Chapter 159: Inashiro Showdown - A Race Against Time
Top of the 9th inning, two outs, no runners on base, with the game tied.
Seidou High School stepped up for their final at-bat of the game.
Perhaps it was fate—this matchup would be decided by the aces of both teams.
"Batting eighth, pitcher, Sawamura-kun."
"A showdown between the two aces for the final at-bat? It really feels like destiny, doesn't it?"
"Unfortunately, Seidou can't use a pinch hitter here."
"Well, of course not. The game is still tied, and there's a high chance of going into extra innings. Are you kidding? Subbing out Sawamura now would be a joke."
"Besides, Sawamura's batting isn't that bad, is it?"
"It's all about who can seize the opportunity now."
Amid the gasps and the watchful eyes of the crowd, Eijun stepped into the batter's box with a calm and steady stride.
Inashiro Industrial, Seidou High School, the benches of both teams, the players, Coach Kunitomo, and Coach Kataoka—all eyes were fixed on Eijun at this critical moment.
Beneath his composed exterior, Eijun's heart surged with anticipation.
This was the final at-bat. Eijun—no, the entire Seidou team had no other path to take.
Talk of extra innings was well and good, but the longer the game dragged on, the more Eijun's stamina, focus, and overall condition would decline.
In this situation, who among the remaining three pitchers could shoulder the burden of continuing the game?
Ironically, the remaining three pitchers all had critical issues with their mental resilience.
Furuya's unpredictability was a given, Kawakami was not reliable in this clutch situation, and Tanba, the ace with the highest overall capability, had also lost the trust of Coach Kataoka.
Clearly, this ninth inning was Seidou High's last stand.
They had to keep the batting lineup going!
Eijun tightly gripped the bat, lightly tapped it against the plate, and then raised his head, locking eyes with Narumiya. The intense competitive aura enveloped the entire field.
In this final showdown, Narumiya, surprisingly, wore a calm expression as he looked at Eijun. Gone was the previous look of wanting to dismantle Eijun completely.
Of course, the unyielding spirit to not lose was still burning within him.
Kid, you may be better than I was last year, but you're not on my level yet. I'll give it my all to crush you—that's my way of showing respect!
Narumiya took a deep breath, his gaze fixed on Eijun in the batter's box, a slight smirk forming at the corners of his mouth.
The ultimate showdown between two left-handed aces was about to begin!
"!!!!"
"First pitch, Mei. Go with an inside fastball—use your best pitch to start things off," signaled Harada from behind the plate, his fingers making a slight movement as a gleam flickered in his eyes.
Narumiya gave a small nod before swiftly raising his arm.
Whoosh
As his left arm whipped forward, a streak of light shot out like a bullet.
In the batter's box, Eijun's eyes narrowed, his pupils dilating as he quickly tracked the pitch's trajectory.
He took a powerful step forward, swinging the bat with all his might.
Swish
The ball, a blinding streak of white, sped toward Eijun at an unexpected angle and speed, catching him off guard.
Pop
"Strike!"
An inside fastball. This pitch is easily over 145 km/h. Mei, in the ninth inning, and still throwing at this speed?!
From the bench, Miyuki's pupils contracted sharply upon seeing the fastball, a thought racing through his mind.
Coach Kataoka, Chris, and the others shared the same astonished expression.
In the batter's box, Eijun gritted his teeth. His shock matched that of the people watching him.
This stamina monster... I should've known.
In the original Koshien tournament, he pitched throughout the entire series.
In the finals, he went all the way to the 14th inning before being taken down by the relentless attacks of Komadai FujimakiHigh.
Counting on him to tire out by the ninth inning and see a decline in his velocity and pitch strength was simply unrealistic.
Eijun adjusted his stance slightly, stepping a bit farther away from the plate.
He also lengthened his grip on the bat.
Precision was out of the question with his level of skill; hitting the ball delicately wasn't his forte.
Better to focus on power. I need to swing hard, even if it's just to create a chance for a runner.
Harada was closely observing Eijun's movements. When he noticed Eijun's adjustment in stance and grip, his eyebrows knitted together momentarily before relaxing.
Going for a power play, huh?
A steely glint flashed in Harada's eyes as he signaled the next pitch.
"Whoosh!"
A fierce white blur streaked through the air with a chilling presence.
Eijun's eyes sharpened; he wasn't intimidated by the intensity emanating from the ball.
He stuck to his resolve, swinging the bat with all his strength as it collided head-on with the incoming pitch.
"Crack!"
A sharp, piercing sound rang out. The vibration and the stinging pain from the bat sent shivers through Eijun's hands, forcing him to clench his teeth.
Even though he couldn't fully control it, he needed to withstand it head-on.
"Swoosh!"
The ball spun off the bat and soared forward.
This position?!
Harada initially thought it was an easy out as the ball sailed. But when he caught sight of its trajectory, his expression shifted dramatically.
In that instant, Eijun, already anticipating the outcome, tossed his bat aside and sprinted toward first base with all his might.
"Thud!"
The ball remained fair!
Harada's face twisted into a grimace at this unexpected result.
"Third baseman, shortstop!" Harada shouted, urgently directing his infielders. He regretted that last pitch angle.
The battle of split-second reactions began. As the ball darted forward, the crowd gasped in unison, their eyes glued to Eijun, who was sprinting down the baseline.
"Speed!"
Shortstop Shirakawa lunged toward the ball. Knowing he had no time to waste, he made a risky move, stretching out his glove to intercept the ball.
"Smack!"
Before Shirakawa could fully regain his balance, he swiftly pulled the ball from his glove while still in midair.
With a quick flick of his arm, he sent the ball rocketing toward first base, but the force of his unbalanced dive caused him to crash hard onto the ground.
"Whoosh!"
The ball flew with blinding speed. It was a race against time, a pure sprint between the ball and the runner.
The infield distance was short, and the ball's speed was astonishing.
As the fierce whistle of the ball cutting through the air reached Eijun's ears, he was just about to reach first base.
This is it—the final stretch! Go all out!
Eijun gritted his teeth, lowered his head, and pushed his body to the absolute limit. He lunged forward, taking one last determined step toward the base.
"Pop!"
At the exact moment his foot hit the bag, the ball landed squarely in Yamaoka's glove.
The spectators couldn't discern whether the ball arrived first or if Eijun touched the base first. It was a synchronized moment of pure suspense.
All eyes were on the first base umpire, awaiting the call.
With barely a second of hesitation, the umpire spread his arms wide, his voice ringing out loudly:
"Safe!"
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