Japan team, whose overall momentum is weaker than that of the American team, actually holds the initiative and the lead in the game.
Is there any justice? Is there any fairness?
It's not just the American players who are upset; many people in the stands are uncomfortable as well.
As the game nears its end, the American team, which had previously been somewhat patient, now has no patience left.
In this situation, if they don't unleash their power, they'll truly have nothing left.
Of course, before they can unleash their power, there are still some things that need to be handled.
For instance, before scoring, the American players must first ensure that they don't continue conceding runs.
In other words, they must get rid of the remaining batters from the Japanese team.
As mentioned before, the majority of Japan team's players have no energy left.
Trying to get rid of them is basically a task with no difficulty.
Benjamin had completely thrown off any doubts about his confidence; it was not in vain that he had previously hidden his strength.
Now, after fully unleashing his power, except for the two home runs hit by Sawamura, he had taken care of his opponents at all other times.
He had completely suppressed the entire Japanese team, leaving them without any spirit.
It was the same now. Despite being in the seventh inning, Benjamin was as fired up as if he had taken a dose of gunpowder, full of energy.
The Coach was even thinking that he didn't need to send Allen!
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Benjamin faced Japan's third batter.
Normally, being placed in such a position meant that this batter had some level of skill.
But to his surprise, when they faced off, the batter was recklessly impulsive. As soon as he saw the baseball coming toward him, without any hesitation, he swung his bat.
PAAK!!
It was unclear whether the batter had any actual skill or if it was just a fluke.
He actually made contact with Benjamin's pitch.
The result? The ball was hit weakly and ineffectively...
Seeing this, Sawamura was filled with despair.
The ball had been hit perfectly; if it had enough power, even if it didn't clear the outfield, at least it could have been a long hit.
But such a good opportunity was wasted.
In the end, it only resulted in an infield bounce.
His batting power didn't even allow the ball to travel more than 20 meters!
It was caught by the American second baseman, who threw it to first base.
"OUT!"
One Out, with no one on base.
In this situation, Sawamura faced Benjamin for the third time.
By now, the game had lost most of its tension, and it felt like a pot of soup had already gone cold.
At the very least, no one was expecting Japan's offense to make any progress.
If there was any possibility of a change, it would be Sawamura.
Once he stepped onto the field, Sawamura seemed like a completely different person.
He was highly professional and focused.
It was hard to find any flaws in him.
What you could see was all skill and technique honed through countless hours of hard work!
Now, as he stood in the Batter's Box, Sawamura was the same.
He seemed almost to glow, attracting the gaze of everyone in the stands.
The player who previously seemed to lack energy was now completely unbothered by any fatigue.
"What's going on? Did this guy take some sort of stimulant?"
At this moment, even the fans in the stands couldn't bear to watch any longer.
The American players had finally gotten a chance, but would they let it slip away without making the most of it?
That would be too unusual!
Doubt arose in the minds of the spectators, and they looked at both teams in confusion.
Some even speculated that Sawamura might be experiencing a "last flash of brilliance."
If this were the ninth inning, a last burst of energy would make sense, since the game would be almost over.
But now, it was only the bottom of the seventh inning. Although the game was nearing its end, there were still two or maybe three innings left.
If this burst of energy was a "last flash," it might not last until the end of the game!
The audience had all kinds of speculations.
The players from both teams didn't have many thoughts on it, though.
But they also understood one thing: if they chose to confront each other directly at this point, the result of that confrontation might very well determine the final outcome of the game.
Would the American players accept this challenge?
Given their momentum advantage, what choice would the American team make?
Their decision could very well decide the final result of the game.
Sawamura in the Batter's Box stood ready, his posture serious and prepared.
No matter what choice the American players made, he was ready for it!
Roaar!!
The baseball whizzed through the air.
The American pitcher, Benjamin, continued to maintain his high level of pitching.
Although up until now, he hadn't thrown many pitches, and aside from this game, he had been somewhat of an invisible figure on the American team. Even after the World Series ended, not many people would remember him.
But now, after watching this game, everything had changed dramatically.
This invisible figure, which no one had paid attention to before, suddenly emerged with strength. Now, he had become a pivotal figure.
It was because of him that the American team had displayed such vitality.
In the game against Japan, although they were trailing by one point, in terms of hits and momentum, they were not only not weaker but even slightly superior.
To put it simply, in terms of momentum, the American team had surpassed the Japanese team.
This man, who had led the team to such momentum, was undoubtedly indispensable.
Benjamin Choi!
This name would surely be mentioned over and over for a long time to come.
Even though he had lost twice to Sawamura Eijun in direct confrontations and had been hit by two home runs, it wouldn't change the way people evaluated him.
In fact, because he never shied away from facing Sawamura directly, his reputation would only grow louder.
Even when facing the "Great Demon King," he didn't shrink back, even after being hit by home runs. Instead, he actively sought victory.
His performance was sure to catch everyone's attention.
When people saw him, even if they couldn't look up to him like a mountain, they would certainly remember him.
He had strength, determination, and an attitude.
A player like this, even if he lost in a direct confrontation, would still earn respect.
He didn't shrink back, didn't fear, and even when he knew he was outmatched, he still bravely challenged.
Such a figure would act as a guiding light for everyone.
This was an attitude, and it was also a spirit.
And right now, it was Benjamin's third confrontation with Sawamura Eijun.
At this point, no matter what choice Benjamin made, no one would criticize him. He had already proven his determination and posture in previous confrontations, and people were willing to believe that he was that kind of player.
Now, facing Sawamura, whether he continued the direct confrontation or chose a tactical walk, both were generally accepted.
Continuing the direct confrontation would demonstrate the player's attitude.
A tactical walk might not sound appealing, but making that choice at the final moment for the team's overall benefit was understandable.
"BALL!"
Benjamin's pitch missed the strike zone by a long shot.
Sawamura, with his keen observational skills, naturally saw it clearly.
But seeing it so clearly made him somewhat confused.
'Wasn't this pitch too far off?'
The ball missed the outside corner of the strike zone by at least 30 centimeters.
Even if Sawamura took a step forward, it probably still wouldn't reach it.
Not to mention, a pitch that was so far off the strike zone would, even if barely touched, be completely ineffective.
Sawamura had an extremely refined pulling technique, and generally speaking, he could pull a ball back even if it strayed from its intended position. Though not as proficient as Isashiki Jun, pulling it back wasn't hard for him!
But there was a limit to how much he could pull the ball back. A slight deviation wouldn't matter, but if the ball was 30 centimeters off-target, even if he made contact, it would likely go Foul immediately.
Even if he managed to pull it back, the ball would undoubtedly be weak. Either it would be caught or intercepted.
Even if Sawamura took a swing, the result wouldn't change.
It would either land a Foul, giving the opponent a strike, or be pulled back and intercepted by the fielder.
Either way, neither option was favorable for Sawamura.
He had no choice but to simply watch as the baseball flew into the catcher's Mitt.
…