Zhang Han struck out Harada Masatoshi, securing the final out of the inning.
Strangely, no one at the stadium, including the commentator, paid much attention to that fact. Even before Zhang Han had begun his delivery, Commentator Fujita had already sent someone to get a speed gun to measure the pitch. He wasn't alone. Almost everyone who had brought a speed gun aimed it at that final throw.
When the pitch ended, there was no time to praise the strikeout. The stadium filled with gasps.
Fujita's voice trembled with excitement. "The speed of that pitch just now reached 146 kilometers per hour. Zhang Han's pitching speed, even across all of Tokyo, ranks in the top three."
"I once read in a newspaper that Zhang Han gave up pitching with his right hand and switched to his left because his left-handed pitching showed extraordinary talent. I was half-convinced at the time. Now I can tell everyone with confidence that Zhang Han's left-handed pitching has extraordinary value."
146 km/h.
Even among professional players, a fastball at that speed was by no means slow. He didn't have a large frame or particularly developed muscle. It was hard to imagine what Zhang Han relied on to push his speed this high, this quickly.
In Inashiro Industrial's dugout, his teammates looked at one another.
Their opponent was completely different from what they had expected. They had assumed that by the second time through the lineup, Zhang Han would start to unravel. No matter how impressive his earlier performance had been, one thing no one could deny was that he had only been practicing left-handed pitching for two months. He was still raw. Over time, problems would emerge.
The current result had slapped them in the face.
Zhang Han hadn't unraveled. He seemed to be getting brighter. Like a star, radiating from head to toe.
146 km/h. Compared to Narumiya Mei, the gap was already small.
"He makes me so mad."
Everyone around him was discussing Zhang Han's speed. Narumiya Mei, waiting in the on-deck circle, muttered it under his breath. He was only one batter away from the plate. If it were his turn, he would use the reality of the situation to teach Zhang Han exactly how far he still had to go.
But Zhang Han didn't give him the chance. He struck out Harada cleanly and recorded the third out.
Coach Kataoka's strategic retreat had fully cleared Zhang Han's mind, allowing him to pitch at something beyond his normal ceiling. Under those circumstances, Harada being struck out was not unfair.
In Inashiro's dugout, the conversation continued.
"This guy is a real find. I didn't expect his left-handed speed to be this high. If Seido had developed his left-handed pitching from the time he entered school..."
Perhaps Seido would not have lost to Osaka Kiryu. Given the strength of their team that summer, winning the championship would not have been out of the question.
"It makes you appreciate the director of Matsukata Little League even more, in a strange way. What was he thinking, training a perfectly good left-handed pitcher to throw right-handed?"
Even more remarkable: Zhang Han, throwing with his non-dominant hand, had still become a notable pitcher in Tokyo.
"There are no 'ifs' in this world."
If Zhang Han had started training left-handed from the beginning, throwing at such speeds before his body was fully developed, the probability of becoming a true talent and the probability of injury and early retirement were roughly equal.
"Stop thinking about Zhang Han. We are leading. As long as they don't score more than two runs, we win today. Go out there and get those last three outs."
Coach Kunitomo straightened up and addressed his players directly. They nodded, one after another, like obedient children.
"Yes!"
Bottom of the ninth inning. Seido High School Baseball Team on offense.
Just as Harada finished changing his gear and was about to take the field, Coach Kunitomo called out to him.
Harada was puzzled. He knew his hitting had been poor and that the director would eventually want to talk about it. But the game was still going. This wasn't the time for a heart-to-heart, was it?
He couldn't figure out what the director wanted.
Coach Kunitomo spoke calmly. "You don't need to worry about Asou, the ninth batter. A hard fastball will shut down his hitting. Kuramochi, the leadoff batter, is cunning and may catch you off guard, but don't overthink it. A tricky breaking ball will do."
"Kominato Ryosuke is more troublesome, but his raw power isn't strong. Have the infielders ready and go straight at him with a fastball. If the ball is hit, stop it immediately."
Harada stared.
This was intelligence he had compiled himself, shown to Coach Kunitomo only once. He hadn't expected the director to have retained it word for word.
But why was Coach Kunitomo reciting it back to him now, at this moment?
"Go."
Coach Kunitomo didn't give him a chance to ask. He sent Harada directly onto the field.
Aside from his first at-bat against Tanba, where he had managed a less-than-impressive hit, Harada had produced nothing. He had even been struck out. At this point, it would have been impossible not to be in his own head.
This sixteen-year-old was far from that mature.
By giving him specific, concrete instructions to follow, Coach Kunitomo had taken the weight of decision off his shoulders.
"I'm counting on you."
Coach Kunitomo patted Harada's shoulder.
Harada was momentarily thrown. Was this still the strict director he knew? He barely seemed like the same person.
Had he been replaced by someone?
Fortunately, that thought stayed inside. If it had shown on his face, there was no telling what the director would have done.
The game continued. Seido High School Baseball Team on offense.
Asou stepped up first.
Coach Kataoka glanced at his dugout. A few second-year players were absorbed in watching the game, seemingly unaware of his gaze. Given the situation and the lack of alternatives, he let Asou bat.
"Strike!"
"Strike!!"
"Strike!!!"
"Strikeout!!"
Narumiya Mei recorded his eleventh strikeout of the game. His performance today had been immaculate.
One out, no runners on base. Inashiro was two outs away from winning.
It was at that moment that the lineup turned to Seido's leadoff batter.
The batting order had reached its fifth rotation.
"First batter, shortstop, Kuramochi Yoichi."
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