Zhang Han changed into his hitting gear, waiting for his turn to bat.
One out, no one on base.
The leadoff batter Kuramochi was up, and Zhang Han was the third batter. Everyone knew that Seido High School Baseball Team's hope rested on Zhang Han. As long as he could get to the plate, Seido High School Baseball Team would have a chance to turn the tide.
Even though he had been struck out once by Inashiro Industrial's ace Narumiya Mei, it didn't affect the expectations of Seido High School Baseball Team's supporters.
It was only natural for them to have such expectations.
After all, in their previous encounters, Zhang Han had only been struck out once, while he had gotten hits three times. In four at-bats, he had three hits, including a two-run home run. Even one error was a minor flaw that didn't detract from his brilliance. Seido High School Baseball Team believed their third batter would surely create another miracle.
The scales of victory would eventually tip back toward Seido High School Baseball Team.
Inashiro Industrial was just making a fuss; the outcome wouldn't change. Seido High School would definitely turn the tables, and Seido High School must turn the tables!
As supporters, those people wholeheartedly believed in the Seido High School players on the field. The players on the field hadn't seemed to disappoint them; although they were temporarily down by two runs, they had been working hard.
The cheering grew louder and more fervent, as if this was the only way to express their excitement.
Zhang Han listened to these cheers from the dugout, but his heart was surprisingly calm. At this moment, he didn't want to think about anything. He just waited patiently for his chance to bat.
Kuramochi tried hard, constantly trying to make contact and even attempting a bunt. However, Inashiro Industrial High School Baseball Team's players never gave him a chance. Not only did Narumiya Mei suppress him with powerful pitching, but Inashiro Industrial's infielders also moved in. This completely sealed off the bunt option. Whether Kuramochi liked it or not, he could only grit his teeth and fight Narumiya Mei to the end.
In their confrontation, Narumiya Mei ultimately proved superior, forcing Kuramochi to hit an infield grounder.
"Pop…"
After the baseball was caught, it was thrown directly to first base. Kuramochi was out.
The situation became two outs, no one on base.
Inashiro Industrial was just one out away from winning the game.
Seido High School Baseball Team's next batter was the second batter, Kominato Ryosuke.
This was also Seido High School Baseball Team's last hope.
The reason Coach Kataoka had felt they still had a chance earlier was that Kominato Ryosuke would be up to bat in this inning.
Kominato Ryosuke, burdened with responsibility, wasn't nervous. He walked to the batter's box with a smiling face. His smile didn't change even after he stepped in.
But the more he smiled, the more uneasy Inashiro Industrial High School Baseball Team's players became.
Harada Masatoshi felt a chill.
If there was any player on Seido High School Baseball Team he couldn't figure out, Kominato Ryosuke in front of him was definitely one of them.
Before the game, he had roughly studied Kominato Ryosuke's characteristics and thought of a way to counter him. In fact, he had succeeded; they had successfully struck out Kominato Ryosuke in his first two at-bats.
But from the third round onward, this not-so-tall, always-smiling player seemed to have flipped a switch. He transformed into someone else entirely, giving Inashiro Industrial High School Baseball Team a very hard time.
Aside from Yuuki and Zhang Han, he was undoubtedly the most troublesome opponent they had faced.
Harada hesitated.
But he quickly remembered what his director had told him in the dugout.
Fastball. Go head-to-head.
In today's game, the overwhelming advantage was theirs, not Seido High School Baseball Team's. They had no reason to back down. If anyone should back down, it was Seido High School Baseball Team's players.
Taking a deep breath, Harada decisively signaled for a fastball.
In the final round, with only one out left, there was no need to think about stamina. Just pitch with everything left.
Harada's resolve, to some extent, carried across to Narumiya Mei on the mound. At this moment, his pitch contained everything he had, and the white ball whistled out.
Kominato Ryosuke didn't swing.
"Pop!"
"Strike!"
"Pop!"
"Strike!!"
Two consecutive strikes, and Kominato Ryosuke hadn't swung at either. He was cornered. But even cornered, he maintained his composure, showing no sign of backing down. He held his bat high, waiting for the third pitch, ready for anything.
Strike while the iron is hot, then falter, then exhaust.
Narumiya Mei's full-strength pitching couldn't be maintained indefinitely. The power of the next pitch would surely be less.
Kominato Ryosuke had read it correctly.
He didn't hesitate. Seeing the white ball flying toward him, he swung his bat directly.
The moment the white ball was hit, the players in Seido High School Baseball Team's dugout excitedly stood up.
"Ping…"
The fate of Seido High School Baseball Team in today's game depended on this.
The white ball drew an arc and fell behind the pitcher, landing precisely between the shortstop and the second baseman.
"Good!"
In the dugout, some teammates were already cheering. As long as that ball dropped, Kominato Ryosuke was one hundred percent reaching base. The next batters were Zhang Han and Yuuki.
Just right.
It was unclear whether Coach Kataoka had calculated this in advance.
However, just as the teammates were jumping with excitement, an incredible scene unfolded on the field.
A figure dove forward, using his body to block the baseball's path.
That body was rather slight, but at that moment it felt incredibly large.
It was Shirakawa, Inashiro Industrial High School Baseball Team's second baseman.
He had charged out first, using his body to stop the baseball. Kominato Ryosuke dropped his bat and ran forward desperately.
But it was a step too late.
Although Shirakawa absorbed the heavy impact of the baseball, his body stiffened slightly, but he still quickly picked up the ball and threw it to first base. When the ball arrived, Kominato Ryosuke was still two or three meters away from the bag.
"Pop!"
"Out!!!"
Although Kominato Ryosuke had hit a very good ball, his opponent was not only Narumiya Mei. It was the entire Inashiro Industrial High School Baseball Team defensive system. He was not Kuramochi; although his running speed was not slow, it was certainly not fast. The final result could only be this.
"Game over. Tokyo Autumn Tournament, Quarterfinals. The score is 7:5. The winner of the game is Inashiro Industrial High School Baseball Team."
Chapter Name: Can't win 'em all
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