Standing in the batter's box, Lin Guanglai raised his bat high, looking seriously at Yoshinaga Kentarou on the pitcher's mound, attempting to exert pressure on the opposing pitcher right from the start.
Many teammates had been intimidated by Nihon University's offensive in the first half of the inning. As the team's captain and clean-up batter, Lin Guanglai knew it was time for him to step up and set an example.
Yoshinaga Kentarou on the mound dared not be careless. He kept exchanging information with the catcher, Suzuki Takahiro, behind home plate, discussing pitch selection. Of course, with a 5-point lead, Nihon University's pitcher-catcher combination had a lot of leeway, which significantly reduced their pressure when facing a strong batter.
The umpire pointed his right hand towards the pitcher's mound and issued his command:
"Play Ball!"
Yoshinaga Kentarou did not delay, swung his arm, and threw the baseball out.
"Clang!"
