The pitcher on the mound, Furuya, seemed like an unknown monster.
In contrast, the players of Yura Sougou looked like children.
They had no ability to fight back and were easily defeated!
The audience was fired up, although not as cool and artistic as Sawamura, but the bloody and violent pitching of Furuya had a different thrill.
Some people liked Sawamura, and that was evident from the number of fans cheering for him.
They were all there to support Sawamura Eijun.
Similarly, there were quite a few fans who liked Furuya.
Especially the younger boys, watching Furuya on the mound, constantly using blazing fastballs to make the opponents miss.
Their adrenaline skyrocketed.
Soon, their eyes were bloodshot.
"SEIDOU!"
"SEIDOU!!!"
"FURUYA!!"
"MONSTER!!!"
At first, the cheers were scattered, but by the end, over a thousand people were shouting in unison.
The cheers of over a thousand people in the stadium were deafening.
In the beginning, the supporters of Seidou High School's baseball team hesitated to cheer loudly out of respect for Coach Sakaki.
But now, under the stimulation of Furuya's performance, they no longer cared.
Each person was shouting like crazy.
Among them, the pitcher from Yura Sougou, Higashiyama, felt the pressure most acutely.
The pressure hit him hard!
It felt like the entire world was against them.
"Playing against a powerhouse high school is always like this. Be mentally prepared! Trust in your own strength!!"
Coach Sakaki quickly encouraged him.
To be honest, Coach Sakaki was afraid that Higashiyama might suddenly collapse at this moment.
Although Higashiyama had allowed six runs in the previous few innings, not all the responsibility could be placed on him.
If it weren't for Higashiyama, Yura Sougou would have conceded even more runs.
Yura Sougou's chances of holding on relied on Higashiyama's strength.
Hearing Coach Sakaki's words, Higashiyama's expression relaxed.
It was clear that this encouragement was very helpful.
Seidou High School didn't seem that scary after all.
He stepped onto the mound, focusing intently on his opponent.
The fine beads of sweat on his forehead hadn't been wiped off, and just before taking the mound, he drank the last of the water in his cup, which didn't sit too well with him.
Of course, these symptoms were minor, and Higashiyama didn't let them bother him.
His primary goal now was still to get through the hitters of Seidou High School.
The core lineup starts from the second batter!
The score difference was four runs, which wasn't hopeless.
If he could retire three batters successfully, this game could still be played.
Higashiyama encouraged himself silently, then decisively threw the ball.
Whoosh!
The baseball flew like a sharp arrow, heading for the upper part of the strike zone.
Paak!
On the Batter's Box, the not-very-tall Kominato Haruichi seemed particularly noticeable at this moment.
He didn't let Higashiyama's first pitch pass.
Instead, he swung his bat and hit the ball with force.
The baseball flew out faster than before.
In the process, the Yura Sougou players didn't even have time to react.
Pak!
The baseball landed about 10 centimeters outside the third base line, then bounced out.
"FOUL!"
The impact of that Foul ball was like a cold splash of water on Higashiyama.
The confidence he had just regained was shattered completely.
What if that ball hadn't landed Foul but in fair territory?
Would their fielders be able to stop it?
Higashiyama wasn't sure. Not even a little sure.
'What to do?'
Higashiyama was a little stunned.
But the game wouldn't stop. Whether he liked it or not, he had to throw the next pitch.
Kominato Haruichi, the batter, wasn't affected by the Foul ball.
His bat was raised high, ready to strike at any moment.
It wasn't a bluff. If the ball came to him, Kominato was confident he would hit it.
This was already their third confrontation, and Kominato had studied Higashiyama's pitching thoroughly.
No matter what tricks Higashiyama tried, he was confident he could hit the ball.
'You little…! Don't underestimate me!'
Kominato's determined attitude successfully provoked Higashiyama.
Without hesitation, Higashiyama threw his winning shot.
He was determined to get a Strike.
And then...
The baseball appeared, and Kominato showed no joy or sadness on his face.
Everything seemed to have been planned by him. As the ball flew toward him, Kominato swung his bat.
Paak!
The bat and the ball collided as if they had planned it together.
The ball, after being hit, flew far.
The baseball went through the defense and flew toward the distance.
Kominato Haruichi got a beautiful double!
No Outs, runner on second!
"SEIDOU!"
"SEIDOU!!!"
"SAWAMURA!"
"DEMON KING!!!"
The fans in the stands were ecstatic.
Last time, Sawamura had hit a Grand Slam and helped Seidou score four runs.
This time, Haruichi had made it to scoring position.
Not to say another home run was coming, but at least a base hit was guaranteed!
Once Kominato on second base got to home, the result would be satisfying.
At the Batter's Box, Sawamura wasn't affected by the excitement in the stands.
He was calm and composed, coldly observing the pitcher on the mound.
Though it was already the fifth inning, Higashiyama's pitch count had accumulated.
His pitch speed and power had slightly decreased.
'He couldn't hold out much longer!'
Sawamura judged in his mind.
At this moment, Sawamura even felt a little sympathy for Higashiyama.
Of course, that sympathy wouldn't make him go easy on his opponent. That would be disrespectful.
To respect the opponent, he decided to hit another home run.
He couldn't let all the spotlight go to Furuya!
Sawamura took his stance, ready to hit a home run.
The fans in the stands were also extremely excited.
They couldn't wait to see Sawamura's base hit and scoring.
Neither side expected that the opponent wouldn't even give Sawamura a chance to hit.
"BALL!"
"BALL!!"
"BALL!!!"
"BALL!!!!"
"Walk To Base!!!"
Higashiyama didn't even give Sawamura a chance to swing. He chose to intentionally walk him.
The catcher stood up, moving far from the plate.
Sawamura couldn't even reach the ball if he wanted to.
Sawamura was Walked!
This result caught him a bit off guard, but there was nothing he could do about it.
No Outs, runners on first and second.
Now, it was Miyuki's turn to bat.
"That guy is so lucky, getting such a big break."
Sawamura, now on first base, muttered in dissatisfaction.
Yura Sougou's first baseman clearly heard the envy in Sawamura's voice.
'What did they think Yura Sougou was?'
Before the catcher could get angry, a new change occurred.
The catcher who had intentionally Walked Sawamura didn't return.
Instead, he stayed where he was, ready to receive the next pitch...
"BALL!"
"BALL!!"
"BALL!!!"
The result was predictable — Miyuki Kazuya was Walked to first base.
This strategy truly stunned the teammates of Seidou High's baseball team.
They Walked two batters in a row, filling the bases.
This action made no sense at all…
A couple of runs could have solved everything, but was it worth the risk?
The teammates of Seidou were dumbfounded, not to mention the spectators.
They stared in disbelief at what was unfolding in the game.
"No Outs, bases loaded."
"Was Yura Sougou's team out of their minds?"
Journalist Owada Akiko, from Baseball Kingdom magazine, looked on in disbelief, muttering:
"Is it easier to defend with the bases loaded?"
"That's actually a common theory!"
Fujio Mine nodded, "With the bases loaded, it's harder to score. There are many reasons for that, and statistically, it is true. But walking the third and fourth batters just because there's a runner on second… especially a deliberate Walk, I've rarely seen something this blatant."
As he spoke, he looked deeply at the Yura Sougou team's dugout.
Considering that Yura Sougou had previously been hit with a Grand Slam, their current actions were even more puzzling!
They were gambling.
Fujio immediately understood the key to the situation.
'Coach Sakaki was gambling.'
'If Yura Sougou wanted to end the game with dignity, they had no reason to make such a move. What's the difference between a four-run or five-run lead?'
Even if Kataoka wasn't particularly lenient, he would still give some leeway in such situations.
So why take this gamble?
The reason was simple: they hadn't given up on the game.
Yura Sougou wasn't conceding victory. They were still in the hunt.
That's why they were gambling.
They couldn't afford to give up even one more run.
Sakaki, despite being retired, still felt the passion burning inside him.
In the Seidou High dugout, Kataoka's eyes narrowed. Fujio, an outsider, had figured it out, so how could Kataoka not see through it?
His mentor, as always, was shrewd and calculating.
He had considered everything before making this move.
No Outs, bases loaded.
Standing in the Batter's Box now was Seidou High's fifth batter, Maezono.
He received the signal from Kataoka.
'No need for any complex thinking, no need to worry about anything. Just focus on the pitch and aim for the ball that had been selected. As long as you hit it into the outfield, it's victory.'
Kataoka's instructions were simple.
The opponent was wary of Sawamura and Miyuki, which made perfect sense.
Their records and reputation made them worthy of such treatment.
'But if they underestimated Maezono…'
Kataoka sneered internally.
If the opponent underestimated Maezono, they might end up regretting it.
Maezono has some natural talent, and he practices hard every day. Especially in the past six months, his strength has grown exponentially.
Even though Maezono wasn't particularly good at facing Higashiyama, Kataoka still had confidence in him.
As long as Maezono could perform normally, hitting the ball out should be a given.
Even if the ball got caught, the runner on third base could still make it home.
Maezono just needed to focus on hitting the ball into the outfield.
Kataoka didn't ask for much. He believed Maezono could do it.
Standing in the Batter's Box, Maezono's heart raced.
He felt both angry and afraid.
He was angry because the opponent underestimated him, thinking they could easily get him Out.
No one would be unaffected by such a situation.
At the same time, Maezono was also scared.
With the coach's full trust and his teammates' trust, what would happen if he failed?
The consequences were not just internal punishment but also his own conscience.
No Outs, bases loaded.
The batter stood in the box, and the pressure was immense.
If he succeeded, it would be incredible. Not only would they score, but possibly more.
For the offense, this was a great opportunity.
But on the flip side, if he made a mistake, the consequences would be unimaginable…
Scoring wouldn't just mean one run, and getting Out might mean more than one!
Opportunities and challenges went hand in hand.
Under this immense pressure, whether the player could stabilize and perform at his best was crucial.
In Yura Sougou's dugout, Sakaki's eyes gleamed with sharpness.
He had clearly considered this factor when making his decision.
Seidou High's baseball team didn't have many problems, and after reviewing their recent match footage, Sakaki hadn't found any major issues.
But no big issues don't mean there were none.
All that he needed to do was to pick up the right card for the right bet!
'For example, their fifth batter!'
Sakaki was betting on Maezono, and he just had the right card for him!!
…