Chapter 24: The First Strike

The tension on the field was palpable as Furuya dominated the first few innings, his fastballs blazing past Yakushi's batters. Seidou had a narrow lead, but everyone knew it wasn't enough to relax. Yakushi wasn't the kind of team to stay down for long. They were dangerous, unpredictable, and lurking, ready to pounce on any mistake.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Raichi Todoroki stepped up to the plate, his bat resting casually on his shoulder as if the pressure of the finals didn't even phase him. The crowd roared, the air thick with anticipation as Furuya prepared to face him. Seidou's ace stared down Raichi with unwavering focus, but everyone in the dugout could feel it—the aura around Raichi was different.

"Be careful, Furuya," Miyuki muttered from behind the plate, his eyes locked onto Raichi's form. He knew better than anyone how dangerous Raichi could be. The power in his swing was monstrous, and if Furuya made even the slightest mistake, it could be catastrophic.

Furuya nodded, winding up his pitch. The ball rocketed out of his hand, flying toward the strike zone with blistering speed. But Raichi didn't flinch. In one smooth, practiced motion, he swung his bat with terrifying precision.

Crack!

The sound echoed through the stadium as Raichi made solid contact with Furuya's fastball, sending it soaring deep into left field. The ball flew higher and higher, and for a moment, the entire stadium seemed to hold its breath.

Eijun's heart sank as he watched the ball sail over the outfield fence.

"Home run!" the announcer shouted, and the Yakushi fans erupted into cheers. Raichi trotted around the bases with a grin, his eyes full of confidence and mischief as he returned to the dugout, slapping hands with his teammates.

Seidou's lead was gone in an instant. The score was now tied, and Yakushi had all the momentum.

Furuya stood on the mound, his expression unreadable, but Eijun could see the frustration in his eyes. That home run had rattled him, even if he didn't want to show it. Miyuki called for time and jogged to the mound, trying to calm Furuya down, but the pressure was starting to build.

"Stay calm, Furuya," Miyuki said, crouching down in front of him. "It was just one run. We're still in this game. Don't lose your focus."

Furuya nodded, but his grip on the ball tightened. He was trying to shake off the home run, but Eijun could tell that the weight of the finals was starting to get to him. This was the moment when cracks could appear, and Yakushi was the kind of team that exploited even the smallest opening.

As Furuya continued to pitch, his control began to waver. His fastballs were still powerful, but his accuracy wasn't as sharp as before. Yakushi's batters started to read him better, fouling off pitches and working deeper into counts. The next few innings became a grind for Seidou, with Furuya battling to keep them in the game.

By the sixth inning, the score was still tied, but Yakushi was pressuring Seidou's defense at every opportunity. The strain on Furuya was becoming more and more apparent. After a particularly rough at-bat that ended with Yakushi loading the bases, Coach Kataoka made his decision.

He stepped out of the dugout, raising his hand to signal a change.

"Sawamura!" Coach called.

Eijun's heart skipped a beat. This was it—his moment. He had been waiting for this chance, and now, with the game on the line, it was his turn to step up.

He quickly grabbed his glove, his body buzzing with energy as he sprinted toward the mound. The stadium seemed to blur around him as he took the ball from Furuya, who gave him a small nod before walking off the field. Despite the intensity of the situation, Eijun felt a surge of confidence. This was where he belonged—on the mound, with the game in his hands.

Miyuki met him at the mound, his expression serious but calm. "Alright, Sawamura. Bases are loaded, and we can't afford to give up any more runs. You know what to do."

Eijun nodded, his eyes blazing with determination. "Leave it to me, Miyuki-senpai. I won't let them score."

As he stared down the Yakushi batter, Eijun's mind raced. The pressure was immense, but he thrived on it. His fastball was his weapon, and he was going to use it to its full potential. He took a deep breath, letting the tension melt away, and wound up for his first pitch.

The first pitch whizzed past the batter, catching the outside corner for a strike. Eijun could hear the roar of the Seidou fans, but he blocked it all out. His focus was razor-sharp, and he wasn't going to let Yakushi break through.

The next pitch was a breaking ball, and the batter swung and missed, clearly fooled by the movement. Two strikes. One more and Eijun could get out of the inning without any damage.

Miyuki called for a fastball up and in, and Eijun delivered. The batter swung, but the ball jammed him, resulting in a weak grounder to third base. The fielder scooped it up and fired it to home, getting the force out and preventing the run from scoring.

One out. Two more to go.

The next batter stepped up, and the tension in the stadium seemed to increase. Yakushi wasn't going to go down without a fight. But Eijun's confidence was growing with each pitch. He could feel the momentum shifting back to Seidou's side.

The count went full on the next batter, and Eijun knew this was the crucial pitch. He wound up, his mind clear, and unleashed a blistering fastball down the middle. The batter swung, but missed.

"Strike three!" the umpire called.

Two outs. The bases were still loaded, but Eijun was in control.

The final batter of the inning stepped into the box, and Eijun could feel the weight of the game hanging in the balance. One more out, and Seidou would be out of the jam. Miyuki signaled for a fastball low and away, and Eijun nodded, determined to end the inning right here.

He wound up and released the pitch. The batter swung, and the ball shot off the bat, a sharp line drive toward center field. For a moment, Eijun's heart stopped, but then he saw Kuramochi racing toward the ball at full speed. With a diving catch, Kuramochi snagged the ball out of the air, ending the inning and saving Seidou from disaster.

The crowd erupted in cheers as Eijun let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. He had done it—he had kept Yakushi from scoring and kept Seidou's championship hopes alive.

As Eijun walked off the mound, he felt Miyuki pat him on the back. "Nice work, Sawamura. That's what we needed."

Eijun grinned, his heart pounding with excitement. "I told you, Miyuki-senpai! I won't let them beat us!"

But even as the celebration filled the dugout, Eijun knew the game was far from over. Yakushi wasn't going to go away quietly, and Seidou still had to find a way to score.

The storm was still raging, and the final battle for the championship had only just begun.