"Damn it, this is trouble."
Misaki's face turned grim, and in the dugout, Nishidera, the Seihou High coach, also looked less than pleased.
A runner on first base and a runner on third base are two completely different scenarios.
Currently, Seidou High's best batting lineup was at the plate, and to make matters worse, there were no outs.
This placed Seihou High in an awkward position.
Even though the tall, thin first-year pitcher with a stoic expression was a wild hitter, his raw power was undeniable.
If he managed to hit the ball far enough, the runner on third could easily score.
To add to the challenge, Seidou's ninth batter was known for his well-rounded skills—not just troubleso, but outright relentless.
The probability of conceding a run was as high as 70%. Facing the top of the lineup wasn't even this daunting.
The current predicant stemd from a misjudgnt by Misaki earlier, which allowed Miyuki and Eijun to capitalize, creating this challenging situation with no easy solutions.
Giving up one run was acceptable, but it couldn't be handed to Seidou too easily.
The infield needed to prepare for a double play.
At the very least, they had to secure so outs.
In the dugout, Coach Nishidera decisively made the call.
At ho plate, Misaki and Narakoshi on the mound, along with the other seven fielders, subtly nodded in agreent.
They absolutely couldn't let Seidou score easily here. Otherwise, the ga would spiral out of Seihou's control.
...
Whoosh
Ping!
Thud
"Shortstop!"
Whoosh
Pop!
"Out! Three outs! Side retired!"
"They went with an inside fastball to get Ryousuke Kominato out. Seidou High's offense in this inning was limited to just one run. The ga is now back to being tied!"
"They're really tough to deal with."
In the dugout, Eijun watched the Seihou battery jogging back, feeling a twinge of admiration.
Seihou's national reputation wasn't built solely on the strength of Shuuzou Sano.
He rembered that there was a Seihou pitcher who made an impact in last year's Koshien: the Super First-Year Akashi Seiya, who pitched three complete gas but injured his elbow this year.
...
In the bottom of the second inning, Seidou's offense seed slightly rushed.
With runners on second and third, Furuya hit a high fly ball to the outfield, which was caught for an out.
However, Miyuki aggressively ran ho, narrowly beating the throw to score a run for Seidou.
On this foundation, Shirasu earned a walk and made it to first base.
With one out and runners on the corners, Seidou's top lineup stepped up.
However, their impatience showed.
They opted for an aggressive approach, which backfired.
Kuramochi struck out, followed by Ryousuke's turn at bat.
Although Ryousuke managed to connect with Narakoshi's fastball and pull it, the ball's trajectory was precisely judged by Seihou's shortstop.
It couldn't get past the infield, and even though Eijun sprinted ho, Ryousuke was thrown out at first base.
Ryousuke failed to reach first base.
After being retired, the inning concluded with three outs, bringing Seidou High's offensive surge to an end.
"This pitcher is a bit tricky. I thought we could score another one or two runs," Miyuki remarked as he donned his catcher's gear, his tone tinged with a hint of regret.
"In the top half of the inning, they probably thought they could score more as well," Eijun muttered softly, shooting a sidelong glance toward Furuya on the mound.
"Heh, feeling the pressure?"
Miyuki's teasing voice suddenly broke the silence, and his words caught Eijun off guard.
What the hell? How is this guy so perceptive? Eijun thought, his mouth twitching slightly as he turned to see Miyuki's mischievous grin.
Eijun felt utterly at a loss for how to react. There was no way he could admit it now. Forcing a calm expression, he shook his head lightly. "Pressure? What pressure? Miyuki-senpai, I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Heh." Miyuki let out another chuckle but didn't press further.
That grin, however, made Eijun feel a bit uneasy.
This guy, always reading people's thoughts like it's his job. Can't you save that for the opposing team? Don't you ever get tired of it?
Eijun internally vowed, Next ti, next ti I say anything to this guy, I'll think twice—no, three tis—before I speak!
Grinding his teeth slightly, Eijun made a ntal note to be more careful.
...
"The top of the third inning, Seihou High at bat, ninth batter, pitcher Narakoshi-kun."
Following the strong response in the second inning, it was clear that Furuya's confidence as a pitcher had grown significantly. His presence on the mound now radiated strength and dominance.
Miyuki's lips curled into a small smile. For a catcher, molding strong pitchers like this was a deeply fulfilling experience.
Co on, Furuya. Show just how high your ceiling can go!
Whoosh!
Ping!
Thud!
"Foul ball!"
That hurts…
Narakoshi winced slightly at the stinging pain radiating from his palms.
That sheer force—only by standing in the batter's box could he fully grasp how terrifying Furuya's pitches were.
Whoosh!
A roaring white flash streaked toward him, as if it intended to devour everything in its path.
Thud!
"Strike!"
It feels like facing a living, breathing beast, Narakoshi thought, gritting his teeth.
Whoosh!
Thud!
"Ball!"
Whoosh!
Ping!
Damn, I'm completely overpowered by the force of his pitches.
Narakoshi bit his lip in frustration, watching the ball weakly pop into the air. His expression turned helpless as he realized he couldn't overco the pitch's sheer power.
Pop!
"Out!"
Ryousuke effortlessly caught the ball, securing Narakoshi's out.
"First batter, center fielder, Nakagawa-kun."
This isn't good. That pitcher seems to have hit his stride. No, we have to shut him down.
A sharp glint flashed in Nakagawa's eyes as he resolved in his mind: I must get on base. As long as I can keep the lineup moving and it gets to Sano, we'll have a real chance.
Nakagawa was confident that Sano could definitely overpower this pitcher.
But as the saying goes, "Reality is often disappointing."
Miyuki, of course, wasn't about to waste Furuya's excellent current form. Giving Seihou High more chances was out of the question.
Whoosh!
Thud!
"Strike!"
Whoosh!
Ping!
Thud!
"Foul ball!"
Whoosh!
Ping!
It only took two pitches for Nakagawa to fall behind in the count.
Then ca an outside pitch, too fast for Nakagawa to properly judge.
Forced into a swing, he sent the ball soaring into shallow left field.
Eijun dashed forward and casually made the catch.
Under Nakagawa's frustrated expression, Seidou secured the second out of the inning.
In baseball, as in any competitive sport, rcy is rarely shown. Miyuki, capitalizing on the montum, called for an aggressive pitch sequence.
With just three pitches, Furuya struck out Seihou's second batter.
Three up, three down.
Seihou's offense ended as quickly as it began, with only three batters stepping up to the plate this inning.
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