Stepping Up to the Mic: Musical Baseball Club Hits a Home Run in Episode 5
On Sunday, we gathered early in the morning at the edge of the shopping street and headed to the baseball team’s field.
“Good morning. You guys are early today too.”
“””good morning!”””
When we arrived at the ground, several of our seniors, including Shindo-senpai and Gotoda-senpai, had already begun preparations. However, unlike yesterday, it looks like they are preparing for the match. Will there be a Kouhaku match today?
“The elementary school baseball team is coming soon, so don’t scare them.”
“I didn’t tell the new students, but today we’re going to have a practice match with the youth baseball team.”
Practice match “too”…?
Meanwhile, a group of elementary school students wearing uniforms arrived.
“Good morning, Mars.”
As expected from an elementary school student, the greeting was lively and pleasant.
“Mr. Matsuzawa, thank you for your continued support today.”
“I’m sorry it’s always so early in the morning. Now, let’s enjoy baseball today.”
A person who appeared to be a youth baseball coach came to greet Coach Matsuzawa. They talk like they’re friendly. It seems like it’s an elementary school a little far away from this school, but maybe the directors are acquainted with each other so there’s some interaction.
“gather!”
At Goto-senpai’s command, the band members gathered in front of the director. It seems like the youth baseball team is also gathering under orders. The coach will give an explanation about today’s practice match, etc.
“…Anyone other than the members participating in the practice match may watch the match or practice with the elementary school students, but please be careful not to get injured.”
““Yes””
“Now, let me announce today’s starting lineup. 1st shortstop Sato, 2nd center Naganawa, 3rd pitcher Niwa, 9th pitcher Shimizu, that’s it.”
Some of the seniors who were called up weren’t there yesterday, but from what I saw at yesterday’s practice, they don’t seem to be the best members of the band. Ah, maybe it’s because the other person is an elementary school student.
I decided to watch the match while doing strength training with dumbbells. It seems that the other three other than Nanami decided to watch the match while stretching and doing strength training. After talking for a while with an elementary school girl who was a member of the youth baseball team, Nanami went to a corner of the field and started playing catch with the girl.
Most of the freshmen chose to watch the games, but the upperclassmen seem to be practicing with the elementary school students who are not participating in the games.
Then, a practice match began with the Raku Shiki Baseball team batting first and the youth baseball team batting second. I think most of the starting members of the youth baseball team are 5th and 6th graders, but there seem to be some players who are as good as junior high school students. On the other hand, the members of Gakushiki seem to be the perfect choice for today’s members. The game is well balanced so that it doesn’t become a one-sided match.
“Shimizu, I feel sorry for the dead ball against elementary school students, so I’m going to ask you to use sharp control!”
The seniors, who play toss batting and fly knocks with the elementary school students, sometimes heckle the members of the music ceremony.
“There are so many talented elementary school students these days.”
Waka looks at the elementary school student’s grounder and says this. The form is certainly beautiful.
“Even the regular kids who are playing now used to practice with the other musicians on the other side.I taught them how to continue practicing without getting bored, how to move in each position, and what to do. I think it’s great that a large group of people (band members) can teach us things that a regular youth baseball team wouldn’t be able to do, like thinking together about how to get rid of the fear of catching a ground ball.”
Shindo-senpai, who came to pick up drinks, told me this.
“It seems interesting to be able to play against people other than high school students.”
“Right? But we’re not allowed to participate in matches against elementary school students, because there’s too much of a difference in ability.Also, it’s forbidden to play in the same position as a hardball player, but who cares? Sometimes it’s interesting.”
“Wow, it’s irresistible for baseball fans.”
“Honestly, I notice more things in the easy style than in the hard style, and I’m learning a lot.I don’t want to be taken as a regular, so I won’t tell the hard style guys.”
“Hahaha, it seems like you’re a senior.”
The game progressed to the bottom of the fifth inning, with occasional substitutions, and ended in a 2-2 tie. Do you think 5 times is just the right amount of time?
After that, we had a small review session, and today’s club practice ended with the elementary school students maintaining the grounds and the music group cleaning up the equipment. I think games and practices like this are a good stimulus for elementary school students. I’m in a hurry after this, so I need to leave quickly, but if I had time, I would have liked to hear some stories from the elementary school students.
◇◇◇
“Now that I think about it, why was Nanami playing catch with an elementary school girl?”
I asked Nanami on my way home from club activities.
“Her name is Kaori-chan, and I was alone, so I tried talking to her. Then she told me that her older brother was playing regularly, so she didn’t have anyone to play catch with. I decided to play catch with Na.
“Does that girl, Kaori-chan, have no one to play catch with other than her brother?”
“It seems like there’s always another girl, but she’s off today, and she’ll make fun of me if I play catch with guys other than my brother and my brother’s friends, so I can’t ask her.”
“All the boys on the youth baseball team are adolescents!”
“If you tell the director, he will assign you someone, but he says it will be a hassle later on. Especially if it’s a classmate.”
“There are some stupid people everywhere.”
“Kaori-chan herself was okay with it, but there was something about her that didn’t leave her alone.”
“Yes, Nana-chan is like that.”
There are still high hurdles for elementary school girls to play baseball alongside boys. There wouldn’t be enough girls from one school to form a team…
When we were in elementary school, I remember Waka crying a lot because girls couldn’t join the youth baseball team.
◇◇◇
In the evening, when I was jogging with Soma as usual, I met Shindo-senpai and Gotoda-senpai, who was pulling a bicycle.
“Huh? Seniors, have you ever been in a hard club?”
“Hardball practice ended in the morning, but it wasn’t enough, so I invited Gotoda-senpai to go to the batting center.”
“Ah, it’s over there. We go there sometimes too.”
“Do you two always jog together?”
“That’s right. After that, I’ll be practicing my swings at Somanchi’s training ground.”
“What? It’s a training field!?”
Gotoda-senpai, who (I imagine) doesn’t talk much, leaned forward.
“There’s a training field in the basement of my father’s company, where I can practice swinging, batting, and pitching.”
“There was a training field in the basement of that building!”
Gotoda-senpai and Shindo-senpai looked at each other before asking Souma.
“…Is it possible for us to practice there too?”
“It’s okay, but there is one condition.”
“Conditions?…What are those conditions?”
“It’s about joining my father’s hobby.”
Both of them are tilting their heads. Well, that’s probably the reaction.
“My father is an otaku about certain content, but if he’s willing to watch the anime or live footage with me, I think he’ll be fine with two replies.”
“Is that a high hurdle or a low hurdle?”
“I think it depends on the person… Dai was originally a big fan of the content, and Yuri seemed to accept it easily.”
“I’ve been hearing a lot about this for a long time, but it’s fun to watch Blu-rays with everyone, and there’s also some delicious food.”
“Sounds like something interesting. Anyway, would you mind letting me join in sometime? I had a hard time finding a place to practice baseball that wouldn’t cause a nuisance to other people.”
“I’ll ask my father. If there’s no problem, I’ll give you the access key.”
“Thank you, please.”
I thought these two would definitely come to my side.
And we didn’t tell him that he would only be involved in his hobby more than once or twice.