Matsusaka City is a city located in the center of Mie Prefecture, Japan, facing Ise Bay. It has a relatively warm climate and is famous for the origin of Matsusaka beef.

In particular, "Matsusaka Beef" is famous both at home and abroad, and is known as "Japan's No. 1".

In terms of high school baseball, Matsusaka City is also outstanding. There are several famous baseball schools, such as Mie High School, which reached the Koshien finals and won the semi-winner.

But today, Hakusan High School has to face another famous baseball school in Matsusaka City, Matsusaka Sho High School.

On the campus of Matsusaka Commercial High School.

Higashikataji and the others arrived earlier, there was still some time before the game, so the players simply visited the school.

"Wow, it's so big!"

As soon as he entered the department activity venue of the Matsusaka Commercial Baseball Club, infielder Kenjiro Ishida exclaimed.

We can't blame them for making a fuss, because the Matsusaka Commercial Baseball Club's activity venue is really big and divided into several different areas.

Unlike Hakusan High School's baseball field, which is shared with other departments from time to time, all fields of the Matsusaka Sho High School Baseball Club are dedicated.

Entering the hitting training ground, the expressions of seniors such as Arimori Shion changed.

At this time, in the hitting training ground, the sound of "bang" and "dang" of serving and hitting balls was continuous and clear to the ears.

More than ten pitching machines are lined up in a row. Behind them are players who are constantly replenishing baseballs. In front of them are baseball club members who are focusing on hitting balls one by one.

The scene in front of them left Arimori Shion and the others speechless.

You know, the Hakusan High School baseball club only has an old pitching machine, which often breaks down.

I didn't expect that Matsusaka Commercial High School would be so luxurious. There are more ball machines used for training than in the hitting gym.

When they walked out of the hitting training ground, before they could see the shocking scene of more than a dozen ball machines lined up, a tall building in front of them caught their attention again.

"this......"

Nishino Tetsuya was a little surprised.

After entering, I discovered that this is an indoor training ground. The ground is covered with artificial turf. The dome is more than three stories high, and you can almost conduct high-fly ball training inside.

Nishino Tetsu was also a little envious.

Because their Baishan High School field has no night lights and only has a simple batting shed with a few lights and nothing can be practiced, so their baseball club usually does not practice at night.

And when the weather is bad, they often can't find a suitable venue, resulting in being unable to train for a whole day. There are no such large indoor training grounds like Matsusaka Commercial High School.

After walking around, they discovered that the Matsusaka Sho High School Baseball Club is also equipped with a dedicated restaurant, laundry room, movie room, gym and other auxiliary facilities.

"well......"

The expressions on the faces of the seniors such as Shion Arimori were getting worse and worse, and they were so gloomy that they had nothing to say.

The gap is too big.

The disparity in facilities is not the most hurtful thing.

In fact, the main reason for the huge strength gap between different high school baseball schools is not the training facilities, nor the so-called formal game experience.

It's training time.

The news they heard from the members of the Matsusaka Sho Baseball Club made Shion Arimori and the others feel even more chilled.

Matsusaka Sho High School players often train for more than 8 hours a day!

What is this concept?

At schools like Baishan High School, the training time is less than 3 hours a day, which is already too much. In some agricultural schools or engineering schools, the training time is only 1 hour a day.

This gap is so huge that there is no comparability at all.

One year of training in a private school is equivalent to three years of training in a public school.

Moreover, prestigious private schools like Matsusaka Shang select their students from all over the county and even the country. They recruit students who are dedicated to playing baseball, and their talent pool far exceeds that of public schools.

Baseball study abroad programs abound in Matsusaka.

Those baseball students basically can't go home more than a few times a year, and their whole body and mind are focused on baseball.

The players at Baishan High School dare not say that they have this awareness.

"Everyone, cheer up, the game hasn't started yet."

Seeing their discouraged looks, Tsuji Hiroki helplessly encouraged them.

However, he also knew that these words would not have much effect. He was also hit and felt a little discouraged.

Even if there is a game today, players who are not on the roster still take the time to train, and the training tasks at all training venues are full.

Even though his strength is so strong, Matsusaka Shang still doesn't relax at all.

Because the famous private family only has one goal, Koshien!

Failure to enter Koshien is failure!

"Let's go."

After checking that the time was almost up, Higashikata took his players to the stadium and continued walking around. Before the game even started, the players all wanted to admit defeat.

Arriving at the stadium, Higashi Takuji and the others found that the players from the Matsusaka Shoichi team had already been warming up there.

While warming up by passing and receiving, Tetsu Nishino looked around and found that the court was indeed very professional.

Unlike Hakusan High School, which is a flat piece of land with a net around it, the field at Matsusaka Sho High School is built like a small professional baseball field.

The size of the stadium fully meets the requirements for official games. There are fixed spectator stands and players' rest areas on both sides of the first and third bases. The lighting equipment for night games is also complete.

The stadium is also equipped with electronic scoreboards, speed guns and other facilities.

But what surprised Nishino even more was that there was a dedicated broadcast camera in the stadium.

"What's going on?"

Tetsu Nishino said, pointing to a professional camera behind home plate.

In the stands behind home plate, a professional camera is set up, along with staff.

From that angle, you can take a long shot of the entire stadium.

"Oh, that's a live broadcast from a local station."

Nishino Kazuya explained.

"Isn't that right? Every battle is broadcast live?"

Tetsu Nishino was a little surprised, the attention was probably too high.

Nishino Kazuya said: "They are here to broadcast the live broadcast of Matsusaka, we just get some light."

Indeed, in high school baseball, some famous baseball players are always the darlings of the media and the objects of close attention by the public.

Not to mention formal games like the first round, the famous baseball team even broadcasts their regular training.

Gradually, the time was approaching, and some spectators entered the stadium one after another, and the stadium gradually became noisy.

"Xiao Zhe, I'm here!"

While he was warming up in the bullpen, Tetsu Nishino's mother came to him specifically.

Walking over, Tetsu Nishino whispered: "Mom, I understand, don't shout so loudly!"

"What, why can't you shout?"

Cover your mouth with gloves.

Tetsu Nishino said shamefully: "Seniors are all here. Mom, just find a place and sit quietly and watch."

As he said that, he continued to squat back to catch the ball, but saw senior Sakuya Yamamoto on the opposite side looking at him with a smile.

"Well……"

"For the next ball, please let Yamamoto-senpai try to throw a straight ball."
Chapter completed!