Bottom of the sixth inning. No outs. Runner on Second Base.
With that sharp double, Zhang Han stood firmly on Second, and the blow he delivered was not just physical. It struck directly at the momentum Osaka Kiryuu had painstakingly built.
"That hit to the face really hurts."
Several players from other schools watching in the stands could not help but feel the sting on Osaka Kiryuu's behalf. Just moments ago, it had seemed as if the game was already decided. The tide had turned completely in their favor.
Then Zhang Han appeared again.
So far today, he had not failed once. Every at-bat had produced a result. His success rate was terrifyingly close to perfection.
There were many promising newcomers in high school baseball, but most shone brightest when facing weaker opponents. Given opportunity and momentum, they exploded briefly, creating the illusion of unstoppable talent.
Zhang Han did not fit that pattern.
He was not protected. He was not sheltered. He was a starting player, and he had earned that position through performance. Now, even against Osaka Kiryuu, the Cosmic Team, he continued to deliver without hesitation.
He had already broken records.
He had already changed the narrative of this tournament.
Even a third-year player would struggle to achieve such a performance, let alone a first-year.
The thought that he could continue to compete at the high school level for two more years sent a chill through the pitchers of other teams. How would they overcome such a presence? With him in the lineup, how many prestigious schools would hesitate before even stepping onto the field?
For the spectators, it was thrilling.
For the players, it was something else entirely.
Zhang Han's presence on Second Base had an immediate impact.
Inside Seido's dugout, the atmosphere shifted. Just moments ago, their morale had been battered. Hidezawa's collapse had shaken them deeply. Now, a single hit had reignited belief.
This was not a pitcher's duel.
If it had been, they could have surrendered already.
This was a hitting battle.
In such a game, runs could appear quickly. As long as the gap did not widen further, hope remained alive. With Zhang Han on base, the possibility of narrowing the score was real.
Even if they could not erase the deficit in one swing, advancing a runner or scoring one run had symbolic meaning. It proved that Seido was not finished.
In Osaka Kiryuu's dugout, their Assistant Coach frowned.
"The atmosphere has changed."
He had thought he understood Seido thoroughly. Now he realized he had underestimated them.
These players were stubborn. Give them the smallest opening, and they would cling to it desperately. They refused to break.
Facing such opponents was exhausting.
"What bad luck, meeting Seido this early."
Even if they won today, it might come at a cost.
Matsumoto Takahiro, however, maintained his gentle smile. Even after Zhang Han reached base, the expression on his face did not waver.
He understood this situation well. Not long ago, Osaka Kiryuu had been the one struggling. They had managed to reverse the game through patience and calculation.
It was natural that Seido would fight back.
Matsumoto did not intervene. He trusted his players.
This was a scenario Osaka Kiryuu was familiar with. Playing with a lead. Suppressing desperate opponents. Maintaining discipline.
In this mode, they rarely faltered.
"Let them handle it," Matsumoto murmured softly.
On the field, events unfolded faster than anyone expected.
Isashiki Jun stepped into the batter's box.
Komochi's pitching remained sharp. The ball cut through the air with precision and force, repeatedly targeting difficult corners.
Most believed it was only a matter of time before Isashiki would be retired.
Then something unexpected happened.
Komochi delivered a pitch clearly outside the strike zone. It was meant to tempt.
Isashiki swung.
The catcher froze for an instant. Why would he chase that?
"Ping!"
Against expectation, the bat connected cleanly.
The ball dropped into fair territory. It was not a powerful hit, and an Osaka Kiryuu fielder reacted quickly enough to secure the out at First.
However, the damage was done in another way.
Zhang Han had already broken toward Third the moment contact was made. He advanced smoothly.
One out. Runner on Third Base.
The supporters of Osaka Kiryuu stared in disbelief. They had barely processed Zhang Han's double, and now he was standing ninety feet from home.
"Good decision."
Several experienced observers nodded in approval.
Komochi's best pitches were extremely difficult to handle. Engaging him directly in a duel was risky. However, pitches designed to tempt hitters often lacked ideal angle and power.
Isashiki had recognized that. Instead of waiting passively, he attacked the weakness within the strategy itself.
Although he was retired, he created opportunity.
Baseball professionals watching the game began reassessing Seido. Previously, many believed Seido's rise depended solely on a few star players. Azuma Kiyokuni's power. Zhang Han's brilliance. Hidezawa's late surge.
Now it was clear that even their lower-order hitters possessed awareness and execution.
A team capable of generating offense from any spot in the lineup was not a fluke.
With one out and a runner on Third, the tension thickened once more.
Seido was not done.
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