章節 21: Chapter 21: The Final Showdown

The stadium buzzed with electric anticipation as the game entered the bottom of the eighth inning. Seidou was tied with Inashiro, 2-2, and the tension on the field was palpable. The stakes were higher than ever, with only two innings left to decide who would advance to the finals.

Eijun sat in the dugout, adrenaline still coursing through him after his successful inning on the mound. He had kept Inashiro off the board, but now it was up to the offense to pull through. The pressure on Seidou's hitters was immense. Everyone knew Narumiya would come back out, and the task of breaking through his defenses one more time seemed daunting.

Miyuki, Seidou's captain and catcher, stood ready as the team's leadoff batter for the inning. His face was serious, focused, and determined. He had been battling Narumiya all game, but Eijun knew Miyuki well—he thrived in moments like this.

"I'll crack him open," Miyuki had said before the game, and now was his chance.

Narumiya, standing tall on the mound, delivered his first pitch—a blistering fastball. Miyuki's bat stayed still, as he allowed the pitch to pass for a ball. His sharp eyes scanned Narumiya's every movement, waiting for his opportunity.

The second pitch came—a curveball that dipped late. Miyuki swung this time, and the ball connected. It wasn't a home run, but the crack of the bat echoed through the stadium as the ball sailed into left field for a single.

Eijun jumped to his feet, pumping his fist. "Miyuki-senpai, you're amazing!" he shouted, unable to contain his excitement. The dugout exploded with cheers, and Miyuki gave a quick nod of acknowledgment, his trademark smirk appearing as he jogged to first base.

With no outs and a runner on, Seidou had a golden opportunity to take the lead. But Narumiya wasn't going to give them any more chances. His eyes burned with intensity as he faced the next batter, Kuramochi.

Kuramochi, known for his speed, stood in the batter's box with his bat resting on his shoulder, bouncing slightly on the balls of his feet. Narumiya glared at him, knowing that if Kuramochi got on base, Seidou's offense would gain dangerous momentum.

Narumiya wound up and fired a fastball low in the zone, aiming for a ground ball to force a double play. But Kuramochi, reading the pitch, laid down a perfect bunt. The ball rolled slowly toward third base, and the Inashiro infield scrambled to react.

Kuramochi took off like a bullet, sprinting toward first base. Narumiya fielded the ball quickly and hurled it to first, but Kuramochi beat the throw by a step. Safe.

Two runners on, no outs.

The Seidou dugout roared with energy, the momentum now firmly on their side. Eijun could feel his own heart racing. They had Narumiya cornered.

With Miyuki on second and Kuramochi on first, Kominato stepped up to the plate. He was calm and collected, as always. His presence alone seemed to steady the team, giving them confidence.

Narumiya, his frustration starting to show, wiped the sweat from his brow and set up for his next pitch. He threw a fastball high and inside, hoping to jam Kominato, but the batter simply fouled it off, staying alive.

The count ran to 2-2, and the tension in the air was thick enough to cut. Narumiya threw a curveball this time, aiming for the outside corner of the plate. But Kominato didn't hesitate—he swung hard, sending a line drive into right field.

Miyuki took off from second base, rounding third with full speed. The right fielder charged the ball and made a quick throw to the plate, but Miyuki slid in, just beating the tag.

Safe.

Seidou had taken the lead, 3-2.

The dugout erupted with cheers, and Eijun felt like his heart might burst out of his chest. They were ahead, and now it was up to the pitching staff to hold on.

Narumiya, standing on the mound, gritted his teeth. His confidence had been shaken, but he wasn't out yet. With runners still on first and second, he bore down, striking out the next batter with a mix of fastballs and changeups. Two outs later, he finally managed to escape the inning, but the damage had been done.

Seidou had the lead.

As Eijun prepared to take the mound for the top of the ninth, the weight of the situation pressed down on him. This was it—the final inning. All he had to do was hold Inashiro off for three more outs, and Seidou would be advancing to the finals.

But standing in his way was Narumiya Mei.

Narumiya was due up second in the inning, and the idea of facing the ace pitcher sent a thrill of both fear and excitement through Eijun's body. He had admired Narumiya's talent for so long, but now they were opponents, battling for the same dream.

Miyuki met Eijun on the mound, his calm presence steadying Eijun's nerves. "Sawamura, don't overthink it. Just pitch the way you've been pitching all game," he said with a firm nod.

Eijun took a deep breath and nodded back. This was his moment.

The first batter stepped up, and Eijun quickly got ahead in the count, using his fastball to overpower him. On the third pitch, the batter swung and missed, striking out.

One out.

Narumiya strode to the plate next, his eyes burning with determination. Eijun could feel the intensity radiating off of him. This wasn't just a showdown between Seidou and Inashiro. It was a battle between two pitchers, each fighting for dominance.

Miyuki called for a fastball, and Eijun nodded. He wound up and delivered the pitch with everything he had. Narumiya swung hard, but the ball sailed just under his bat and into Miyuki's glove. Strike one.

Eijun's heart pounded in his chest, but he couldn't afford to get too excited. Narumiya wasn't someone who went down easily.

The next pitch was a breaking ball, and Narumiya didn't bite, letting it pass for a ball. The count evened at 1-1.

Miyuki signaled for another fastball, this time inside. Eijun fired it in, and Narumiya swung again, making contact this time. The ball shot toward the right side of the infield, but Seidou's second baseman made a diving stop, throwing Narumiya out at first.

Two outs.

Eijun exhaled, his heart racing as the stadium erupted in cheers. He was one out away. One out from sealing the win.

The next batter stepped up to the plate, and Eijun could feel the weight of the moment pressing down on him. He couldn't mess this up.

Miyuki called for the fastball, and Eijun threw it with everything he had. The batter fouled it off, and the count quickly went to 0-2.

Eijun stepped off the mound for a moment, taking a deep breath to steady himself. His entire body felt tense, but he couldn't let the pressure get to him now.

Miyuki called for a curveball, and Eijun nodded. He wound up, his focus laser-sharp as he released the pitch.

The ball curved perfectly, dropping just below the batter's swing. The umpire's call rang out clearly.

"Strike three!"

The stadium erupted in cheers as Eijun stood on the mound, his fist raised in triumph. Seidou had done it. They had beaten Inashiro, and they were moving on to the finals.

Eijun's teammates rushed out of the dugout, celebrating their hard-fought victory. Miyuki clapped Eijun on the back, grinning from ear to ear. "Nice job, Sawamura. You came through when we needed you."

Eijun smiled, his heart swelling with pride. The journey wasn't over yet, but for now, they could savor the victory.

As he looked around at his teammates, their smiles and cheers filling the air, Eijun knew that this was just the beginning. The finals awaited them, and he was ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

But in this moment, one thing was clear.

Seidou had earned their place in the final battle, and Eijun Sawamura was ready to lead them to victory.