Kumo was shocked.
At the sa ti, Seidou's battery—Miyuki and Eijun—were equally surprised. Even though the ball had gone foul, it was clear that Kumo had gotten a solid feel for his swing.
This was only his first at-bat, yet that hit demonstrated that Komadai Fujimaki High School had co fully prepared.
It also showed that Eijun's pitching velocity and sharpness were gradually waning.
Even Eijun himself could feel it—an unfamiliar, frustrating sense of fatigue.
This couldn't drag on.
Absolutely not. Any effort that could be spared had to be conserved.
At that mont, a warning bell rang loudly in Miyuki's mind.
They were only in the middle innings, and no matter what, they had to ensure Eijun had so reserves left.
If he burned out here, the rest of the ga would beco a major problem.
"Second pitch, changeup. Keep it low in the zone. Don't use too much force, Sawamura," Miyuki instructed, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes as he subtly signaled with his fingers.
He had decided to switch strategies for their pitch selection.
On the mound, Eijun imdiately understood Miyuki's call. With a calm but resolute expression, he nodded.
This wasn't a mont to cling to pride as a pitcher.
Right now, the most important thing was to execute his catcher's strategy and deliver the best possible pitch.
"Whoosh!"
Raising his right leg high, Eijun swung his arm forward, shifting his weight as much as possible to lower his release point.
In an instant, the ball shot out of his hand, a cold gleam hurtling toward ho plate.
Here it cos, that feeling, that speed?
In just a brief 0.5 seconds, Kumo relied on his sharp instincts to judge the trajectory of the pitch.
However, he misread the type of pitch.
"Swish!"
Kumo's bat slashed through the air, its tip aid at the incoming white blur.
But it was too late.
"Pop!"
The changeup spun straight into Miyuki's mitt with a crisp sound before Kumo could adjust his swing timing.
"Strike!"
"Nice pitch, Sawamura! Take it slow, no rush!" Kuramochi shouted from behind.
"Sawamura, don't worry! We've got your back!" another teammate added.
"Take them down, Sawamura!!!" the spirited voice of Ryousuke echoed through the stadium.
"We believe in you!"
Those firm words and the unwavering support of his team bolstered Sawamura's resolve.
With such reliable defense backing him, what was there to fear?
"Whoosh!"
Eijun raised his arm again, his determined eyes shining brightly. Channeling all his strength into his left arm, he released another pitch.
The icy gleam of the ball streaked toward ho plate, its fierce montum unrelenting.
Kumo's eyes reflected a flash of fear as the ball approached. Despite swinging his bat, he knew deep down—this pitch was beyond his grasp.
"Pop!"
The clear sound of the ball hitting the mitt resonated as the umpire's authoritative voice rang out.
"Strike three, batter out!"
The crowd erupted into cheers.
"Ohhhhhhhhhhh!!!"
"Damn it! A straight fastball down the middle. This pitcher, throwing a decisive fastball right after a changeup, is truly a handful," Kumo thought as he staggered after his full-power swing missed.
He cast a deep look at Eijun before shaking his head in resignation and walking off the field.
After Kumo was struck out, Komadai Fujimaki High School's lower lineup proved even less effective against Eijun.
Aside from a walk issued to the eighth batter due to fatigue, Eijun completely shut down the seventh and ninth batters, securing the necessary outs. The runner on third, Kanemoto, remained stranded.
Despite the crisis of conceding a run with a runner on third and no outs, Eijun relied on his unwavering determination to limit the damage to just one run, putting an end to Komadai Fujimaki's aggressive push in the inning.
"Pop!"
"Strike! Batter out! Three outs! Change sides!"
As the umpire's raised hand signaled the end of the inning, thunderous cheers erupted from Seidou's side of the stands.
"Yeah! Nice pitch, Sawamura!"
"That was incredible! We knew you could do it!"
"We're still in the lead! Keep it up!"
"Four more innings to go! We're counting on you, Sawamura!"
"Let's go! Take the championship!"
"Seidou! Seidou! Seidou!"
The Seidou cheering section was filled with jubilant faces. The previous situation had everyone on edge, but thankfully, the team had overco it.
In the stands, Wakana and Haruno shared smiles of relief and joy.
"Amidst adversity, he stood unshaken. With a runner on third and the pressure mounting, Seidou's first-year lefty, Eijun Sawamura, coolly handled each batter and shut down Komadai Fujimaki's offense. He limited the damage to just one run, leaving runners stranded on first and third, and ended the inning decisively!"
The comntator's enthusiastic summary captured the astonishnt of the audience.
In a situation where many expected Eijun to concede another run or even crumble under pressure, his exceptional performance defied expectations, leaving everyone in awe.
Praises of "As expected of Seidou's ace" filled the air. In that mont, people seed to forget that Eijun's jersey bore the number 11.
Regardless of the number on his back, everyone tacitly acknowledged him as Seidou's ace.
Even the official ace, Tanba, had been entirely overshadowed, reduced to little more than a background figure.
In the stands, Ochiai let out a low whistle, his expression a mix of surprise and admiration.
"This first-year lefty keeps exceeding my expectations. It seems that for the next two and a half years, Seidou's ace position is unshakable," Ochiai thought. "Unless sothing drastic happens, Eijun's path as the ace is guaranteed. That's the presence of an absolute ace."
Reflecting on this, Ochiai couldn't help but shake his head. Though impressed, he also felt a tinge of regret at the sa ti.
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