"Incredible!!!"
Owada Akiko, a reporter for Baseball Kingdom Magazine, widened her eyes and muttered.
Although the surrounding scene had quieted down, she still couldn't forget what had just happened on the field.
A 100-meter-long pass followed by a catch for a tag out.
Based on the timing, Narumiya had the time to return to home plate and help the team score a run.
Yet, Seidou High School's players managed to turn the impossible into the possible.
They forcefully stifled Inajitsu's offense right at home plate.
In that moment, Seidou's strength was unmistakable.
"After this duel, the scales of victory have tilted entirely toward Seidou," she remarked.
Fujio, sitting nearby, couldn't help but roll his eyes.
He admitted that Seidou High School had performed admirably, even surprising him.
'Especially that outfielder, Toujou Hideaki.'
'Once a pitcher, he had unexpectedly transitioned to the outfield and performed exceptionally well. Such an incredible passing ability was beyond ordinary.'
But to say that Seidou High School would have the upper hand after this duel…
"Probably not!"
'The actual situation might be completely opposite.'
"What?"
Akiko looked at her senior, puzzled.
Did he just say something?
As they spoke, Tadano had already stepped into the Batter's Box.
Unlike Yamaoka, Tadano's swing was standard and steady, without any flashiness.
'Another tough guy is up.' Miyuki instinctively frowned.
Inajitsu's lineup was quite luxurious, featuring Carlos leading off, followed by the skilled Shirakawa, Narumiya who could hit both long and short, the powerful Yamaoka, and the versatile Tadano…
All five were star players, and their strength was outstanding.
Even in the lower order, there were strong players like Yabe and Fukuda.
Yabe was also one of the geniuses previously invited by Narumiya Mei.
Although his development at Inajitsu High School hadn't been as smooth as that of other partners, his strength was undeniable.
Fukui Kento, also known as Fuku-chan, was the current captain of the Inajitsu baseball team.
Their strength was above average.
Among the main players, aside from the pitcher Hirano, there were no weak links.
Against such opponents, Furuya had managed to hold on until now, even with his physical strength not being at its peak.
'But it wasn't enough.'
'Even with his strong willpower, he had to survive this round.'
'Only then could he provide Nori with a relatively good start, making subsequent games smoother.'
With that thought, Miyuki suddenly understood Coach Kataoka's plan.
'Concentrate all your strength and throw that ball here.'
Miyuki signaled.
On the mound, Furuya nodded vigorously.
He was eager to pitch, longing to contribute to his current team.
Roaar!!
With all his might, he threw, igniting the field in an instant.
The small ball shot out like a rocket, appearing above home plate in a flash.
Uncertain of what Tadano was thinking, his swing showed no hesitation.
Ping!
The ball connected, tracing a perfect arc as it fell between center and right field.
Shiratsu and Toujou rushed over but were still a step too late.
The ball bounced off the ground and soared away.
"IT'S THROUGH!"
"TIMELY HIT!!!!"
Just as Seidou High School had regained its footing, the situation flipped once more.
The crowd erupted in jubilation; Inajitsu's offense seemed unstoppable.
"SAFE!"
After reaching first base, Tadano had no intention of advancing.
Yamaoka, on second, dashed past third and headed straight for home.
Despite Toujou's desperate throw, it was still too late.
"SAFE!"
Yamaoka slid into home, tying the score.
The total score became 3:3.
"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"
Inajitsu's supporters rejoiced, visibly stimulated.
The scene was so exhilarating that even their attempts to contain themselves were futile.
Not that they wanted to control their emotions at all.
"How did you know?"
Fujio, a senior reporter for Baseball Kingdom Magazine, had predicted this scene perfectly.
Owada Akiko stared at him in disbelief, her eyes wide with surprise.
She couldn't understand how Fujio, who seemed so ordinary, could foresee this outcome after Seidou's earlier momentum.
"It's Furuya's pitching!"
"But from the ball speed, Furuya-kun seems fine, right?"
"What you're talking about is just physical speed. For a living ball, if it lacks spirit, speed means nothing," Fujio said with deep emotion.
His words weren't just baseless speculation.
They were fact.
Based on Furuya's earlier pitches, the quality had clearly declined.
For instance, when he pitched against Shirakawa, he could maintain around 80-90% of his ability. But later, when facing Narumiya, especially Yamaoka…
He couldn't even maintain 70 or 80%.
Koshien was a magical place, an exhilarating stage for players.
In such situations, players would unwittingly unleash all their capabilities.
Powerful mental stimulation could even make them temporarily forget physical exhaustion.
That's why athletes often push their limits in competitions. The larger the tournament, the more pronounced this phenomenon becomes.
But the consequences can also be severe.
Just like Furuya now—his overexertion had led to rapid exhaustion after reaching his physical limit.
In this scenario, the later it went, the more dangerous it became.
"Coach Kataoka probably won't let him pitch another inning; it will depend on his performance in these final moments," Fujio mused, glancing at Seidou High School's dugout.
He was deeply curious about what Coach Kataoka was planning at this moment.
"Two Outs!!"
"Let them hit!"
"We'll stop them."
Before Coach Kataoka could say anything, the Seidou players sprang into action.
They began cheering on Furuya from the mound.
'You guys!'
Furuya looked at his teammates behind him, filled with emotion.
His eyes were full of happiness and determination.
He channeled all of that into his pitching.
Roaar
After reaching his physical limit, he once again threw a blistering 157 km/h. (97 mph)
Boom!!
"STRIKE!"
"STRIKE!!"
"STRIKE! BATTER OUT!!!"
With Yabe's strikeout, Seidou High School finally held their defense for this inning.
Upon returning to the dugout, Coach Kataoka was not as angry as expected; instead, he calmly nodded at Furuya.
"Good job!"
In the four innings with Furuya as the main pitcher, he allowed three hits and three runs. However, he also recorded seven strikeouts, making his performance far from poor.
It was certainly acceptable.
This was merely the performance he submitted for today's game. Including his previous match against Komadai, Furuya's performance in this spring tournament was truly remarkable. He proved his exceptional strength and now stood alongside Sawamura in the race for the Ace position.
"Nice pitching!"
Despite the complexity of his feelings, Sawamura sincerely congratulated Furuya.
"Thanks!!"
Rivals can remain friends, and their friendship won't falter due to changing dynamics.
As the game moved to the bottom of the fourth inning, Seidou High School went on the attack.
Ping!
Toujou cleanly hit the ball and prepared to sprint to first base.
Suddenly, a swift figure jumped from the shortstop area, snagged the ball, and sent it to first base.
Snap!
"OUT!"
Such a spectacular play left Toujou amazed and wary.
'So he can defend here too!' Toujou was surprised that Shirakawa could deal with this hit too.
'Let's avoid sending the ball in his direction next time.'
But he wasn't disheartened, already planning his next at-bat.
Under the strong defensive cover, Inajitsu High School managed to hold the inning.
In the top of the fifth inning, Inajitsu High School began to attack.
Their seventh batter, Fukui, stepped into the Batter's Box.
At this moment, Seidou High School made a substitution.
The previously impressive Furuya was replaced.
Taking his place on the mound for Seidou High School was Kawakami Norifumi.
"Are you nervous coming into the finals?"
"I'm not nervous!"
Kawakami replied with a shy smile.
His energy was still very strong.
Having not showcased much of his ability under the shadow of his two Kohais, he was now eager to seize this opportunity.
"Very good!"
Miyuki nodded in satisfaction. "It's up to you!"
"Leave it to me!"
Kawakami was indeed a capable pitcher, at least not inferior to Inajitsu's backup, Hirano.
Facing Inajitsu's lower batting order, he showed great momentum.
He was calm on the mound, always placing the ball toward the corners of the strike zone.
The lower batters of Inajitsu found themselves helpless against such tricky pitches.
Though they could hit the ball, making solid contact proved to be a challenge.
Ping!
Fukui, the seventh batter, hit a high fly.
"OUT!!"
Kominato Haruichi, positioned at second base, effortlessly caught the fly ball.
Ping!
Next up, the eighth batter hit a grounder.
Kanemaru rushed forward, scooped it up, and sent it to first base.
"OUT!"
While his hitting performance today was underwhelming, his defensive play stood out brilliantly.
It was truly eye-catching.
"STRIKE!"
"STRIKE!"
"STRIKE! BATTER OUT!!!"
The ninth batter, Hirano, was struck out by Kawakami's breaking ball.
Kawakami, having just stepped in, quickly sent Inajitsu's batters back down in order.
His performance could only be described as perfect.
The members of Seidou High School's baseball team, whether in the dugout or in the stands, were filled with excitement.
Initially, with their ace pitcher Sawamura injured, the players felt like the sky had fallen.
The difference between Seidou High School with Sawamura on the mound and without him was stark.
The players themselves had little confidence.
To their surprise, Furuya and Kawakami perfectly filled the void left by Sawamura. Though there was still a notable gap, as long as they could lead the team to victory, that was sufficient.
As Coach Kataoka had said, the true Ace is not measured by how many Strikeouts or complete games one has, but rather by the ability to lead the team to victory.
That alone was enough.
The overall momentum of Seidou High School began to grow fierce.
Their players, with determined eyes, were eager to attack.
However, the offensive results were not smooth.
While the players reached base one after another, they still failed to score.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Seidou High School took their turn at bat.
With two outs and the bases loaded, the current players on base were Sawamura, Miyuki, and Shiratsu.
Sawamura reached base himself, while Miyuki and Shiratsu Walked.
At this point, even the least astute members of Seidou High School understood Inajitsu's plan.
They clearly aimed to avoid confrontation with Sawamura and Miyuki, and if possible, even Shiratsu.
The earlier bases-loaded situation was likely not a coincidence, but a result of Inajitsu's strategy.
As Seidou's players grasped this, an unsettling chill washed over them.
It felt as though a cold wave traveled from their hair to the tips of their toes.
Incredible, truly incredible.
Who would have thought Inajitsu High School was using such a strategy?
They completely avoided confronting Seidou's strong hitters, only targeting batters they were confident could be eliminated.
While this might seem shameful, it proved to be highly effective.
Ping!
Maezono hit the ball high into the air, and the small ball soared, eventually landing in the outfield.
Inajitsu's captain, Fukui, extended his mitt and confidently caught the ball.
"OUT!"
Three Outs, offense and defense exchanged.
Three runners were left stranded on Seidou's bases.
No runs could be converted.
The total score stood at 3:3, heading into the sixth inning.
This was also the most talked-about inning of today's game.
…
T/N: The clash is getting more heated!
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