To be honest, Hosho Okuchi's plan is not difficult to guess at all.
No Out, runner at second base!
For Hoshiryu High School to effectively score, numerous strategies could be employed. Among these, the most secure tactic involves executing a bunt to advance the runner to third base at a cautious pace.
Certainly, this demands considerable collaboration between the two players, and the batter's bunting abilities must also withstand the challenge of pitching.
Hosho's plan may not be the best, but it is certainly sufficient to pass the test.
But the opponent was the dreaded Chris, and he still didn't dare to be careless, so he put on a stance of a normal swing.
It's just that his acting skills are really average, and Chris saw through it at a glance!
The real purpose of Hoshiryu is to bunt and walk the runners to third base, and then tie the score by forcing points or by using hit and run.
In the rest area of Hoshiryu, Hosho Ryuki's eyes are very sharp.
"There is no need to be greedy for the score. We finally got such a good opportunity. The most important thing is to really tie the score."
In the rest area of Seidou, Coach Ochiai stroked his goatee.
"Among the Ten Golden Rules of Go, the number one is 'The greedy do not get success'! The Coach of Hoshiryu is obviously also a player of Go." (Go is a board game like Chess but more complicated.)
The goal is clear, and the rest depends on the players.
As long as there are no mistakes in the attack, Seidou High School has a really small chance of being able to stop it.
It's useless even if the players move the defense forward!
It is a fact!
As soon as Tanpa opened his stance, Matsumoto on second base moved and ran to third base with all his strength.
In the position of the catcher, Chris wanted to remind Tanpa, but he couldn't do it.
Tanpa is not Sawamura, he doesn't have the talent to make a last-moment change. After opening the stance, as long as the ball has not been pitched, Sawamura can freely control the direction of the ball.
Tanpa couldn't do anything like this. After he made his stride, he could only throw at the catcher.
'This will not work!'
Chris's heart sank. If the ball entered the strike zone, Hosho would definitely knock the ball forward. As long as the ball is knocked when the infielder catches the ball and then passes to third base, it will definitely be too late to touch out Matsumoto, who ran ahead of time.
'In that case, we must take risks!'
With a decision in mind, Chris hammered the ground with his Mitt.
'Throw the ball to the ground, and I'll definitely catch it.'
It's hard to change the general direction of the ball, but not so hard to throw the ball to the ground. The ball bounced to the ground, and as long as Chris could catch the ball, there was still a chance to touch out Matsumoto.
Tanpa, who pitched the ball, also had no doubts.
He knew that Chris' sudden change of the sign must have been his intention. Right now, as a partner, the most important thing is to cooperate with him.
The moment he made the pitch, he forcibly increased his force.
In this way, the ball does fly to enter the Mitt, and it will bounce off the ground!
Whoosh!
The small white ball is flying and it looks very low angle.
Hosho on the strike zone, just as Chris had expected, changed his batting posture from the original normal batting to the standard bunting!
'Wait! This is weird!'
The angle of the ball was even lower than Hosho had expected, and it was much lower.
'The ball is thrown to the ground!'
These words were like thunder in Hosho's brain!
He seemed to have foreseen the outcome of the ball.
The ball will roll on the ground and get into Chris' Mitt, and Chris will get up and pass the ball to third base. The third baseman is defending forward, but the shortstop will cover the base.
Touch!
OUT!!!
Matsumoto's actions now are almost like sending him to his doom.
'No, never!'
'Hoshiryu's attack cannot stop here.'
Hosho's two-handed bunt turned into one-handed, the bat lowered vertically and knocked the ball before the baseball touched the ground, and knocked the ball forward.
Ping!
With more than twice the determination of ordinary players, right now, Hosho opened the door for an opportunity, and he was very lucky to touch the ball.
The white ball hits the bat and bounces off.
Although Masuko picked up the ball quickly, it was definitely too late to turn around and pass back to third base.
"Pass first base!"
In the position of the catcher, Chris's voice was a little intense.
Masuko was obedient and passed the ball to Tetsu on the first base.
SNAP!
"OUT!"
The batter Hosho was Out, but his mission was finally completed.
Matsumoto, who was originally at second base, was moved to third base.
From the outfield position, Sawamura looked at Hosho in disbelief.
'Was this old partner of mine has just been possessed by a demon or something? '
Such a bunt is so challenging that even Sawamura wouldn't claim a 100% success rate. Yet, he managed to execute it perfectly!
Magical, really magical.
It's just that this kind of magic is not a good thing for Seidou.
One Out, runner at third base!
After Hosho, Hattori was standing on the strike zone.
Hattori's bunts are also among the best in Hoshiryu. Plus his speed…
Right now, Seidou had to make a choice.
Whether to steadily get the number of Outs or to put the runner on base with touching Matsumoto Out at home plate as the main priority.
In the catcher's position, Chris looked up at Tanpa, and then at the score on the electronic board.
Score 2:1
Seidou is still one point ahead, and this point is also Tanpa's last chance.
If Tanpa can't stop it, then in this competition, Tanpa may hardly have a chance to go further. Don't underestimate this step, this step can even determine Tanpa's future.
Bet!
Even if they were tied, Seidou would still win in the end.
With a strategy in mind, Chris looked towards the dugout. In the resting area, Kataoka remained silent about the scenario with a runner on third base and the high likelihood of conceding points.
That means he will let them make their own decision.
Chris firmed his mind and gave a sign to his partners on the field.
'Front guard again!'
Masuko on the third base moved several meters forward, and at the same time, Yuuki also moved forward.
'Are you stupid?'
Matsumoto sneered in his mind when he saw Seidou's move, and he began to move towards home plate.
Masuko can move forward, and so can he. Now that there is no one at third base, even if Tanpa passes the ball, he can't touch him.
As long as he can keep his distance from third base and his distance from Masuko.
"Hyaa-ha-haa!"
With a weird laugh, Kuramochi, who was originally a shortstop, moved closer to third base.
'What?'
Matsumoto glanced at Kuramochi and could only go back to third base distressed.
Seidou's current defense has completely ignored his steal and was forcing the batter to go head-to-head with the pitcher.
"Are they crazy?"
Standing on the mound now is not the Maou Sawamura, but Tanpa. Although Tanpa's pitching is good, it's not that batters can't hit his pitching.
Matsumoto was puzzled.
Hoshiryu is puzzled.
The audience at the scene was even more puzzled.
Even the commentators and reporters at Koshien were puzzled.
Everyone is stunned!
...