章節 156: [156] Giving It Their All in the Inashiro Match
Chapter 156: Giving It Their All in the Inashiro Match
After Sakai's out, Eijun came up to bat but was unable to stand against Narumiya.
Not only was Narumiya in peak form, but the intense pitching battle in the previous inning had drained much of Eijun's energy and focus. He wasn't fully adjusted for this at-bat.
Eijun managed to hit Narumiya's slider, but the angle, timing, and power were all suppressed, resulting in a high fly ball toward third base. Yoshizawa jumped and easily caught it.
With two quick outs in the top of the seventh inning, Narumiya faced Shirasu, who displayed remarkable persistence.
Despite Narumiya's relentless efforts, Shirasu managed to hold his ground and locked onto Narumiya's pitch selection.
This hint of frustration momentarily disrupted Narumiya's control, and Shirasu capitalized on it, drawing a walk and reaching first base.
With Seidou's top order back up, Coach Kataoka decisively signaled for a strong first-pitch swing.
Kuramochi successfully connected, sending Narumiya's fastball out into right field.
The hit-and-run tactic worked perfectly, resulting in a single that set up a scoring opportunity with runners on second and third and two outs.
The crowd looked on in awe, wondering if the game might turn again.
However, Inashiro's ace, the "Prince of Tokyo" Narumiya Mei, wasn't about to let that happen.
He struck out Ryousuke in three pitches with impressive power, securing the final out of the inning. Narumiya had successfully held Seidou back in this crucial inning after the score was tied.
Inashiro's defense had denied Seidou the chance to reclaim control, shifting the momentum firmly in Inashiro's favor. This missed opportunity brought sighs of regret from Seidou's side.
Just one run—any run—could have turned things back around. But that chance slipped from Seidou's grasp.
In the bottom of the seventh, it was Inashiro's turn to bat.
Despite the intense previous inning, Eijun showed no signs of being affected by the home run he'd allowed earlier.
His pitches maintained the same sharpness, unpredictable movement, and stable control, leaving both Inashiro's players and the cheering crowd bewildered.
Was this first-year left-handed pitcher really that resilient? Was the home run not affecting him at all?
"Whoosh."
"Smack."
"Strike! Batter out!"
With four pitches, Eijun took out Inashiro's seventh batter, Hirai.
"Damn it, was that an outside low pitch? Even at this stage, this freshman's control is still so steady?" Hirai muttered in frustration, stomping off the field.
"Eighth batter, left fielder, Sugi-kun."
It seemed that the phrase "fighting spirit" aptly described these two left-handed pitchers at this point. Both Narumiya and Eijun were fighting with every ounce of willpower they had.
Each pitch thrown was filled with all their strength.
"Whoosh."
"Ball."
"Whoosh."
"Ping."
"Bang."
"Foul!"
"Whoosh."
"Ping."
"Bang."
The ball hit the ground. Ryousuke, the second baseman, took a step back, intercepted it, and tossed it to first base.
"Smack."
"Out!"
In this inning, Inashiro's lower lineup was also rendered ineffective. Three up, three down. After Sugi's out, the ninth batter, Saotome, faced Eijun's relentless pitching. After two fastballs pinned him down, a sharp inside cutter secured Saotome's out.
"Smack!"
"Out!"
"Three outs, switch sides!"
"Well done, Sawamura!"
"You've got this, you can keep them suppressed."
"Eijun-kun, that was a beautiful pitch!"
"Two more innings—we can definitely win this!"
"Let's go, Seidou!"
"Seidou! Seidou! Seidou!"
Both the Seidou bench and cheering section pushed their voices to the limit as the game reached its final stretch.
The players were giving everything they had, knowing that victory would secure the lone ticket to Koshien.
Seidou High had been kept from that sacred ground for six years, and this was the closest they'd come. They had to claim this opportunity from Inashiro Industrial, no matter what!
"The top of the eighth inning, Seidou High School's attack! Third batter, center fielder, Isashiki-kun."
"We're counting on you, Isashiki-senpai."
"Jun-san, give us a hit!"
"Mei, crush them!"
"Ace, this one's on you."
"Go, Narumiya!"
"Jun-san, smash it!"
"Seidou! Seidou! Seidou!"
"Inashiro! Inashiro! Inashiro!"
"Top of the eighth, tied score. Seidou's heavy hitters step up. Will Seidou break through against Kanto's top left-handed pitcher again, or will Inashiro hold them down and take further control?"
"Fourth pitch!"
Whoosh!
"Smack!"
"Strike! Batter out!"
No way!!!
A slider, still so precisely controlled at this stage? Is this guy even human?
"Oh! He ended with a slider! The third batter, Jun Isashiki, goes down swinging on a strikeout!"
With a clean and decisive pitch, Narumiya struck Isashiki out in four pitches, with no hesitation—a direct confrontation, as if that home run in the first inning had never even happened. Narumiya's aggressive stance was unshaken.
"Fourth batter, first baseman, Yuuki-kun."
Narumiya now looked unstoppable, like a force of nature that would destroy anyone who dared stand in his way.
His focus was razor-sharp, and his fastballs were reaching terrifying speeds.
His control showed no sign of faltering, even at this late stage.
In what should have been Seidou's prime chance to score in the eighth, Narumiya turned it into his best performance.
Whoosh!
Crack!
Bang!
"Foul!"
The first pitch, a slider, curved skillfully. Yuuki couldn't track its movement and ended up hitting it foul.
Whoosh!
Smack!
"Strike!"
The second pitch, a high-speed inside fastball approaching 150 km/h, had Yuuki swinging and missing.
Whoosh!
Crack!
Bang!
"Foul!"
Inside and outside pitches alternated; sharp inside, gentle outside. Yuuki struggled to keep up, forced to hit fouls repeatedly, anxiety creeping into his mind.
And finally—
Whoosh!
"Smack!"
"Strike!
Batter out!"
A straight changeup left Yuuki swinging into empty air. Strikeout! Cleanup hitter Tetsuya Yuuki was taken down in perfect form!
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