first pitch; opening pitch
Baseball term for the pitcher's first pitch to a batter or the first pitch of the game.
初球から積極的に打っていく。
I'll swing aggressively from the first pitch.
He swung hard at the first pitch.
彼は初球をセンター前に運んだ。
He hit the first pitch into center field.
打者は初球を見送った。
The batter took the first pitch.
The pitcher got a strike on the first pitch.
sphere; globe; ball; bulb · ball; sphere · counter for pitches
Compound of 初 (first) and 球 (ball, pitch). The reading しょきゅう follows standard on'yomi.