【甲子園への道】弟が3番、兄が4番で迎えた夏 田川高校・臼井ツインズ、野球人生11年間の集大成

At Fukuoka Prefectural Tagawa High School, there are twin brothers who have played baseball together for 11 years, since the second grade of elementary school. The younger brother, Taiyo Usui, is the captain and plays third base, batting third, while his older brother, Rikuto Usui, plays shortstop, batting fourth. These two, who are key players in both offense and defense, are facing their final summer playing together. ■The Older Brother Bats Fourth, the Younger Brother is Captain: The "Usui Twins" of Tagawa High School The "Usui Twins" are key players in both offense and defense for the Tagawa High School baseball team. The younger brother, Taiyo, plays third base and serves as captain, while his older brother, Rikuto, leads the batting lineup as the fourth batter and shortstop. Although they look very similar, when asked about their personalities in an interview, they paused for a moment before saying in unison, "Our personalities aren't very similar." ■"This is the Last Time I'll Play Baseball with Taiyo": 11 Years of Baseball Together The two brothers started playing baseball in the second grade of elementary school. For the past 11 years, they have honed their skills together on the same team. This summer marks the end of their shared baseball careers. Older brother Rikuto said, "This is the last time I'll play baseball with Taiyo, so I want to do my best," while younger brother Taiyo also expressed his feelings about the tournament, saying, "We want to support and encourage each other as we go." ■ "Filled with gratitude": A mother's thoughts as she watches from the stands Summer High School Baseball Fukuoka Tournament, Northern Tournament, Round 2. Tagawa High School faced Keisei High School. In the stands, the twins' mother, Aki, watched her sons' final summer. Aki said, "I can see them from two positions, having stood at bat twice," and "I'm filled with gratitude," expressing her joy at seeing the two of them on the same field. ■ A tenacious hit from the bottom of the 9th inning with two outs: From younger brother to older brother The game was a tough one, with Keisei High School taking the lead. However, in the bottom of the 9th inning, Tagawa showed resilience with two outs and created a scoring opportunity. The batter at this point was the younger brother, Taiyo. "I believed in Rikuto and swung the bat with all my might," he said, hitting a magnificent double and keeping their hopes alive. And with the opportunity still present, the older brother, Rikuto, stepped up to the plate. As if responding to his brother's hopes, he delivered a determined hit. They scored another run. **■ "Thank you for supporting each other for 11 years" A precious moment Tagawa High School showed great tenacity in the final moments, but their counterattack fell short, and the game ended 12-9. The 11-year baseball career of the Usui twins came to an end. After the game, the younger brother, Taiyo, said, "I was able to get this far thanks to Rikuto. I'm filled with gratitude." The older brother, Rikuto, also expressed his gratitude to his brother, who had fought alongside him for 11 years, saying, "I'm grateful for the support we've had for 11 years." Having witnessed her two sons' battles, their mother, Aki, with tears in her eyes, described her sons' existence as "a treasure."