Chapter 61: Not Easy

In the second half of the sixth inning, the lineup was stopped at Maezono.

Sawamura's brilliant bunt only brought in one run, making the score 4:3.

The thrilling confrontation in this inning left everyone around in awe.

During this time, Fujio finally arrived at Seidou High School with his partner. He was clearly in a rush, having run all the way.

Upon arrival, he went straight to an acquaintance and asked, slightly breathless, "I didn't miss any exciting moments, did I?"

The acquaintance, an old alumnus of Seidou High School, turned stiffly towards Fujio, gave him a sympathetic look, and said, "No."

As a seasoned reporter, Fujio was skilled at reading people. He sensed he had missed something important, but his acquaintance was keeping it a secret.

It was clear that no news about this Seidou intra-squad match had leaked beforehand, and very few peers were present.

Even these few peers did not bring professional equipment, indicating their purpose was more about interviewing Seidou's coaches and players rather than recording the game.

A simple interview didn't require high-end cameras—just a notebook, a pen, and a basic camera would suffice.

Everything seemed normal, but the excitement on the faces of Fujio's colleagues was puzzling.

"I didn't expect such intense battles in practice matches," Fujio noted, comparing it to the previous fierce match between Inajitsu and Yakushi High School.

It was a shame that no one had brought professional cameras for such an intense game.

Aside from Seidou High School insiders, no one else would have a recording of this match.

By the time Fujio arrived, the seventh inning had already started.

The third-year seniors were up to bat.

Due to Sawamura Eijun's consecutive three-up-three-down, it was the lower line's turn to bat.

"Seventh batter, left fielder, Sakai."

Sakai, one of the key players for the team, stepped up to the plate. Though often criticized for his average skills compared to his teammates, he was a seasoned third-year player who had endured the toughest times.

Despite his less impressive strength, Sakai's presence was formidable.

'Miyuki, Sakai-san's aura is very strong today. If we're not careful, we might face trouble,' Sawamura observed.

Miyuki signaled to Sawamura, indicating his awareness.

Sawamura, however, was not particularly concerned. He knew the real challenge lay ahead and did not see Sakai as a significant threat.

Sakai, determined and nervous, gripped his bat tightly, knowing he could not back down.

'I mustn't retreat!'

Even with sweating palms, Sakai pressed forward. He had worked hard to reach this level and wasn't going to let this chance slip away.

Sakai followed the form of the batter before him, running with determination towards his goal.

Finally, he reached the place he had only dreamed of— the Koshien Finals!

'I'm also a key player for Seidou!'

At that moment, Sakai unleashed his skills honed at Seidou High School to their peak.

Against Eijun's pitch, he swung the bat.

Ping!

The ball soared in an arc after making contact. Miyuki, the catcher, watched in astonishment.

'He actually CONNECTED?!!'

The ball landed near second base, where Haruichi quickly retrieved it and threw it to first base.

Snap!

"OUT!!"

Although Sakai made a beautiful hit, it was in vain.

The Seidou High School freshmen's defense, though less experienced than the third-year seniors, was still strong as a national powerhouse.

Getting the Out was expected.

'I was too careless just now!' Miyuki signaled to Sawamura, letting him take note.

Sawamura smiled awkwardly. He wished he could avoid this, but he couldn't afford to pitch perfectly every time. Even in five innings, if every pitch were a winning shot, Sawamura's fingers would not hold up.

Thus, there would be some straight balls and normal pitches.

'Such pitches could be hit, and even hit far.'

Sakai's hit served as a serious warning to Sawamura.

His focus intensified for the next pitches.

"STRIKE!"

"STRIKE!!"

"STRIKE BATTER OUT!!"

"STRIKE BATTER OUT!!!"

After Sakai, Kadota, and Tanpa were struck out in succession.

Three Outs, offense and defense exchange.

At this point, the third-year seniors still had no effective strategy against Sawamura Eijun. They struggled to even come up with a basic plan.

"So there is no easy way for it, isn't it?"

"Of course, he is the Ace of Koshien, The Maou!"

"Getting him down won't be easy. If it was, we won't be the Champions."

In the bottom half of the seventh inning, it was the New Seidou High School's turn to bat. Their fighting spirit was at an all-time high.

"Sixth batter, right fielder, Shiratsu."

In this game, most players, aside from a few, have not had outstanding performances. Shiratsu, known for his solid batting, was among them.

Shiratsu, feeling a bit unsatisfied, stepped up to the plate, staring intently at the pitcher's mound where Tanpa Koichiro stood.

Tanpa and his pitching partner, Chris, were well-prepared for Shiratsu. Although his presence was not overwhelming, Shiratsu's skills were among the top three in the new Seidou team.

Chris and Tanpa, having been former teammates of Shiratsu, were well aware of Shiratsu's prowess. They knew they had to be fully focused to handle him.

Ping!

Snap!

"OUT!"

With a Pop-fly to the third base, Shiratsu was Out again.

One Out, no one on base.

"Seventh batter, center fielder, Toujou."

Following Shiratsu's out, Toujou stepped up to bat.

Since switching to the outfield, Toujou had become a crucial player, especially in a team lacking offensive power. Previously, he was a key pitcher who helped his team reach the top four nationally and was now an essential part of the lineup.

Although switching positions was a tough adjustment, Toujou was determined to excel. He gripped his bat tightly, knowing this was a great opportunity.

'In today's game, most second-year players, except for Miyuki-senpai and Kuramochi-senpai, had been ineffective. The third-year Senpais knew the strengths and weaknesses of the second-year players, having watched them grow. In contrast-'

The first-year players were relatively unknown to the third-years. The first-year players had fewer opportunities to interact with them, giving the freshmen an edge.

This gap in information could directly impact the outcome of the game.

Toujou had both the intention and the action to match.

He lifted the bat, his eyes fixed intently on Tanpa Koichiro.

At the same time, Chris, the catcher, analyzed Toujou with a serious expression.

'From their previous two encounters, although we had successfully dealt with Toujou, he had caused quite a bit of trouble.'

Chris hadn't paid much attention to this freshman before, but he had to admit that through their previous matches, he now viewed Toujou's skills with great respect.

'His defensive abilities were impressive, particularly his 70-meter throw, which left a strong impression.'

'As for his batting power, his style was very similar to Shiratsu's—both were highly versatile with no obvious weaknesses.'

Chris glanced at the scoreboard.

'It was now the bottom of the seventh inning. If all went well, Tanpa just needed to hold on for two more innings.'

'Although Tanpa's pitch count was nearing 70, he had grown significantly during this time, at least having passed the 70-pitch milestone.'

'It should be fine!'

'So, let's use a more tricky pitch to deal with this freshman.'

The first pitch was the High-drop Curveball.

When facing an opponent whose strengths aren't fully known, it's best to use the pitcher's strengths.

Tanpa, on the mound, nodded slightly after receiving the signal.

He then stepped forward and threw the baseball with force.

Whoosh!

The white ball soared sharply towards Toujou.

Toujou didn't back away from the pitch aimed at him. Instead, he kept his eyes locked on it as it approached.

'Here it comes!'

The ball was rapidly descending.

Toujou was clearly prepared for this.

Seeing the dropping ball, he swung his bat.

However, the drop of the curveball was just too extreme.

Even with his swing, he couldn't make contact.

The bat and the white ball missed each other.

Snap!

"STRIKE!"

The first pitch was a miss, and it clearly affected Toujou.

His expression started to darken.

'Good!'

Chris was quite satisfied with this pitch.

Although Toujou seemed troublesome, he was clearly struggling with Tanpa's sharp Curveball.

In fact, there are very few batters nationwide who can consistently handle such pitches.

'Toujou clearly hadn't reached that level yet.'

A glimmer of insight appeared in Chris's eyes.

'This is the opponent's weakness!'

…