Manga Chapter 46
[based translation by narwhaltortellini]
SUMMARY:As Hanai comes up to bat, Tajima mentally encourages him. Hanai notes how the infielders seem to be hanging towards center and thinks again on how he used to hit the ball past third base all the time in middle school. He swings at his first pitch and misses and adjusts his swing. Excited, he waits for the second pitch and hits it over third and into the outfield just as planned, making it to second base. Momokan is impressed, apparently having forgotten Hanai used to be a pull hitter in middle school, though even after remembering she is still impressed with how well he did it. Thinking about how well Mizutani did earlier in the game as well, Momokan is excited by how much high schoolers keep improving.
Oki comes up to bat ready to bunt. Takeshi doesn't want to end up with one out and a runner on third, so he calls for a high fastball. The pitcher Takenouchi is confused as he thinks when they have a three point lead they should just focus on getting the out. Oki makes his bunt well, getting himself out and sending Hanai to third. In the dugout, Mizutani is nervous about the chance to score a point might come around to him, and he asks Izumi to tickle him again.
Takii instructs Takeshi to focus on getting an out rather than stopping them from scoring. Takii figures there won't be a squeeze play since Abe has a good batting average and they had a good opportunity to do one before and did not. Still not sure there won't be a squeeze play, Takeshi calls for a ball, irritating Takii. Takeshi reminds himself that the coach's instructions are absolute and that he has to remain resolute for his team.
Abe watches a strike go by, and then swings at the next pitch and gets another strike. Abe notices the relief pitcher is getting ready to play, trying to take some encouragement in that. As he readies to pitch, Takenouchi thinks to himself that while Nishiura is tricky they don't seem to be going for a squeeze play, and that a female coach can't properly read the situation. He pitches and Abe swings but misses again, making two outs with a runner on third.
Mizutani comes up to bat, thinking that today he is "nice batting Mizutani." He swings at his first pitch and misses badly, and Momokan notes that while his swing has improved he's still not very good at picking good pitches. Mizutani tries to watch the ball more closely but loses concentration when he gets ticklish again squeezing his armpit, yet he swings and makes another good hit, bringing Hanai home for their second point.
Hanai runs up to Mihashi wanting to give him a high five since they've scored a point. Mihashi gets scared and draws back. Hanai tells him it's just a high five and it's normal, and he and Mihashi awkwardly do it, thrilling Mihashi and irritating Hanai.
Oki and Sakaeguchi wonder if Mizutani's sudden improvement is because of the tickling and if they should do it to everyone from now on. Abe tells them if it will help them hit they should, and that those that do not want to be tickled can do it for the ones that do, since he does not want to be tickled, but he is willing to tickle others, to which Suyama agrees. Oki and Sakaeguchi find this unsettling, but Abe and Suyama insist there is nothing weird about it. Mizutani tries to help Mihashi by calling to him about his armpits, but Mihashi still strikes out.
In the stands, Kazuki watches Roka and notes he isn't making any strange movements and that Kurata only looks up at him when he's coming on and off the field. He wonders if he is trying to read too much into it. Coming onto the field, Mihashi thinks to himself that even though he was unable to hit the ball, they were still able to make points, because that is how a team works.
Coming up to bat, Bijou's pitcher Takenouchi notes that Nishiura seems to have figured out their defensive strategy. Still, he is not discouraged, as he thinks as long as they are able to get used to Mihashi's pitches then they are hittable. Takenouchi thinks to himself that there have been no changes in their pitch calling since the beginning, so he is expecting a slider on the inside where he likes it to be a ball. He gets one, but it is not a ball. Takenouchi notices in time and hits the ball, making it to first base.
There are no outs with a runner on first and Bijou back at the top of their batting lineup. Abe figures that since Takenouchi swung at a pitch where he usually likes it that Bijou must have figured out he is using their batting strategy against them. Abe figures this is ok, though, since now they are even as far as ability to read one another.
Abe calls for a ball which the batter Kawashima does not swing at. Kawashima thinks to himself that though it's hard to believe, all Mihashi's balls are intentional. He watches yet another ball go by. Now that the count is 0-2, he expects a strike to come next, repeating to himself that if the ball is outside then it is a slider and if it is inside it will be a shoot. He thinks to himself that though Abe may try to play with their heads, he's reached the limit of the usefulness of Mihashi and Bijou can understand everything he does. He hits the ball to right field, making it no outs with runners on first and third.
Abe is flustered that there were two hits in a row when they are supposedly on equal ground with reading one another. Mihashi thinks to himself that he doesn't want to give up any more points, and that all he can do is pitch like Abe says to.
Mihashi pitches a strike and Takii is surprised as he figured Nishiura would be watching out for a squeeze play. Abe and Momokan indeed are happy about being ahead in the count and the decreased likelihood of a squeeze. Mihashi pitches his fast fastball down the middle and gets another strike. Takii isn't concerned about being behind in the count since really Bijou never meant to do a squeeze play to begin with. The man on first begins running and the batter knows that he has to hit the next pitch, and does. He is thrown out at first, making it one out with runners on second and third.
Abe thinks about what kind of pitch he should ask for. Mihashi thinks to himself that he will pitch however Abe's sign tells him to. Mihashi throws a fastball, and the batter Yano hits it far. The ball is caught, but Bijou still scores their fifth point.
Mihashi looks dejected and Abe calls to him. Mihashi thinks to himself that he cannot let Abe think this is Abe's fault. Abe asks Mihashi if he can still pitch with confidence in his lead. Mihashi is shocked and insists vehemently that he can. Abe is a little dazed, but then looking very troubled thinks to himself that he has been a fool to unload his insecurities on to Mihashi. As he tells himself to pull it together and tries to speak to Mihashi more confidently as he tells him to keep it up, Bijou's cleanup Wada comes up to bat.
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