"Request for a pitching change!" On the first-base side of the stadium, outside the area for the players of the Waseda Industrial School, Mr. Izumi raised his hand toward the umpire at the baseline.
In Mr. Izumi's original plan, the game should proceed as follows:
Uchida Saint would start as a false starter for the team, pitching for about three to four innings. Even if some runs were given away, it wouldn't matter—this would give Lin Guanglai, the team's only remaining quality starter, more buffer time; if Waseda Industries could reach the finals, arranging the lineup would be relatively easier.
However, once the actual game began, Mr. Izumi realized, although his plan sounded wonderful, he overlooked one crucial factor—that is human nature.
