No Outs, runner at second base!
Kuramochi's unparalleled speed turned a single into a double.
What happened next seemed almost inevitable. The previously aggressive Haruichi suddenly switched to a bunt.
This move clearly exceeded the third-year seniors' expectations.
Based on previous encounters, Kominato Haruichi had a very good chance of getting a hit.
It seemed he had no need to bunt!
Or was it that, with such a good offensive opportunity, the freshmen Seidou High School players were satisfied with just one run?
That didn't make sense.
"Why are you so spineless? You should have more cordage." Isashiki shouted in frustration.
Ping!
The ball was bunted, and with Kominato Haruichi's level of bunting skill, the angle at which the ball was hit was an evidence to his skills.
Although his speed was average and he didn't manage to reach base, Kuramochi advanced to third base.
Kuramochi, now at third base, intended to continue the attack!
He originally thought of waiting for the fielders to retrieve the ball and throw it to first base.
Instead, he went straight over third base and headed for home plate.
If there was a chance for a mental lapse or oversight from the third-year seniors, his chances of scoring directly were frighteningly high.
Unfortunately, the third-year Senpais did not give him that chance.
The first thing Tanpa did after catching the ball wasn't to throw to first base, but to keep his eyes on Kuramochi.
"Damn it, aren't you going to give anyone a chance?" Kuramochi muttered in dissatisfaction.
The third-year seniors guarded him as if he were the enemy, not giving him any opportunity to walk.
One Out, runner at third base.
Although Kuramochi didn't score, the New Seidou baseball team had a runner on third base. That run seemed within easy reach.
Watching the freshmen Seidou High School baseball team about to score, the third-year players couldn't be in a good mood.
Even though no one mentioned it, most of the third-year seniors were secretly missing Sawamura.
To be honest, Tanpa's pitching today was very good.
But compared to Sawamura, it still seemed to lack a bit of that extraordinary touch.
If Tanpa was once a sieve with countless holes, now those holes had been almost filled, but some still remained.
The score kept slipping away, though not in large amounts, it would become a problem over time.
On the other hand, the third-year seniors' offensive efforts against Sawamura were proving very unsuccessful.
'Sawamura was too strong!'
Even the third-year seniors found it hard to spot any weakness in him.
'This is really putting the pressure on us!'
Chris glanced thoughtfully at Sawamura walking into the Batter's Box.
He was very aware of Sawamura's intentions but felt helpless.
The opponent was determined to use bunts to advance, and even if they used forward defense, they couldn't solve the problem.
Forward defense was the best tactic for forcing runs.
It's like playing chess; if you use a piece as the top gun, I have to counter with another.
Other unconventional tactics were not impossible but would eventually weaken their own position.
However, this corresponding tactic wasn't always effective.
With Kuramochi as the runner and Sawamura as the batter.
Even with forward defense, it might not be effective.
'We also had to watch out for Sawamura's long hits! After all, he had maintained a perfect record against Tanpa.'
Chris still opted for forward defense after much hesitation.
As expected, Sawamura assumed a bunt stance.
Kuramochi on third base was eager to run.
Tanpa threw the ball!
Whoosh!
The white ball hovered above home plate like a flash of light.
Sawamura's bat remained still.
A real power hitter would disdain using a bunt at any time.
But Sawamura was different.
'Strictly speaking, I am the Ace pitcher.'
On the mound, he wouldn't walk anyone.
But as a batter, he will do what he could to get scores.
Instead of hitting consecutive hits, using the tactics the third-year seniors were best at to score was more beneficial for the current freshmen Seidou High School baseball team.
The moment the ball arrived, Sawamura moved the bat to intercept the ball.
Ping!
The ball was 'bunted'.
And Masuko dashed forward as soon as Sawamura touched the ball.
Despite his strength and robust build, his running speed was impressive, like an off-road tank.
Of course, there was a problem—Masuko charged too aggressively!
Sawamura's bunt was different this time; it didn't roll to the corner at moderate speed…
The ball, after being touched by Sawamura, flew skillfully. The ball's speed wasn't fast, but it was very clever.
It deftly bypassed Masuko and appeared behind him.
Despite being a bunt, the speed of the ball wasn't slow.
Masuko couldn't stop the ball and could only watch as Kuramochi crossed home plate.
And at this moment, Sawamura's Bunt Magic show was still not over.
"SAFE!"
While the bunt was still not caught, Kuramochi had indeed returned to home plate.
The freshmen Seidou High School baseball team had scored their third point!
The score was now 4:3.
Kuramochi Scores!
At first, everyone thought that Seidou High School's offensive would end there.
But Chris, unsure of what Sawamura would do next, kept his eyes on the ball that had just been 'bunted'.
Then he witnessed something truly incredible.
Sawamura didn't just make a simple bunt. When he made contact with the ball, he executed a slight turn and swing.
In other words, the ball wasn't merely tapped; it was hit with a slight force.
Seeing this, Chris's expression changed immediately.
'I hadn't expected such a trick was possible.'
The ball's trajectory was different from a typical bunt. It bypassed Masuko and landed behind him.
Masuko missed the ball, and by this time, Kuramochi had already safely reached home plate.
Chris's face turned a deep shade of purple, showing his frustration.
"Kusunoki!"
If Kusunoki had been prepared, he might have had a chance to block the ball behind the third baseman.
Although Sawamura's speed was not slow, his initial burst was weak, and the 30-meter distance meant he couldn't fully capitalize on his strengths.
If Kusunoki could stop the ball, there was a good chance to prevent Sawamura from reaching base.
But Kusunoki didn't anticipate the ball appearing behind the third baseman. So he hesitated for a second, thus starting late.
This shows just how sudden the ball's appearance was. It didn't fly fast, but it was perfectly placed, avoiding all defenders.
Seeing Kusunoki frozen in place for a moment, Chris knew he would be late and quickly signaled to the outfield.
But Saka was no better. He too was away from the ball.
This delay extended the time to over three seconds.
By the time the outfielder retrieved the ball, Sawamura was already nearing first base.
When Sawamura reached first base, the outfielder still hadn't picked up the ball.
The ball was at least ten meters away from the outfielder and Kusunoki was still running after it.
'Only Ryo-niisan is covering second base!!'
Considering the distance to second base, Sawamura had a significant opportunity.
With determination, Sawamura dashed past first base and headed for second.
'He's going for second base!!!'
The sudden turn of events left most of the audience in shock. Even as experienced fans, they had never seen such a ridicules 'bunt'.
While bunts can occasionally lead to base hits if the batter is fast enough, no one had ever seen someone make it to second base after a bunt.
Not even in professional baseball or the Major Leagues had anyone witnessed such a bunt.
'It was utterly unbelievable.'
The chance of a batter making it to second base after a bunt is extremely rare. A bunt that leads to a double is unheard of.
Even though Chris anticipated Sawamura wouldn't give up easily, he never expected such an out-of-the-box move.
It was so unexpected it gave him chills!
The outfielder, grimacing, retrieved the ball and threw it to second base.
At second base, Kominato Ryosuke was ready.
But Sawamura's speed was faster than expected.
After passing first base, Sawamura's speed surged as he charged toward second base like a frenzied wild dog.
By the time Ryosuke received the throw and attempted to tag him, Sawamura had already firmly touched second base.
The field fell silent.
"SAFE!!"
After several seconds, the crowd stared in disbelief, finally understanding what had just happened.
Sawamura Eijun had managed to 'bunt' the ball a full 40 to 50 meters!
Despite several bounces, the power behind the bunt was still astonishing.
"Was this even a bunt?"
…