Bottom of the fifth inning.
One out, a runner on first.
Captain Tanaka recorded his second hit of the game.
Before this, most of the spotlight had been stolen by Zhang Han and Yuuki, making Tanaka, the team's captain, seem less important. In reality, he had still collected plenty of hits and contributed greatly. It was just that Seido had been sailing too smoothly. Without flashy moments, it was easy to be overlooked.
But against Inashiro Industrial, Tanaka's solid fundamentals were fully on display. He kept getting on base and pushing the offense forward.
This time was no different. After reaching first, he didn't idle. He immediately adopted an aggressive lead, clearly preparing to steal.
Tanaka wasn't abnormally fast, but he was quick. Among Seido High School's first-string players, his speed ranked first. Even across the entire team, he easily placed in the top three. In a powerhouse school, that was no small feat. Looking at all of West Tokyo, he was still among the fastest.
A player like that was a constant threat once on base.
Even though he knew better, Nishimonji couldn't help focusing on Tanaka. He kept him in his sights, throwing more than one pickoff attempt.
But pickoffs meant nothing to a veteran like Tanaka, who had been stealing bases for years. All they did was irritate the pitcher.
Unable to do anything about the runner, Nishimonji finally turned his attention back to the batter, Hidezawa.
Hidezawa was no easy opponent either.
He was one of Seido High School's power hitters. In the past, he had been ranked alongside Azuma Kiyokuni and Tanaka as Seido's "Three Carriages." It was worth noting that he earned that title purely with his bat.
"Ping!"
The ball shot off the bat and flew past the first baseman. It didn't travel far, but the placement was perfect. With large gaps behind first and third, it didn't need distance to become an effective hit.
Already prepared, Tanaka dashed straight to third in one smooth motion.
Hidezawa had a chance to push for second, but Inashiro's outfielder reacted too quickly. He chose not to take the risk.
Seido's situation was excellent. They were clearly about to score, and the batting order was coming up to Azuma Kiyokuni and Yuuki. Hidezawa didn't believe the current Nishimonji could hold them back.
There was no reason to gamble. Playing steadily, expanding the lead bit by bit, and crushing the opponent with momentum was the correct approach.
So Hidezawa stayed at first.
One out. Runners on first and third.
For Inashiro, the best possible outcome was a double play. If they could force the next batter to hit an infield grounder, they could escape the crisis.
But that was only an ideal scenario.
The Seido players weren't fools. They wouldn't follow Inashiro's script. They had trained extensively, both offensively and defensively. Even if their minds went blank under pressure, their bodies remembered what to do.
Nishimonji wanted to use his high-breaking curveball to induce a grounder from Yamada.
Yamada responded in the most direct way possible.
He squared to bunt.
It was a squeeze play.
Tanaka at third and Hidezawa at first were both ready to run. It was a huge gamble, but one with little downside for Seido.
At best, Inashiro could bring the infield in. If that happened, Yamada could pull back and swing away, aiming for the inevitable gaps. Even a failed hit would disrupt the double-play setup.
If Inashiro didn't shift forward, they wouldn't be able to stop the bunt cleanly, and a double play would be impossible.
Either way, there was a high chance Seido would score at home. Tanaka's speed all but guaranteed it, and they would still have runners on base for Azuma Kiyokuni.
The choice wasn't entirely Seido's, but the initiative was firmly in their hands.
In contrast, Inashiro's pitcher and catcher were trapped between options. Seido could afford the gamble. They could not.
In the end, Inashiro had no choice but to maintain their normal defensive alignment and hope to force a grounder.
Yamada might not have looked particularly sharp, but he wasn't stupid. He wasn't about to give Inashiro that chance.
Unless the pitch was perfect, he wouldn't swing. Even if it meant striking out, he wouldn't ruin this opportunity.
One side was decisive. The other hesitated.
The outcome unfolded in the way Inashiro feared most.
"Ball!"
"Ball!"
"Ball!"
"Ball!!"
"Four balls! Walk to first base!"
Yamada drew the walk.
Hidezawa was forced to second, and the bases were loaded with one out.
The next batter was the cleanup hitter, Azuma Kiyokuni.
"Haha! Haha!!"
Azuma laughed wildly, his presence overwhelming. Even his bulging belly couldn't diminish his aura. He looked like an invincible god of war as he stepped toward the batter's box.
Then, suddenly, a timeout was called from Inashiro's dugout.
A flurry of substitutions followed.
An outfielder left the field. Nishimonji moved to the outfield. The catcher, Fujita, shifted to third base. The original third baseman, Harada Masakatsu, put on the catcher's gear.
Finally, a young man with a baby face and a radiant smile walked out from the dugout.
His smile was beautiful, almost princely. He wasn't tall, but he carried himself with confidence and presence.
Even so, the crowd wasn't optimistic.
"Is Inashiro Industrial giving up?"
"They're sending a first-year rookie in at a time like this?"
The young man was Narumiya Mei, a first-year.
Many fans didn't know that back in junior high, he had another nickname.
"Tokyo Prince."
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