Chapter 36: Momentum!

In the game between Seidou High School and Ugumori High School, as the seventh inning came to an end, the atmosphere on the field suddenly changed.

This change began in the bottom of the seventh inning with Ugumori's defense. Seidou's players had completely mastered the pitching patterns of Ugumori's Ace, Umemiya Seiichi, whose stamina was now on the brink. Given this situation, Seidou's top batters were up.

"Ugumori's resistance ends here!" many spectators were saying.

Seidou's lineup had been smooth throughout the game, and by the bottom of the seventh inning, they had forced Umemiya to throw over 100 pitches.

This meant they not only scored runs but also wore down Ugumori's Ace pitcher in the process.

From both immediate benefits and tactical effectiveness, Seidou had executed their strategy excellently.

Even observers could see it clearly.

Umemiya was exhausted!

Given this situation, facing Seidou's top batters again seemed to spell imminent defeat for Ugumori.

Most fans and spectators believed Ugumori's defeat was almost certain. They even imagined that after Ugumori's complete defeat, they would stand and give warm applause to the Ugumori players for their tenacity.

Such a scene would be deeply touching.

However, reality did not unfold as expected.

In the seventh inning, against Seidou's top lineup, Umemiya Seiichi delivered an exceptional pitching. Despite being hit by Kominato Haruichi, he achieved a beautiful double play, ending the inning with just five pitches and three Outs.

This dramatic turn left the audience stunned.

"Could someone explain what just happened?" they wondered.

How could Seidou's aggressive top lineup be neutralized so quickly?

"It's impossible!" exclaimed Owada Akiko, her eyes wide with disbelief.

Senior reporter Fujio, sitting next to her, remained calm. "There's nothing impossible. No one can predict exactly what will happen next on the field. That's the charm of baseball."

Despite the surprising turn of events, it was exhilarating. Even Fujio, who was seasoned and wise, had an excited glint in his eye.

Although he was naturally a fan of Seidou, he had to commend Ugumori's performance. It was truly impressive.

Their solid performance late in the game was remarkable. Despite being less known and not as esteemed as Seidou, Ugumori's players must have undergone intense training.

'The scene before them couldn't be achieved by mere momentum. Their players had to be exceptionally trained to reach this level.'

Fujio's insights were close to the truth. Although Ugumori wasn't a powerhouse, their training was comparable to, and in some aspects even surpassing, that of top teams.

Returning to the game:

Ugumori's resilience exceeded Seidou's expectations.

Yet the overall game situation remained unchanged.

"Furuya pitched very well before!" Coach Kataoka praised Furuya.

Despite some initial instability, Furuya's performance was commendable. Kataoka was generally satisfied.

"The next inning will be handled by Kawakami!"

With Seidou leading by two runs, Kawakami, with his experience and pitching style that counters Ugumori's batters, was expected to maintain the advantage.

Although Kawakami would face Umemiya, Kataoka was confident it wouldn't be a significant problem. While Umemiya's hitting was notable, it wasn't at a monstrous level. Kawakami had a good chance against him.

In the top of the eighth inning, Ugumori was up to bat.

Seidou replaced Furuya with Kawakami.

"Fourth Batter, pitcher, Umemiya-kun!"

For Ugumori, this was a critical juncture. If their core lineup couldn't deliver now, the ninth inning would likely be a formality.

If they refused to accept defeat, they would surely launch a fierce attack now.

Coach Kataoka saw this as a good opportunity to test Kawakami.

'If necessary, Sawamura Eijun could provide backup!'

'No problem!'

Coach Kataoka thought so, but the game did not unfold as he had imagined.

***

Inhale!... Exhale!!

On the batter's box, Umemiya was taking a bit of time to calm his breathing.

His stamina had been drained long ago. Despite having thrown just over 100 pitches—far from his usual limit of 120—the physical exhaustion was immense. It wasn't just about the number of pitches; it was the relentless pressure from the strong opponents that took a toll on him.

Each pitch had to be executed with intense focus. One slip and Seidou's powerful hitters would capitalize on it.

To prevent Seidou's batters from scoring, Umemiya had given it everything he had, barely holding the defensive line.

The current result was the result of his desperate efforts.

Under these conditions, his energy drain was enormous.

Just before stepping up to bat, Nao-chan joked, "When you're done, let's make a replacement!"

But there was no way to replace him!

Even though the media had been complaining about Seidou's weakened lineup after the third-year players left, Umemiya, who had faced them directly, can't help but disagree.

'If the Seidou lineup was considered weak, I couldn't even imagine what a truly strong lineup looked like.'

To Umemiya, those who criticized the lineup were just talking without understanding the reality.

It wasn't that Umemiya underestimated his teammates. His team had a pitcher with a 130 km/h fastball and good control, but putting him in wouldn't be any better; he'd probably be overwhelmed instantly.

Matsubara's comment wasn't meant as a real suggestion to replace Umemiya. It was just a reminder for him to focus on scoring, not pitching.

'Hit! Run the bases! Steal bases!!!'

No matter what, Umemiya had to keep hope alive, pushing forward until Seidou's juggernaut was completely overturned.

'Bring it on!'

Umemiya looked like a fierce demon, his eyes red with intensity.

In contrast, Miyuki remained unaffected and decisively signaled Kawakami.

'The batter's momentum is impressive, but don't get distracted. Just focus on your own strengths and use your breaking ball from the corner to deal with him.'

Umemiya was aggressive at the plate. Most Ugumori players, except for the top-ranked Kondou Daiki and their third batter, shared this trait.

'Aggressive offense!'

Another characteristic was their base-stealing aggressiveness. Including Kondou Daiki, Ugumori's players were known for this style.

Against such batters, Kawakami's corner-breaking ball was highly effective.

'First pitch: A slider breaking away to the outside corner!'

As a side-armed pitcher, Kawakami's pitch looked like it appeared to come from behind the batter's head.

From this angle, a corner slider would surely bewilder the batter.

Whoosh!

The small white ball flew in. As expected, Umemiya swung vigorously but missed.

SNAP!

"STRIKE!"

The second pitch, another Slider breaking away, also missed Umemiya's bat.

In an instant, Kawakami had two Strikes against him.

Umemiya, breathing heavily, held his bat high, but it lacked power.

It felt shaky, ready to fall.

"Great job!" Miyuki praised as he received the ball back.

Kawakami's pitching was excellent, bringing them closer to victory. Just one more pitch was needed to end the inning.

Despite the batter's exhaustion, Miyuki decided Kawakami should use his tiebreaker, the Sinker!

To the batter, the ball appeared to drop suddenly to the ground.

Hitting a pitch like this, especially for an exhausted batter like Umemiya, was extremely difficult.

Confident in this approach, Miyuki imagined the batter being Struck Out.

At the plate, Umemiya drained and mentally blank, felt like his body was moving on autopilot.

A firm belief in his heart told him.

'You can't lose, if you lose it's over.'

When the ball flew over, he had no reaction. His well-trained body swung instinctively.

Ping!

Only when the ball was hit did Umemiya fully regain his senses.

'The ball was actually hit far.'

Without time to think, he dropped the bat and ran forward.

"SAFE!"

In an extraordinary display of perseverance, Umemiya reached first base before the ball did.

"Ume-chan!!"

"Nice batting Ume-chan!!!"

"I knew you can do it!"

This hit significantly boosted Ugumori's morale.

The stands erupted with increasing support for Ugumori, with fans cheering and chanting slogans.

Despite Seidou's strong performance, they had simply played to their strengths. Ugumori's determination and spirit were infectious!

The audience saw their youthful fighting spirit mirrored in Ugumori's struggle against Seidou's dominance.

This display of resilience was heartwarming.

Some more sensitive spectators even had tears in their eyes despite their wide smiles.

"Ugumori, truly impressive."

"How will the game unfold next? I'm actually looking forward to it."

The crowd grew more excited as if waiting for something extraordinary. Even though the chances were slim, a miracle could happen.

"Ugumori!"

"Ugumori!!!"

What started with a few cheers had become a full roar of support.

No outs, with a runner on first base!

"Fifth Batter, first baseman, Inubushi-kun!"

Now it was time for the fifth batter, Inubushi Kouta.

Ugumori's final frenzy had begun.

…