Miyuki had considered that Inajitsu High School might spot some of their minor flaws. This included his own pitch-calling and Sawamura's pitching.
No one is truly perfect.
It's evident that they've also identified some weaknesses in Inajitsu, including a particular habit in Narumiya Mei's pitching.
Inajitsu must have their own target ball paths. Strictly speaking, these aren't breaking-ball patterns but rather habits and routines.
If Miyuki were in the position of Inajitsu's baseball team, he would likely notice some patterns as well.
Even if Miyuki knew this, there was no way to avoid it.
The reason is that after so many games with Sawamura, Miyuki has numerous habits. How can he know which one the opponent is targeting?
Not knowing what the opponent is aiming for makes it impossible to devise a counter-strategy.
Knowing is one thing, but Miyuki was still astonished when he saw exactly what the opponent was targeting.
Sawamura's 'Magic Ball' that disrupts the batter's vision!
It had never been hit before; this was the first time an opponent had caught onto its pattern.
'Inajitsu's Coach Kunitomo!'
'He is truly a scary person; he had thoroughly analyzed the secret behind the Magic Ball.'
The ball, of course, doesn't actually disappear.
What appears to the batter as if the ball might hit them or vanish is merely due to Sawamura's use of a deceptive motion, causing the batter to misjudge.
However, when he actually pitches, Sawamura can use his incredibly flexible arm to force the ball back to its normal trajectory.
Since his entire body posture is twisted, it's sometimes difficult for the batter to track the ball from their perspective.
It's like a magic trick. But this sudden movement will certainly divert the batter's focus to some extent.
Inajitsu's players had understood this. So, when facing this pitch, they will move their entire bodies back.
This effectively bypassed the entire strike zone, allowing them to see the incoming pitch clearly.
'Here it comes!'
Shirakawa, targeting the fastball, swung decisively.
Ping!
The white ball was hit and flew out.
Pak!
The baseball landed precisely in the gap between the outfielders.
Seizing this opportunity, Shirakawa sprinted to second base.
"SAFE!"
Although Seidou High School's outfielder made a timely return, it wasn't enough to prevent Shirakawa from reaching base.
'Damn!'
Miyuki's expression changed dramatically. What was already a problem now becoming a severe crisis.
No Outs and a runner on second base.
'In this situation, Inajitsu had too many ways to score!'
And all of them will be difficult to guard against.
In the Inajitsu High School dugout, Coach Kunitomo clenched his fists in excitement.
Fortunately, his movements were subtle; otherwise, his colleagues from Inajitsu High School would have been shocked.
Who would have thought that Coach Kunitomo could show such visible excitement?
It's understandable.
Seidou won the national championship, their mindset was relaxed and easygoing.
Seidou was enjoying their success, but the teams targeting the national championship faced a much tougher challenge. Seidou's displayed strength required serious caution.
Inajitsu is one of those teams.
Moreover, unlike other Famous Teams, Inajitsu and Seidou are in the same region. Unless Inajitsu can defeat Seidou, reaching Koshien is impossible.
Realizing this, Coach Kunitomo has been researching how to overcome Sawamura.
He concluded that defeating Seidou would be quite challenging.
But finding a chance to defeat Seidou wasn't as difficult. It required a bit of luck, but there were tactics that could be employed.
These strategies were now coming into play.
Heavens had undoubtedly favored Inajitsu!
'This is a rare opportunity! We must seize it!!!'
Coach Kunitomo controlled his excitement and signaled his players with a signal.
'Use forced scoring!'
'It didn't matter if you were Out, as long as Shirakawa advanced to third base.'
'With a runner on third base, it's no longer just a batter-pitcher duel; the pitcher's role would be greatly diminished.'
This avoided a direct confrontation with Sawamura Eijun!
Coach Kunitomo saw no shame in this approach.
He was a pragmatist: whether it's a big cat or a small cat, a good cat is one that catches mice.
As long as it could lead to a score, he didn't care about the tactics used.
As long as it was within the rules, it was allowed!
Bring it on!
Coach Kunitomo stretched his neck, eagerly awaiting to see his players' duel with Sawamura and Miyuki.
On the field, the wind was chilly.
With the onset of autumn, the weather had cooled significantly. At this time, the wind brought a distinct chill.
In the catcher's position, Miyuki shivered involuntarily.
Shaking off his ominous premonitions, he gave the sign to Sawamura.
Despite the runner on second base, Miyuki remained resolute and called for the next pitch.
Ping!
The white ball was pitched and hit by Narumiya.
'Damn it!'
Narumiya Mei's face was a picture of frustration.
He didn't make solid contact with the ball.
'In the face of the possibility of a play-and-run tactic, these two dared to use the Moving Ball.'
'Were they crazy?'
Narumiya, having misjudged the pitch, didn't hit well, but he managed to hit the ball forward.
The ball landed directly in front of the third baseman, who caught it effortlessly after it bounced.
Had he thrown to first base, even with three legs, Narumiya wouldn't have made it.
But the third baseman didn't do that.
He was in an excellent position, just two or three meters from third base.
And Shirakawa, who was running to steal the third base, was still five or six meters away.
This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
As Kanemaru gritted his teeth, he moved the mitt to tag Out Shirakawa.
"Go to hell!"
Compared to solving Narumiya at first base, tagging Out Shirakawa now was far more valuable.
Kanemaru's thinking was correct, but he clearly overestimated his own ability.
Shirakawa, running at full speed, was unstoppable despite Kanemaru's block.
With a thrilling maneuver, he slipped past Kanemaru and touched the base.
"SAFE!"
Kanemaru's eyes widened in disbelief as he watched Shirakawa slip past him under his armpit.
'What is this guy's body made of? He managed to bypass my block so easily—he could get injured if this continues.'
While Kanemaru was still stunned, an urgent shout came from the plate.
"FIRST BASE!!!"
Miyuki's voice was hoarse and clearly filled with anxiety.
Kanemaru shivered and quickly turned to look at first base. Due to the recent delay, Narumiya was now nearing first base.
'Shit!'
Kanemaru felt on the verge of tears. He had a premonition that his play time might end here.
To have made such a mistake, he was too embarrassed to stay on the field.
Despite his thoughts, Kanemaru's actions were swift. He sharply threw the ball to first base after Miyuki's reminder.
SNAP!
The ball landed perfectly in Maezono's mitt.
But it was too late—
Narumiya had already passed first base.
"SAFE!"
No Outs, with runners on first and third base.
In Seidou's dugout, Coach Kataoka's face turned a ghastly shade of blue.
"Higasa!"
He called out sharply.
"Yes!"
The bald Higasa immediately stood up.
"Have you warmed up?"
"Yes!"
Higasa's heart raced with excitement.
Coach Kataoka nodded and signaled for a substitution.
Experience taught him that if a player's condition seemed off, a quick change was essential to avoid further consequences.
Now was the time for a substitution.
Kanemaru's performance clearly indicated he was not okay.
"Seidou High School requests a substitution."
With no outs and runners on first and third base, Coach Kataoka made a decisive move.
Coach Ochiai and Coach Kataoka remained calm amid the dangerous situation on the field, offering no further instructions. They seemed to have complete faith in their players' judgment.
In the catcher's position, Miyuki felt the weight of the moment.
He looked up at Sawamura on the mound, whose feelings were probably similar to his own.
With no Outs and runners on first and third base, and if that was not enough, they are now facing the Fourth batter of Inashiro.
'Avoiding a run is becoming increasingly difficult.'
Taking a deep breath, Miyuki signaled Sawamura on the mound.
But surprisingly, Sawamura shook his head this time.
"Eh?"
This rare headshake triggered Miyuki's curiosity. He frowned and scrutinized Sawamura on the mound.
He changed the signal.
And, Sawamura shook his head again.
After the third attempt, Miyuki realized something was wrong.
"Time!"
He called a break and walked to the mound.
Miyuki pushed up his mask and frowned at Sawamura.
"Do you have a plan?"
Sawamura rarely shook his head without reason. If he was shaking his head continuously, there had to be a reason.
Sawamura covered his mouth with his mitt and spoke in a low voice.
"We can't afford to give up any more runs!"
"Eh?"
Miyuki's eyes widened in shock.
"The gap is two runs; we can't afford to fall further behind!"
This was Sawamura's intuition. There was no concrete reason, just a strong feeling that they must not concede any more runs.
"It's possible to prevent the runner from scoring from third base, but Inashiro might use a bunt to advance. This could give us two outs. However, if we focus on Shirakawa, succeeding is good, but failing will make the situation even worse."
"Are you being foolish on purpose?"
Sawamura's tone was slightly serious.
Despite the tense situation, he seemed unusually calm.
"Inashiro isn't an opponent we can defeat without risks. You should know this better than I do. To beat them, we need to show a fighting spirit and toughness that matches theirs."
Miyuki, taken aback by being lectured by his Kohai, felt amazed.
"Success is great, but if we fail…"
Failing in this scenario could have a significant impact on Sawamura. It might become a stain on his high school career.
For an ordinary player, losing might be a setback, but for Sawamura, losing to Mei in a direct confrontation would be devastating.
"Have some confidence in me!"
Sawamura smiled, though his smile didn't reach his eyes.
But he still smiled confidently.
Understanding Sawamura's mindset, Miyuki felt a complex mix of emotions.
He nodded.
"Alright!"
Miyuki, known for his willingness to take risks, recognized that preventing runs in this situation required more than a standard approach; it needed careful planning.
"Fourth batter, first baseman, Yamaoka-kun."
Now, the fourth batter, Yamaoka, was up.
In the Inashiro High School dugout, Coach Kunitomo signaled his players.
'Fourth batter Yamaoka, bunt!'
'Narumiya at first base be ready to steal.'
'Don't worry about getting out; focus on attracting attention.'
'Shirakawa, force the score!'
As Sawamura began his pitch, the action was about to unfold.
A bunt by the fourth batter!
Other coaches might find such a command daring, but Coach Kunitomo, as a pragmatist, had no qualms about making this call.
He was the coach who knew best how to ensure his team's victory.
On the other side, in Seidou High School's dugout, Ochiai looked at Kataoka.
At this moment, as a coach, Kataoka should ideally issue instructions.
Players, being teenagers, have very unstable states. In such a critical situation, the coach should take the initiative and assume responsibility. This way, players can focus solely on following Kataoka's directives.
Even if they fail, it's the coach's responsibility.
This approach allows players to perform with less pressure.
If left to their own devices under such stress, players might collapse.
"They're not that fragile!"
Coach Kataoka's voice was cold but resolute.
…