Capítulo 118: [118] The Final Blow in the Battle Against Yakushi
Chapter 118: The Final Blow in the Battle Against Yakushi
"Yes, Miyuki-senpai!!!!"
At that moment, Eijun also showed a genuine, excited smile.
Striking out Raichi twice didn't necessarily mean that Eijun had the absolute power to completely dominate him.
However, it did prove that Eijun had already gained the ability to go head-to-head with top-level batters.
Through these two at-bats, Eijun gained a deeper understanding and awareness of his pitching, becoming more clear about the current limits of his abilities and the direction in which he should improve in the future.
"Bottom of the seventh inning, Seidou High School at bat, first up, shortstop, Kuramochi."
Sanada Shunpei, you have to admit that this pitcher's willpower is, in some ways, unmatched in all of Tokyo, or even the entire Kanto region. To exaggerate a bit, he could be said to surpass any high school player in Japan.
At least in the original work, Eijun hadn't found another pitcher with a mentality superior to that of Sanada.
Even when his team was trailing by two runs, and their core batter was struck out twice in a row without scoring, Sanada always stood tall on the mound, smiling.
In his own way, he encouraged and uplifted his team and his teammates.
Whoosh
Pop
"Strike!!!"
Damn, is this pitch still so oppressive!?
Kuramochi bit his lip and thought bitterly to himself.
At first, when Kuramochi saw the visibly deflated atmosphere in Yakushi's dugout, he thought that their team was in disarray, morale crushed, and that he could take advantage of them.
But as soon as he stepped onto the field, he was met with such a dominant pitch!
Sanada's sharp inside pitch left Kuramochi with no chance, quickly pushing him into a corner.
The final deciding pitch was a cutter aimed at the left-handed batter, perfectly sealing Kuramochi's fate.
"One out!!!!"
After swiftly retiring Kuramochi, Sanada's momentum grew even stronger.
Facing the tricky Ryousuke, he only needed two pitches to force a high fly ball to left field, where the left fielder easily caught it for the second out.
With two outs quickly secured, Sanada single-handedly pulled Yakushi High's momentum back up. The morale, which had dipped after Raichi's two strikeouts, was reignited in the eyes of Yakushi's players thanks to Sanada's relentless effort.
Their ace had already pushed himself to the limit. How could they give up so easily? Especially the third-year players, who were betting everything on this final battle.
It was a serious fight to the end.
Sanada had squeezed out every ounce of strength he had, throwing pitches that strained his body to the maximum. Facing the strong-willed Isashiki Jun, Sanada displayed an unwavering resolve.
A determination that refused to back down even a single step!!!
Whoosh
Pop
"Strike! Batter out!!!"
"Three outs, change of sides!!!!"
"Tenacious and unyielding, Yakushi High's Sanada, with his outstanding pitching, dominantly took down the heart of Seidou's lineup, three up, three down!!!!!!"
"Oooh, Sanada!!!"
"Sanada-senpai!!!"
"Shunpei!!!"
"Well done, Sanada!"
"Shunpei-kun!!!"
Sanada's unshakable will left most of Seidou High's players in shock. This game wasn't over yet. The outcome was still undecided!!!
It was as if Sanada was openly showing his determination.
The Yakushi High players were cheering and shouting, unaware of the concern and hesitation reflected in their coach's eyes.
Of course, while Seidou was shaken by Sanada's performance, some in their dugout noticed that Sanada had reached his limit.
"He's at his limit, right? That pitcher's left leg," Chris said in a low tone.
"Yeah, the pitch's power and bite were perfect, but the strain on his left leg is too much. That's probably why he can't start long games unless he adjusts his pitching form," Miyuki replied with a smile.
Eijun glanced at Chris and Miyuki with a look of admiration.
As expected from seasoned players, they had already figured out Sanada's weakness.
"The game will be decided in the next two innings, Sawamura," Coach Kataoka said in a deep voice.
"Yes!" Eijun responded immediately upon hearing Kataoka's words.
"Two more innings, shut them down completely!"
"Yes, sir!!!"
The final act of the battle, Yakushi's impending defeat, was already on a steady countdown.
"Top of the eighth inning, Yakushi High's offense, second batter, left fielder, Akiba-kun."
In reality, after Raichi was struck out for the second time, Yakushi's offensive spirit had already collapsed.
Even though Sanada stood firm on the mound, his broad figure unwavering, it was merely keeping their team barely alive.
On the surface, Yakushi High still appeared to be standing strong, but against Eijun, they had lost all resistance.
It wasn't just because of Raichi's strikeout; it was the changeup that made Yakushi's batters completely unable to time Eijun's pitches.
The dazzling flash of his left arm as it delivered the ball felt like a cold dagger, piercing straight into their hearts.
In an instant, they crumbled, and this was no longer a situation Sanada could handle alone.
The top of the eighth inning was overwhelming.
Eijun utterly crushed Yakushi's top batters.
Whoosh
Pop
"Strike!!!!"
No!!! Hit it!!!
Whoosh
Crack
"Bang!"
"Foul ball!!!"
Damn it!!! Hit it!!!
Whoosh
Pop
"Strike, batter out!!!!!"
The second batter, Akiba, the third batter, Mishima, and the fourth batter, Yamauchi, all gave it their all. However, time was not on their side.
The fearsome power of Eijun's changeup, coupled with the peak of his pitching form, locked onto them relentlessly.
Each pitch was a precise strike aimed at their weaknesses, alternating between inside and outside corners, mixing speeds sharply, and utilizing the moving ball's unpredictable nature.
The advantages of his unique pitching motion were evident, and in the back of their minds, the batters couldn't shake the image of Raichi getting struck out twice in a row.
This scenario was beyond doubt.
All three batters were perfectly shut down.
In this inning, Eijun still didn't allow a single Yakushi batter on base, except for that rare ninth batter in the previous inning who managed to reach first.
Eijun had now continued his perfect pitching for five innings.
Seidou High School was only one step away from victory.
And in the bottom of the eighth inning, Yuuki, Seidou's unwavering cleanup hitter and captain, made that final push for Seidou's victory.
Crack!!!!!!
A thunderous sound echoed through the stadium as the ball soared into center field, smashing into the scoreboard for a home run!!!
The cleanup hitter, captain Tetsuya Yuuki, with this one swing, completely shattered Yakushi High's last hope.
It was the final blow, the one that broke Yakushi High for good!
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