Chapter 428: The Fierce Battle of Ouya War
With nothing left to lose, Ouya High School decided to go all out. "Use whatever methods you prefer to seize that last chance," Coach Araki instructed from the bench before they took the field. The players from Ouya High executed this perfectly.
"Thud!"
The ball dropped, gleaming as it fell, while Eijun sprawled on the ground in a disheveled heap. Ouya High's third-base coach decisively waved his arms again, sending Yamazato charging home.
No one could stop him.
"Safe on base!!!"
Accompanied by the umpire's loud call, arms spread wide, Ouya High finally clawed back a run in the bottom of the fifth inning.
"Wow, great job, Yamazato!"
"Perfect hit, Kato!"
"Kato, you're getting an extra meal tonight."
"It's about time, Ouya!"
"Ouya, Ouya, Ouya!"
The chants roared from the Ouya High side. Although it was just one run, it was a significant one for them. It proved they could score against Seidou High.
That was enough.
"Damn it!"
In left field, Eijun rolled over and quickly scrambled to his feet. He picked up the ball and threw it toward the infield, but it was already too late. Not only had Yamazato scored from second on that hit, but Eijun's throw also lacked precision in its long-distance accuracy.
In the deep left field, his throw to second base veered slightly off target, allowing Ouya High's runner to easily reach second base.
Even if Eijun's aim had been perfect, given the speed and timing, Kato had a high chance of reaching second base. Still, Eijun felt a surge of self-annoyance.
With no outs and a runner on second, the score gap had narrowed to three runs.
The momentum was fully with Ouya High now, and Seidou High finally felt a bit of pressure.
"This team isn't as easy to handle as we thought."
"Holy smokes, they scored on just two hits?"
"Seidou was a bit careless just now."
"No, whether it's pitching or defense, Seidou is giving their all. There's no slack or carelessness."
"Yeah, Ouya has outplayed them here."
"Have they just let loose completely?"
"Ouya High is really going all out now."
"There's no choice now; Ouya is fighting with sheer momentum. A four-run difference was made in one inning. If Ouya High can't find a way to turn this around, the rhythm will be completely controlled by Seidou High."
"Their aggressive offense is paying off, judging from the results."
"The gap is now three runs; Ouya has managed to turn the tables a bit."
"With no outs, the next developments are crucial for both teams."
"Is it finally happening? The middle of the game, the most exciting moment is here."
"Hmph, Seidou still has their ace; nothing to worry about."
"It all depends on how much Ouya can score, or rather, when Coach Kataoka will make his decisions."
"Hey, hey, hey, it sounds like Kawakami is completely useless, but it's only one run, right?"
"Haha, that's true."
"Let's see what happens next."
Ouya High School's unexpectedly fierce offensive in the bottom of the fifth inning brightened the eyes of the neutral spectators in the stands. This kind of match is truly interesting.
The old saying goes,
A one-sided game.
It's okay to watch a few times, but it gets boring if it's too frequent.
A dragon and tiger fight, an evenly matched game, is the most interesting kind of match.
"Batting seventh, third baseman, Ito-kun."
"Go, Ito, get another hit here."
"Kawakami, don't worry, keep attacking."
"It's all on you now, Ito."
"Nori, we're right behind you."
"Go, Nori."
"Ito, it's time to become a hero."
One run was only a slight recovery for Ouya High.
Control was still firmly in Seidou High's hands.
But if Seidou High can't suppress Ouya High's ongoing offense, then the situation might become unpredictable. Just one more run could level the momentum between the two teams.
After all, that four-run lead,
In the eyes of Ouya High,
Was not truly a display of Seidou's strength, but rather their own lapses being exploited.
So, this run must not be lost!
At home plate, Miyuki's eyes flashed with a cold gleam.
That sparkling gaze.
On the pitcher's mound, Kawakami nodded firmly.
Just one run, Kawakami had weathered bigger storms before and didn't feel he needed a shutout or anything. A game, after all, is just a game; as long as you lead by one run in the end, that's a victory.
That's all that's needed.
Kawakami was deeply stirred by the performances of his juniors, especially Eijun's, over the past half year.
He knew that without making changes, he would eventually be overshadowed.
There was only one chance.
The batting order had to be maintained.
At the plate, Ito pursed his lips, a special kind of brilliance flashing in his keen eyes, reflecting the pitcher's mound.
Kawakami, moving with the wind, displayed a decisive and powerful stride in his standard sidearm pitching posture.
"Whoosh!"
His arm swung down.
A flash of white.
Suddenly,
Ito bent rapidly with his bat in both hands.
"A bunt!?"
In the infield,
Kuramochi, Haruichi, Maezono, and Kanemaru all tensed up, quickly adjusting their defensive positions.
"Bang!"
A perfectly executed bunt.
Batting seventh, Ito perfectly carried out the bench's command, precisely directing the ball down the first-base line.
Kawakami was momentarily startled.
However, his reaction was immediate, as he sprinted towards the rolling ball.
At the same time,
Kato on second base quickly moved towards third.
"First base!"
Miyuki suddenly stood up at home plate.
From the corner of his eye,
He saw the runner from second almost reaching third.
Throwing to third was too risky at this moment. Although there was a chance for an out, it was more likely that it would result in a missed opportunity, causing a breakdown in another part of their defense.
That would be disastrous.
As the team's strategic brain,
Miyuki had to make the correct decision, which was to prioritize securing an out.
At this time,
Miyuki also showed a flash of irritation.
He had been deceived.
The overwhelming momentum had led Miyuki to believe that the batter was going to swing hard, especially since the previous two batters had been aggressively attacking. This caused a lapse in his judgment.
This miscalculation was somewhat troublesome for Seidou High School.
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