Chapter 46: Top Eight!

'Is this guy even human?'

Watching Kuramochi slide into second base, the players from Nihon Shouno High School couldn't help but wonder in disbelief.

His speed was incredible!

In the blink of an eye, he had dashed from first base to second.

In front of the TV, the students from Inashiro Industrial High School watching the live broadcast were equally stunned.

"Has this guy's batting improved too?"

Shirakawa murmured in dissatisfaction.

"It seems like it, there's no doubt about it," Carlos agreed.

"If that's the case, facing them will be extremely tough."

"Humph, I'm not going to lose!"

Narumiya responded, visibly frustrated.

Coach Kunitomo had appeared behind them at some point, coldly observing Narumiya. He uttered three words from his lips.

"Go and rest!"

Inashiro Industrial High School's luck was just average, with the game scheduled for the day after tomorrow.

Narumiya's stamina was showing signs of depletion.

The continuous fierce battles were a significant concern for Inashiro Industrial High School.

"I didn't…"

Narumiya tried to say something but, seeing Coach Kunitomo's icy stare, he ultimately said nothing.

He obediently returned to his room to rest like a grounded child.

His inner burning desire to face off against Seidou again was burning brightly, believing they could win again just as they had in the fall.

On the field, the game continued.

Kuramochi at second base was still restless.

He was eager to steal the base.

Nihon Shouno High School's pitcher continually cast glances at him.

Unable to endure any longer, the pitcher threw a pickoff attempt.

Whoosh!

As soon as he pulled back to pitch,

Kuramochi had already returned to second base ahead of time.

"Safe!"

Again, the result was the same.

"Safe!!!"

If glares had the power of bullets, Kuramochi would be holier than Swiss cheese by now.

Shouno pitcher was extremely frustrated with him.

But there was nothing they could do.

"Focus on the batter!"

"We'll stop him."

In desperation, the surrounding teammates tried to relieve the pressure on their ace pitcher.

Since they couldn't tag Out Kuramochi, they had to confront the batter head-on.

For Kuramochi, this was an opportunity.

The moment the pitcher turned to pitch, Kuramochi leaped forward like a hunting cheetah, zooming out.

Fast!

"Third base!"

Nihon Shouno High School's players were clearly caught off guard by Kuramochi's sudden move.

"Die!"

The catcher from Nihon Shouno High School, having anticipated this, quickly threw to third base after receiving the ball.

But it was futile.

As the ball entered the third baseman's glove, Kuramochi touched the base with his hand.

"SAFE!"

The count changed from one Out with a runner on second to one Out with a runner on third.

Coach Kataoka decisively signaled to the players on the field.

'Get that Run!'

Rather than letting Kominato Haruichi bat normally, it was more important to score a run solidly at this moment and put more pressure on the opponent.

Paak!

Haruichi executed a bunt.

Kuramochi, stationed at third base, moved like a speeding train.

In the blink of an eye, he raced home.

Helping the team score the third run.

The score was now 3-0.

Seidou High School's offensive wasn't over yet.

Shiratsu, who had been promoted to third batter, after observing two pitches, finally hit the ball beautifully.

Ping!

The white ball flew past the first baseman, resulting in a long hit.

Shiratsu sprinted to second base.

With two Outs and a runner on second, it was now the fourth batter, Miyuki's turn.

Faced with the batter who had previously hit the decisive ball against them, Nihon Shouno High School's pitcher and catcher were very hesitant.

After checking the score on the field, they made a tough decision to confront Miyuki head-on.

Given the current situation, they were too far behind.

If they couldn't handle Miyuki directly, there was no way to turn the game around.

Only by defeating Miyuki could they hope to regain some momentum.

'Come on!'

'Let's stop them here!'

At this moment, Shouno's pitcher and catcher were determined.

They chose to engage in a desperate struggle against Seidou High School.

The result, of course, was their defeat.

Miyuki, the fourth batter for the team, was the most formidable player for Seidou High School when there were runners on base.

Ping!

The white ball was smashed out of the park.

Miyuki hit a two-run home run.

Helping Seidou High School extend their lead to five runs.

Even without their Ace, Miyuki could still lead the team effectively.

The score was now 5-0.

This was not the final score of the game.

In the eighth inning, Kominato Haruichi, Shiratsu, and Miyuki each got a hit.

Expanding Seidou High School's lead to seven runs.

Of course, Nihon Shouno High School didn't just take the beating quietly; they fought back.

With a Walk, their fourth batter hit a timely single.

The fifth batter followed with another timely single.

They managed to recover two runs.

Bringing the score to 7-2.

This helped their team regain a bit of dignity.

But it had little impact on the overall result.

Seidou High School won the game with a commanding lead.

With their Ace pitcher Sawamura Eijun still in reserve, Seidou High School defeated their opponents 7-2.

Nihon Shouno High School was eliminated at the top sixteen.

Seidou High School advanced to the top eight of the Spring Koshien, joining their old friends.

Unlike the Summer Koshien where the second-round draw is done, the Spring Koshien's brackets had already been determined.

Seidou High School's opponent in the quarterfinals was already set.

They were now comfortably sitting in the stands, watching Seidou High School.

The 'Battery Twin' of Yamamori Academy.

They had also advanced to the top eight of Koshien and would compete with Seidou High School for a semifinal spot.

After the game, Seidou High School's school song resounded once again in the Koshien stadium.

The spectators around were fervently cheering for the players on the field.

Among them, the most cheered was undoubtedly Furuya.

He was the undisputed star of the game.

With powerful hitting too!

Despite allowing two runs, he perfectly dominated the prestigious Nihon Shouno High School.

His pitching performance was nothing short of spectacular.

Additionally, he contributed with a home run and two RBIs.

Leading both offensively and defensively.

The spotlight was all on him.

It's certain that tomorrow's newspapers will feature extensive coverage of them.

On the other side, the final team in the Spring Koshien top eight was also revealed.

Without surprises or unexpected outcomes, it was another familiar face for Seidou High School, especially for Sawamura Eijun.

Hoshiryu High School.

The dark horse team from Nagano Prefecture.

…

T/N: That's it for now.

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