Capítulo 192: [192] Yokohama Kouhoku Academy's Tenacious Battle
Chapter 192: Yokohama Kouhoku Academy's Tenacious Battle
A dominant and crushing pitching performance.
In the top of the fifth inning, Eijun unleashed a sudden burst of immense strength that left Yokohama Kouhoku Academy dumbfounded.
Even his own teammates at Seido High School showed brief moments of astonishment.
As the catcher, Miyuki had the most direct impression.
Every pitch Eijun threw had precision and power.
It seemed ordinary yet carried a subtle, inexplicable transformation.
Like autumn leaves swept away by the wind, Eijun easily dispatched Yokohama Kouhoku's fifth through seventh batters.
This dominant display further elevated Seidou's momentum to a new peak.
This marked the first key turning point of the game.
By the middle innings, Seidou had overwhelmed Yokohama Kouhoku and seized control of the match!
Back on the bench, Eijun noticed Miyuki staring at him with a peculiar expression. Bewildered, Sawamura returned the gaze.
"What's wrong, Miyuki-senpai? You look like you've just seen a ghost," Eijun teased lightly as he took a sip of warm water.
For some reason, Eijun felt especially relaxed, as though he was in an almost surreal state.
This unusual calmness filled him with a sense of joy and satisfaction.
Miyuki, removing his catcher's gear, rolled his eyes at Eijun's comment.
Seen a ghost? What an exaggeration.
But then, a sly grin spread across Miyuki's face.
"Nothing. I was just looking at you," he replied with a mischievous chuckle.
Looking at me… like you've seen a ghost?
Eijun's eyebrow twitched slightly, his expression darkening as he glared at Miyuki.
However, since he had initiated the conversation, he found it hard to complain.
The situation left him feeling both frustrated and helpless.
Talking to Miyuki always required extra caution.
It was like navigating a minefield—one wrong step could lead to disaster.
Deciding to let it slide, Eijun tilted his head back and pretended not to understand, choosing to ignore Miyuki.
If the conversation continued, Eijun feared he might implode from sheer exasperation.
Miyuki's grin only grew wider, but thankfully, perhaps out of consideration for the ongoing game, he refrained from further teasing.
This gave Eijun a moment of relief, though he couldn't help but feel uneasy.
That sly grin on Miyuki's face—it surely meant he was plotting something.
As these thoughts swirled in Eijun's mind, the announcer's voice echoed through the stadium:
"Bottom of the fifth inning, Seidou High School's turn to bat. Second batter, second baseman, Kominato-kun."
Just as Sawamura was worrying about what mischief Miyuki might be brewing, Seidou launched another aggressive offensive against Yokohama Kouhoku, following up their strong fourth inning.
Building on Eijun's flawless pitching rhythm in the top half, Seido's batters brought even more momentum.
On the mound, Yokohama Kouhoku's pitcher, Ino, looked as though he was walking on thin ice.
Every pitch required meticulous calculation and precision.
He couldn't afford even the slightest mistake.
If the score gap widened further, Yokohama Kouhoku would face an even steeper uphill battle, with little room for recovery.
Whoosh.
Crack.
Thud.
"Foul ball!"
Seidou High School was clearly not going to let such a golden opportunity to pressure their opponent slip away.
At this moment, Seidou had a lead not just in the game but also in mentality.
In the dugout, Coach Kataoka's instructions were straightforward: no need to rush, no need to aim for a quick victory.
Bit by bit, with every swing, they were to increase the pressure on Yokohama Kouhoku Academy's ace pitcher.
The goal was simple—shake him to his core.
Once they brought him down, Seidou would essentially secure the victory.
"Whoosh."
"Pop."
"Ball!"
Every pitch was a grueling battle.
On the batter's box, Ryousuke stood with a harmless-looking smile, which only made Ino, Yokohama's pitcher, even more agitated.
From the dugout, Eijun leaned against the railing, watching Ryousuke expertly fend off a bad pitch before sending another foul ball into the stands.
He couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for Ino. Facing Ryousuke in his peak persistent mode?
Not many pitchers could escape unscathed.
"Whoosh."
"Pop."
"Four balls—walk!"
As expected, Yokohama's battery found Ryousuke too difficult to handle.
Still haunted by the events of the previous inning, they didn't dare take risks with certain pitches.
Left with no choice, Shiraha and Ino opted to walk Ryousuke, creating yet another awkward situation for Yokohama Kouhoku.
"Third batter, center fielder, Isashiki-kun!"
The fierce-looking third batter stepped up, followed by the immovable fourth batter.
The two players exuded a perfectly matched aura of dominance, sending chills down the spines of Yokohama's players.
Even their coach, Yamagake, had a noticeably solemn expression.
This inning placed Yokohama Kouhoku in another tight spot.
On the mound, Ino seemed to be teetering on the brink of his limit.
Seidou maintained their strategy of gradually applying pressure, waiting for the perfect moment to launch an explosive attack.
Fortunately for Yokohama, their defense wasn't to be underestimated.
The previous inning's errors had largely been Ino's own doing—control issues leading to walks and hit-by-pitches.
This inning, Ino focused on pitching cautiously, and the infield adopted a deep defensive formation.
Isashiki's powerful hit was stopped by Yokohama's coordinated defense.
The ball, hit between first and second base, forced Ryousuke to advance but also led to a double play, securing two outs for Yokohama.
Even though Ino couldn't completely suppress Seidou's fourth batter, Yuuki, whose double landed in center field, he managed to contain the following batter, Masuko, and secured the third out.
Yokohama Kouhoku survived the inning without conceding a run, managing to stifle Seidou's offensive lineup.
"Resilient pitching and solid defense! Yokohama Kouhoku didn't allow Seidou to extend their lead this inning, holding them scoreless. This is a statement—they're not out of the game yet!"
"Great work, Ino!"
"Keep up that rhythm!"
"You've got this, Ace!"
"Don't give up! There's still a chance!"
The Yokohama Kouhoku cheering section erupted in louder applause and chants, their voices a beacon of hope for their team.
Victory wasn't out of reach yet—they just needed to be patient and wait for their chance.
Yes, as long as they didn't give up, their opportunity would come.
They could overcome this pitcher—eventually.
Ino put on his batting helmet, determination flashing in his eyes.
For him, for his teammates, and for every team and player dreaming of Koshien, there was no room for retreat.
At that moment, an overwhelming, silent pressure filled the air.
A furious, roaring brilliance seemed to echo a single message:
"Opportunity? It will never come."
"Whoosh."
"Pop."
"Strike! Batter out!"
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