With only one out remaining, victory was within reach.
Yet not a single player on the Seido High School Baseball Team felt relaxed.
Too much had happened in this final inning. Inashiro Industrial had shown them exactly what true tenacity looked like. They appeared indestructible, constantly on the verge of collapse, only to rise again moments later.
It was unbelievable.
None of the Seido players had expected to face an Inashiro like this.
"There's always a reason behind success," Fujio muttered as he scribbled in his notebook. "Even though Inashiro Industrial has recruited well over the years, not every generation is full of star prospects. There are years like this one, without particularly famous talents, and even years worse than this."
He paused briefly, then continued writing.
"Yet their results are always strong. They've even won championships repeatedly. This is Coach Kunimoto's doing. It's become Inashiro's style."
Fujio believed that even without prodigious players, under Coach Kunimoto's leadership, Inashiro Industrial would still possess formidable combat power.
"This is a coach who can build a powerhouse."
His evaluation of Kunimoto had reached its peak. There was nothing left to add.
After finishing his notes on Kunimoto, Fujio turned his attention to Seido. If not for this Seido team, he might not have truly understood Kunimoto's brilliance for a long time.
Just as Fujio was writing, the game suddenly reached its climax.
Right as Seido was about to seal the win, something happened that left everyone stunned.
Narumiya Mei, standing at home plate, smashed a beautifully struck long hit.
"Ping!"
The white ball soared into the outfield, dropping cleanly between the two outfielders before bouncing away. The outfielders sprinted desperately toward the landing spot, but there was no way they could make it in time.
They could only watch helplessly as the ball rolled on.
Isashiki Jun chased after it unwillingly, but by the time he caught up, picked it up, and threw it back in, more than ten seconds had passed.
"Safe!"
Nishimonji, who had been on third base, crossed home plate first, scoring Inashiro's third run.
The score became 5–3.
But it wasn't over yet.
Fujita followed close behind, charging past second and third base, heading straight for home. The ball flew back from the outfield like a sharp arrow.
"So fast!"
One reason Isashiki Jun was highly valued and rapidly promoted by Coach Kataoka was his powerful arm.
The legendary laser cannon.
But even that wasn't enough.
The throw was fast, yet Inashiro had been given too much time. By the moment the ball arrived, Fujita's foot had already touched the plate.
Inashiro scored again.
The score was now 5–4.
Only one run separated the two teams.
And still, the danger hadn't passed.
Narumiya Mei, who had hit the ball, looked radiant, like a blooming sunflower. He rounded first and advanced to second base.
Two outs. Runner on second.
One hit. That was all it would take.
Not even a long ball.
Inashiro Industrial could tie the game.
What had once been an absolute advantage for Seido had vanished. No one could predict the final outcome anymore.
"This situation changed way too fast," a manager who had come specifically to watch the game exclaimed.
He wasn't the only one.
Many around him felt the same way. The shift had been so sudden that it left everyone unprepared. A three-run gap, once like an unbridgeable chasm, had nearly disappeared.
Almost everyone had thought Inashiro had no chance.
None at all.
Yet in this desperate situation, Inashiro had clawed their way back.
Inashiro's bald manager, Ota, was smiling like a flower, completely reinvigorated. He had known there would be a chance. He had known trusting Coach Kunimoto was the right decision.
A baseball game wasn't just about strength. It was also about experience and mental fortitude.
Especially in evenly matched games like this, mentality could matter more than raw power.
In terms of pure strength, Inashiro might be slightly weaker than Seido. But when it came to experience and mindset, they were clearly superior.
In Seido's dugout, Manager Ota asked nervously, "Is Hidezawa too exhausted?"
Should they make a substitution?
But when they looked at the other pitchers, whether it was the third-years or Tanba, all of them showed lingering fear. None seemed capable of bearing this level of pressure.
In the end, this responsibility belonged to the ace.
No matter how dire the situation, the ace had to step up.
Hidezawa.
"Believe in our ace," Coach Kataoka said firmly.
Or rather, he was placing his trust in Seido's defense as a whole.
"Ping!"
Inashiro's seventh batter fought through two pitches before gritting his teeth and making contact.
Coach Kunimoto's training showed its value once again. Even under crushing pressure, Inashiro's players didn't falter. Until the very end, they did everything they could to contribute.
The lower-order batter sent the ball cleanly between shortstop and second base. It was a perfect spot. Although the center fielder was positioned directly ahead, if the ball made it through, Inashiro would have another chance to score.
Just as the ball was about to break through, a figure suddenly appeared.
Seido's captain, Tanaka Kakuei.
He dove forward and caught the ball against his chest, his body curling like a shrimp as he hit the ground. The ball was stopped, but getting the out wouldn't be easy. He couldn't get up and throw in time.
Then Tanaka saw Zhang Han rushing over.
He tossed the ball to him. Zhang Han didn't even use his glove. He grabbed the ball with his bare hand and fired it to first base.
The batter hadn't reached the bag yet.
"Thud!"
"Out!!"
Three outs. Game over.
"The West Tokyo Regional Tournament semifinal between Seido High School and Inashiro Industrial High School ends with Seido as the winner! Final score, 5–4!"
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