"OUT OF THE PARK!!"
"HOME RUN!!!!"
"The score is now 2:1! Seidou High School has successfully turned the game around…"
"Just five minutes after Inajitsu High School took the lead, Seidou High School has reclaimed the advantage! King Seidou is not fighting alone!!!"
"YEAAAH!!"
"AMAZING SWING!!"
"NICE BATTING!!!"
"SEIDOUUU!!"
"KING SEIDOUU!!!!!"
"SAWAMURAAA!!!"
"DEMON KING!!!"
Despite having only three at-bats, Seidou High School's offensive capability is impressive.
First, there was Kuramochi Yoichi's stunning hit, which caught everyone's attention. This offensive powerhouse has often given the impression of being useless in critical moments.
To put it bluntly, in key games, his performance has been disappointing.
But today is different. Even while being targeted, he managed to get a beautiful hit.
Kuramochi Yoichi's performance today is on a completely different level compared to before.
Next came Kominato Haruichi's seemingly inconspicuous bunt. However, the reality was far from that; their perfect teamwork led to scoring.
Kominato executed it quite well.
He cleverly placed the ball so that Kuramochi could advance to third base without any pressure, and ran to the bases in sync with Kuramochi.
Any mistake could have revealed their intentions.
The two needed to work together flawlessly for this outcome.
Previously, Inajitsu High School's top two batters had also delivered stunning performances.
That would be Carlos and their second batter, Shirakawa.
These two are renowned Tokyo star players who have been famous since childhood. While Kuramochi and Kominato may not be better than them, they certainly hold their own.
Competing with the best of their age group—can you say Kominato and Kuramochi's performance isn't outstanding?
This evenly matched confrontation is thrilling for the audience, and you can hear their excitement in their cheers.
Of course, the highlight is Sawamura Eijun's home run.
Such perfect teamwork can certainly boost a team's offensive strength.
But to truly overcome the opponent and secure victory, a batter like Sawamura Eijun is essential.
His bat can directly sway the outcome of the game. That's the power of strong batters!
On the surface, Seidou High School has only scored two runs, but what they've showcased is much more than that.
"In this situation, it's not impossible for Inajitsu High School's pitcher to completely collapse," Fujio calmly analyzed from the stands.
"You mean today's game might turn one-sided?" Akiko Owada asked, her eyes widening in surprise. She had a faint suspicion, but it felt too bold, even for her.
"That's right!" Fujio replied, unfazed. Clearly, this outcome was not beyond his expectations.
"The game could very well become one-sided!"
It all depended on whether Inajitsu High School's backup pitcher could hold up.
"Hirano!"
All the players from Inajitsu High School focused intently on the pitcher's mound.
"I'm fine!" Hirano smiled brightly, showing everyone his hand.
He didn't seem like someone who had just given up a home run.
'Hirano-senpai!'
As the catcher, Tadano felt a strange mix of emotions.
He understood how difficult the situation was for the team.
At the same time, he was acutely aware of the immense pressure on the man now standing on the mound in place of Narumiya Mei.
This was the Koshien final.
The stadium was packed, with tens of thousands of seats filled to the brim.
Even the outfield stands overflowed with spectators.
In front of televisions and online media, countless fans were watching this game.
What boy isn't filled with passion?
In the face of such a situation, to say Hirano wasn't nervous would be an understatement.
He was anxious, very anxious.
But the unwillingness to back down meant he wouldn't give up just yet.
Usually, Hirano gave the ordinary pitcher vibe, perfectly embodying what it means to be a bench player.
In the team, he hardly made his presence felt.
But that didn't mean he lacked talent.
After training sessions with Tadano and Narumiya Mei, Hirano often practiced alone at night.
He would quietly approach Tadano.
"Can you practice with me?"
During formal training, the Ace usually took the attention, leaving few opportunities for Hirano.
No one had witnessed this, not even Coach Kunitomo!
But Hirano had been silently preparing.
There was passion in his heart.
"Time!"
Tadano decisively called a timeout and jogged to the pitcher's mound.
As he ran, he adjusted his mask and covered his mouth with his mitt.
"Hirano-senpai!"
Just moments ago, Hirano had gestured for a pause, a signal they had privately agreed upon.
"You haven't forgotten," Tadano said with a smile.
Hirano's expression turned serious as he looked at Tadano.
"From now on, I will leave all of the game-calling entirely up to you! I know my strengths and limitations. With my current ability, I can't handle Seidou High School's lineup on my own. I need your cooperation!"
"Senpai?"
As a partner, Narumiya had never spoken to him like this.
It gave an amazing feeling, to be trusted and depended on by his partner was something he always wanted.
"It doesn't matter if I Walk four batters!" Hirano continued. "As long as we can win, that's what counts."
"Okay!" Tadano nodded, relieved.
He wasn't just a wall behind the plate; he was a well-known talented catcher in the Tokyo area.
After Miyuki Kazuya, he was among the best.
Tadano had his own pride.
"The game resumes."
The current situation: one Out, no one on base.
In left field, Narumiya frowned in dissatisfaction.
"What are those two whispering about?"
He couldn't shake the feeling of irritation as he watched them on the mound instead of himself.
It frustrated him.
"I could finish this game myself!"
Pitchers tend to be this way.
The trait of 'selfishness' was deeply engraved in their souls.
Yet, unknowing and uncaring of his inner turmoil, Tadano and Hirano had already devised a plan to face their opponents.
Tadano seemed to have broken free from his chains, beginning to show his fangs.
But his fangs were still quite immature; whether he could gnaw away at Seidou High School, a tough opponent, remained uncertain.
"Fourth batter, catcher, Miyuki-kun."
Not to mention, the first opponent they faced was exceedingly difficult.
Miyuki Kazuya stepped into the Batter's Box, casting a heavy glance at Hirano on the mound.
This guy had a forgettable face, inherently unsuitable for serious expressions. No matter how he tried to look serious, he always appeared to be smiling.
'If all you do is observe, you won't see anything at all,' Miyuki lamented.
Sawamura had just hit a home run, and their momentum was surging. If they could carry this momentum and crush Inajitsu High School's backup pitcher, the result would be perfect.
In this Koshien final, Seidou would secure their victory.
Such opportunities were rare, and Miyuki certainly didn't plan to let it pass.
The game had barely started, and Inajitsu had already been hit with a single, home run, and had given up two points.
Regardless of how they started, their current state was far from good.
'What a pity, if only there were runners on base for such a good opportunity. Otherwise, it could definitely be…' Miyuki greedily thought.
If he could thoroughly trample their old rival, Inajitsu High School, in the Koshien finals, Miyuki would certainly not mind.
If they could crush Inajitsu High School after this match, they would never rise again.
Getting rid of this nemesis once and for all.
Miyuki wouldn't mind throwing in a few extra low blows.
He wasn't a good person at heart.
Ping!
The incoming baseball was forcefully sent flying by him.
The ball spun out of bounds.
"FOUL!"
"STRIKE!"
"BALL!"
In the blink of an eye, the count stood at two Strikes and one ball.
Very good!
After being pressured, Miyuki felt no concern at all.
He had been itching to hit the winning shot of his opponent.
In the current situation, if he could hit the opponent's key pitch, it would definitely shatter their confidence to the greatest extent.
It was not impossible for the pitcher to falter after that.
Bring it on!
Bring it on!
Throw that low-course slider.
Whoosh!
As if responding to Miyuki's call, the white ball zipped toward him.
'The Slider!!!'
The angle and course were nearly identical to what Miyuki had envisioned.
Buzz!
It felt like a lavish meal served just for him; he would have felt embarrassed not to partake.
Timing his swing, Miyuki connected solidly with the incoming ball.
Ping!
The white ball soared, tracing a perfect arc, landing in the right field.
Tsk!
Miyuki felt a twinge of regret.
According to his original expectations, this ball should have hovered past the fences.
But Inajitsu High School's backup pitcher was no slouch; his pitches had considerable power.
As a result, Miyuki couldn't make perfect contact with the ball.
He could only pull it, sending it between center field and right field, favoring right field.
That spot was nearly ten meters away from both outfielders.
It was a route good enough for a long hit.
After hitting the ball, Miyuki tossed the bat aside and sprinted toward first base.
Despite the hit being almost guaranteed, Miyuki was still dissatisfied.
He had wanted to completely overwhelm Inajitsu High School's pitchers in one fell swoop.
Now, that seemed impossible.
Not only was that impossible, but what happened next also took Miyuki completely by surprise.
A streak was running across the field, approaching the falling point of the ball at a very fast speed.
Because he was running too fast, he couldn't stop in time, and the figure couldn't halt his momentum.
After rolling twice, he finally flipped back onto his feet.
At the same time, his mitt was raised high.
"OUT!"
Inside was a small white ball.
"Are you kidding me?!"
At that moment, Miyuki wanted to curse loudly.
It was hard to believe that the ball he hit, seemingly so far away, could be caught like.
"The range of that fielder was clearly a foul!"
Carlos!
The skill level of this guy was simply unacceptable.
Star player!
To earn such a title in high school, it was clear that the opponent was no ordinary player.
With two Outs and no one on base, it was now Shiratsu's turn as the fifth batter.
At that moment, Tadano, positioned as a catcher, breathed a sigh of relief.
Honestly, when Miyuki hit that ball, his heart raced to his throat, nearly jumping out.
Now, he could finally catch a breath.
Thinking about this, Tadano shot Miyuki a deep glance.
Tadano didn't know how to think about Miyuki. Given that they shared the same position and his relationship with Narumiya, it was hard for Tadano to not feel inferior.
Now, as the two faced off again, Tadano truly felt Miyuki's strength.
Before, the reason they had managed to defeat Seidou was largely due to Seidou's unresolved issues.
For instance, fatigue from consecutive fierce battles, and the fact that Seidou had only been formed for a little over a month at that time.
Yet even then, in direct confrontation with Miyuki, Tadano hadn't gained any advantage.
'What a terrifying opponent!'
He had become Seidou High School's main catcher in his first year.
In the previous summer Koshien competition, he had been a substitute.
That was simply incredible.
And incredibly, it had actually happened.
Tadano felt that this is what it means to be a Star player!
…
T/N: The Fourth Chapter!
Seidou's offense seems to be working, for now at least.
Thank you all for reading!
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