On the stands of the stadium, more than twenty thousand pairs of eyes were focused.
They closely watched every move on the field. So absorbed in the game they even forgot to cheer.
Thus, a strange scene appeared in the stadium.
The game had clearly reached a critical moment. As fans, they should have been clanging drums and shouting slogans, doing everything they could to cheer for their team. If they could influence the opponent's play during the process, that would be even better.
But strangely, this did not happen.
The scene was eerily quiet. Although it wasn't to the point where you could hear a pin drop, it wasn't far off.
In the Batter's Box, Maezono could clearly hear his own heartbeat.
Thump, thump!!!
Everything around him seemed detached from him.
The only thing Maezono could focus on was the opposing pitcher on the mound.
He tried to simplify his thoughts.
'Just hit the ball when it comes, and do not disappoint the Coach or your teammates.'
"No need to rush, no need to be impatient. Play steadily, rely on your skills, wait for the pitch, and swing decisively…"
The instructions from Coach Kataoka echoed in his mind.
Drawing on his past experiences, Maezono began to calm his nerves.
Gripping his teeth, he waited for the pitch to come.
'I can do this!'
'I can do this for sure!!!'
Maezono encouraged himself.
He raised his bat high, preparing to give the opponent a fatal blow once the ball came.
Whoosh!
Compared to Maezono, the pitcher on the mound, Higashiyama, was much calmer.
They had already thrown caution to the wind; now it was do or die.
There were no more concerns—he would throw everything he had left into this pitch.
Because of this calmness, his pitch wasn't affected by physical fatigue. In fact, it seemed to gain a little extra power.
As the ball flew through the air, it seemed to charge forward like it wanted to destroy everything in its path.
In the Batter's Box, Maezono wasn't about to back down.
Seeing the ball coming, he swung the bat with all his might.
PANG!
The bat hit the ball, sending it soaring Foul!
Maezono let out a long sigh.
He had been fooled!
That pitch hadn't been a Strike but a Ball.
Maezono had had the right idea, but he hadn't been able to remain fully calm in the heat of the moment.
This situation was just too intense!
One swing, and if the ball landed in fair territory, it would either be heaven or hell.
If he got a hit, Maezono would be the hero of the team.
But if he made a mistake, the efforts of the previous three batters would go to waste.
Meanwhile, the opponent's crisis would be averted.
The heavy pressure made Maezono's breathing more labored.
Sweat dripped down his forehead.
But at that moment, Maezono couldn't even notice it.
He fought to avoid thinking about these messy things and stayed focused on the Batter's Box.
Easier said than done.
In the rest area of the opposing team, Coach Sakaki's eyes flashed with a sharp gleam.
It seemed like all the pressure had now shifted onto Maezono.
Coach Sakaki wasn't entirely sure that they could get Maezono Out.
In the past, Maezono had shown many excellent performances, even hitting when the pressure was on.
In a way, betting everything on Maezono wasn't the best idea.
After all, they could lose, and the odds weren't small.
But there was no choice. The opposing team had been forced into a corner, and now, they had to play with their lives.
If they lost, they lost. In this situation, how much worse could it get?
But if they won, it would give them a chance.
After carefully considering everything, Coach Sakaki made his decision.
"We have to win!"
At the same time, he silently prayed in his heart.
Snap!
"BALL!"
Snap!
"STRIKE!"
The next two pitches, Maezono didn't swing.
The count became two Strike, one Ball.
The batter was being pressured.
The situation was becoming more and more dangerous, with a sense of foreboding.
'This is the last pitch!'
On the mound, Higashiyama, fully unburdened, threw the ball with all his might.
Maezono's eyes became more and more determined.
At the final moment, he decided to trust his judgment and swung at the pitch without hesitation.
Ping!
The baseball was hit and flew out.
Maezono stared at the ball as it soared through the air and froze.
'It was over!'
'Really over!'
As the ball neared him, it suddenly dropped.
The drop wasn't fast or large.
But it was definitely dropping.
Maezono, who had intended to hit the ball to the outfield, only managed to make contact with the top of the ball.
The ball bounced and was directly caught by the pitcher.
The result of this type of ball was clear.
If it were one of the players from the Seidou High School baseball team, they could easily have turned it into a triple play.
The players from Yura Sougou were not as skilled as Seidou, but they still had a good chance of turning it into a triple play.
"Great!"
On the mound, Higashiyama excitedly scooped up the ball, passing it to home plate.
The catcher was briefly stunned when he caught the ball.
To be honest, they had just risen to prominence and had never faced a situation like this before. How should they handle it?
Although Coach Sakaki had taught them, the catcher hesitated for a moment before recalling what he was supposed to do.
The bases are full, so he doesn't need to touch the runner, only the plate with the ball.
The catcher stepped on home plate and then threw the ball to first base.
Snap!
By the time the first baseman tried to throw it, it was already too late.
Miyuki had already run to second base.
Sawamura, who had been on second, had advanced to third base.
These two were clever, and the moment Maezono hit the ball, they had already started running.
In the end, Yura Sougou pulled off a fantastic double play.
Two Outs, runners on second and third.
As for Maezono, the batter, and Haruichi, the runner from third, they were both Out.
When Maezono returned to the rest area, he looked deeply ashamed.
As a core batter of Seidou High School's baseball team, he had failed to seize such a great opportunity.
He felt he had no face to see Coach Kataoka.
But Kataoka didn't seem upset with Maezono.
"The pitcher's forkball was something we didn't know about before. Clearly, that was their hidden weapon. We can't fully blame you for this one; don't dwell on it. If you feel regret or dissatisfaction, we can reflect on it after the game. For now, let's focus on finishing the game."
After comforting Maezono, Coach Kataoka's gaze shifted to the opposing team's rest area.
He nodded at Coach Sakaki.
As they say, experience comes with age.
Yura Sougou has gambled before, and they didn't succeed. But the old Coach didn't get disheartened and gambled again and raised his chips even higher.
And this time, he won.
Seidou's previous Coach had really given them a valuable lesson. Desperate opponent don't just gamble desperately, they can also have their own winning cards.
Not just Maezono but also Furuya, who was quickly Out. He hit a high fly ball, and the ball flew far, landing in the outfield where it was caught.
Snap!
"OUT!"
Three Outs, Offense and defense exchanged.
The fifth inning ended with the score still at 2:6.
This time, Seidou couldn't capitalize on the scoring opportunity.
Coach Kataoka was furious. When all the players returned to the rest area, he said with a cold face.
"Forget about the lead! Our game has just begun…"
The teammates could all feel Kataoka's mood. Each one of them took a deep breath, promising they wouldn't let the opponents continue to swagger.
The game proceeded into the sixth inning.
…