5:0!
The King's Seidou High School Baseball Team performed similarly to their first match at the start of the second match.
In the first inning, they gained an enormous advantage.
Of course, there were some differences. For example, in Seidou High's first-round match, their starting pitcher was the legendary Sawamura Eijun.
This, to some extent, represented Seidou's all-out effort from the very beginning of the game. But this time, things were different. In this match, the team Ace, Sawamura, was not on the mound at all. The pitcher was a first-year rookie.
Even so, Seidou High still finished the first inning with a commanding lead over their opponent.
This result demonstrated that Seidou High's baseball team is still incredibly strong, even without their Ace Sawamura.
Their opponent, the team from Fukuoka High, was no match for them.
The outcome was harsh, but it was simply the reality of the game.
At this point, whether it was the players from Seidou or the fans cheering for them in the stands, everyone had already mentally accepted that Seidou High would inevitably win this game.
Even some of the Fukuoka High supporters had similar thoughts. Though, due to their position and identity, they couldn't openly express it, their actions subtly revealed this mindset.
In such a situation, everyone on site— including professional scouts and veteran reporters from the Baseball Kingdom, like Fujio— believed the game would continue to go one-sided.
The possibility of Fukuoka High mounting a comeback never even crossed their minds.
This wasn't because they underestimated Fukuoka High, but rather because every game has its reasons for a sudden burst of performance from a team. They just couldn't see any hope or potential for Fukuoka to fight back against Seidou, nor could they identify the opportunity for Fukuoka's resurgence.
Without that spark, Fukuoka's situation would only continue to worsen, and they would face increasingly severe challenges.
There was no hope— Fukuoka had no chance.
This belief was confirmed after Nishiyama successfully got three Outs in the second inning.
In the top of the second, Fukuoka High was up to bat.
Their last inning was a three-up, three-down, and now they were starting with their clean-up hitter.
For any team, having your key hitter start the inning is always a good opportunity.
If their core fourth batter could hit the ball cleanly and get a solid base hit, the chances of scoring would undoubtedly improve.
Though Fukuoka was now five runs behind, they weren't giving up.
Most of Fukuoka's players knew in their hearts that it was nearly impossible to come back, but they didn't abandon the game.
For third-year players, this summer could very well be their last chance to play baseball.
They didn't want to leave the field with regretful tears.
Even if they lost in the end, it didn't matter.
The most important thing was not to leave any regrets and to give their three years of high school baseball a sense of closure.
What did it matter if Seidou High was leading by five runs?
All they wanted was to get at least one run.
Whether they went to university or entered society afterward, they could always tell people they at least managed to fight back. They wouldn't be too embarrassed about it.
With that mindset, Fukuoka's players were giving it their all, especially with their fourth batter at the plate.
Statistically speaking, there was a chance to get a run.
But unfortunately, Seidou High's impenetrable defense turned out to be a wall they couldn't overcome.
Ping!
Despite Fukuoka's fourth batter hitting a beautiful fastball, the ball's landing spot was perfect, seemingly about to fly past third base.
But suddenly, a swift figure—like a cheetah— appeared out of nowhere and intercepted the ball.
"Hyaa-ha!"
Without any warning, a figure with the agility of a predator swooped in, grabbed the ball, and threw it to first base in one smooth motion.
The entire play was flawless, calm as a statue yet swift as a rabbit.
The crowd was mesmerized, applauding the play.
Players who show outstanding skills on the field, no matter whether it's a strikeout, a hit, or a spectacular play, always seem to glow with energy.
Right now, it was Kuramochi Yoichi who seemed to be enveloped in a halo after his amazing defensive play.
He completely suppressed Fukuoka's fourth batter, leaving no room for retaliation...
It was as if he had shut down Fukuoka's offensive momentum entirely.
Incredible! Truly incredible!!!
The stands erupted with cheers, with many fans of Kuramochi holding up mini figurines of him and shouting excitedly.
"Cheetah-sama is so cool!"
"Invincible!!!"
"It's no surprise Seidou is the King— their defense is top-tier!"
As the crowd continued discussing, a conclusion that everyone agreed on started to spread.
"Seidou High's baseball team may not be the best in some aspects compared to other teams, but overall, they have no major weaknesses. Whether it's offense, defense, pitching, or strategy…"
This is a great team!
And a team that has been honed to perfection!!!
Kataoka's ability to get the team to this point was indisputable.
Even considering Seidou's previous performance, those years when they failed to reach Koshien, it's easy to see the level of Kataoka's coaching.
Even though they hadn't made it to Koshien for several years, he had consistently trained his players well.
Just that alone was enough to command respect!
After dealing with Fukuoka's fourth batter, Nishiyama's pressure decreased significantly.
But he didn't relax his guard. Instead, he became even more focused on his pitching.
His catcher, Miyuki, gave Nishiyama a positive evaluation.
Miyuki believed Nishiyama might still be a bit rough on technique, and his pitching style wasn't fully developed, but that didn't stop him from being a great pitcher.
His understanding of baseball, his experience, and his mental strength all contributed to his solid performance.
In the next few batters, against Fukuoka's fifth and sixth, Nishiyama threw a Gyro ball without warning.
The Fukuoka batters were clearly unprepared for this sudden, decisive pitch.
They were easily retired!
With two consecutive Outs, Fukuoka was three-up, three-down.
It looked tense, but it was actually smooth sailing.
Everything was going according to the script they had planned.
When it was Seidou High's turn again in the bottom of the second inning, the lineup was about to turn back to the top.
At this point, everyone expected Seidou High to continue adding runs.
But unexpectedly, that was not the case.
This time, the pitcher, Taiga, suddenly exploded!
His outburst was like a final flare, a desperate burst of energy.
This wasn't surprising.
They were already pushed to the edge.
This wasn't just about Fukuoka High; it also applied to Taiga, their Ace pitcher.
After allowing five runs in just one inning, Taiga completely collapsed and seemed to be in a state of mental disarray.
He knew very well that the pro scouts would never sign him now.
You can only prove yourself by being tested.
He had been favored before because of his solid performance and partly because he hadn't faced strong enough opponents to be compared.
Now, everyone had been waiting for an opportunity to properly test his skills.
And they all knew it wouldn't be long before they got that chance.
Fukuoka was in the West Tokyo region, where there were plenty of strong teams.
Teams like Seidou High could be used as a benchmark for comparison.
If a player performed well against Seidou, it was a sign of solid ability.
But unfortunately, Taiga was not one of those players who could lead a team.
So, his elimination was inevitable.
After his dreams were shattered, Taiga was strangely calm.
In the past, his thoughts had been somewhat selfish.
He didn't care much about the team's victory or defeat.
His main goal was to perform well in this game to catch the eye of the professional scouts.
That was why he was so burdened early on.
But now that he had no more opportunities, he no longer cared about the scouts' opinions.
In this state, he actually played to his usual level of skill.
Kuramochi, who batted first, didn't notice this change and hit a high flyout.
Kominato Haruichi successfully reached base, but unfortunately, Shiratsu hit into a double play.
"OUT!"
"OUT!!!"
Three Outs, and the sides changed.
Thanks to Taiga's sudden explosion, Seidou High's offense came to an end.
The game, which had seemed so clear-cut, now had an air of uncertainty…
In the third inning, Nishiyama faced Fukuoka's lower batters.
"OUT!"
"OUT!!"
"OUT!!!"
Once again, he easily got three Outs!
This situation continued until the bottom of the third inning.
Seidou's baseball team was up to bat, and their cleanup hitter, Miyuki Kazuya, took the plate.
At that moment, Fukuoka's pitcher, Taiga, seemed unstoppable.
After giving up five runs in the first inning, the young pitcher had completely let go of his burden and fully immersed himself in the game.
'This is not going to work!'
Miyuki, standing in the Batter's Box, thought to himself.
He knew very well that Seidou's baseball team wasn't just aiming to win; they needed to win decisively.
In their first match, while Seidou won, it wasn't a pretty victory.
Despite the media's usual praise, there were also mocking undertones.
Their opponents had likely started to take pleasure in Seidou's struggles. They might be imagining that Seidou's team was running out of steam and that they could easily defeat them in future games.
Such thinking was dangerous!
High school players, after all, are still minors, and their emotions greatly influence their performance.
If everything goes right, they can easily exceed their normal strength and perform at 120% of their abilities.
To prevent such a situation, Seidou's baseball team needed to demonstrate a clean, decisive victory to show everyone that Seidou was still the King!
The King of Seidou is truly the King of Seidou!
Their strength is absolutely not something ordinary teams can match.
They needed to let Seidou's name hang over their heads like a sharp sword.
Paak!
As the captain of the team, Miyuki did an excellent job completing his task.
He clearly hit the ball that came his way.
After hitting the ball, he flashed a smile at Fukuoka's opponent.
The pitch route from Taiga was almost exactly what Miyuki had anticipated.
This feeling was great—it was like reading the opponent's mind.
"SAFE!!"
The ball landed in the gap in the defense, and Miyuki sprinted to second base.
The situation now had no Outs and a runner on second base.
The scoring opportunity had arrived!
The Seidou coaching staff sent a signal to the next batter, Maezono.
After receiving the signal, Maezono immediately set up for a bunt.
His move was clearly a tactical one to catch the opponent off guard.
Fukuoka's defense was forced to adjust, and their players moved closer to the infield.
Seidou's strategy seemed clear now.
They were planning to advance Miyuki to third base using a sacrifice bunt.
Seidou's players excelled at this.
Fukuoka's players were prepared for Seidou's sacrifice bunt, but Seidou's players had other plans.
PING!
Maezono, the fifth batter, quickly retracted his bat and swung it again.
It was a hit-and-run!
Because of his straightforward look, Fukuoka's players never expected Maezono to pull off such a trick.
With no warning, they were caught off guard.
The ball landed, and Maezono smoothly reached first base.
This was a bit of an unexpected surprise for Seidou's team, but their real goal wasn't Maezono.
It was actually Miyuki on second base.
As soon as the ball was hit, Miyuki quickly judged its trajectory.
This one was for him!
Almost as soon as the thought crossed his mind, Miyuki dashed for third base.
When he reached third, he saw the base coach Ono signaling for him to keep going.
Miyuki didn't look back, but he could tell something interesting was happening behind him. The defense was so focused on Maezono that they didn't even have time to return the ball.
'Good!'
Miyuki thought, and he kept running, now heading for home plate.
Fukuoka's outfielder had just retrieved the ball and threw it toward home plate, trying to tag Miyuki Out.
But it was too late!
Miyuki was like an unstoppable train, and he was already nearing home plate.
Seeing the catcher coming out, he quickly adjusted his direction.
"SAFE!!!"
Seidou's baseball team was well-trained and prepared for all situations. The players had practiced these kinds of scenarios countless times.
In key moments, they executed flawlessly.
And just like that, Seidou's team had scored their sixth run!
Unfortunately, that was the last run of the inning for Seidou.
Next up was Asou, but he hit into a double play.
Fukuoka's pitcher, Taiga, was unfazed by the recent homerun.
Even after giving up a run, he remained composed, skillfully getting Asou Out.
Luckily, Taiga succeeded, recording two outs.
With two outs, Toujou hit the ball, and Fukuoka's second baseman made the catch.
Three Outs, inning over.
The game moved on to the fourth inning.
Nishiyama, now fully in control of his Gyro ball, continued to dominate, Striking Out the side and not giving Fukuoka any hope.
In Seidou's dugout, the coaching staff praised Nishiyama's performance.
"He's relying on the Gyro ball a lot," Coach Kataoka remarked.
"But that just shows that Nishiyama really understands his strengths..."
Because he knew his own abilities, Nishiyama made practical decisions, choosing the most effective pitches to defeat his opponents without any unnecessary flashiness.
If Seidou's team only had Nishiyama as their pitcher, he wouldn't be using his best pitch so much.
There always needs to be a trump card for the next opponent.
But clearly, Seidou had more than just Nishiyama.
That's why he could take things a bit easier and showcase his full strength against this opponent.
If something went wrong, there were others on the team who could take his place.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Seidou's batters were all taken down by Fukuoka's Ace, Taiga.
Seidou's players hadn't realized that Taiga was a slow starter, and once the game dragged on, he started finding his rhythm.
Seidou's players now had trouble dealing with him.
But that shouldn't be for long. Even if he was a slow starter, compared to the pitchers they had faced before, his full power wasn't that tricky to deal with.
The question for Seidou's players now was whether they could take him down by the fifth or the seventh.
The game entered the fifth inning.
For Seidou, whether they could end the game in five innings depended on how many runs they could score in this inning.
This was a very important moment for Seidou's team.
However, no one expected their opponents to hit them with a shock at the beginning of this inning...
…