[92] Showdown with Akikawa

Chapter 92: Showdown with Akikawa

Unleashing His Potential

This was the instruction Eijun received from Coach Kataoka on the bench.

To be honest, Eijun was quite shocked by Coach Kataoka's directive. He knew his own abilities well enough—not to the point of being disheartened like in the original story, but certainly not at a level where he'd be entrusted with such a crucial moment.

It was the fourth game of the summer tournament.

This wasn't a practice game where players could be tested.

This was a match with everything on the line, a ruthless battle where the loser would immediately be eliminated.

And in such a tense situation, Coach Kataoka's instruction was—to decide for himself? To play freely?!

Eijun was momentarily dumbfounded.

On the bench, Ota, the team's director, could no longer hold back.

"Coach, this is a great scoring opportunity. We should send in a pinch hitter, I think..."

"This is Sawamura's moment," Coach Kataoka said, waving off Ota's suggestion, his eyes firmly locked on the field, saying no more.

That expression made Ota deeply uncomfortable.

This is the summer tournament!!!

Chris, who was keeping records nearby, gently shook his head.

It wasn't that Coach Kataoka didn't want to give instructions or anything like that.

It was simply that, in this situation, there weren't many viable options. Sending in a pinch hitter? That didn't seem like a great idea. Sure, Seidou still had three other pitchers available, and swapping out Eijun wouldn't necessarily be an issue.

However, that was only a reasonable strategy if they were already in the lead.

Right now, the game was tied.

For five innings, Eijun had completely shut down Akikawa's lineup, performing at his peak. If they substituted him now and failed to score, they'd enter the later stages with a 0-0 tie, which could spell trouble.

As for other tactics, forcing a run? Couldn't they see how the opponent's infield was prepared?

A sacrifice fly?

It wasn't impossible, but it carried the risk of a double play. Eijun didn't have the power for a strong hit, and the runner on third wasn't Kuramochi.

It was a difficult situation.

Considering the pros and cons, Eijun had shown he could get some solid hits in the past.

The best option was clear.

"So that's how it is, huh?"

As Eijun adjusted the dirt under his feet in the batter's box, he quickly weighed the risks and benefits. His eyes glinted with a moment of realization.

The worst outcome was simply that he would be out.

But what he absolutely had to avoid was grounding into a double play. Other than that, it would be fine. Even if he were out, it would only be one out. Haruichi would be up next, and after him, it would be the heart of the lineup.

This was the least risky move.

And for him, it was also the biggest stage to showcase his abilities!

A subtle, yet irrepressible excitement flashed in Eijun's eyes as he locked onto the figure of You Shunshin, his opponent. The atmosphere of a true showdown began to form!

"Shun, they'll probably go for a forced run," said Sekiguchi from the catcher's position, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"Yeah, infielders stay on high alert, and let's make sure the outfield works in sync with us. We can't allow even a single run!" You Shunshin took a deep breath, a resolute gleam flashing in his eyes.

Normally, in this situation, they should have taken a middle defense approach, allowing for a run to ensure an out. That would have been the safest play.

But the current circumstances forced You Shunshin into a riskier strategy.

Fortunately, the batter standing before him wasn't exactly known for his hitting ability.

The first pitch!

An inside fastball, straight to the chest—he had to suppress Eijun's momentum right from the start!

Sekiguchi gave a slight nod, shifting his mitt toward the inside corner.

Eijun settled into his batting stance, his gaze locked onto You Shunshin, not blinking once.

As You raised his left leg high and stepped forward, his right arm swung with full force.

Whoosh!

The ball shot out like a flash of light.

It sped rapidly toward home plate.

The moment the ball left his hand, Akikawa's infielders tensed, especially the third baseman. If Miyuki made even the slightest move, he was ready to react immediately.

Here it comes!?

At the moment of impact, a glint of determination flickered in Eijun's eyes.

An inside pitch.

Eijun's sharp sense of the ball and keen eyesight allowed him to immediately track the pitch's trajectory in the next second.

He stepped outward, widening the distance between himself and the ball. Gripping the bat tightly with both hands, he swung upward with force.

Whoosh.

The bat sliced through the air, and a sharp, intense aura surged as he made his move.

Crack!

A sharp sound echoed through the stadium.

Eijun's expression faltered for a moment as a slight pain shot through his hands. The vibration from the ball's impact traveled up the bat, making him acutely aware of the force behind the pitch.

Whizz.

Thud.

"Foul!"

The ball bounced off and landed outside the third-base foul line.

"What a tricky pitch," Eijun thought, gritting his teeth. The angle of the ball, combined with its velocity, sent a tingling pain through his palms. The real issue, though, was that he hadn't timed his swing or angled the bat properly.

"Good, first pitch down," You Shunshin's eyes flickered with a faint gleam of satisfaction. However, his peripheral vision caught a glimpse of Miyuki at third base, who had remained completely still. This only heightened You's sense of caution.

For the second pitch, he planned an outside high fastball. If he could deceive Eijun into swinging, that would be ideal.

As soon as the signal was agreed upon, You Shunshin didn't hesitate and released the second pitch.

Whoosh.

The ball zipped through the air, a streak of light hurtling toward the plate.

The glint of white in Eijun's field of vision made his pupils contract sharply. Just as he instinctively started to swing, a voice in his head warned him to stop. He forced himself to hold back at the last moment.

Smack.

"Ball!"

The umpire's call rang out, and beads of sweat formed on Eijun's forehead.

"That was close," he thought. If he'd swung at that pitch, he might have been done for.

No swing?

You Shunshin frowned slightly. If Eijun had swung at that pitch, You Shunshin had more than a 50% chance of getting an out, and possibly even a double play. At worst, it would've been a strike. He hadn't expected Eijun to hold back.

A trace of regret appeared on You's face.

Still, it didn't change the overall situation.

Next up, another outside high fastball. This time, he would lower the pitch slightly. You Shunshin tapped his left arm twice, signaling to Sekiguchi, who nodded in acknowledgment.

Whoosh.

Another flash of white light.

Eijun's eyes narrowed as he focused on the ball's trajectory, tracking it into the strike zone.

It's in the zone!

In an instant, Eijun made his decision. He stepped forward, widening his stance, and swung the bat forcefully.

The ball zoomed toward the plate, and for a split second, it was mere inches from connecting with the bat.

But in that fleeting moment, the white ball narrowly evaded the bat's reach.

It sailed perfectly into the catcher's mitt.

Smack.

"Strike!"

Two strikes. You Shunshin had now pushed Eijun to the edge. One more strike and he'd be out!

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