The white ball traveled nearly a hundred meters. If not for the wall, it might have flown straight out of the stadium.
It smashed against the wall and rebounded sharply, ricocheting back toward the field. Osaka Kiryuu's outfielder, who had been retreating at full speed, immediately rushed forward again, but he misjudged the rebound. The ball shot past the edge of his glove before he could react.
Everyone knew Zhang Han possessed the power to hit a home run. Because of that, Osaka Kiryuu High School Baseball Team's defense had been positioned extremely deep. Their outfielders stood no more than twenty meters from the back wall.
Even so, they could not keep up.
By the time the outfielder adjusted his footing and tried to recover, the baseball had already bounced back at a steep angle. The speed of the rebound completely exceeded his expectations. His glove closed on nothing but air.
In the stands, Seido's supporters erupted.
In the dugout, their teammates shot to their feet in unison.
It went through.
They had scored their second run.
The scoreboard changed to 13:10. The gap between the two teams shrank to three points. What had once felt nearly hopeless was suddenly dragged back into contention.
A three-point difference was still significant, but it was no longer enough to suffocate belief.
There was a chance.
There had to be a chance.
They still had six outs remaining. Two full innings of offense.
On the other side, inside Osaka Kiryuu High School Baseball Team's dugout, the atmosphere turned grim. The players who had just been smiling now wore tight expressions.
They had thought victory was already within reach.
Now that certainty felt fragile.
Today's game was far from over.
"Forget the previous achievements. Treat it as if the game just started."
Matsumoto Takahiro murmured those words quietly.
Of course, he was not speaking to the substitute players beside him. Those words were meant for the starters. He would say them directly when they returned to the dugout.
The final stretch of a journey is always the hardest.
Baseball was the same. Even in the ninth inning, one must approach it as if only half the game had been played.
As he spoke, his eyes shifted toward Zhang Han, who had safely reached Second Base.
Truly remarkable.
Seido High School Baseball Team's three core batters had left a deep impression on him today.
Before the game, those three were already well known. However, Matsumoto had not taken them too seriously. No matter how strong an individual batter might be, what could he really accomplish?
On the Koshien stage, a life-and-death battle between two teams was ultimately a test of overall strength. A few exceptional hitters could influence the rhythm of the game, but it was difficult for them to truly determine the outcome on their own.
Moreover, much of their fame had come from not facing overwhelmingly strong opponents.
For example, during the West Tokyo Regional Tournament, when Seido faced two equally renowned powerhouses, Inashiro Industrial and Ichidai Third High School, their total scoring had not been particularly high.
That suggested that their offensive strength might not have been as overwhelming as the media claimed.
On top of that, Osaka Kiryuu High School Baseball Team's offense was also formidable.
No matter how Matsumoto analyzed it, he believed his disciples would not lose to Seido.
He had been full of confidence before today's game. He was certain they would win and advance to the semifinals.
Now, however, he had to admit he had underestimated his opponents. Especially the destructive force of Seido High School Baseball Team's three core batters.
The combined power of those three was comparable to more than half of Osaka Kiryuu's lineup.
As for Seido's other second and third-year players, they performed well, but Matsumoto had seen athletes of equal or even greater ability before.
The key was Zhang Han.
He was the last piece of the trio.
Batting sixth did not appear especially important at first glance. Yet placing him behind Azuma Kiyokuni and Yuuki made the order ingenious.
Without a reliable batter like him following them, how could Azuma and Yuuki's extraordinarily high hitting rates be converted so efficiently into runs?
Up to this point, Zhang Han had not failed once. Every time he stepped into the batter's box, he produced a hit.
What a terrifying young man.
Once he matured further, his future would be limitless.
For a brief moment, Matsumoto allowed himself to think sincerely.
Then the old fox returned.
They had already conceded two runs. He had no intention of allowing more.
Unfortunately, the next play was no longer in his control.
Isashiki Jun stepped into the batter's box.
He did not square up to bunt. He held the bat normally, prepared for a standard swing.
Osaka Kiryuu High School Baseball Team did not believe he truly intended a simple confrontation.
There had to be something hidden.
They had already suffered twice from Seido's tactical coordination. Seido High School Baseball Team excelled at converting base runners into runs. It was clear they had practiced these scenarios countless times. Their players were adept at spotting even the smallest opportunity.
Whether it was the runner on base or the batter at the plate, their timing was precise.
Even Matsumoto could not help but admire it.
Osaka Kiryuu's offense was powerful, perhaps even stronger than Seido's in pure individual talent. However, their scoring relied more heavily on individual duels between pitcher and batter, stringing together hits to advance.
Privately, some Osaka Kiryuu players might complain that Seido depended too much on a few standout batters.
But that was merely frustration.
In reality, Seido High School Baseball Team's overall coordination was exceptional. Their aggressive base running created a style completely different from Osaka Kiryuu's.
If Osaka Kiryuu possessed that same level of aggression and cohesion, the opportunities they created could easily have translated into more than thirteen runs.
How many total hits had Seido recorded so far? Certainly fewer than twenty.
Yet they had converted half, perhaps even more, of those hits directly into runs.
That was the frightening part.
"Ping!"
Isashiki Jun did not hesitate. The moment he recognized the pitch, he swung decisively.
At Second Base, Zhang Han reacted almost simultaneously with the crack of the bat. It was as if he already knew where the ball would land.
He stomped hard on the bag and exploded toward Third Base.
Hit and run. At this moment.
The Osaka Kiryuu players froze for a split second.
What if the ball were caught cleanly? Would that not spell disaster for Zhang Han?
But their worry proved unnecessary.
The baseball dropped safely into the field and bounced on the grass.
Zhang Han had already reached Third Base by the time the outfielder retrieved the ball.
The throw went to First Base.
The instant the Third Base coach saw the trajectory, he made his decision.
Go.
Although this third-year senior did not possess extraordinary personal skill, his judgment of timing was among the best on Seido's roster. His mind processed the field like a machine.
Zhang Han trusted him completely.
Without slowing down at Third, he rounded the base and sprinted toward Home.
"Dream on!"
Osaka's First Baseman Masaoka caught the throw and immediately fired it toward catcher Araki.
The ball traveled fast and straight.
But it was still a fraction too late.
Zhang Han lunged forward and crossed the plate one step ahead of the tag.
"The eleventh run!"
The scoreboard shifted once again.
13:11.
The gap had shrunk to only two points.
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