Defeating Inajitsu and reaching the finals meant that Seido High School had one foot in the door of Koshien.
Compared to Inajitsu, at least on paper, this year's Ichidai Third High was not as formidable.
Their Ace, Manaka Kaname's pitching, also lacked the ability to completely suppress Seido's batting lineup.
That afternoon, the second semi-final match between Ichidai Third High and Sankō High School ended with a score of 6:3, and as expected, Ichidai Third High advanced to the finals.
After the match, the topic of the final showdown between Seido and Ichidai Third High attracted insane attention from various media outlets and commentators. Both schools received a large number of interview requests that day, but as expected, Coach Kataoka rejected all of them.
The reason given was that the Seido High School Baseball Club would be undergoing closed training for the next two days to adjust their condition and prepare for the upcoming finals.
Regarding Coach Kataoka's decision, from the players to the school board and the Council, there was unanimous support. In the past, if the media wanted an interview, the principal and the members of the Council would naturally be very willing.
But now, Seido had reached the finals and needed to prepare with all their might. If, due to some external matters, the players' condition was affected and problems arose in the game, no one could bear that responsibility.
Moreover, Seido's momentum was excellent this year, especially after defeating Inajitsu. Many people believed that Seido would be the representative of the West Tokyo region this year, and compared to entering Koshien, media interviews were simply not important.
That evening, inside the Seido High School cafeteria.
Although at Coach Kataoka's persuasion, the principal canceled the celebration for reaching the finals, he still instructed the cafeteria to prepare extra food tonight.
Not only the Seido Baseball Club, but also the cheerleaders and the brass band were invited to the gathering. The upcoming finals would also require their support.
Some older teachers from Seido also participated in the dinner that night. For them, the Seido High School Baseball Club was also their capital for bragging to others after tea and dinner. They had witnessed the glorious times of the Seido Baseball Club, and being in a prestigious school always brought a sense of inner pride. However, in recent years, Seido had consistently failed to enter Koshien, which made others always say, "A prestigious school? How can a prestigious school not enter Koshien?" when they talked about being in a prestigious school.
But now, things were different. The Seido High School Baseball Club eliminating Inashiro Industrial, currently the top prestigious school in Tokyo, and entering the finals, was enough for the old teachers to feel proud. If they could then successfully defeat Ichidai Third High and enter Koshien, then their backs, which had been bent for several years, would finally be able to straighten.
"Coach Kataoka, you're amazing!"
"Yes, he's so cool."
"I think this time, we'll definitely make it to Koshien."
"Congratulations in advance."
A group of teachers surrounded Coach Kataoka. As colleagues, Coach Kataoka really couldn't just dismiss them like he would reporters, so he could only respond with a fake smile.
On the student side, the first-string members gathered together to discuss what happened on the field today.
"Hey, Ryou, that hit-by-pitch today, you are absolutely not allowed to do that again!" Miyuki said while eating his dessert after dinner. Just thinking about Kanzaki Ryou's behavior earlier in the day, facing Matsumoto Takumi's dangerous hit-by-pitch and not dodging at all, a fire rose in his heart.
Kanzaki Ryou was eating steak when he choked upon hearing this. He turned his head and smiled awkwardly, "I thought I could get away with this, hehe."
"Did you hear me or not?" Miyuki said.
"I heard, I heard. Don't worry, I only did that because I was confident."
"That's still not allowed!"
"Exactly, Ryou, you're our Ace now. You can't do such dangerous things anymore. If you really get injured, it won't just affect you alone!" Shida Shota appeared behind Kanzaki Ryou from somewhere.
"Oh, Senior, you too..."
"Ryou, they're right. As the Ace, it's also one of your responsibilities to always keep yourself away from danger." Nanjo Taishi also spoke up.
"Heh, I think this kid doesn't take it seriously at all. Maybe he'll dare to do it again if he encounters such a pitch in the future." Azuma Kiyokuni, with vegetable bits still on his teeth, turned around and said loudly.
Kanzaki Ryou gave a helpless bitter smile. This scoundrel Senior Azuma Kiyokuni was deliberately trying to trick him. He quickly turned his head and said sincerely to Miyuki, "There will definitely not be a next time!"
Miyuki nodded and hummed in acknowledgment, no longer dwelling on the matter.
After the gathering, the players left. As Kanzaki Ryou was about to leave, Takashima Rei called out to him. Hmm, Coach Kataoka wanted to see him.
Upon arriving at the office, he was first warned by the Director about the hit-by-pitch incident. Then Coach Kataoka asked, "Are you very tired today?"
Kanzaki Ryou nodded and then shook his head, "I'm alright. The physical exertion wasn't too great, but I feel a bit mentally fatigued, perhaps due to the atmosphere of the game."
He had only pitched a few innings, and his pitch count wasn't high. Kanzaki Ryou's pitching emphasized efficiency.
Coach Kataoka nodded. A showdown between prestigious schools, and in the semi-finals at that. The fact that Kanzaki Ryou, a first-year, could withstand the pressure and carry the game already showed how strong his mental fortitude was.
Smiling with satisfaction, Coach Kataoka said, "Rest well these two days. Don't overtrain. Focus on maintaining your condition. You need to be in your best form for the next game."
"Yes."
"Go. And bring Tanba here." Coach Kataoka said.
"Okay."
Kanzaki Ryou turned and walked out of the office. The Coach wanting to see Tanba at this time presented too many things to consider. First and foremost, the most likely possibility was that the Coach intended to have Tanba pitch in the finals.
Compared to the preliminary rounds, the Koshien schedule could only be described as more brutal. Within just two weeks, 49 teams from all over Japan had to determine a champion. Playing every other day was commonplace. In such a highly condensed schedule, a team could never rely solely on one Ace pitcher to go all the way. Most teams even had 4 or 5 pitchers rotating.
Seido wasn't that luxurious, but if Seido wanted to go further in Koshien, Tanba's strength was absolutely necessary.
By then, at least three pitchers would rotate, preventing Kanzaki Ryou and Nanjo Taishi from having to persist with fatigued bodies.
Back at Seidou Dormitory, Kanzaki Ryou went to Tanba's dorm and knocked on the door.
"Ryou?" It was Tanba who opened the door.
"Senior, the Coach wants to see you." Kanzaki Ryou said.
Tanba immediately became nervous upon hearing that the Coach wanted to see him. This introverted and shy person feared private talks with teachers or the Coach the most.
"Ryou, do you know what it's about?" Tanba asked softly. Since Kanzaki Ryou came to find him, it meant he had just come from the Coach's office, and he might know something. Perhaps he could be mentally prepared.