Bab 112: <112> Two Outs
Chapter 112: Two Outs
Although adults are adults after all, Coach Kunimi quickly regained his composure.
He understood that while the opponent's form was extraordinarily good, and their surprise strategies remarkably effective, the gap in overall skill remained undeniable.
Even with their incredible momentum, Akagi was still the weaker team.
However, he needed to reclaim his team's morale.
If the players' mental states collapsed, this game would turn into a rout.
As an experienced coach, though not a professional, Kunimi had years of fandom and coaching experience under his belt.
He quickly spotted the problem.
The consecutive hits off inside pitches seemed like targeted swings, but another possibility emerged—their signals might have been decoded.
For Akagi to consistently hit such long drives, given their usual skill level, seemed far-fetched.
While it was possible they had improved, the idea of cracked signals added another layer of plausibility.
With that in mind, Kunimi acted decisively.
Since the situation was unclear, he assumed the worst and called for a defensive timeout, walking onto the field himself.
The immediate issue was the team's overly pessimistic mindset.
The series of hits and attacks had left them unsure of how to win, and some players might have already considered giving up deep down.
"Coach!"
"We're in a critical situation now. Takase, tell me what you think."
"Yes, sir! I think… they've been targeting our pitches. Early on, they swung at three consecutive inside pitches, but then their cleanup hitter suddenly aimed for the outside pitch and stepped into it decisively."
"It seems like someone on their bench is directing them, but we can't predict what they're going to target!"
"Then don't bother predicting," Coach Kunimi interrupted immediately.
"Huh?"
"But…" Takase tried to respond, only to be cut off again.
"Don't rush. Whether they're targeting pitches, hiding strategies, or simply performing exceptionally today, one thing remains constant—we are still the stronger team."
Kunimi deliberately avoided mentioning the possibility of their signals being decoded, knowing they still had their chance to attack in the bottom half of the inning.
After all, it was the final inning!
"Can Kanda hold on?" Kunimi asked.
"Yes," Kanda replied weakly, though his shaky tone betrayed his mental struggle.
"No need to worry. Don't be afraid! If you can hold the line this inning, we'll absolutely defend our lead. Let's settle this right here, right now!"
"Huh? Coach!"
"Use your slider!"
The Tokugawa players, still reeling, hesitated to respond.
"No matter what they hit, it's been fastballs—easier to make contact with. But your slider hasn't been touched yet. They're outright avoiding it!"
"Take down their last batter with sliders only, then we'll overturn this in the bottom half! Whether it's one run or two, we'll absolutely turn the tables!"
"Don't forget—even now, we hold the absolute advantage in skill!"
His final declaration reignited some fire in his players, though the team's shaken state couldn't fully recover.
Still, Kunimi reasoned that even if they conceded one or two more runs, they'd regain their confidence when it was their turn to bat.
What mattered most was avoiding a blowout, and Akagi simply didn't have the firepower for that.
It was a classic case where the weaker team, even knowing their opponent's weaknesses, couldn't fully capitalize on them.
...
"Sixth batter, third baseman, Oyama!"
"Sixth batter, third baseman, Oyama!"
"Let's settle this, just as Coach said!" Takase positioned his glove.
"Sen-chan!!!" Oyama glanced at the bench but noticed no signals exchanged between the pitcher and catcher.
Sendo shook his head subtly.
Pop!
"Strike!"
"A slider!!! In this situation where both inside and outside pitches were getting hit, they're now using their decisive pitch to take a stand!"
"Did they figure it out? No, it's too soon to say. And without signals exchanged, it's likely the next two pitches will also be breaking balls—probably sliders. It's the final stretch; playing it safe means they'll stick with sliders."
"Even if they know, they probably won't be able to hit it!" Sendo analyzed quickly, then made a subtle hidden signal after surveying the defense.
"This is no time to waste energy. We've avoided bunting all game to keep that strategy hidden, but now it's time for the final attack!" Sendo had already dismissed Sawamura's inhuman bunting ability from his calculations.
"We've done everything we can. The outcome of this game is now beyond my control," he thought as the Tokugawa pitcher prepared for the second pitch.
...
The Tokugawa players were visibly shaken by Sendo's final instructions.
"Steal!"
"Bunt!"
This surprise bunt disrupted Tokugawa's already fragile defensive setup, especially since their infielders hadn't fully recovered mentally.
"A safety squeeze for one final push?" The crowd gasped at Akagi's boldness and decisiveness in reacting to the slider with a do-or-die mentality.
(The rule: With two outs, the batter cannot advance to first base on a bunt. However, if the runner scores before the batter is out, the run counts.)
The runner dashed home, nervously watching Oyama's charge.
Pop!
…
"Safe!" The umpire paused dramatically before shouting the call.
"Yes!!!" Kondou, waiting at home plate, roared skyward in triumph.
Several players from the bench rushed to embrace him.
"A two-run lead!!! Akagi Junior High pulls off a bold safety squeeze with two outs, extending their lead to two runs!!!"
"What decisiveness, what coordination, what unity! This team has shown us the power of the underdog coming together to challenge a powerhouse!!!"
The commentators were ecstatic, and a large portion of the audience instantly became Akagi fans, cheering loudly for the team's bold play.
"Go, Akagi! I'll be rooting for you!"
Amid Akagi's wild celebration, Tokugawa's players surprisingly remained composed.
"There's a runner on first now! No more tricks, right?" Kunimi pointed calmly, urging his team to continue attacking confidently.
"Strike!"
"Strike Two!"
"Strike Three! Batter out! Change sides!"
Seventh batter Takada struck out without suspense.
Despite a fake steal from Oyama on the first pitch, which reaffirmed Kunimi's belief in Akagi's well-trained small-ball tactics, Tokugawa regained their focus.
"Go, Akagi!"
"Defend well!" Meanwhile, Akagi's new fans shouted enthusiastically, fully stepping into their roles as supporters.
"Just three outs left! Hang in there! This final stretch is all about willpower and determination!" Sendo knew his role was over; it was now up to his exhausted teammates to endure the immense pressure.
Thankfully, Sawamura had thrown relatively few pitches, as his pitching style was more economical.
However, it didn't change the fact that the team was nearing their physical and mental limits.
Each move now required every ounce of their strength, and the mounting pressure only accelerated their fatigue.
They had to rely on sheer determination to see this through!
"The opposing defense is worn out. Make them work for every pitch and seize any chance you get."
"Yes!!!"
...
"Bottom of the seventh, Tokugawa Junior High's turn to bat."
"Ninth batter, pitcher, Kanda!"
"Ninth batter, pitcher, Kanda!"
Although Kanda was batting ninth, his hitting wasn't entirely weak—nor was it strong.
As a pitcher, his primary focus had always been on pitching rather than hitting, especially since he was the same age as players like Sawamura.
Trying to master everything would have been counterproductive.
Pop!
"Strike!"
"Right down the middle! Looks like they're sticking to one pitch and putting everything on the line. In that case, I have no choice but to swing!" Kanda gripped his bat tighter.
Ping!
"Foul!"
"Foul!"
...
Tokugawa's batters consistently stood at the front of the batter's box with a short grip on the bat, making it difficult for them to swing and miss entirely.
If not for Sawamura's decent pitch speed, they might have made contact already.
However, the risk was mutual. Any grounder they hit was almost certain to result in an out.
..m
"So close! A few times, it almost landed fair. And the pitch speeds are slightly varied—not by much, but enough to make clean contact difficult. Sumiyoshi would probably be able to hit it… But if I don't fight hard, he won't even get his chance!"
Huff, huff, huff.
Kanda was already breathing heavily—not just from physical exhaustion but from the mental pressure as well.
Normally, as the ninth batter, he wouldn't be expected to push this hard.
But with two runs down in the final inning and his turn at bat, every out was now extremely precious. He had no choice but to rise to the occasion.
...
"How many pitches has it been?"
"The fifth pitch!"
"What incredible perseverance!"
"That's to be expected! Tokugawa has been our representative for so many years. Even in tough battles, they won't go down easily!"
"I'm so nervous just watching! Keep it up, Akagi!" The spectators buzzed with tension, but Akagi's relentless fighting spirit had won over the crowd, gaining even more fans.
...
Whoosh!
Ping!
"Oh no! That one was too slow!" Kanda made contact, sending a grounder toward first base.
"Second baseman!"
Pop!
"Out!"
Huff…
Sawamura exhaled shakily but slowly, calming his nerves.
"ONE OUT!" he shouted, raising his left hand high in the air.
"ONE OUT!" Many spectators, carried away by the energy, echoed his cheer.
But this was no time for celebration. Tokugawa's leadoff batter stepped up with a similar fighting spirit, ready for a fresh round of battling.
...
Recalling the advice from his ace younger teammate, the leadoff batter resolved to keep swinging and grinding at the pitcher, aiming to get the lineup back to the heart of the order.
Once in the batter's box, he cleared his mind of all distractions.
Pop!
"Strike!"
"This is it! All I can do is swing!" The leadoff batter followed the example of his younger teammate.
...
Ping!
Ping!
Ping!
"Foul!"
"Foul!"
"Foul!"
Clearly, he was even more tenacious than the previous batter.
Finally, after battling through eight pitches:
Ping!
The leadoff hitter sent a low line drive between third base and shortstop.
...
"That's two outs for sure now! We're going to win!" Oyama thought as he shifted two steps to make the catch.
But just as he moved:
Thud!
Instinctively, Sawamura reached out with his glove.
The ball hit the very edge of the glove, altering its trajectory!
"Huh?!" Sawamura and Oyama both cried out in shock simultaneously.
"Run! Run!" Suddenly, Tokugawa's bench erupted with energy.
Oyama and Ohno both chased after the redirected ball, but in this critical moment, with their focus entirely on the ball, neither of them called out.
When they finally noticed each other, they both froze, hesitant to act.
Even Shin hadn't anticipated that Sawamura's reflexive reach would cause such a chain reaction.
Seizing the opportunity, Tokugawa's base coach waved the batter to second base.
Realizing too late, both Oyama and Ohno moved to recover the ball simultaneously, only to hesitate again.
"Shortstop!" Takeda finally shouted, snapping them out of it.
Ohno hesitated briefly before throwing, but it was too late.
The runner, who should have been an easy out, reached second base due to a series of unfortunate events.
...
But Sawamura couldn't be blamed—it was an instinctive reaction.
Shin, thinking the ball would be caught, also couldn't have foreseen this.
Ohno and Oyama, on the other hand, lacked the ingrained habits that come with experience.
Their exhaustion and mental fog caused delayed reactions, compounding the situation.
...
"Sorry!" Sawamura immediately took responsibility, apologizing to the team.
"It's fine! That was just bad luck! Focus on shutting down the next batter," Sendo called from the dugout, offering timely reassurance.
...
"Reactions are slowing down," Coach Kunimi observed from Tokugawa's bench.
With years of coaching experience, he easily recognized Akagi's dwindling stamina.
He pulled his second batter aside for a quick strategy discussion, whispering instructions.
Sendo noticed but could do nothing.
With their nine-man infield, if they let another hit slip through, it would simply mean their team had run out of steam.
Kunimi's whispered strategy was likely obvious, but Sendo could only rally his team for one final stand.
...
"Just two more outs and we win! Two outs—only two!" Sendo muttered to himself, trying to stay calm.
He hadn't anticipated how difficult those last two outs would be.
"Baseball, huh?" he thought, overwhelmed. "It feels like the game is about to end, yet the finish line is still so far away."
"But this is it. One last push. Win, and it's all worth it. Lose, and there's no shame," he reassured himself, trying to stay composed.
Despite his exhaustion, Sendo underestimated the sheer will to survive burning in the hearts of Sawamura, Wakana, and the rest of the team.
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