<185> Two Pitchers

Chapter 185: Two Pitchers

One out, no runners on base.

Raichi struck out, dealing a significant blow to Yakushi High School's offense.

In the dugout, Yakushi's players were stunned. The fans in the stands were equally shocked.

"This is trouble!"

Even Raizou, who was always brimming with confidence, couldn't help but feel that their opponent was far stronger than he had anticipated.

At this stage, even his strategies to turn the game around seemed increasingly difficult to execute.

"We've already played all our cards. The other team even made a mistake—a fairly significant one. By all accounts, the momentum on the field should've shifted by now."

But contrary to his expectations, that shift never occurred.

Instead, their opponents grew more imposing as the game progressed. Now, the way they looked at Yakushi resembled hunters closing in on their prey.

"Sanada!"

Hearing his coach's call, Sanada, who had yet to step up to bat, quickly approached.

Before Raizou could speak, Sanada declared firmly,

"I'll give it everything I've got!"

At this point, they had no other option but to fight tooth and nail.

As Yakushi's ace, Sanada fully understood his responsibilities. He had no room to consider the games that might follow.

Only by winning today's match could they hope for a future.

If they failed…

This game would mark the end of their summer season.

Seeing such a determined player, Raizou couldn't help but feel deeply moved.

He had seen many players over the years, but aces as dependable as Sanada were rare gems.

For Yakushi High School's baseball team, their greatest fortune was having Raizou as their coach.

It was under his guidance that Yakushi transformed into the competitive team they were today.

Even now, standing on the same field as the Kanto champions seemed completely natural to everyone watching.

But from Raizou's perspective, he also felt incredibly fortunate—for one reason in particular.

The discovery of Sanada, an extraordinary talent, was the ultimate blessing for their team.

The fierce competition in West Tokyo was far more brutal than Raizou had imagined.

If not for the serendipity of finding such an exceptional pitcher, Yakushi would have struggled to pose any threat to the region's three powerhouse teams, at least in his first two years as coach.

"With heaven's help like this, how can we not give it everything we've got?"

The game continued.

Yakushi's batters stepped into the batter's box one after another.

The next batter, Kazuma Akiba, approached with a deep frown etched across his face.

The psychological impact of Raichi's strikeout was far greater than Seidou had anticipated.

When Yakushi realized that Seidou's current pitcher was no pushover, their confidence wavered.

The score difference between the two teams had already grown to six runs!

If Yakushi High School fails to find a way to handle this pitcher in the next two innings…

If Seidou High School's baseball team demonstrates their overwhelming offensive power once again, how will the game change?

Will Yakushi High School be unable to make it through all nine innings and face an early elimination?

Even though the players of Yakushi High School were doing their best to avoid thinking this way, such thoughts lingered in their minds, refusing to go away.

This is the power of momentum!

Kazuma Akiba, despite his impressive skills, was still a Yakushi player, and he couldn't completely escape the psychological effects.

The veins bulging on his forehead and his deeply furrowed brows said it all.

Crouching in the catcher's position, Miyuki wasn't one to overlook the openings revealed by his opponent.

After observing Akiba's demeanor, Miyuki raised an eyebrow slightly and quickly signaled to the pitcher's mound.

Sawamura, catching the signal, nodded obediently.

Having learned his lesson before, he now followed his catcher's instructions to the letter.

His reactions were so exaggerated that Seidou's bench couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"Even though they're both first-years, the treatment these two get is completely different!"

"Well, it can't be helped. Furuya's 'gifted prodigy' aura is way too strong. Even the captain—"

"Cut it out already!"

Before the chatter could go too far, Ota, the team manager, quickly stepped in to stop it.

However, Chris had his own perspective on the matter.

"Although neither of them received formal baseball training during middle school, there's still a clear gap between them. Furuya was the runner-up in his regional tournament, while Sawamura was eliminated in the first round. Not to mention, there's a difference in their mental maturity."

At first, Seidou's players were surprised by Chris's analysis. But as they thought it over, they realized how sharp Chris's judgment was—it was eerily accurate.

Furuya's mental maturity was far beyond his peers.

It was this maturity that made his performance on the mound so reliable.

No one worried about him losing control in the heat of the moment.

They certainly didn't worry about him acting recklessly!

It's a known fact that even ace pitchers, under the pressure of the game, can make careless, basic mistakes.

For instance, Inashiro Industrial's ace—a player who often gave his coach and teammates headaches.

Despite repeated warnings from his coach and captain not to reveal his new pitch prematurely, he couldn't resist using it in an actual game.

In the Kanto Tournament finals, Seidou's victory was undoubtedly due in part to their formidable strength.

However, there's no denying that seeing Narumiya Mei's new pitch beforehand also gave them a crucial advantage.

Had they encountered it for the first time during the game, the outcome of that Kanto Tournament final could have been very different.

As for Seidou's second-string pitcher, Sawamura, he might not yet hold a high position within the team, but his ability to stir things up was unmatched.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that even Seidou's own teammates often found themselves at a loss when dealing with him.

Only Miyuki seemed capable of keeping him in check.

The game continued, and Sawamura's performance left everyone in awe.

Facing the already nervous Akiba, Sawamura left him with no room to breathe.

"Ping!"

Ultimately, Akiba barely managed to make contact with the ball.

The ball flew directly toward Seidou High School's first baseman.

Watching the ball's trajectory, Akiba felt a chill run down his spine.

Standing in front of him was Yuuki, a player who didn't look like he'd ever make a mistake.

Indeed, that was the case.

With a calm expression, Yuuki extended his glove and securely caught the ball as it approached.

"Pop!"

"Out!"

Two outs, no runners on base.

Next up to bat for Yakushi High School was their third batter, Mishima.

Mishima was known for his sharp tongue and playful personality.

Confidently stepping into the batter's box, he even found time to banter with his coach before the pitch.

"Coach! If I hit this ball, can I be the cleanup hitter?"

The fans of Seidou High School, overhearing this audacious remark, stared in disbelief.

Was there really such competition within Yakushi High School?

Their reaction seemed a little too casual for such a significant matter.

Shouldn't internal issues be resolved privately?

Why would they openly expose such conflict, giving their opponents an advantage?

Seidou's players would never do something like this.

Before the fans could fully process their shock, they heard Yakushi's coach respond:

"Sure! If you hit it, you're the team's cleanup hitter!"

The coach's straightforward reply left everyone stunned once more.

In any team, the two most crucial positions were undoubtedly the ace pitcher and the cleanup hitter.

It was clear to everyone that Yakushi's cleanup hitter should be Raichi Todoroki.

While team strategies might occasionally shuffle his position in the lineup, his role as the team's core and strongest batter was unquestionable.

This was the widely accepted opinion.

However, Yakushi High School didn't seem to follow conventional wisdom.

They appeared ready to replace a key player without hesitation.

Interestingly, none of the fans believed Yakushi was joking.

For most teams, protecting the integrity of the lineup was paramount. But for Yakushi, nothing seemed off-limits.

The game continued.

Encouraged by his coach's promise, Mishima confidently raised his bat high.

It was clear to everyone that he was determined to hit the ball far.

Because of this, a sense of curiosity filled the air.

What would he do?

The answer came quickly.

Facing Sawamura's pitch, Mishima swung with all his might.

His aggressive swing startled both Seidou's players and supporters.

From their perspective, it seemed like Mishima was genuinely going all out, which was both intimidating and unsettling.

However, their tension didn't last long.

While Mishima's swing was intimidating, the result of his hit was entirely different.

The white ball flew high into the air, seemingly soaring far, but in reality, it didn't travel much distance before dropping straight down.

Seidou's fielders immediately rushed to the spot where the ball was descending.

It landed directly above the pitcher's mound.

If it were Furuya pitching, Seidou's fielders wouldn't have worried at all.

They were fully aware of their ace's abilities—there was no way Furuya would have made a mistake on a ball like that.

But Sawamura was pitching now.

Considering the opponent's strength, he couldn't help but feel a little nervous.

As the saying goes, "better safe than sorry."

What if he made a mistake?

As upperclassmen, it was their duty to back up their junior and ensure everything went smoothly.

Thus, several fielders rushed toward the falling ball, ready to catch it should Sawamura falter.

But then they heard Sawamura's confident voice:

"Relax, leave it to me!"

Sawamura radiated assurance, certain he could catch the ball.

And he did.

The white ball fell straight into his glove.

"Pop!"

"Out!!!"

This seemingly routine play sent Seidou's players and supporters into a frenzy.

"Three up, three down!!!"

"Even our second pitcher is this good?"

Seidou's supporters couldn't even find the words to express their excitement.

They were overwhelmed with emotion!

To say their spirits soared would be an understatement. Every cell in their bodies seemed to be cheering.

This was the magic of baseball. Moments like these made them feel proud to cheer for Seidou High School's baseball team.

For Yakushi High School, their three first-year batters had dominated against Ichidaisan High in their previous match, stealing the spotlight.

But now, against Seidou's second pitcher, these so-called "little monsters" were shut down with a clean three up, three down.

The satisfaction was overwhelming! It was as if every part of their bodies reveled in the joy.

Meanwhile, the atmosphere in Yakushi's dugout was suffocating.

Yakushi High School was known for their relentless spirit, their unwavering energy on the field.

No matter how dire the game seemed, they always exuded vitality, a trait that often unnerved their opponents.

But now, it seemed that even their trademark spirit was faltering.

The players' faces were filled with confusion and frustration.

Facing Seidou's two pitchers, they had failed consecutively, something unthinkable for them.

Even if their three first-year players managed to perform in their next at-bats, how many runs could they score?

They were already six runs behind.

The mountain they had to climb felt impossibly steep.

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