Chapter 19: A Rivalry Renewed

The celebration in the dugout was electric. Eijun could barely hear himself think over the shouts of joy and excitement as his teammates piled on each other. The thrill of a hard-fought win pulsed through the entire team. Seidou had come back from a two-run deficit to secure a victory in the most dramatic fashion possible—a walk-off home run.

Eijun smiled as he watched his teammates' excitement, but his heart wasn't as light as the others. He had done his job on the mound, keeping the game within reach, but there was something else nagging at him. The stakes were getting higher, and every game felt like a test. His own performance wasn't enough. He needed to be better.

As the team slowly began to settle down in the locker room after the game, Coach Katoka addressed them with the same stern, no-nonsense demeanor.

"Good job today, everyone," Coach began, his eyes scanning the room. "But don't get too comfortable. This is just one step. We've got a tough opponent coming up in the semifinals, and we need to be at our best."

The room fell quiet. Everyone knew who their next opponent was—Inashiro Industrial. It was a team known for its skill, experience, and, most of all, its ace pitcher—Narumiya Mei.

Narumiya was a legend in high school baseball circles. His precision, his fierce attitude on the mound, and his dominance over other teams had made him one of the most feared pitchers in the region. Facing him meant a battle of wills, and no one was looking forward to that challenge more than Furuya.

Eijun could feel the tension in the air. Furuya had been quiet since his rocky start in the tournament, and he knew this upcoming game against Narumiya was weighing heavily on him. The rivalry between Seidou and Inashiro Industrial was one thing, but Furuya's personal desire to outshine Narumiya was another.

The next few days of practice were grueling. Coach Katoka pushed the team harder than ever, drilling them on their hitting, their defense, and their mental game. No one was allowed to slack off. Seidou knew that if they wanted to beat Inashiro, they had to be sharp in every aspect of the game.

Eijun threw bullpen sessions, practicing his breaking ball relentlessly under Coach's watchful eye. Miyuki worked with him to perfect his control, focusing on the areas where he had shown hesitation during his last start. Every pitch mattered now, and Eijun couldn't afford to leave any room for error.

"I can't wait for the game," Eijun said one afternoon after practice, wiping sweat from his forehead. He looked over at Furuya, who was quietly going through his own drills on the mound. "We'll show Narumiya and Inashiro that Seidou's pitching staff is the best!"

Furuya didn't respond, but Eijun could sense the intensity radiating off of him. Furuya had been brooding ever since the last game, clearly unsatisfied with his own performance.

Miyuki, standing nearby, watched Furuya with a thoughtful expression. "It's going to be an interesting game," he said quietly. "Narumiya will be at his best, and so will Furuya. But we'll need more than just good pitching to win."

Eijun nodded, his excitement tempered by the reality of what they were up against. The last time Seidou had faced Narumiya, they had come up short. But this time, things felt different. Eijun had grown stronger, more confident, and he was ready to face whatever Inashiro threw at them.

The day of the semifinal arrived, and the stadium was packed. The atmosphere was tense, with fans from both schools filling the stands, eagerly anticipating the showdown between Seidou and Inashiro.

Eijun sat in the dugout, his leg bouncing with nervous energy. He wasn't starting today, and that made it even harder to sit still. Furuya had been given the ball, and this was his chance to prove that he could stand toe-to-toe with Narumiya.

As the teams lined up on the field for the pre-game ceremony, Eijun glanced across at Inashiro's dugout, where Narumiya stood with his trademark smirk, exuding confidence. The ace pitcher looked as unshakable as ever, his presence alone putting pressure on Seidou's lineup.

But Furuya was no longer the wide-eyed rookie he had been when they last faced Narumiya. He was silent, focused, his expression unreadable as he walked to the mound for the first pitch.

The game started with a roar of excitement from the crowd. Furuya's fastball blazed through the strike zone, catching the first batter off guard for a quick strikeout. The Seidou dugout erupted in cheers, but Furuya didn't even acknowledge it. He was locked in, determined to outshine Narumiya at any cost.

But as the game progressed, it became clear that Narumiya wasn't going to make it easy. Inashiro's batters chipped away at Furuya, fouling off tough pitches and taking advantage of any mistakes. By the fourth inning, Inashiro had managed to scratch across two runs, and Seidou was trailing 2-0.

In the dugout, the tension was thick. Eijun could see the frustration in Furuya's eyes as he walked off the mound after a particularly tough inning. Narumiya, on the other hand, was pitching like the ace he was known to be, shutting down Seidou's offense inning after inning.

"We've got to break through," Eijun muttered to himself, clenching his fists. He wanted to be out there, to make a difference. He could feel the weight of the game slipping away, but he refused to believe it was over.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, with Seidou still down 2-0, Coach Katoka made the decision to pull Furuya. Furuya's control had started to slip, and Inashiro's batters were beginning to time his fastballs better. The coach's hand rested on Furuya's shoulder as he took him out of the game.

"You did well," Coach said quietly, but Furuya's eyes were hard, his frustration evident.

Eijun watched as Furuya sat down on the bench, his head bowed, clearly upset with himself. There was no time for sympathy now, though. Coach turned to Eijun.

"Sawamura, get ready," he ordered, his tone firm. "You're going in."

Eijun felt his pulse quicken, but there was no hesitation in his steps as he grabbed his glove and made his way to the bullpen to warm up. This was his moment. His chance to turn the tide of the game.

As he jogged to the mound in the top of the seventh, the weight of the situation settled on his shoulders. They were down by two runs against one of the strongest teams in the tournament. He couldn't afford any mistakes.

Miyuki crouched behind the plate, giving him a steady look. "Let's keep it simple, Sawamura. Focus on what you've been practicing. We'll shut them down."

Eijun nodded, taking a deep breath. The pressure was immense, but this was where he thrived. The mound was where he belonged.

His first pitch was a fastball, and it hit Miyuki's glove with a loud thunk. The batter swung and missed, and the umpire called, "Strike one!"

The crowd roared, and Eijun could feel the adrenaline surging through him.

This was it.

He was ready to face Narumiya and Inashiro head-on.

With Eijun on the mound, Seidou's defense held strong. He struck out two batters in quick succession and forced the third to ground out, giving Seidou a chance to mount a comeback.

As Eijun walked off the mound, he glanced at Furuya, who was sitting on the bench with a distant expression. There was no time to dwell on it now, but Eijun knew that the rivalry between them was far from over.

They were both fighting for the same thing—the title of Seidou's ace.

And this game, this moment, was just another step in that journey.