In the Japan team's dugout.
Almost identical to the American Coach's guess, the Japan team was indeed pondering how to counterattack.
Coach Takeda first praised Sawamura for his heroic performance in turning the game around.
Honestly, his heart had been in his throat just now—this was truly nerve-wracking.
It was Takeda who had recommended Sawamura and pushed for him to be placed in his current position.
Even when the situation was dire, Takeda hadn't pulled Sawamura from the game.
Making such a decision meant he had to take the blame.
If the Japan team could turn things around and win the championship in the final moments, then it would be worth it.
At least it would show that he had an eye for talent!
But if Sawamura couldn't hold on and failed to lead the team to a comeback?
Then Coach Takeda would have to shoulder an even bigger blame.
Sawamura had thousands of fans online.
In such a case, even if Sawamura made a mistake, his fans probably wouldn't blame him.
If the mistake wasn't Sawamura's, someone else would have to take the fall.
Who would take the blame?
It was obvious—it would be Takeda, the one who made the decision.
Didn't he know how many innings Sawamura had pitched? Didn't he know Sawamura's power had diminished?
Forget about those objective facts—if those fans didn't consider them, they would make up plenty of excuses to defend Sawamura.
Coach Takeda quietly sighed in relief.
Though the Japan team had been overtaken by America, the situation wasn't disastrous for them.
After all, throughout the game, Sawamura had only allowed five valid hits to the opposition.
Despite America's high scoring efficiency, it was still just three points.
Sawamura's performance on the mound may not have been dazzling, but it had certainly been sufficient.
If they had swapped anyone else in, the result might not have been better.
As for why the Japan team was behind, it was mainly because their offense had been ineffective. Aside from Sawamura, no one else had managed a hit up until this point.
Was that insane?
Had the offense been more effective, the Japan team wouldn't be in this passive position.
Fantastic pitching, two home runs, and two runs.
At the beginning, Coach Takeda had been quite anxious about choosing Sawamura as the starting pitcher.
But now, he could relax.
This decision would not be criticized. Even if the team lost, the fans couldn't use him as an excuse.
The blame would fall on their average strength and bad luck.
Coach Takeda's relief was palpable, though his heart still carried regret.
As a national team Coach, Takeda had seen his fair share of battles.
He knew very well that such thoughts were pointless.
The game wasn't over yet, and the Japan team still had a chance. Instead of dwelling on regret and wishful thinking, it was better to focus on how to help the team win.
"This is already your fourth round at bat. You've all seen the pitcher's ball very clearly by now. Don't worry about the situation on the field, and don't carry any psychological burden. Your only task is to show everything you've learned and hit the baseball that comes your way!"
Takeda's command was simple and blunt, but very effective.
Hearing this, the players' minds calmed down.
There was no need to carry such heavy pressure—now was the time to go in light-hearted and give everything to hit the ball.
Although the teammates couldn't truly forget everything and think of nothing...
The fact that their Coach said these words definitely eased a lot of their mental burden.
Even if they couldn't go in completely carefree, they were no longer as anxious and conflicted as before.
The rejuvenated Japan team was now filled with a different kind of spirit.
Standing in the Batter's Box, they managed to surprise their opponents.
The American players were confused. Just moments ago, the Japanese players seemed to have reached their limits, on the verge of collapse.
So, how had they suddenly come alive and regained new vitality?
This was a huge psychological challenge for the American pitcher and catcher.
They stared at their opponents on the field, unable to understand what was happening.
The game was almost over—how were they still so aggressive?
They couldn't understand, they really couldn't.
They had doubts in their minds, but now was not the time for doubt. They had to come up with a solution quickly and deal with this opponent.
Benjamin's condition was good, and the American players were very willing to trust him.
Although he hadn't collaborated much with the team before, today, he was performing brilliantly.
Under such circumstances, how could the American players not trust their pitcher?
They believed in their pitcher and had no doubt about it.
They were confident that, under the lead of their pitcher, they would definitely win in the end.
Benjamin felt the support of his teammates. Even though he had already thrown over 100 pitches, his stamina was almost at its limit.
But that didn't matter. At this moment, Benjamin didn't feel the slightest bit of fatigue.
His spirit was high, and his energy was abundant.
He had rarely experienced such a feeling before, with everyone around him believing in him wholeheartedly.
He felt an endless supply of strength, as if he could keep going forever.
In this state, he felt that he could defeat anyone.
It didn't matter who was standing opposite him—before his pitching, they would all crumble.
Paak!
The first batter from the Japan team, full of momentum, had already prepared himself mentally for all possible outcomes.
He was determined to face Benjamin head-on.
But having determination was one thing—being able to execute it was another.
When faced with Benjamin's pitch, he didn't hold back and swung his bat.
However, the bat barely made contact with the ball, and after the contact, the baseball flew high into the air.
The baseball flew very high, about seven or eight meters, the height of two floors.
Then, it fell straight down!
The American catcher, almost effortlessly, lifted his Mitt and plucked the baseball out of the air.
Snap!
"OUT!"
One Out, no one on base.
The American team was now only two outs away from victory. As long as they secured the final two Outs, no matter how skilled the Japanese players were, they would be unable to mount a comeback.
The game continued, and Japan's second batter, Akashi, stepped up to the plate.
To be honest, the current situation was very unfavorable for the Japan team.
It was hard to imagine how they could turn the game around and win.
Not only the other players, but even the fans in the stands...
Despair was starting to spread throughout the Japan team.
It was too difficult! It was really too difficult!
Given the current situation, it seemed almost impossible for the Japan team to find a way out.
Even Akashi, in this situation, would find it extremely hard to make an impact.
WHRROOSH!!
Before Akashi could think much more, the baseball came flying at him.
Clearly, Benjamin was in great form and wasn't going to let this offensive opportunity slip by.
Akashi watched the baseball fly past him without reacting at all.
It was as if he had been performing the same way earlier.
Facing Benjamin's pitching, he didn't respond at all.
'This guy was easier to deal with!'
Not only the American catcher, but even the pitcher had the same thought.
After the previous few rounds of confrontations, they all agreed that Japan's second batter was no stronger than their lower-ranked batters.
He was considered an easy target—someone who could be easily put out.
'Don't be too careless! Anyone who stays here is a star player.'
Despite the pitcher and catcher from America warning each other to stay cautious, based on the previous three rounds, they all believed this opponent was no challenge. They felt it wouldn't be hard to deal with him.
WHRROOSH!
Following the first pitch, the second one came flying in.
The trajectory of the baseball didn't change much, as if the opponent was aiming for a quick finish.
At this moment, Akashi, who had been useless for the past three rounds, suddenly swung his bat.
The guy who had been playing the innocent little lamb finally revealed his sharp fangs.
PAAAAAKKKK!!!
…
T/N: The countdown is now 2
Anyway, That's it for now.
Thank you all for reading!
Have a good day!
You also can check my Patre0n for extra Chapters.
https://www.patre0n.com/ColdColt