After Maezono's timely hit brought in two runs, the atmosphere at the scene exploded, boiling over with excitement.
The two teams, once evenly matched, suddenly found the score gap widening to four points.
At this moment, Seidou High School's pitcher Kawakami on the mound was certainly not reassuring, but Inajitsu High School's pitcher probably didn't inspire confidence either.
So far, the entire lineup of Seidou High School had taken their turn.
"MAEZONO!"
"MAEZONO!!!"
"ZONO-SAN!"
"ZONO!!"
If Sawamura Eijun's home run had given Seidou High School's supporters hope for victory, then Maezono's timely hit signaled the dawn of the Seidou Era.
From now on, who could still claim that Seidou High School's lineup was weak?
"It's incredible!"
At this moment, even Fujio, sitting in the stands, had to admire the performance.
His admiration wasn't solely for Maezono; it was more about the Seidou team, which was proving to be extraordinarily capable, surpassing all expectations.
Even after their Ace pitcher, Sawamura Eijun was injured, they managed to defeat the formidable Komadai Fujimaki High School thanks to a backup pitcher.
Moreover, today's game was a pure contest of batting skills.
Everyone had originally believed that Inajitsu would have a clear advantage.
Whether it was team strength, coaching quality, or psychological momentum, Seidou appeared weaker without Sawamura on the mound.
Yet, in this battle of hitting, it was Seidou High School that ultimately gained the upper hand.
At this moment, victory seemed almost certain.
No wonder this non-star player was receiving cheers from everyone present.
For Fujio, the scene unfolding before him was truly well-deserved.
Now on second base, Maezono stared in shock at his hands.
'I really did it!'
He didn't rely on his usual fixed stance but instead used a more fluid one!
Although he had practiced this privately, this was his first time using it in an official match.
To achieve such impressive results on its debut was exhilarating!
"Well played!"
"Nice batting!!"
"Beautiful!!!"
The Seidou High School dugout erupted into a sea of joy.
So far, the first six batters had not made a single out—six clean hits in a row.
It was hype!
Seidou High School's rising momentum was unstoppable.
For now, let's set aside the excitement felt by the players.
On the other side of the field, in Inajitsu High School's dugout, the atmosphere was like a blizzard in the dead of winter.
The coldness could freeze a person solid.
"Coach!"
The assistant coach looked hesitantly at their head coach.
From the outfield, Narumiya was glaring daggers at the dugout.
Coach Kunitomo's brow was furrowed in worry.
In the last game, Narumiya had collapsed from exhaustion. Following the doctor's advice, he shouldn't pitch for several days.
"If it's unavoidable, how many pitches can he throw?"
When Coach Kunitomo asked the doctor, the doctor was stunned.
"Sir, it is not a simple matter! If anything goes wrong the consequences will be disastrous!"
This man was too reckless—didn't he fear media backlash?
"Even if I wanted him to stay, the player wouldn't just obediently remain on the bench. If he can still pitch, I want to give him that chance."
The doctor understood Coach Kunitomo's reasoning.
Having played in high school himself, he empathized with both the players and the coaches.
If a player truly couldn't perform, there was no choice. But if there was even the slightest chance of playing, neither the player nor the Coach would give up.
After all, high school baseball lasts only three years, and there's no turning back.
"If he absolutely has to pitch, the total number of pitches should not exceed 30."
In reality, the situation wasn't as dire as it seemed. The doctor believed that as long as Narumiya didn't push himself to the point of collapse, he should be fine.
But could he really say that?
If something went wrong, wouldn't the bright future of a talented player become grim?
He can't live with something like that.
Thirty pitches seemed like a safe number, and including warm-ups, it would be about 50.
That was exactly half of a player's capacity.
At least in the doctor's eyes, it was a very safe number.
'Thirty pitches?'
Coach Kunitomo, upon hearing this, didn't voice any objections.
Internally, he planned to let Narumiya pitch for just two innings.
He wouldn't risk Narumiya's career for a high school game, not even for the Koshien finals.
But given the current situation, he couldn't allow Narumiya to endure this.
After about ten seconds of silence, Coach Kunitomo stepped forward to signal a substitution.
The score on the field was 9-5, with Seidou High School leading by four points.
The significant score gap had nearly suffocated Inajitsu's players.
In this situation, they could no longer remain passive.
Action had to be taken.
Otherwise, if the score widened further, even if Coach Kunitomo wanted to make a change, there might not be a chance to recover.
Narumiya returned to the mound.
At that moment, the crowd erupted in excitement.
Everyone's eyes were glued to the field, eagerly anticipating the game.
Inajitsu High School, on the brink of being pushed into oblivion by Seidou High School, was miraculously revived.
All because their Ace pitcher was back on the mound.
"I'm sorry!"
As he handed over the ball, Hirano looked guilty.
He had intended to hold out until the eighth inning before passing the mound to Narumiya.
But now it was two innings early.
And there was a runner on second base.
"The game isn't lost yet; what's with the tears?"
Narumiya frowned in dissatisfaction.
"Hirano, I'll bring back the championship trophy!"
When Narumiya said this, Hirano's expression lit up.
What could be more exhilarating than that declaration?
"Please, do your best!"
As Hirano walked off the field, Narumiya's gaze was intense.
There was no need to be so sad; he had worked hard.
Now, the next task was up to him.
'Seidou, it was time for us to have some fun.'
At that moment, the once-dominant, unstoppable King of Tokyo had returned!
The ace pitcher of Inajitsu Industrial High School, Narumiya Mei, officially stepped onto the pitcher's mound. This moment had a tremendous impact on both sides of the game.
With a four-point difference, Inajitsu felt like a parched land suddenly receiving rain.
Suddenly, they seemed to regain their confidence.
The role of an Ace had become apparent to the team players.
An Ace can stabilize morale.
It was as if Inajitsu High School was now united and complete.
Not only was Narumiya, who had just taken the mound, full of momentum; every other player felt a significant shift in their own energy.
"Inajitsu is in full power mode now!"
Such a situation naturally ignited excitement among the supporters of Inashiro Industrial High School.
"The troublesome guy is on the field!"
In the rest area of Seidou High School, Coach Ochiai stroked his chin and remarked.
When they saw Narumiya walking into the outfield earlier, they realized that sooner or later, he would return to the pitching mound in today's game.
Now, that moment had truly arrived.
Whether it was too early or too late remained uncertain.
Looking up at the significant score gap on the electronic scoreboard, Coach Ochiai felt a sense of inexplicable relief.
In fact, it didn't matter what kind of abilities Narumiya possessed; he was just a pitcher, and the primary role of a pitcher is to stabilize his defense at best.
Could he really lead the team's offense?
Up to this point, Inajitsu had only three offensive chances left.
The score gap between the two sides was a full four points.
If they were lucky, they would only get one chance to face the core batters of Seidou High School.
"This situation almost guarantees victory!" Ochiai murmured with confidence.
However, Coach Kataoka, who wore sunglasses beside him, clearly did not share that view. His gaze became sharper.
"The game isn't over yet; it's too early to declare victory or defeat."
No one from Inajitsu High School, whether it was Superintendent Kunitomo or his tenacious students, showed any intention of retreating.
Each of them was motivated, their eyes shining with determination.
"These guys from Inajitsu will never just hand us the victory."
Kataoka, who had faced Inajitsu for several years, understood this well.
'He's just starting, and he was previously exhausted from overexertion.'
At this moment, Toujou, standing again in the batter's box, coldly fixed his gaze on Narumiya Mei on the mound.
Although the opponent was incredibly powerful, during their previous matches in the youth leagues, Toujou had never managed to hit Narumiya's pitches.
But now, the opponent was at his weakest moment.
He didn't believe Narumiya could pitch without being affected.
On the surface, Toujou appeared gentle and refined, but deep down, he had an intense desire to win.
He couldn't wait to defeat Narumiya Mei.
With Maezono already standing on second base, it was a perfect opportunity to strike.
It didn't take much; just one hit would suffice.
One hit!
Human belief is limitless.
At that moment, Toujou Hideaki had no other thoughts in his mind; his only desire was to hit the ball that Narumiya threw.
If he could just get a timely hit off Narumiya's pitch, the situation on the field would completely change.
Although Seidou High School had a significant upper hand, ever since Narumiya returned to the mound, their leading momentum seemed to stall.
To secure victory, they needed to defeat Narumiya Mei directly.
The professional training from the youth leagues and the training he had gone through in Seidou had greatly aided Toujou.
He understood precisely what he should do now and what choices would benefit the team the most.
Thus, he was eager to hit the ball and secure a hit, solidifying Seidou High School's lead.
Roaar!!
Out of nowhere, the white ball shot toward him.
'Fast!'
Toujou's handsome brows instinctively furrowed.
'So fast! It was like a white streak of light.'
'The speed of this pitch looked even faster than that of Furuya.'
Of course, this was merely Toujou's illusion. When he turned to look at the electronic scoreboard, he saw the speed of the pitch.
149 km/h! (92 mph)
This speed didn't even reach 150. Compared to Furuya's fastest pitch of 157 km/h (97 mph), it was nearly ten kilometers slower.
'But…?'
Toujou had been confident in his initial judgment.
He firmly believed that the speed of this pitch surpassed Furuya's previous throws.
'Why?'
"It looks so fast!"
Many spectators in the stands echoed this sentiment.
A middle-aged man in sloppy clothes grinned.
"The speed displayed on the electronic board is just the physical speed of the ball itself. A live pitch with their spin, course, and movement will naturally appear different."
Whoosh!
After a strike, without giving Toujou time to think, the white ball came flying in again.
'Again!'
Having not swung at the first ball, Toujou seized the opportunity and swung his bat.
He watched as the bat was about to connect with the incoming ball.
But then, the white ball suddenly vanished.
SNAP!
"STRIKE!!!"
If the first ball was an accident, then when the second ball was thrown, anyone who thought it was just luck would be a fool.
At least Toujou didn't dare to think that way.
He was sure of the power of the pitch; it was a ball that caught him completely off guard.
The speed was terrifying, and it arrived at his side in the blink of an eye.
'Incredible!'
With two strikes against him, Toujou had no choice but to swing at Narumiya's third pitch.
He swung the bat but didn't connect with the ball.
The little ball seemed to wait until he finished his swing before lazily showing up, like an employee arriving late for work. (à_à)
'Change up!'
SNAP!
"STRIKE BATTER OUT!!!"
Narumiya, the Ace who temporarily filled in on the mound, executed his task beautifully.
So much so that the Seidou High School players hadn't even reacted, and their offensive efforts were halted.
The King of Tokyo, Narumiya Mei, truly displayed extraordinary skill.
In the rest area of Seidou High School, the atmosphere turned heavy.
It felt as if dark clouds had suddenly gathered overhead.
"We're currently in the lead. As long as we maintain our advantage, no matter how good the opponent's pitching is, it won't matter."
Seeing that Narumiya was unaffected by previous injuries and still pitching with vigor, Coach Kataoka immediately altered the game strategy.
They shifted from a focused offensive to a focused defensive approach.
Comparing Kawakami to Narumiya was unfair. Although both were third-year players, one was the Ace of a top-tier team, while the other was a third pitcher on another strong team.
Their positions made it hard for their strengths to be compared.
To still be naïve enough to believe their pitcher could go toe-to-toe with Narumiya was akin to digging their own grave.
At this point, it was better to consider what advantages they possessed.
What was Seidou High School's biggest advantage right now?
Without a doubt, it was their four-point lead.
Once they identified their strongest advantage, the rest became straightforward.
How could they maintain this lead until the end of the game?
This was Seidou High School's key to victory.
Judging by Narumiya's recent performance, it might be tough for Seidou High School's batters to score off him.
But to win, they didn't need to score more; their current score was sufficient.
The score stood at 9:5, giving them a four-point lead.
They only needed to fulfill their defensive duties in the remaining three innings.
In the first half of the seventh inning, Inajitsu Industrial High School went on the offensive.
This time, it was their lower batting lineup's turn.
After Narumiya's excellent pitching, the lower batters of Inajitsu showed great determination.
They believed, under the lead of their Ace, they would surely reverse the game against Seidou in the final moments.
But reality often slaps one in the face.
In the first half of the seventh inning, Seidou High School performed excellently.
Especially Kawakami as the pitcher.
The third-year pitcher of Seidou quickly showcased his strength after stabilizing his position.
The end result was a slow jammed hit to the outfield, a pop fly above home plate, and a grounder directly to third base.
Quickly, the three batters were retired.
They completed their offensive effort.
After this offense, Inajitsu had only two innings left, the eighth and ninth.
In these two innings, they needed at least four runs to have a chance against Seidou High School, and at least five runs to secure a victory.
The situation was awfully against them.
…