The sun was gradually setting in the west, and the boy on the baseball field seemed a little absent-minded.

Raising his hand to check the time, Totoji simply ended the training and asked everyone to start cleaning up the court.

"I'm back."

Tsuji Hiroki just returned to school.

A group of people gathered around, eagerly asking which high school the opponent was drawn from. Tetsu Nishino and the others also ran over and listened.

Spreading his hands, Tsuji Hiroki said helplessly: "The opponent in the first round is Matsusaka Sho High School..."

"Matsusaka Merchant!!!"

Everyone was surprised.

Unwilling to give up, Iwata Gochi said: "Which Matsusaka businessman?"

"There is only one Matsusaka merchant in Mie Prefecture..."

Tsuji Hiroki cruelly broke everyone's last illusion and said.

"That's right, it's the private Matsusaka Commercial High School."

Upon hearing the captain's answer, everyone's expressions suddenly dropped. Their original expressions of expectation turned into confusion, and no one could complain.

Already familiar with high school baseball, Tetsu Nishino frowned, glanced at the innocent Kazuya Nishino, and thought to himself.

Captain, your luck in drawing lots must be too bad.

Although Mie Prefecture is not a fiercely contested area like Osaka and Tokyo, it can still be considered a melee area. In the past few years, there has not been a stable prefectural champion, and the Koshien campus is different every year.

However, no matter how hard the fight was, the championship was still won by those famous baseball families, and only a few high schools came and went.

For example, Mie High School, Haisei High School, Tsuda Gakuen and Matsusaka Commercial High School.

Matsusaka Commercial High School, in particular, has been unable to enter Koshien in the past few years. It has repeatedly failed at the last moment and is in a low period.

But don’t think that Matsusaka Sho High School is the weakest among these famous schools. On the contrary, in terms of hard power, the Matsusaka Sho High School Baseball Club is currently the strongest in Mie Prefecture.

Because high school baseball games are dominated by third-year students, the baseball strength of high schools in the county will undergo drastic changes every year after the third-year students retire.

There are many schools that made it to Koshien the year before but failed to make it to the finals of the county conference the next year.

Among the newly formed teams every year, the ones with the strongest combat effectiveness are often those famous teams that are waiting for revival and once again attack Koshien.

Matsusaka Commercial High School is undoubtedly the best in Mie Prefecture.

"Well..."

After winning the prize immediately after the first battle, Iwata realized that they were all stunned and didn't know how to complain about his captain's luck.

"Okay, okay, don't look like you're going to die. We haven't fought each other for so many years."

Tsuji Hiroki said, dumbfounded.

Although Tsuji Hiroki comforted them, everyone's faces were still ugly.

He obviously trained so hard to compete and wanted to prove his strength on a formal stage, but ended up playing against the strongest school in the county. Who can accept this?

Now the team's strength is already in the middle of the pack no matter how you say it, but it still loses in the same match again and again. This is nothing.

Others don't care whether you have worked hard to improve your strength. They will only see that Baishan High School has turned back into a loser.

"well......"

The seniors were discouraged one after another. They had all experienced official competitions and knew how uncomfortable it was.

Working hard and sweating all the time, but in the end not getting the results you deserve and not being recognized by others, the psychological gap cannot be solved by shouting a few slogans.

Unlike their seniors who looked discouraged, Nishino Tetsu and the two of them were just like newborn calves who were not afraid of tigers and looked a little eager to try.

Tetsu Nishino's idea is that when encountering a so-called strong team, he should exert more than 100% of his strength and fighting spirit, so that he can at least get his own approval.

To give up on yourself is to be sorry for your own efforts.

Seeing everyone's expressions in his eyes, Supervisor Higashikata silently considered it. He already had some ideas for the team's adjustments.

the next day.

Supervisor Higashikata called everyone together to announce the roster for the spring meeting, that is, to announce the players who have received the serial number.

In Japanese high school baseball games, the number on the back of the jersey is not printed or embroidered, but printed on a piece of cloth.

Under normal circumstances, these pieces of cloth with numbers printed on them are provided by college baseball leagues in various places, and then distributed by each school to the players who have received the numbers.

When he went to draw lots, Tsuji Hiroki brought back the piece of cloth.

Higashi Takuji glanced at the nervous players and said slowly: "No. 1, Yamamoto Sakuya."

"Yes, supervisor!"

After answering softly, Yamamoto Sakuya took the piece of cloth with "1" printed on it and retreated behind the crowd so as not to block other people with numbers on their backs.

Immediately afterwards.

"No. 2, Tetsu Nishino!"

"Eh?!"

It was completely unexpected and Tetsu Nishino was very surprised.

Why me?

However, he reacted quickly and stepped forward to take the piece of cloth solemnly.

Sensing his doubts, Higashi Takuji said: "I can see your potential and performance. Hiroki and I both hope that you can cherish this opportunity to grow up as soon as possible."

"Yes! I will do my best!" Tetsu Nishino replied firmly.

The other seniors were not too surprised. Tetsu Nishino's performance has gradually gained their recognition.

Although Tetsu Nishino is not as good as Hiroki Tsuji in terms of experience, no one would object to giving him a chance to compete officially. After all, it is not the last summer tournament.

"this?!"

On the contrary, Nishino Kazuya was very shocked and couldn't help muttering softly.

He knew that Tetsu Nishino played a lot during this period and performed very well, but he never expected that the supervisor would directly give Tetsu Nishino his back number as the representative catcher.

Nishino Kazuya felt like crying in his heart.

Wow, I lost my promise with Azhe again...

Avoiding Kazuya Nishino's resentful eyes, Tetsu Nishino held the piece of cloth with a somewhat complicated mood.

Both happy and confused.

He really didn't expect that supervisor Watsuji-senpai would trust and value him so much, and would also have such high trust and expectations for him in official competitions.

Totoji continued to announce.

...

"No. 10, Kazuya Nishino."

"Yes! Supervision!"

In this spring meeting's roster, many first-year players have received their numbers. Obviously Totosi wants to speed up the introduction of freshmen to prepare for the replacement of the team.

After all, the staff reserves of public schools are not as rich as those of private schools, so first-year training must begin as early as possible.

After reading out the list, Totosi announced its disbandment.

He deliberately did not arrange too much training today, but took the day off to let the players go home.

Because the player who gets the number needs to fix the piece of cloth on the jersey.

Usually the cloth pieces are sewn onto the jerseys with white thread, and most players often ask their mothers to sew them.

For players who grew up in Hakusan Town, this is a process full of rituals.

Basically, the players of the White Mountain High School Baseball Club will not take baseball as a career in the future. The memories of being a high school ball player are just small fragments in life.

The pieces of cloth that were sewn onto the jersey by my mother's own hands, as well as the number on the back that signifies becoming a member of the team's lineup, are commemorative medals of this period of youth.
Chapter completed!