Top of the ninth inning. Osaka Kiryuu High School Baseball Team was on offense.
No outs, runner on First Base.
Seido High School's players felt an overwhelming strain. It was not only the pitcher who was under pressure. The fielders in every position felt it as well. Large beads of sweat streamed down their foreheads and along their cheeks, soaking their uniforms.
At this moment, they truly understood the meaning behind a certain nickname.
Cosmic Team.
There are only wrongly given names, but no wrongly earned nicknames.
Osaka Kiryuu's magnificent lineup, their mature tactical execution, and the steady performance of each individual player were enough to leave anyone breathless.
Especially in the final stages of the game. On the surface, they appeared to be playing aggressively, almost recklessly. In reality, every movement was precise and calculated. There was not a single unnecessary action.
"Ping!"
Osaka Kiryuu's third batter squared around and laid down a bunt.
He was thrown out at first base without much suspense, but that was not the point. His objective had already been achieved. Komochi advanced safely to Second Base.
One out, runner on Second Base.
In the closing stages of the game, every offensive opportunity was priceless. If it had been Seido in that situation, even they might not have dared to sacrifice an out so decisively just to improve scoring position.
But Osaka Kiryuu did not hesitate.
They pushed the runner to Second Base and prepared to rely on Masaoka and Araki to bring him home.
Fourth batter, first baseman, Masaoka.
In today's game, he had already displayed terrifying power. Two home runs. Four home runs in this Koshien tournament alone.
If not for Azuma Kiyokuni's presence, Masaoka would also have strong grounds to contend for the title of strongest batter.
The Osaka Kiryuu High School Baseball Team clearly intended to score again.
Behind home plate, Miyuki felt a sharp headache forming.
Osaka Kiryuu's method of applying pressure step by step was infuriatingly effective. They did not rush. They did not gamble recklessly. They simply tightened the noose little by little.
Even if Hidezawa were on the mound, he could not claim he would remain completely unaffected.
Not to mention Tanba, who was currently pitching.
Tanba's talent was undeniable. However, he was not known for exceptional mental resilience. External factors, especially negative pressure, affected him easily.
This was precisely why Coach Kataoka had never been entirely confident in naming Tanba as Seido's ace.
For years, Tanba had served as a substitute. He had not borne the full burden of leading the team. A pitcher who lacked that experience, no matter how gifted, inevitably had weaknesses.
At critical moments, even the slightest lapse in judgment could prove fatal.
For a team, a single tiny mistake could determine life or death.
This was why Kataoka had reservations about Tanba.
Now, in this decisive situation, he had to face Masaoka head-on.
Every Seido player felt uneasy.
Masaoka had already demonstrated his power more than once. Four home runs in this Koshien. His bat was like a cannon.
Should they really confront such a batter directly?
Miyuki glanced toward Seido's dugout. He hesitated. He wanted guidance from Kataoka.
Coach Kataoka did not hesitate at all.
He nodded firmly.
A walk was not an option.
Yes, it was dangerous. Yes, they might even surrender a two-run home run. But at this point, Seido had no room to retreat. Whether they advanced or stepped back, the blade was already at their throat.
If they were not confident against Masaoka, could they be confident against Araki? Against Shibata? Against the rest?
There was not a single idle player in the Osaka Kiryuu lineup. Each one was formidable.
For Tanba, there was not a single batter he could confidently guarantee to retire.
Since that was the case, there was only one path left.
Fight.
No matter who stood at the plate, they would face him directly.
Only by clinging to that belief could they hope to grasp even a sliver of survival.
"Boom!"
"Ping!"
The moment the white ball was struck, a wave of despair swept through Seido's players.
If this became another two-run home run, the game would effectively be over.
Fortunately, it did not.
The baseball was hit solidly, but it did not soar far. It did not threaten the stands. Masaoka managed only a single.
However, the runner on Second Base had anticipated everything.
Komochi had already broken for home a split second earlier. He rounded Third Base smoothly and sprinted down the line.
Just as Seido's momentum had been rising, Osaka Kiryuu struck again.
Komochi crossed home plate.
Another run.
It felt like a heavy slap across the faces of Seido's players.
A brutal reminder.
Do not indulge in unrealistic dreams. The outcome may already be decided.
One out, runner on First Base.
Osaka Kiryuu's offense continued relentlessly.
Miyuki looked at the glaring numbers on the scoreboard.
14:11.
The lead had stretched back to three runs. All the effort Seido had poured into closing the gap now felt hollow.
A three-run deficit was enough to inspire dread.
If the margin widened further, surrender would no longer be unthinkable.
We cannot give up another run.
Miyuki clenched his jaw.
Their hope had never been abundant. Now it felt even more distant.
If they wanted to preserve any chance at all, they needed two outs as quickly as possible, even if it meant taking a risk.
Miyuki made his decision and gave the sign.
A bait pitch.
He knew Araki would swing. He could even predict the general direction of the hit.
The only uncertainty was whether his teammates could react in time. Araki's power was tremendous. The ball would come off the bat like a bullet.
Miyuki was not fully confident.
But he had to gamble.
Seido's chips were far fewer than Osaka Kiryuu's. To overturn the situation, they had to push everything into the center of the table.
"Ping!"
As expected, Araki swung decisively at the pitch he favored.
For hitters of his caliber, their swings were often instinctive. Their bodies reacted before conscious thought could intervene.
The ball shot back toward the mound, skipping past Tanba and threatening to roll into open space.
At that instant, someone dove forward and smothered the ball beneath his body.
"Run!"
Masaoka and Araki reacted immediately. They did not hesitate for a single second.
From the outside, it looked disastrous for Seido. The fielder lay sprawled on the ground. There was no one covering Second Base. Retrieving and throwing the ball in time seemed nearly impossible.
"Give it to me!"
When it appeared that all hope was lost, a figure suddenly emerged.
He snatched the ball cleanly and sprinted toward Second Base.
Masaoka charged like an armored tank, thundering down the baseline. Yet that fielder's speed was astonishing.
He reached the bag first.
His foot struck the base a fraction of a second before Masaoka arrived.
Out.
In one fluid motion, he pivoted and leaped, firing the ball toward First Base.
"Thwack!"
The throw arrived just ahead of Araki's final step.
Out.
Double play.
In an instant, despair turned into thunderous hope.
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