the next inning. That should be enough redemption," Yukari says, "It's not like you can bat that well."
"Y-Yukihime-senpai…" Sawamura slumps to the ground.
"Yes, the home run pitch was a little high, but I was surprised by his attitude afterward," Yukari hears Kazuya say to Kataoka, "His last pitch… in terms of speed and movement, it was one of his best pitches."
Yukari nods with a small smile of approval. She'll hold back with her praises until at least the end of the tournament. The first batter of the bottom of eighth is Sawamura. Yukari smirks when he bunts the first pitch right down the first base line. Was he aiming for that inside pitch?
Sawamura runs to the first base alongside Ogawa who is chasing the bunt. He tosses the bunt with his glove right toward Nagata at first base, outing Sawamura. He reluctantly returns to the dugout.
"Toujou! Please avenge me!" Sawamura shouts.
Toujou manages to hit the second pitch right between first and second, but he doesn't make it in time to the base.
It seems like they're becoming more in sync as the game comes closer to the end…Yukari thinks. They're all moving so well, despite being so big.
"Replacing the eighth batter, Kanemaru-kun, will be Higasa-kun. Batting eighth, Higasa-kun."
Well, he did show a quick decision making and adjustment skills during the intra-squad. Hopefully he can do the same here, Yukari thinks as Shouji takes his place in the batter's box.
"Higasa-senpai! Let's stay focused here!" Kanemaru shouts, "We're just getting started!"
Shouji swings and misses the first pitch. He hits a grounder off of the second one and Nagata catches it while Ogawa covers first base. Three outs and change.
"Their defense is good!" Oota complains.
Yukari takes a deep breath and exhales it harshly when it comes in short.
"The game's not over yet! Let's defend the inning and connect to our offense!" Kataoka shouts.
"YEAH!"
Ogawa is first up at-bat. He hits the first pitch right past Shouji and gets to first base. The next batter looks like he's about to bunt. The batter bunts the first pitch, but it bounces towards Sawamura. He dives for it and catches it in his glove. He lifts his glove with the ball in it.
"Out!"
Yukari glares at Sawamura, who feels her glare, and scratches his head sheepishly in apology, but then he salutes her. She takes it as a sign saying that he's fine. She rolls her eyes. These idiots are good at making me do my job, Yukari thinks.
On the second pitch to the next batter, Ogawa steals to second base while the batter hits Sawamura's pitch right to third base. Shouji catches it and throws it to Zono as per Youichi's order. Two outs with runner on second.
"Masu-san! Take me home!" Ogawa shouts from the second base as Masu enters the batter's box. The outfielders all move in a little to prepare to throw back home. Masu fouls the first pitch, and the second pitch is a ball. Masu fouls the third, fourth, and fifth pitch. The sixth pitch is a ball. The seventh pitch is a change-up and Masu fouls it.
Finally, Masu hits the eighth pitch, which is a low and outside, between third and shortstop. Shouji, Youichi, and Takeru all chase after the ball while Ogawa runs for home.
"Asou, back home!" Zono shouts.
Yukari puts a hand over her heart, trying to ease its beating. Takeru catches the ball and throws it back to Kazuya. It bounces right by Ogawa's feet at third base and Kazuya catches it before he can reach the plate. Yukari sighs in relief, but then she frowns.
Ogawa isn't stopping.
Yukari's head snaps to look at Kazuya, whose eyes widen as he sees Ogawa approaching, but before he can dodge him, it's too late. Ogawa crashes violently into Kazuya and both of them fall to the ground, Kazuya's helmet and face guard falling off his head due to the impact. Yukari can clearly feel her heart beating harshly against her chest; the pounding resonates throughout her whole body. Her breath quickens and her vision starts to blur a little out of dizziness.
Yukari's whole body is shaking like a leaf as she watches Kazuya lifting his body up and raising his mitt with the ball in it. She doesn't even realize that she's already on her feet, with her hands gripping the railing of the dugout to keep her balanced. Her notebook and stationeries are abandoned on the floor of the dugout.
"Out!"
The fielders return to the dugout, showering Kazuya with praises. Yukari can see Youichi looking worried as he approaches Kazuya, but her boyfriend just grins at the shortstop.
"Are you okay?" Kataoka asks the second Kazuya reaches the dugout.
"Are you hurt anywhere?" Oota asks.
"Everywhere," Kazuya answers with a pained grin.
"Kazuya…" Yukari calls out shakily. Kazuya turns to look at her and his grin is wiped off his face when he sees her shaking.
"Yuka-chan, are you okay?"
"That's my line, idiot!" Yukari almost shouts. She pants shakily. She hasn't felt this way since Chris injured his shoulder. She's slowly panicking as her breathing picks up.
"O-Oi, calm down. I'm okay. Don't panic," Kazuya says before pulling her into his arms, people watching be damned, "Calm down, Yukari."
Yukari puts her forehead against Kazuya's chest protector as she takes a deep breath in an attempt to stabilize her breathing, and exhales it in relief when she can feel her body's shaking subsiding. Tears build up in her eyes as though to replace the shaking. Kazuya relaxes a bit when he feels that she has stopped shaking.
"I'm fine. I swear I am."
Yukari takes a deep, shaky breath, wincing a little when her chest flares up in pain as she pulls away from Kazuya. She harshly wipes the tears out of her eyes in frustration. She glares at Kazuya with teary eyes, "I'll be the judge to that."
Kazuya sighs with a small, troubled smile. He pulls Yukari back into his arms and presses a kiss to her forehead, blatantly ignoring her as she struggles to get out of his hold. Eventually, she gives up and lets Kazuya hold him. He keeps telling her that he's fine like a chant, but with every word, she finds it harder to believe him.
xXx
Since Seidou fails to score at the bottom of ninth, with the score still tied, they go into extra innings.
Yukari is subtly watching Kazuya like a hawk. It's the second time he got hurt in one match, and to be completely honest, she doesn't trust Kazuya one bit when he said that he was fine. Ogawa is easily twenty kilograms heavier than Kazuya. Not to mention he tackled Kazuya intentionally, so he must've used his whole weight to overthrow him.
She's honestly surprised that the umpire still let him play. Yukari doesn't approve of that decision at all and she's not afraid to show it. Since the beginning of the bottom of ninth, she had been giving Ogawa death glares. If looks could kill, not even having nine lives would save Ogawa from death.
"Sawamura," Kataoka calls out before they enter the field, "Do everything you can to get the first batter out."
"With my life!"
"And Kawakami," Kataoka turns to Nori, "Even if there are no runners, you're pitching against their cleanup. Be prepared."
"Yes, sir!"
Sawamura turns around and looks to his feet. Kataoka approaches him and puts a hand on his shoulder, "From here on out, we have to go all out as a team."
Sawamura gulps and nods at the head coach.
"Batting in the bottom isn't an advantage! We have to defend first!"
"YES, SIR!"
"Play like this is the last inning!" Kataoka shouts. Before Kazuya can go too far, the head coach calls out to him. Kazuya turns to him, "It's up to you to call the game."
Kazuya smirks at him and nods before he goes to the plate.
Sawamura manages to corner the first batter at the top of tenth and with Haruichi's fine play, they get their first out. The next batter messes up his timing with Sawamura's change-up. He jams the next pitch to the left field, but Takeru manages to catch it for their second out.
Kataoka then steps out of the dugout, lifting a hand.
"Seidou High School has announced a change in players. Replacing Sawamura-kun as pitcher is Kawakami-kun. Batting sixth and pitcher, Kawakami-kun."
Nori jogs to the dugout and exchanges places with Sawamura. Yukari is glad Sawamura doesn't make a fuss. He returns to the dugout and the supporters cheer for him. Yukari then hands a shoulder pack over to the southpaw without taking her eyes off of the diamond.
The first batter is Nagata. Nori's first pitch is a slider to the outside and Nagata misses it. The second pitch is a ball. Nagata then fouls the third pitch. Nori pitches another ball for the fourth pitch. Nagata fouls the next pitch.
Yukari notices Kazuya moving closer to the batter. Nori winds up and Yukari smirks when Nagata can't even react to the slider to the inside. True, we don't need the sinker during this kind of situation. In order to retire the batter, that slider was perfect in terms of control and break. It was a good call. I'm even jealous that he's Nori's catcher.
Seidou goes down three for three in the top of tenth, and it's time to change.
"Nice pitch, Nori," Yukari praises when he walks into the dugout.
"Thanks, Ichikawa," Nori says with a nod and a smile.
"Why do you praise Nori-senpai so easily, Yukihime-senpai?!" Sawamura asks.
"Because it wouldn't get into his head, unlike you two," Yukari says with a roll of her eyes. Furuya and Sawamura flinch and slump at her words.
The bottom of tenth starts with Seidou's cleanup batters. The first up is Haruichi.
"Kominato. He's been pitching a lot to the inside," Kazuya says as he unbuckles his chest protector, "You could go for it."
Yukari watches Kazuya's expression carefully as he lifts his chest protector over his head. She bites her lower lip when he grimaces and flinches minutely. Kazuya, you…
"Would you like some amino acids?" Sawamura offers Kazuya, "Nice, cold amino acids!"
Kazuya turns to Sawamura with a smirk, "How thoughtful."
"Chug it down! It's about time you played like a cleanup!" Sawamura says.
"By the way, have you cooled down?"
"Not yet!" Sawamura exclaims, almost proudly.
"What did you say?" Yukari asks lowly as she turns to glare at Sawamura. He flinches violently, almost spilling the amino acids within the paper cup in his hand, "Hurry up and cool down before the ice melts, idiot."
"Y-Yes, ma'am!"
"You're sweating a lot," Furuya says from behind Sawamura. Yukari sighs in worry as she takes a fresh towel from her bag. Kazuya's hand pauses in the air before he takes a sip from his cup.
"…really? Sawamura, get me a towel," Kazuya says.
"Yes, sir!"
But before Sawamura can give him a towel, one is already thrown to the back of Kazuya's head courtesy of Yukari.
"Strike! Yukihime-senpai, nice pitch!" Sawamura says with a thumb up.
Yukari then approaches Kazuya before she forces him to turn to face her. She takes Kazuya's cup from his hand and puts it on the bench. She takes the towel off of his head and gently wipes the sweat off his face.
"Yuka-chan…?" Kazuya's eyes widen at his girlfriend's unusual public display of affection, but he doesn't complain. After she's done, she throws the towel toward the pile of laundry beside the door. Before Kazuya can go anywhere, she places one hand on his shoulder and the other on his cheek and forces him to meet her eyes.
"Oi, get a freaking room!" Kazuya and Yukari can hear Youichi yell from behind them, but they don't seem to pay attention to anyone but each other.
"Kazuya…" Yukari starts as they look deep into each other's eyes, "are you really okay?"
Kazuya looks straight into his girlfriend's eyes, and he grins mischievously. He steals a peck on her left cheek, which makes her blush.
"We'll talk later," Kazuya whispers as he pulls away. Yukari covers the blushing cheek he kissed earlier as she glares at him. He laughs as he takes a bat, "Well, I guess I am a little bit restless," he says as he steps out of the dugout, looking at Sawamura and Furuya from over his shoulder, "I feel bad for our pitchers that we haven't scored."
Before he can leave the dugout, she catches his arm. He turns to look at her, "Finish this fast, will you?" Yukari asks of him. She hopes that he understands the meaning underlying her words. They need to finish this quickly so she can check if he really is injured or not.
Kazuya sighs in resignation and nods at her before entering the on-deck circle. She watches him in worry as she retakes her seat.
The first two pitches Ogawa throws at Haruichi are outside pitches and Haruichi jams the only inside one. He gets retired before he reaches first base. The next up for bat is Kazuya. So far, the Ogawa-Masu battery has been walking him to the first base, and this time it could be the case again. But judging from the pattern they used against Haruichi, there is a chance they're changing that this inning.
The first pitch is a ball to the outside. The second pitch is a similar one within the strike zone. The third pitch is a screwball to the inside, and it's a ball. Kazuya doesn't react. Yukari watches Kazuya carefully from the dugout in worry. Kazuya… she bites her lower lip as her chest flares up in pain.
The next pitch is a ball to the inside that, if Kazuya didn't react fast enough to dodge it, would've definitely hit him on his arm. This battery might be threatening him with close balls, but they're avoiding him. Or, more likely, the catcher is, Yukari thinks.
The battery is taking their time deciding the next pitch. Eventually Masu moves closer to Kazuya. Are they finally going to face him? Yukari wonders. Ogawa winds up and pitches. Kazuya steps in hard and smacks the ball over the right field fence.
A walk-off home run.
That bastard… Yukari thinks fondly with a small smile as she watches Kazuya running around the diamond with his fist in the air. She swears she has goosebumps. The players then run toward him in glee.
Both teams line up to end the match.