Conrad on the mound didn't feel as relaxed as his teammates.
Despite still having confidence in using his newly honed breaking ball to deal with Sawamura, for some reason, he felt a shadow looming over him.
This shadow troubled him and made him uneasy.
He felt that the upcoming match might not be as simple as it seemed.
'Pitch!'
Before he knew it, Conrad had been holding the ball on the mound for a bit too long.
Carlisle anxiously signaled him with a signal.
If the Umpire thought Conrad was using this moment to take a rest, it would be disastrous for the Los Angeles Wind Youth Academy team!
After all, they were the ones leading right now, and the last thing they wanted was for something unexpected to happen.
Because once things started to change, the Seidou High School players would not let it go easily.
And that's exactly what Seidou's team was hoping for.
They didn't want the game to end smoothly, because if it did, it would mean their loss.
That was the last thing Seidou High School wanted.
Only if the situation became chaotic could Seidou find an opportunity.
When Conrad saw Carlisle's signal, he immediately realized what he had to do.
'Yes, hesitating like this wasn't going to solve anything.'
The most important thing now was to throw the ball and finish off Sawamura.
'No problem!'
Conrad repeatedly told himself this in his mind, gradually dispelling the shadow lingering there.
Once the shadow was gone, Conrad seemed to emerge like a mighty sword from its scabbard.
His entire demeanor became even sharper than before.
Roaar!
This was evident during his pitch.
The baseball made a sharp sound as it cut through the air.
Sawamura in the Batter's Box widened his eyes.
Every detail of Conrad's pitch didn't escape Sawamura's gaze.
He had already observed this same type of pitch several times before.
Sawamura was confident in his sharp observation skills while in this strange state of mind.
But sadly, he still couldn't discern any clues.
This time, Sawamura's mental focus was at its peak. In his world, the speed of the approaching ball seemed to slow down.
In the end, Sawamura was even able to see the seams of the baseball.
He got it!
At that moment, Sawamura suddenly had an epiphany.
He started to understand what Conrad's pitch was all about.
Shuuuuuuuu!
In the instant of understanding, Sawamura didn't hesitate at all. His body reacted instinctively.
His mind was so focused that he probably didn't even realize what he had done.
PAAK!
The bat made contact with the baseball, and the powerful recoil jolted through Sawamura's body. It was only then that he realized he had actually made contact with the ball.
He gritted his teeth and focused all his strength into his arms, driving the bat forward and sending the ball flying.
The baseball that was hit flew in a somewhat imperfect arc before falling beyond the third base line.
"FOUL!"
This Foul ball didn't create much excitement among the Seidou High School players or the fans in the stands.
From their perspective, Sawamura was being dominated by Conrad, the pitcher.
However, the battery duo from the Los Angeles team was stunned.
'Sawamura had actually made solid contact with the ball.'
Had it not been for a lack of power, that could have very well been a solid hit.
'Was it a fluke?'
Conrad on the mound furrowed his brow.
Carlisle, the catcher, was also watching Sawamura's every move with surprise.
Through continuous deduction and analysis, the two of them reached the conclusion that it was likely just a coincidence.
Sawamura, standing in the Batter's Box, also looked quite surprised.
He probably didn't expect that result at all.
'Whether it's a coincidence or not, we'll know after trying again.'
After some hesitation, Carlisle suggested this to Conrad.
Conrad didn't disagree with the idea. He probably also thought the odds of it being a coincidence were higher.
After all, Sawamura had given no indication earlier.
This meant that Sawamura hadn't considered this possibility up until now.
'We still had a chance!'
'Here we go!!'
With renewed determination, Conrad pitched again.
It was unclear whether it was due to his lingering apprehension, but this pitch wasn't as impressive as the previous ones.
When the ball flew, it didn't have the same force as before.
In the Batter's Box, Sawamura didn't take his eyes off his opponent for a second.
Seeing the baseball coming towards him, this time, he didn't hesitate. He swung his bat.
PAAK!
The baseball, after being hit, flew toward the far end of the field.
Luckily, the American Los Angeles players were prepared for this.
After all, Sawamura was known for hitting long, and the Los Angeles players had become somewhat accustomed to it.
Though they didn't catch the ball immediately, they quickly managed to stop it.
The ball, hit over 100 meters, left Sawamura standing at second base.
"Tsk!"
Sawamura was, of course, dissatisfied with the result.
He had originally thought that the ball would surely fly out of the park.
"But in the end, it only resulted in a double…"
Could it really be over?
For Sawamura Eijun, whose dynamic vision has evolved, this wasn't even considered a particularly difficult feat.
Sawamura's dynamic vision has evolved!
Right now, aside from himself, no one else knows about this. But Sawamura is very clear that details he could never notice before are now within his sharp observation.
He's even awakened to the legendary concept of Bullet Time (the phenomenon where a very fast ball seems to move in slow motion).
Would this help Sawamura with his pitching? He's not sure yet.
But there's no doubt that it has greatly benefited his batting.
With the evolution of his dynamic vision, Sawamura's batting ability has improved overall.
This is precisely why he was able to clearly see through Conrad's Moving Slider.
It sounds mystical, but in fact, it's quite simple.
'In short, it's about the speed and rotation of the ball.'
When Conrad pitches normally, he applies more force on his fingers, increasing the spin of the baseball.
Plus, he's a sidearm pitcher.
So, with the added spin, the ball naturally slides more to one side.
That's the true nature of Conrad's Moving Slider.
No wonder Sawamura and the other players from the Seidou High School baseball team hadn't detected anything unusual before.
This is because Conrad's regular Slider and his Moving Slider don't differ much in terms of the initial course.
Most people would easily confuse the two types of pitches.
If not for Sawamura's sudden evolution of his dynamic vision, the Seidou High School players would have never figured out the situation, no matter how hard they thought about it.
With his improved ability, Sawamura was very happy.
"FINALLY!"
"SAWAMURA!"
"I KNEW YOU WILL DO IT!"
"NICE BATTING!"
"SAWAMURA!"
"SAWAMURA-SENPAI!"
The other members of the Seidou baseball team were equally thrilled.
Their Ace was still their Great Ace.
No matter who the opponent was, they would still knock them down.
And Conrad, who seemed almost invincible, so what?
When facing Sawamura, the ball was still sent flying, wasn't it?
This made the Seidou High School team feel very pleased.
"Oh! Come On!"
"We Were So Close!"
On the other hand, the players from the Wind Youth Academy team and the fans in the stands felt a bit dejected.
The opponent they valued the most and wanted to defeat the most was Sawamura.
They were so close to victory, but at the last moment, Sawamura managed to secure a double that salvaged their pride.
This left the Los Angeles team players and the fans in the stands feeling like they were robbed at the last moment.
Even if they won the game, the joy of victory was not as fulfilling as before.
They of course wanted to win, but winning without completely overpowering Sawamura felt incomplete.
Though everyone's emotions were complicated, with some happy, some relieved, others sad or angry, most had no doubts about the outcome of the match.
No matter who it was, almost everyone thought the game was over.
Just because Sawamura had gotten a hit didn't mean that the other players from Seidou High School had the same ability.
Even Sawamura didn't have much confidence in his teammate.
Sawamura only fully saw through Conrad's pitching after his dynamic vision evolved.
Miyuki didn't have such a gift.
If Sawamura had shared the information he gathered with Miyuki, knowing Miyuki's cleverness, it wouldn't have been impossible for him to hit Conrad's pitches.
But Sawamura had already reached second base.
And the information couldn't be passed through gestures or signs...
So, Miyuki had to face Conrad alone without any help, relying solely on his own skills.
To be honest, Sawamura didn't hold high hopes for his partner.
This wasn't because Sawamura doubted Miyuki's abilities.
It was simply the harsh reality. No one could change that.
The players from American Los Angeles probably thought the same.
So, despite Sawamura reaching base, the Los Angeles team wasn't too worried.
Once they dealt with Miyuki in the Batter's Box, everything would be solved.
After all, the Los Angeles team was only one Out away from victory.
At this point, Carlisle, the catcher, relayed the same message to his partner, Conrad, signaling that they should stay calm and finish off this last out.
There's a saying, "In the bottom of the ninth, with two Outs, the game is just beginning."
This means that the closer the game gets to the end, the more the players must remain vigilant.
Carlisle was conveying this message now.
Conrad raised his head and let out a loud roar.
His yell was like that of an ancient warrior before a duel.
Losing to Sawamura didn't make Conrad give up or lose his composure. Instead, it stirred up his inner strength.
Reinvigorated, he pitched his best ball.
Roaar!
The baseball shot through the air with a loud sound.
The ball wasn't perfectly placed, but it wasn't easy to hit either.
With Conrad's pitching angle and speed, it was still a very high-quality pitch and certainly not an easy one to hit.
'Impressive…'
Miyuki, standing in the Batter's Box, sincerely complimented the pitch.
He truly felt that Conrad's throw was something special.
But he had no choice but to swing at it.
Miyuki couldn't hit Conrad's Moving Slider.
So, he had to gamble on the chance that Conrad wouldn't throw another Moving Slider.
There were plenty of opportunities for him not to throw a Slider, since Conrad's Slider wasn't a pitch he could use all the time.
But the chances of him not throwing one were slim.
The one thing Miyuki was sure about was the first pitch.
Sawamura had just hit Conrad's Moving Slider.
Normally, Conrad wouldn't throw a Moving Slider on the first pitch after that.
And Miyuki guessed right!
When the baseball came toward him, Miyuki knew he had made the right guess.
Without hesitation, he swung.
PAAAAAKKKK!
The ball was hit and flew toward left field.
The left fielder from the Los Angeles team kept retreating until he had nowhere else to go.
"IT'S GONE!"
"IT'S GONE!!!"
"GOODBYE!!!"
"A TWO-RUN HOME RUN!"
"GOODBYE!!"
"WE WON!!!"
With Miyuki Kazuya's two-run home run, the game between Seidou High School from Tokyo and the Los Angeles representative team came to a final conclusion.
The score was originally 4-3, with Seidou High School trailing the Los Angeles Wind Youth Academy team by one point.
However, in the bottom of the ninth inning, Miyuki hit a two-run home run, completely reversing the game's situation.
The score changed to 5-4, and Seidou High School was now leading the Los Angeles Wind Youth Academy team by one point.
At this point, there was no need for the game to continue. The outcome had already been decided.
After a fierce battle, the Seidou High School baseball team successfully turned the game around.
This victory marked their seventh consecutive win in the American exchange games.
The opponent in front of them, the Los Angeles Wind Youth Academy team, was completely different from the teams Seidou High School had faced previously.
The Los Angeles team was a true powerhouse, a team that could genuinely represent the strength of America.
Winning against such an opponent was enough to excite the Seidou players.
Not to mention, the excitement of this game was something the Seidou players had never experienced before.
It was truly a game full of twists and turns.
Fortunately, the result was somewhat satisfying for Seidou High School's players.
Although they faced many challenges along the way, they ultimately defeated their opponent.
They had successfully defended the pride of Seidou High School.
In the Seidou High School team's dugout, Coach Kataoka and Coach Ochiai looked at their excited players, smiling with satisfaction.
Although they had considered other strategies in this game, and at one point hoped their players would learn from some setbacks, the players still relied on their own abilities and strong beliefs.
They bravely faced the challenge and eventually overcame the tough opponent.
Although the game did not go as the coaches had initially imagined, they were not narrow-minded.
Given the current outcome, they were already very pleased.
More than the game itself, they were happier to see the growth of the Seidou players.
It was only at this moment that the coaches' beliefs were solidified.
Although they had previously hoped that Seidou's baseball team could continue to dominate the country and defend its champion status, it felt like an ambitious goal—something that, though it looked good in theory, would be very difficult to achieve.
But now, things were different!
After competing with these American teams, Seidou's coaches, and the players themselves, were reassessing their own strength.
Perhaps it was because the previous generation, led by Yuuki Tetsuya, had left such a deep impression on the current Seidou players.
When comparing themselves to their Senpais, they naturally felt inferior.
We're still far behind!
Our abilities are still weak!!
But was the situation really like that?
Probably not.
The previous generation, under Yuuki Tetsuya's leadership, indeed had its brilliance.
But now, the Seidou players had no need to underestimate themselves, for they too had their own unique qualities.
Through the exchange games with these American teams, the players regained their confidence.
Now, they were ready to face any challenge.
Whether it was Tokyo's Yakushi, Inashiro, or any of the powerhouse teams across the country—bring it on!
We're not afraid of you!!!
Normally, when playing in a foreign country, the Seidou players would control their emotions, even after winning, and avoid overly celebrating.
After all, this was someone else's home ground.
Winning was enough; excessively celebrating would feel like deliberately insulting them.
The Seidou players, who prided themselves on being gentlemen, could never engage in such undignified actions.
However, this time, they couldn't contain their excitement.
You have to understand, that the Los Angeles team had once played against the Tokyo representative team.
The Seidou players were well aware of their strengths.
If it weren't for Coach Kunitomo's brilliant strategy, the Tokyo team might not have won so easily.
This was a team that could go toe-to-toe with the Tokyo team.
How much mental pressure did the Seidou players feel when facing such an opponent?
Now, their hearts were filled with joy.
On one hand, it was because of the victory, but on the other, it was also because of their rebirth from the ashes.
After winning this game, many Seidou players were somewhat lost in their joy.
In stark contrast to Seidou's jubilation, the Wind Youth Academy team's players were all slumped and dejected.
They found it difficult to accept the result, just as they had a hard time accepting Seidou's victory.
They had vowed to regain their lost self-esteem in the game against Seidou.
After several days of reflection, the Los Angeles team thought they had understood Japanese baseball well enough.
They were confident that, in a direct confrontation, they wouldn't lose to the Japanese players.
But now, it seemed they had been naive!
Sawamura Eijun shattered their illusions with his performance.
After the game, many of the Los Angeles players looked at Eijun with awe in their eyes.
Even at the very end of the game, they had been unable to find even the smallest crack in Eijun's pitching.
From their perspective, Eijun's pitching seemed completely invincible.
"I wonder how this team would fare against the Dream Team?"
The assistant coach of the Los Angeles team, deeply impressed by Seidou's strength, couldn't help but think of another team in America—the so-called Dream Team of New York.
It was known that Seidou had come all the way to America specifically to face off against New York's Dream Team.
When the American audience first heard this news, they laughed it off.
They wondered where this idiot had come from, thinking they could challenge New York's Dream Team.
They were clearly out of their league.
Although they were in the same country, the Dream Team was on a whole different level compared to other teams in the region.
For example, the Texas Lone-Star Academy team, which had previously faced Seidou, had their star player, the outstanding Lincoln, who still hadn't signed with a Major League team.
The stronger Los Angeles team, with even better players, only had two players with Major League attention—Conrad, with his long hair, and their cleanup hitter, Carlisle.
But New York's Dream Team!
Aside from three players who were too young, the remaining seven core players had already signed with Major League teams.
This was almost an open secret in the American baseball community.
"They'll lose, big time…" muttered the Los Angeles coach.
Though his tone was light, his attitude was extremely firm.
He absolutely believed that Seidou would completely lose against the Manhattan Academy Team.
…
T/N: Alright this game is completed, next would be the big game!
As always, Thank you all for reading!!
See you Tomorrow!
Until then, take care!
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