Two Outs, with a runner on first base.
Ouya High School's unexpected advance to base caught everyone off guard.
The Seidou players exchanged confused glances, unsure of what had just happened.
'Focus on the batter!'
Miyuki signaled to Furuya. He was one of the few who understood what was happening.
If time allowed, Miyuki would have explained in detail what had occurred at that moment. But they didn't have that luxury. The most important thing now was to secure the final Out to end the inning.
As long as they maintain their lead, Seidou will hold the game's momentum.
Conversely, losing that lead could drastically change the game's dynamics.
Miyuki Kazuya's greatest strength was knowing exactly what needed to be done.
In the Ouya High School dugout, Coach Araki adjusted his hat, a seemingly insignificant action that actually conveyed crucial instructions to his players.
Kasuga Hiro, the fourth batter, took his position and assumed a bunt stance.
'Again!'
Miyuki frowned. He couldn't grasp the opponent's strategy.
'Coach Araki!'
In Tokyo, he was one of the few coaches that made Miyuki uneasy.
Such a coach's strategies had to be carefully guarded against.
'It might be the same routine, aiming for a straight pitch, or it could be a bunt. What were their plans?'
Miyuki didn't know.
At this point, he could only guess.
'With two Outs, the probability of the opponent using a bunt was low. It was likely the same tactic as before.'
After making his judgment, Miyuki decisively signaled Furuya.
He also reminded the first and third basemen to advance if the bunt was indeed used.
Previously, Miyuki would have relied solely on the pitcher, increasing their chances of winning. But experience with Chris-senpai had broadened his perspective.
Ping!
When the fourth batter, Kasuga, executed the bunt without hesitation, Miyuki's face lit up with a satisfied smile.
He was glad he had prepared for both scenarios.
'Ouya High School! Coach Araki!!'
'This opponent was indeed crafty, having thoroughly studied our previous plays.'
"The fourth batter used a bunt!"
"With two Outs, the opponent is very bold," came the surprised exclamations from the Seidou stands.
Clearly, they were astonished.
However, Seidou's players were well-prepared.
Third baseman Kanemaru dashed to field the bunt. He grabbed the ball and threw it to first base.
Maezono, covering first base, sprinted to catch the throw.
A seemingly perfect tactic had a flaw.
Snap!
Maezono's glove merely brushed the ball, causing it to rebound again.
A missed catch!
Maezono, recently reintroduced to the lineup, looked frustrated.
This was indeed an unfortunate setback.
"SAFE!"
At this moment, Kasuga Hiro had successfully reached first base.
Meanwhile, the runner originally on first base had advanced to third base.
"SAFE!"
With two Outs, first and third bases were occupied, creating unprecedented tension.
Seidou High School, which had previously controlled the game, was now in a tight spot.
Miyuki pushed up his face mask, his expression tense as he looked at the opponent, feeling a bitter smile inside.
'The mistake at this point was critical!'
'The pitcher needed to stabilize.'
"It's not your fault," Miyuki said after calling a timeout. He approached the mound and spoke to Furuya.
He didn't go into details, fully taking the blame for the pitch calling.
Miyuki had called for a forkball against Kasuga but hadn't anticipated the batter's response.
Although Miyuki had considered a second plan, he had indeed been outmaneuvered in the recent pitch calling.
The most important thing now was to help the pitcher relax and not doubt his pitching.
"Give it your all and use your power to suppress the opponent!"
Furuya nodded, already resolved to do so.
The game continued.
Seidou High School adjusted its defense, positioning aggressively to challenge the batter.
Bring it on!
They were determined and fierce, not backing down.
Ouya High School's players faced their intimidating opponents without flinching.
In the dugout, Coach Araki summarized the scene best.
'Humans!'
'On this Earth, humans are neither the strongest nor the largest, and they have a short lifespan, with environmental demands exceeding many animals.'
'Yet, humans are the masters of this world.'
'Even ancient people, armed with primitive spears, could contend with massive beasts.'
'Later, those spears even reached the moon.'
'Astronauts stepped beyond planetary, marking the first step of life beyond Earth.'
'How could this be accomplished?'
'The reason is simple: humans used their brains to learn, invent, create, and use tools.'
'This is the fundamental difference between humans and animals.'
'The time has come to showcase human progress.'
Placing his hand on the brim of his baseball cap, Coach Araki signaled his players.
Kasuga Hiro, who had been on first base, boldly advanced to second base.
If it were a typical distance, Seidou's players might not have paid much attention.
But the opponent's movement was so extreme it couldn't be ignored.
Even Furuya felt awkward.
He had no choice but to throw a diversionary pitch!
Turning, Furuya assumed the posture of a pickoff throw.
Kasuga noticed and quickly returned to first base.
"Third base!"
A sudden shout came from behind.
It was Kanemaru.
Furuya quickly turned around.
His body moved instinctively, but the atmosphere on the field became tense.
Done!
"BALK!!" (Balk is a pitcher error, where the pitcher makes a feint pickoff without throwing the ball. When that happens ALL THE RUNNER are rewarded with a BASE forward.)
When the umpire made this call, over half of the spectators were completely baffled.
Balk? What is that? Is it a fish snack? Is it delicious?
On the mound, Furuya was equally confused.
Could someone kindly explain what had just happened?
"Time!"
Miyuki had to call for a timeout again. The situation was completely out of control, and he needed to put a stop to it.
"What's going on?" Furuya asked, clearly bewildered.
Miyuki frowned.
"We used the same tactic before, didn't we? Don't you remember?"
Furuya shook his head awkwardly.
While he was in the dugout, he mostly focused on Sawamura's pitching and paid little attention to the offensive strategies.
"What you can learn in the dugout isn't just about pitching. I will explain to you later, but now isn't the time to discuss this. We need to focus on how to handle the current batters." Miyuki patiently explained
With two Outs and runners on second and third base, the runners advanced a base automatically due to the Balk.
The runner on third base scored, tying the game for Ouya High School.
The runner from first base, Hiro, also advanced to second base.
In Ouya High School's dugout, Coach Araki adjusted his cap with satisfaction and said, "Very good!"
Everything happening now was almost exactly as he had planned.
'In terms of strength, the gap between us and Seidou was nearly insurmountable. But battles aren't always won by the stronger side; history is filled with instances of underdogs triumphing against the odds.'
'Strategy and intelligence are crucial factors in determining the outcome.'
"Your pitching is fine!" Miyuki reassured Furuya on the mound.
Other than this, he wasn't sure what else to say. The series of attacks and sudden changes were overwhelming. To be hit so hard even with two outs felt awkward.
Miyuki wasn't one to shy away from problems; he believed in confronting issues head-on.
At this moment, the most important thing was to encourage Furuya and boost his confidence.
Miyuki looked at Furuya with complete trust.
Furuya nodded firmly.
"I won't let them get another hit!"
"Good!"
Miyuki nodded and returned to his catcher's position.
The game resumed.
In Ouya High School's dugout, Coach Araki signaled the batter with a sign.
'To overcome Seidou, strategy alone wasn't enough; strength was also necessary.'
'When strategy is needed, use it; when not, confront directly.'
'Now was a good opportunity for direct confrontation.'
'No matter what adjustments or discussions had taken place during the timeout, the pitcher, having been outwitted, would undoubtedly be disoriented.'
'To adjust the pitcher's state, the catcher would likely call the pitches he's most comfortable with.'
'A high fastball! Aim for a spot a couple of balls above the center and swing with all your might.'
Araki's eyes sparkled with anticipation.
Though his players might not be as outstanding as Seidou's, they had trained diligently, step by step. Their training might not match the top private schools, but it wasn't far behind.
"It's time to show our strength!"
Araki focused intently on the pitch-batting duel, not blinking.
At the batter's box, Yamazato, after avoiding the first pitch, swung at the second one, which had suddenly risen.
Ping!
The small white ball was hit and flew high, landing in a peculiar spot.
Toujou, Shiratsu, and Haruichi all rushed to the ball's location, but none could reach it in time.
Pak!!
The ball landed and bounced, becoming a hit.
Kasuga Hiro, on second base, sprinted like a wind, racing past third base and heading straight for home plate.
"BACK HOME!"
Behind the plate, Miyuki's face was grave.
'The game calling had been read.'
'Ouya High School, Araki Ichirou!'
He made a mental note of this Coach.
While there was a skill gap, Ouya High School's understanding of baseball seemed to match his own.
Shiratsu chased down the ball, picked it up, and threw it back to home plate.
The ball zoomed like a laser into the catcher's Mitt.
Miyuki spun around to tag Hiro.
But it was too late.
Hito had crossed home plate approximately a fraction of a second before the ball arrived.
"SAFE!"
A timely hit sent Hiro home.
The score changed to 2-1!
Ouya High School completed the comeback.
In the stands, many spectators were stunned, their eyes wide with amazement, taking in deep breaths.
"Wow~"
"This is incredible!"
"Seidou is now behind!"
In Seidou High School's dugout, everyone's faces were expressionless, their expressions as cold as ice.
In a corner of the stands, Owada Akiko was equally anxious.
"Could there be some unexpected twist? That Ouya Coach looks young, but seems quite skilled."
"Young?"
Fuji looked discontentedly at his partner.
Coach Araki is as old as him! What do you mean by 'looks young'?
In contrast to Seidou High School's dugout, Ouya High School's dugout was a sea of joy.
Almost all the players were jubilant, bouncing with excitement.
"Two Outs!"
In left field, Sawamura held up two fingers, pointing to the sky.
Then again he loudly declared, "Two Outs!"
At first, the team didn't catch on, but by the second time, Sawamura shouted, they understood.
"Let him hit!"
"Pitch to contact! We'll stop him."
"Two Out!"
"Be aggressive!"
"You can do it!"
"Don't worry, we've got this."
All the teammates rallied to support Furuya.
On the mound, Furuya looked up at the sky, bathed in sunlight, feeling incredibly comfortable.
'Amazing!'
At this moment, Furuya felt a surge of determination.
His teammates' support, confidence, and expectation for him awakened something.
'I want this!'
With renewed hunger and focus, Furuya was transformed.
He made his stride and pitched the ball.
'I don't want to give up this place!'
'Not to anyone!'
'Not even to Eijun!'
Roaar!
Boom!
"STRIKE!"
'This place, this number…!'
'I will take it!'
Boom!
"STRIKE!!"
'I will be the Ace of this team and lead the team forward!'
'As for Eijun, he could stay in the outfield if he likes batting so much!'
"STRIKE! BATTER OUT!!!"
Three Outs, offense and defense exchange.
'This will be my spot!'
...