Top of the ninth inning. Inashiro Industrial was on the attack.
The score was 5–2. Seido led by three runs.
One out. Runners on first and third.
Just as the Seido High School Baseball Team was about to secure victory, Inashiro Industrial, facing defeat, launched a desperate last stand. At this moment, the outcome of the game became uncertain. If Inashiro continued like this, no one could say how the game would end.
In Seido's dugout, the substitute players were all on their feet, cheering anxiously for their teammates on the field. Manager Ota's hands were numb from rubbing them together, and he kept scratching his scalp, making his already high hairline even more noticeable. Even Coach Kataoka, usually calm and composed, was restlessly tapping his arm with his fingers.
The spectators in the stands were like this, not to mention the players on the field.
The Seido players felt that Inashiro was like sticky candy. No matter how hard they tried to pull away, they just couldn't shake them off.
"These guys are way too hard to deal with…"
"As expected of Inashiro Industrial."
Zhang Han felt exhausted.
He had originally thought that after enduring Seido's hellish training, his stamina, while not on the level of those monster seniors, would still be more than enough for high school baseball. But two consecutive high-level confrontations had drained almost all of his strength. His hands and feet felt unbearably heavy.
Meanwhile, many of the seniors around him, whose usual performance was even worse than his, looked stronger than him now, both mentally and physically.
There were no more reliable teammates than these seniors.
Zhang Han believed they truly deserved to go to Koshien and show fans across the country their strength. He had only experienced Seido's brutal training for about three months. These seniors, especially the third-years, had endured it for three whole years.
For the sweat and effort they had poured in, they deserved to stand on that stage.
Since he had joined this team, even if he only had a single shred of strength left, he would use it to help his seniors fulfill that dream.
Come on.
No matter what kind of pitch comes, I'll stop it for you.
"Fifth batter, catcher, Harada Masatoshi."
The batter stepping up for Inashiro was Harada.
It had to be said, Coach Kunimoto was truly cunning. Many people had thought his early-game arrangements were meaningless. After all, Inashiro wasn't going to get only a few hits. If they racked up hits, wouldn't those tactics be pointless?
But Coach Kunimoto had already considered that.
On closer inspection, his strategy had no real downside. Even if Inashiro got more hits and those arrangements weren't needed, that would mean Inashiro had already won. More hits meant more runs. It was that simple.
Seido had misjudged things, but they also learned a great deal from it. Even amid his tension, Coach Kataoka found Kunimoto's tactical deployment deeply inspiring.
That was a story for later.
For now, the focus was on the battle on the field.
Harada Masatoshi was a fearsome batter, someone comparable to Seido's Yuuki and Ichidai San's Omae among the powerhouse schools. When a batter like him stepped up to the plate, it was impossible not to draw attention.
All eyes were locked on the pitcher and batter, waiting for the outcome of the duel between Seido's ace and this powerhouse hitter.
One home run would tie the game completely.
A confrontation like this, one that could decide the entire match, placed immense psychological pressure on both teams. Even a star like Harada Masatoshi couldn't help but feel nervous. Cold sweat trickled down his forehead without stopping.
In contrast, Seido's rookie catcher, Miyuki, felt no tension at all. Only excitement.
He loved this feeling, the rush of blood through his veins. Every pitch call made his heart pound. One careless mistake could destroy the team's future.
Yet in the face of this crisis, Miyuki remained calm.
He calmly signaled Hidezawa to pitch.
Harada, standing in the batter's box, had no interest in Miyuki's pitch calls. Hidezawa was clearly at his limit. In this state, controlling the ball with precision was difficult. Seido didn't have many options left. They could only face him head-on.
What Harada needed to think about was how to hit any pitch that entered the strike zone.
"Whoosh!"
Harada let the first pitch go.
Hidezawa's momentum was overwhelming, especially on the first pitch. It felt like he had poured all his remaining strength into it. Harada didn't want to challenge that head-on.
Seido was in danger, but it was still only danger. They were leading by three runs.
Inashiro, however, had no room to retreat. No matter the outcome, they had to push forward.
"Strike!"
Harada didn't swing at the first strike.
On the second pitch, he swung and fouled it off.
In just two pitches, he was already down two strikes.
By common pitching logic, Miyuki would now throw a ball to tempt the batter into chasing. And a batter at such a disadvantage couldn't afford to let any pitch near the zone pass by.
Harada Masatoshi's face darkened.
He had prepared thoroughly before stepping up, but once the duel began, almost none of those plans mattered. In an instant, he was cornered with two strikes, with little room to fight back.
Seeing the low pitch coming in, Harada swung with everything he had.
The ball hit the ground before reaching the strike zone and bounced upward.
"Thwack!"
Miyuki Kazuya caught it cleanly in his mitt.
Harada swung and missed.
"Strikeout! Out!"
In just three pitches, the fearsome Harada Masatoshi was struck out.
The Seido supporters in the stands finally exploded in cheers. It had been close. Way too close.
They were now just one out away from defeating the uncrowned king, Inashiro Industrial.
And this might be their final confrontation.
Two outs. Runners on first and third.
"Sixth batter, pitcher, Narumiya Mei."
Seido's possible final opponent stepped up.
The Tokyo Prince.
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