"Captain!"
"Hit the ball out!"
"It is all on you!!"
The rest area of the Seidou High School baseball team was buzzing with excitement.
Although Miyuki isn't the most popular person within the team due to his sharp tongue, and many members find him annoying, this is an external match. The small internal conflicts within the team are nothing to be aired out to outsiders.
At this moment, everyone was united in their hope that Miyuki could hit a home run and secure the victory.
Their hope wasn't just wishful thinking.
After all, Miyuki did have the ability to hit a home run.
Despite having only hit about thirty home runs throughout his high school career, which isn't a huge number compared to others, it's still a notable achievement for most players.
But as the fourth batter for the powerhouse Seidou High School baseball team, Miyuki's home run count still seemed a bit lacking.
However, every time Miyuki hits a home run, it's usually at the most critical moments.
It's almost eerie.
The teammates' instincts told them that now was the time when Miyuki needed to hit a home run.
This indirectly suggested that today's opponents, the Komadai Fujimaki High School baseball team, were not to be underestimated.
Even with a one-point lead, the teammates couldn't afford to relax.
"Hit it out!"
As his partner, Sawamura Eijun, also felt that there would be no better chance than this.
Even if he wanted to face off against Hongou Masamune next time, he might not get such an opportunity.
Hongou Masamune wasn't exactly known for being level-headed.
When faced with difficulty, he didn't necessarily have the composure of Narumiya Mei, who could easily adjust his mindset.
The recent home run by Sawamura had likely unsettled Hongou Masamune.
Miyuki knew how to take advantage of this opening.
Whether or not he could hit a home run, this was still a great offensive opportunity for Seidou High School's baseball team.
If they could seize it, the balance of the game would tip in their favor.
Sawamura and the other teammates in the rest area understood this, and Miyuki, in the Batter's Box, was even more aware.
He knew exactly what he had to do at this moment.
Roaar!
The baseball flew toward him with power, looking strong as ever.
But Miyuki quickly noticed that the pitch was slightly stiff when it left the pitcher's hand.
'He didn't swing his arm fully!'
The earlier home run from Sawamura seemed to have had an effect.
Hongou Masamune was hooked!
Although the ball's location wasn't ideal, it wasn't very comfortable for the batter...
Miyuki didn't hesitate.
A 153 km/h fastball, just making contact with it was already impressive. At this moment, he wasn't concerned about being picky.
No matter the outcome, he had to swing at this pitch.
Shuuuuuuuuu!!!!!!
The sound of the bat cutting the air resonated with immense power as the baseball was about to be struck.
Catcher Renji watched helplessly as the bat made solid contact with the ball.
His heart nearly jumped into his throat.
That was too close!
He had an ominous feeling—the ball might very well be hit out of the park.
PAAAAAAAAAKKKKKKKK!!!!
At the moment the bat struck the ball, Miyuki's expression darkened.
He couldn't help but admire Sawamura. Just this hit alone made his hands feel like they were about to split open.
The bat nearly slipped out of his hands!
He couldn't fathom how Sawamura managed to hit such a heavy ball and send it flying out of the park.
It just didn't make sense!
But whether it made sense or not, the fact was that he wasn't able to hit the ball out.
Not only did he fail to hit it out of the park, but even getting it to the outfield was a challenge.
The ball just barely landed in the gap of the infield.
Although it wasn't the home run everyone had hoped for, the ball still dropped into the defensive gap.
There was a bit of regret, but the rest area of Seidou High School's baseball team erupted into cheers.
Miyuki may not have hit the ball far, but he had proven one thing—Hongou Masamune was not invincible.
With enough effort, anyone else on the team, other than Sawamura, could still hit the ball out.
This realization was crucial!
It showed that Hongou could be overcome.
As the ball was about to land, Miyuki ran to first base.
Just then, Komadai Fujimaki High School's shortstop suddenly sprang into action.
With a swift dive, he secured the ball in his mitt.
He quickly rolled, stood up, and threw the ball to first base.
His movements were quick and smooth, giving Miyuki no time to react.
Snap!
"OUT!"
"Nice job!"
"Well done, hero!"
The teammates from Komadai Fujimaki High School cheered for their shortstop.
It was clear that Hongou Masamune was struggling.
The shortstop stood tall at the critical moment, saving his team from a major crisis.
Back in the Seidou High School dugout, the teammates exchanged looks of disbelief.
The momentum had shifted so quickly; they hadn't even had time to react before it was over.
Looking at Komadai Fujimaki High School again, the teammates from Seidou High School couldn't help but be on high alert.
Before, they had thought that Hongou Masamune was the only real threat.
Perhaps because he was so flashy, they had overlooked the other members of the Komadai Fujimaki High School team.
But in reality, this was a well-rounded team.
Their strength wasn't just in their pitcher.
The entire team was strong enough to compete with Seidou High School.
Both offensively and defensively, they were formidable.
Three Outs, offense and defense exchange.
Miyuki returned to the dugout to change his gear. Afterward, he subtly exchanged a glance with Sawamura Eijun.
They were old partners, no need for words—just one look and they understood each other.
Even though they had just earned a point, Komadai Fujimaki High School's momentum was still strong.
Now, more than ever, they couldn't afford to show any mercy.
They had to hit back harder, showing their opponents they were still far behind.
"Don't give me that look. I know what's going on," Sawamura said with a nod to Miyuki.
In the bottom of the 4th inning, Sawamura would face Komadai's middle lineup.
This inning wasn't just a test for Komadai Fujimaki High School, but also a test for them.
Getting through it wouldn't be easy.
Thankfully, Sawamura had already mentally prepared and was confident he could overcome these opponents.
To be honest, Coach Nitta had done a great job training Komadai's players.
But they were just "good," not extraordinary. Considering their current strength, Sawamura didn't think they posed much of a threat.
WHRROOSH!!!
Sawamura raised his leg, getting ready to pitch.
His motion was fluid, his pitching arm hidden behind his mitt and body the entire time.
By the time the ball emerged, it had already traveled several meters and reached Miyuki's Mitt before the batter could react.
Snap!
"STRIKE!"
With just one pitch, Komadai Fujimaki's first batter was already sweating coldly on his forehead.
That pitch was terrifying!
Sawamura's pitch had appeared out of nowhere, and they couldn't react in time, watching as the ball flew past them.
As expected from the legendary ace—impressive.
The players from Komadai Fujimaki High School couldn't help but admit that Sawamura was beyond their expectations.
He was too frightening!
With such an opponent, such pitching, Komadai's players had no idea how they would hit the ball.
To them, it felt like they had no chance at all.
"STRIKE!"
"STRIKE!!"
"STRIKE! BATTER OUT!!!"
"STRIKE! BATTER OUT!!!!"
The first and second batters of Komadai Fujimaki High School were both struck out.
The fans in the stands were on the edge of their seats, almost to the point of ecstasy.
As they saw Sawamura stop, their excitement surged.
"Sawamura!"
"Sawamura!!!"
For the die-hard supporters of Seidou High School, this was the moment they loved most.
It felt incredibly satisfying!
They had always known that Sawamura was strong.
As long as they had a one-point lead, victory was practically theirs.
But the performance of Komadai Fujimaki's players in this game had been impressive, even making them a little nervous.
Would anything unexpected happen?
That anxiety was completely wiped away by Sawamura's dominant performance.
With his pitching, all their worries vanished.
No matter how crafty the opponents were, when facing their ace, they were helpless.
For Seidou High School's players, this scene was enough to make them ecstatic.
The reporters from Baseball Kingdom magazine in the stands also gave high praise.
Incredible!
So impressive!
"They didn't even use any breaking balls, just fastballs to defeat Komadai's hitters!"
Owada Akiko was in awe.
Beside her, Fujio Mine, unusually, didn't offer any opposing opinions.
This meant he agreed with her view.
The players from Komadai Fujimaki had indeed been well-trained, showing high skill in all aspects.
However, this didn't mean they didn't have weaknesses.
Though not obvious, these weaknesses would surface when faced with a strong opponent.
For example, while their training was good, they lacked experience.
And that was a serious issue!
Facing Sawamura's fastballs, the kind where you couldn't even see the release point, Komadai's players were still unable to adjust.
Had it been Inashiro's players, they would have adapted by the second round.
But Komadai's players still couldn't cope.
This showed they lacked experience and the ability to handle crises.
Even though Coach Nitta had realized this and often took his players to nationwide games...
Compared to teams like Seidou and Inashiro, their practice opponents lacked depth and experience.
Without a championship pedigree, Komadai's players hadn't been through enough battles.
Their current strength was based on self-made training.
It wasn't that they weren't strong—it was just that their strength had flaws and gaps.
By the 4th inning, Sawamura's strong pitching had struck out one Komadai player after another.
By the time the 5th inning arrived...
Although Maezono and Shiratsu had given their best...
It was still difficult for them to defeat Komadai and hit Hongou's pitches.
Eventually, they were all out, their efforts in vain.
Thankfully, Seidou's players had anticipated this and didn't feel discouraged.
Thus, the game moved into the bottom of the 5th inning.
The "Ace" remained strong, striking out Komadai's cleanup hitter.
The momentum for Seidou High School reached its peak.
Everyone thought the game would continue smoothly, but then...
An unexpected event occurred!
One Out, no one on base.
Komadai Fujimaki's Enjo Renji, without anyone noticing, swung at Sawamura's pitch and sent it into the gap.
PING!!
"It got through!!!"
...
T/N: Well, That's it for now.
Thank you all for reading!
Have a good day!
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