章節 174: [174] Crushing

Chapter 174: Crushing

Perhaps it was because of Jun Isashiki's out.

This seemed to ignite a faint spark of morale within the Nanagamari Tech High team. It looked like they might have a chance to hold Seidou High to zero runs this inning. If so, they could still see a glimmer of hope in the game.

But even this tiny, pitiful thread of morale was something Seidou High was unwilling to allow.

"Batting fourth, first baseman, Yuuki-kun."

The success of getting Jun Isashiki out had given Nanagamari Tech's players a false sense of confidence, making them believe they could confront Seidou High head-on.

Their catcher, Yoshihiro, decided to go for the showdown, and pitcher Yamashita was even more determined, convinced he could suppress Seidou's lineup and become the hero of the game.

However, under such circumstances, Seidou's captain, Yuuki, showed them what true terror and the vast gap in strength looked like.

"Crack!!!"

With a resounding blast, Yuuki perfectly caught the trajectory of the knuckleball pitch.

The ball soared toward center field, smashing against the fence in an ultra-long hit.

In this at-bat, Yuuki proved that even a knuckleball pitch wasn't enough to stop him.

Capitalizing on the opportunity, Ryousuke Kominato, who was on first base, took off running.

By the time Nanagamari Tech's outfielders managed to retrieve the ball, Ryousuke had already reached home plate, scoring another run for Seidou High. The score gap widened further, now starting at a seven-run difference.

"A brilliant hit! Batting fourth, Tetsuya Yuuki, with an ultra-long hit to center field! Seidou High adds another run!"

"Haha, Captain, you're too reliable!"

"Yuuki, that was incredible!" exclaimed Coach Kataoka, his face brimming with emotion.

"Great hit, Yuuki-kun!"

"Keep it going, Masuko!"

In Nanagamari Tech's dugout, Coach Sakata couldn't help but sigh.

At this point, he had given up hope for the game. With a cleanup hitter like that and such a powerful lineup, there was no way his team's defense could hold.

If only they had approached things more carefully from the start, strategically choosing between confrontations and intentional walks... Perhaps there might have been a sliver of hope. But now, even that sliver was gone.

"Whoosh"

"Crack!"

"Pop!"

"Out!"

Three outs, side retired.

Masuko, known for his powerful swings, struggled in his first at-bat against Nanagamari Tech's knuckleball pitch specialist.

If he had managed to time his swing better, he might have been able to blast the ball away with sheer strength.

But with mistimed swings, his infield pop-up soared high into the air and was caught for the out.

Even though the inning-ending out stopped Seidou High's offense, the players of Nanagamari Tech wore grim expressions.

Any team capable of making it to Koshien might have varying levels of skill due to regional differences, but none of them were fools.

What Coach Sakata had realized was also clear to his players.

At this point, the only thing keeping them going was the unyielding spirit of youth that refused to give up.

Of course, this refusal to surrender only led to further suffering.

In the top of the third inning, Nanagamari Tech's lower lineup faced off against Seidou's pitcher, Furuya, and proved to be no match at all.

The strikeouts kept coming as Furuya, standing tall on the pitcher's mound, exuded the full force of a king's dominance.

Furuya, who was settling into his rhythm, grew increasingly stable in the latter innings.

His pitching, which only became consistent during the fall season, now showcased a sharp edge as he deliberately kept his pitches low in the zone.

This unexpected improvement brought an ever-growing smile to Miyuki's face behind the plate.

As the catcher, Miyuki couldn't help but feel a sense of shared pride in the pitcher's brilliance.

"Whoosh!"

"Pop!"

"Strike three! Batter out!"

"Three outs! Change of sides!"

Another strikeout. Furuya seemed unstoppable, forcing Nanagamari Tech's batters to swing helplessly.

Even their captain, Hiroyuki Sawano, managed to barely make contact with one of Furuya's fastballs in his second at-bat, but the ball didn't leave the infield.

Ryousuke Kominato, with a quick slide, easily scooped up the ball and fired it to first for the out.

On offense, Nanagamari Tech struggled to find any rhythm, while on defense, they were being systematically dismantled.

Their knuckleball, although initially causing minor trouble for Seidou High, was far from enough to halt their offensive onslaught.

As Eijun and Chris observed, Nanagamari Tech's second-string pitcher lacked the refinement seen in the ace from Sakurazawa High, another team from West Tokyo.

That ace had managed to shut down Inashiro's lineup for an entire rotation before crumbling under pressure.

By comparison, Nanagamari Tech's pitcher was a level below in terms of skill and composure.

While Seidou's offense wasn't as explosive as in the first inning, it remained steady and relentless, chipping away at the opposing team.

In the bottom of the third inning, Miyuki's single to left field started a rally.

Eijun followed up with a solid hit, and Furuya, along with Shirasu and others, kept the pressure on.

This inning, they scored two more runs.

In the bottom of the fourth, during their third rotation through the lineup, Seidou added another run.

Step by step, run by run, Seidou High's offense was like a sharp blade slowly piercing the heart of Nanagamari Tech's pitcher.

On the mound, Yamashita Itou, Nanagamari's second-string pitcher, was drenched in sweat and visibly pale. It was clear that he knew he was merely struggling in vain.

Nanagamari Tech was on the brink of complete collapse.

In just four innings, Seidou High had utterly dismantled Nanagamari Tech's defense, racking up a total of ten runs.

Meanwhile, Furuya's impeccable pitching kept their opponents scoreless, leaving Nanagamari Tech unable to capitalize on any opportunities.

One batter after another fell victim to strikeouts, unable to mount any offense.

This pattern continued until the top of the fifth inning when Nanagamari's cleanup hitter, Aoyama, stepped up for his second at-bat.

Finally, he managed to catch the trajectory of Furuya's fastball, driving it deep into left field for a long hit.

Eijun, unable to react in time, failed to stop the ball. It was Nanagamari Tech's first hit of the game, and with it, their first baserunner. It seemed as though they had poured all their remaining energy into this moment.

Capitalizing on this opportunity, they somehow managed to scrape a single run off Furuya—better than nothing, though hardly a victory.

In the stands, the tens of thousands of spectators shook their heads and sighed.

A regional powerhouse, a frequent participant in Koshien, was being thoroughly dominated by a first-year pitcher. To finally score a single run in the fifth inning was nothing short of tragic.

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