Ichidai Third High School's players completely let loose in the ninth inning.
This was their final chance to attack. If they failed to seize it, the game would end right here. There was no tomorrow, no second opportunity—only this inning.
So they gave everything they had.
Oda, the leadoff batter, finally revealed his true colors. The moment he stepped into the batter's box, he brazenly swung at the very first probing pitch Hidezawa threw after returning to the mound.
"Ping!"
The white ball shot off the bat and dropped cleanly into a gap in Seido's defense.
Oda bolted forward like a rabbit fleeing danger, sprinting toward first base without a hint of hesitation.
"Damn, what kind of speed is that?!"
"I almost forgot—Oda's a speed-type player!"
"Once he's on base, anything can happen…"
Gasps rippled through the stands, followed almost immediately by expressions of grim understanding.
In truth, many people had expected this.
Ichidai Third High School would never accept defeat so easily.
They were a powerhouse.
Even if there was only the faintest sliver of hope, they would fight until the very end.
And, strictly speaking, Ichidai San was far from despair.
A two-run gap wasn't small—but Seido also carried hidden dangers.
A nearly collapsing ace.
An unproven relief pitcher.
When all these factors were taken into account, Ichidai Third High School was not without a chance.
As long as they planned well, a comeback was still possible.
Oda reaching base was the clearest proof of that.
In Seido's dugout, unease quietly spread.
Players frequently glanced toward Coach Kataoka.
Hidezawa's performance today had been outstanding. Compared to before, he was like a completely different person—no longer unstable, faintly carrying the bearing of a true ace.
But his pitch count was already terrifyingly high.
Everyone worried whether his stamina could really hold on.
If it didn't, the consequences would be disastrous.
Yet Coach Kataoka, standing calmly in his sunglasses, appeared oblivious to their concerns.
As long as nothing catastrophic happened on the field, he showed no intention of replacing Hidezawa.
He trusted his ace—perhaps too much.
At such a critical moment, was it really okay for him to be so stubborn?
That question lingered in many players' minds.
But there was no changing it.
Coach Kataoka's decision was final, and his authority within Seido was unquestionable.
All they could do now was pray that Hidezawa wouldn't collapse because of this single baserunner.
Ichidai Third High School, of course, had no intention of wasting this opportunity.
Their cheerleading section in the stands went nearly insane.
The orchestra played at full force.
The cheerleaders danced wildly, their movements sharp and energetic.
The slogan leaders shouted until their voices grew hoarse.
"Ichidai San—go!!"
At this moment, they were united in spirit, as if they could already see their players smashing the ball and seizing victory.
"At times like this, you always see scenes like this," an experienced reporter muttered.
Veteran journalists were not surprised by the madness of the final inning.
The closer a game came to its conclusion, the more intense the atmosphere became.
Of course, that was only when the outcome was still uncertain.
If one side's lead became insurmountable, no amount of cheering could generate this kind of frenzy.
Everyone was shouting partly to support their team—
And partly to witness a miracle.
And if that miracle could be born from their cheers, the thrill would be unmatched.
Oda didn't stay glued to first base.
He edged off repeatedly, posturing as if he might steal at any moment.
They weren't going to miss a single chance to drain Hidezawa's stamina.
On the mound, Hidezawa's pitch count had already surpassed 140.
Even when he'd been resting in the dugout earlier, sweat had poured down his face. Towels were useless—wipe once, and it came back immediately.
At that time, Hidezawa had wondered if this was his limit.
If he truly couldn't go on anymore.
But now, standing on the pitcher's mound again, that suffocating exhaustion had strangely vanished.
He didn't know whether his body had gone numb—
Or whether, like Kameshima before him, he had entered a final burst of strength.
Hidezawa didn't want to think about it.
He only needed to know one thing.
He could still pitch.
Facing Ichidai Third High School's second batter, Hidezawa completely ignored Oda at first base.
He poured all his focus into the hitter.
In the end, it was Oda who backed down.
The pressure on Ichidai San was enormous. Any out brought them one step closer to defeat.
Under such circumstances, who would dare attempt a reckless steal?
So the crowd watched as Hidezawa threw pitch after pitch.
The batter was forced to swing.
The instant his bat made contact, his expression froze.
He had assumed that with the game nearing its end, Hidezawa's pitching power must have dropped significantly.
He was wrong.
Not only had it not decreased—
It felt stronger.
As if some kind of limiter had been released.
The ball rebounded sharply upward.
A Seido fielder settled beneath it with ease.
"Thwack!"
"Out!"
One out.
Runner still on first base.
Next came Ichidai Third High School's third batter—a dangerous slugger second only to Kameshima.
This was a hitter with terrifying power. It was said that even the wind pressure from his swing alone could send the ball flying.
Miyuki spared nothing.
No hesitation.
No mercy.
He continuously called for corner pitches, grinding away at the batter's patience.
When irritation finally crept in—
A sudden Changeup.
The batter swung and missed.
Strike three.
Two outs.
The Seido High School Baseball Team was now just one out away from victory.
One more out—and the game would be over.
Hidezawa's performance in this final inning made every Seido player look at him differently.
In the past, the most unreliable part of Seido had been the pitcher's mound.
No matter how many runs they scored, collapse was always possible.
But now—
The most reassuring place on the field was the mound.
When had Seido ever experienced something like this?
Their gazes toward Hidezawa softened unconsciously.
Under the blazing sunlight, his back glowed brilliantly on the mound.
From this day on—
Seido High School could finally be said to possess its own true Ace Pitcher.
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