'But would this risky move actually work?'
Sawamura took a deep breath from first base.
The reason he stayed at first base earlier and didn't attempt to advance,
Wasn't because he hadn't considered this move.
But,
Since Miyuki wanted to take action, then they should go for it.
Things had reached this point. What was there to hesitate about?
Both of them glanced at the dugout waiting for the Coach's permission.
'If you've made up your mind, then just go for it.'
Kataoka didn't stop them and let them do what they thought best.
The opportunity only came once, so they had to seize it.
Sawamura, still standing at first base, didn't show any signs of aggressively attempting to steal.
But he was already preparing to run.
At the moment Hoshitaru pitched, that's when Sawamura would burst into action.
On the mound.
Hoshitaru briefly glanced at Sawamura, noticing that he wasn't behaving like the last time.
This time, Sawamura was standing there quietly at first base, with no intention of stealing.
Was he going to let the batter face the pitcher head-on?
Hoshitaru quickly guessed Sawamura's plan.
He had probably already decided to let himself and Miyuki face off head-to-head.
Then he would take action based on the result of that confrontation.
'That works too!'
Since he didn't have to worry about the runner, he could focus solely on the batter.
Hoshitaru took his stance on the mound and threw the ball with all his might.
Roaar!
The baseball zipped through the air, reaching Miyuki's position in the blink of an eye.
'Perfect timing!'
When Miyuki saw the pitch, he wasn't shocked at all.
In fact, a look of realization crossed his face.
Just as he expected, the ball was coming exactly to the spot he had anticipated.
Apart from Sawamura, Hoshitaru often throws this type of pitch—a sudden drop Splitter—when facing a tough batter.
This is what they call a "meteor ball."
The baseball hurtled toward the strike zone and suddenly dropped right before reaching it.
And this was the type of pitch Miyuki had been aiming for.
He had experienced this pitch twice himself and had watched others face it several times.
Miyuki had already mentally simulated this pitch countless times.
He was confident that he could hit it.
'Now!'
Calculating the angle and timing, Miyuki swung his bat without hesitation.
Any pitch he had anticipated was like prey falling into his trap.
In this regard, Miyuki had never missed before.
And this time was no different!
He saw the baseball coming and swung his bat with precision.
The bat made solid contact with the baseball, sending it flying far into the outfield.
"Good!"
Miyuki's face flashed with excitement.
Though they had practiced many times with Sawamura, this was their first time using it in a real game.
Thankfully, the first step had been completed successfully. Now they just needed to see if the next steps would go smoothly.
The baseball soared through the air, cutting through the field, before landing in the outfield.
Miyuki, with the help of this hit, successfully reached first base.
As for Sawamura...
By this time, he had already passed second base and was racing toward third.
Why so fast?
That was because he had started running the moment Hoshitaru pitched.
Having started his run earlier, Sawamura now reached his top speed.
At this pace, Sawamura was as fast as their team's own Cheetah, without a doubt.
The Kanetsu-Norin High School outfielder retrieved the ball and prepared to throw it to third base.
But it quickly became clear to him that he wouldn't make it in time.
Sawamura was only five or six meters away from third base.
By the time he threw the ball, Sawamura would already be comfortably sitting there.
What a pity!
With that, the Seidou High School baseball team had completed back-to-back hits.
The Kanetsu-Norin High School players weren't satisfied.
"THROW TO SECOND BASE!!!!"
As the outfielder hesitated, he suddenly heard the second baseman's call.
What?
He turned around and saw Miyuki, who had already reached first base, not showing any signs of stopping.
He was actually charging toward second base!
'Has he gone mad?'
Is he looking down on them?
Miyuki still had at least 17 or 18 meters to second base.
The outfielder was less than 30 meters away from second base.
Though the outfielder had a longer distance, he didn't have to run; he only needed to throw the ball.
"Go to hell!"
The outfielder's eyes glinted with fierceness.
He threw the ball fiercely toward second base.
At the same time...
The Ono, base coach on the third base, signaled to Sawamura to keep going.
'The bait strategy had worked. The opponent had bitten!'
'Now, it was up to you!'
"Got It!"
Sawamura said, then immediately sprinted toward home plate.
As for the reaction from the other side to Sawamura's steal, at that moment, wasn't receiving much attention.
Miyuki's reckless dash successfully drew everyone's attention!
Sawamura was the one covered, and he quickly sprinted toward home plate.
The outfielder from the Kanetsu-Norin High School baseball team who had retrieved the ball looked at Miyuki charging forward in a suicidal dash.
"Go to hell!"
The outfielder's eyes reflected pure hatred.
In that moment, he used all his strength to throw the ball toward second base without holding back.
However, was it just a trick of his ears?
Suddenly, he heard a shout from the pitcher's mound, from Hoshitaru.
"BAAAACK HOOOOME!!!!"
The outfielder, who had already thrown the ball, turned his head in confusion.
He wanted to check if he was just hearing things.
Then, he witnessed an unbelievable scene.
As Miyuki launched his reckless attack, another figure passed third base and dashed toward home plate.
'How could he be there?'
That was the outfielder's most genuine thought.
He couldn't understand, how could Sawamura be that fast?
Before the game, they had already known about Sawamura's speed.
Based on the information they had, Sawamura was not considered a speed runner!
The second baseman from the Kanetsu-Norin High School baseball team hurriedly threw the ball back to home plate.
Sawamura raced against the speeding baseball.
In the end, Sawamura even surpassed the ball.
He reached home plate first, planting his foot firmly on the base.
"SAFE!!!"
"SCORE!!"
"Once again, it's the Great Demon King! Once again, it's the Great Demon King!"
The commentator excitedly shouted twice, his enthusiasm so overwhelming that he forgot the lines he had prepared earlier.
It wasn't until he finished his outburst that he remembered what he was supposed to say.
"With The Perfect Teamwork Of The Players From The Seidou High School Baseball Team, Players Miyuki And Sawamura Didn't Play It Safe As Everyone Had Imagined. They Boldly Employed A Thrilling Tactic In This Attack. Using Miyuki As A Decoy While Sawamura Directly Stole A Base…"
The commentator, using his imagination, vividly described the exciting showdown that had just occurred.
At this moment, he seemed to have personally experienced the clash with Miyuki and Sawamura.
"SEIDOU!"
"SEIDOU!!"
"SAWAMURA!!"
"MIYUKI!!"
The audience was thoroughly entertained and amazed.
Seidou High's overall strength still outshone their opponents.
That's the depth of a powerhouse.
No matter how bright Kanetsu-Norin High's performance was, they couldn't escape their status as underdogs.
The gap between the two teams was apparent in the details.
Seidou High scored another point, bringing the total score to 2:0.
The supporters of Seidou High and Sawamura's die-hard fans in the stands were ecstatic.
They celebrated wildly as if anything less would be a disservice to their status as loyal fans.
Amidst all the excitement, the fifth batter from Seidou High came up to bat.
Maezono raised his bat high, glaring at the opponent like an angry demon.
To be honest, even though Seidou High had extended their lead, these veteran players still felt it was not enough.
If seniors like Tetsu-san were still around, they wouldn't have been in such a difficult situation.
As long as those seniors were around, this little kid wouldn't have been able to cause so much trouble.
But now, they were the ones in charge.
They had been outplayed by a pitcher who appeared from nowhere, and they were livid about it!
Maezono made up his mind—this time, he wouldn't let the game continue like this.
He had to get on base.
He had to prove his strength through action.
And at the same time, prove Seidou's strength.
Maezono's resolve was strong, and his momentum was fierce.
But the opponents didn't show any mercy just because of that.
Despite giving up the second run, Hoshitaru hadn't been crushed.
He still stubbornly tried to fight against the players of Seidou High.
His pitching in the following innings made that clear.
Ping!
"OUT!!"
Ping!
"OUT!!!"
By the third round of confrontation, the players from Seidou High had gotten used to Hoshitaru's pitching speed and could mostly make contact with the ball.
Unfortunately, Hoshitaru's pitches were too powerful, and they couldn't adjust quickly enough.
Even when they made contact and pushed the ball far, it was hard to control the ball's landing point.
Moreover, the defenders from Kanetsu-Norin were quite solid.
Seidou High's offense was thus stopped.
Three Outs and the sides switched.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Kanetsu-Norin High came up to bat.
The first batter, Okawa, positioned himself for a bunt.
Now, it's the seventh inning.
To be blunt, this is actually the last chance for Kanetsu-Norin High School's baseball team.
If they don't make a move in this inning, even if Hoshitaru can showcase his brilliance and land a hit against Sawamura, no one in Kanetsu-Norin High School will be able to send Hoshitaru home.
The audience is quite expectant for this inning.
On one hand, they are curious to see how Kanetsu-Norin will respond in such a cornered situation.
On the other hand, they are also looking forward to Sawamura breaking the Koshien single-game strikeout record.
On the pitcher's mound, Sawamura doesn't mind getting such a record.
He has never minded being the center of attention, or rather, he enjoys it.
He likes to amaze the crowd.
As long as it doesn't affect the team's victory, Sawamura is more than happy to do so.
This has caught the attention of Kanetsu-Norin High School's rather wide Coach.
"You're happy, aren't you, Sawamura?" the Coach observed.
All the eyes of the audience are focused on Sawamura, eagerly awaiting him to get a strikeout.
Few people would remain indifferent when so many are placing their hopes on them.
Let alone someone like Sawamura.
As long as there's a chance to show off, Sawamura will definitely seize it.
After analyzing the situation, the Coach and players of Kanetsu-Norin High School came to this conclusion.
The title of "Great Demon King" is closely tied to Sawamura's love for attention and his desire to showcase his skills.
Otherwise, how could a pitcher who doesn't have any flamboyant gimmick, possibly have so many fans?
It's impossible! (T/N: Ah well, about that…)
There is no need to think deeper, there is no other way!
The Coach and players of Kanetsu-Norin High School have also made this assessment, and they unanimously agreed.
The most unique thing about Sawamura is his pitching form on the mound.
Not only does he have amazing pitching skills, but he also delivers performances that seem almost magical to the audience.
That's why so many people are drawn to him.
With the record about to be broken, Sawamura must be itching to get a strikeout, right?
The fat Coach of the Kanetsu-Norin High School baseball team was fully focused on the confrontation on the field.
According to the strategy they had devised, when Okawa stepped up to bat, he immediately assumed a bunt stance.
Sawamura, who was eager to get a strikeout, would what?
The fat Coach of Kanetsu-Norin's team kept his eyes fixed on the towering figure on the mound.
He wouldn't let go of any detail.
How likely is it that the tactic will succeed?
This is a question without an answer.
No one knows.
But the players of Kanetsu-Norin High School had no choice.
Even though they knew the probability of success wasn't high, they had no choice but to risk it.
Because if they didn't try, they wouldn't have any chance at all.
The catcher, Miyuki, looked at Okawa, who was in the bunt stance and furrowed his brow.
He couldn't quite understand what these Kanetsu-Norin guys were thinking.
Were they really planning to use this plane to get an opportunity?
Don't joke around!
Although Eijun's pitching velocity and power might not be as high as Hoshitaru's, it was still at a national top-tier level.
Even in the smallest details, not to mention hard indicators like ball velocity.
'Had these guys from Kanetsu-Norin become stupid?'
Did they really think they could handle Sawamura's pitches with their own hitting ability?
Not to mention, the one responsible for defense on Seidou's side wasn't just Sawamura.
'Or do they have another scheme...'
Miyuki felt a little uneasy.
These Kanetsu-Norin players, although somewhat simple, didn't look like fools.
Why would they be looking for their own demise?
Just like when he rashly ran to second base before!
To others, it might have seemed like he had lost his mind and stole second without thinking.
That seemed like a sure way to get caught!
But Miyuki had his own purpose.
He was just playing the bait, hoping the opponents would take the hook.
So what were these Kanetsu-Norin guys planning to do?
Even though Miyuki scratched his head, he couldn't figure it out.
Although he didn't understand what Kanetsu-Norin High School's players were up to...
'It didn't matter.'
Let them come up with whatever strategy they had.
'As long as you pitch as you always do, there is no need to worry.'
'If they wanted to bunt, let them.'
The players of Kanetsu-Norin High had clearly miscalculated.
They thought that Eijun, eager to get a strikeout, might make a mistake.
As for why Eijun could stay calm against Inashiro and Yakushi when facing Seidou?
The reason was simple.
Those two teams were Seidou's deadliest rivals in the West Tokyo region.
When facing them, even the Demon King Eijun had to be cautious.
But who were these Kanetsu-Norin guys?
They were just a nameless team.
Sawamura might not even care about them, right?
If Sawamura relaxed his guard, then naturally, he might expose more weaknesses.
The plan of Kanetsu-Norin's team was okay.
At least, they thought it was a good plan.
But they overlooked one point.
Since entering high school, even though Sawamura had been hit and had given up runs...
He had never once made a clear error.
They had misjudged from the beginning!
Sawamura did indeed like to seek the spotlight, but he had never once let his guard down because of it.
On the contrary.
The more he sought the spotlight, the more alert he became.
He would never allow himself to lose the game.
For someone like him, who had spent years in the Major Leagues, if he wasn't absolutely sure, he wouldn't try to show off.
Instead, he would choose to play more carefully.
He would go with the strategy that had the highest chance of winning.
This habit had already become ingrained in him as a professional player.
How could Eijun ever relax his guard?
They had clearly set up for a bunt, but when the first pitch came, Okawa didn't directly make contact with the ball.
Instead, he retracted his bat.
Then, he watched the ball enter Miyuki's Mitt.
SNAP!
"STRIKE!"
By the second pitch, Okawa's performance was still somewhat hesitant.
But considering the pressure of two Strikes, he ultimately chose to swing.
Being down by two strikes was a terrible situation for them.
At that point, even if he didn't want to swing, he had no choice but to do so!
To put it more accurately, he did extend the bat, but he didn't attempt a normal hit.
He went for a bunt.
He used the bat to tap the baseball out.
The baseball was hit and bounced towards third base.
On the Seidou field, a figure dressed in blue and green dashed forward.
The moment the ball bounced after hitting the ground, he was already next to the ball, swiftly picking it up.
After catching the ball, he quickly turned and threw it to first base.
Snap!
"OUT!"
The move was so swift and clean that no one had time to react.
By the time the ball from third base was thrown to first, Okawa had only run a few meters.
The Seidou High School baseball team had been well prepared, and the players responsible for defense were indeed strong.
Don't be fooled by the fact that Kanemaru hadn't been able to shine in today's game.
If you thought that was a sign of weakness, you'd be terribly mistaken.
Ping!
Snap!
"OUT!!"
Okawa was Out, and the second batter for Kanetsu-Norin High School was out right after.
Two Outs, no one on base.
…