"It's out! It's out!!"
"What's that rookie's name?"
"Zhang Han…"
"If I remember correctly, that rookie has already hit several home runs, hasn't he?"
"I think three… or maybe four."
"His efficiency isn't much worse than Azuma Kiyokuni's."
"That's unbelievable!"
"The score is four to two. Inashiro Industrial is probably done for."
In baseball, a score of 4–2, a two-run difference, isn't actually that large. Even in the final inning, if such a score appears, there's still a chance for a comeback.
Yet the on-site commentator still used the phrase "securing the victory."
Very few fans raised objections, including those supporting Inashiro Industrial.
After all, this game had already evolved into a pure pitcher's duel.
In a pitcher's battle, even a one-run gap could be enough to crush hope. Now the difference had widened to two runs.
And more importantly, Narumiya Mei, the pitcher Inashiro Industrial had sent to the mound as a last resort, had been taken deep for a home run.
How could his mental state remain unaffected?
At this moment, even a third-year ace would find it hard to stay calm, let alone a first-year rookie like Narumiya Mei.
Would the director and his teammates continue to trust him?
Would he still be able to trust himself?
Just thinking about those questions was enough to make one's head ache.
On the contrary, for Seido High School, Zhang Han's home run did more than just widen the score. It also broadened the team's mindset.
They could approach Narumiya Mei with far more composure now.
In a pitcher's duel, a two-run lead was often enough to send the opponent to the guillotine.
Not to mention that there might still be more runs later.
In the dugout of the Seido High School Baseball Team, Zhang Han received a hero's welcome.
Today's game was filled with both joy and concern for Seido.
The joy was that, without even realizing it, their overall strength had already surpassed Inashiro Industrial, the long-standing king of West Tokyo. They had seized absolute initiative.
The concern was their condition.
The previous game against Ichidai Third High School had drained them heavily. Fatigue lingered, and more troubling was the worry that the ace or other core players might run out of stamina at any moment.
They entered the match against Inashiro Industrial under that cloud of uncertainty.
Then Narumiya Mei appeared.
For a moment, it felt as if a massive dark cloud had descended over the Seido players. Whether they could ultimately win became a question mark.
Zhang Han's home run, at this moment, was undoubtedly a powerful shot in the arm.
Leaving aside the runs themselves, the composure and confidence Zhang Han displayed greatly inspired his teammates.
Inashiro Industrial. Narumiya Mei.
So what?
Coach Kataoka also believed this was a golden opportunity.
The players of Inashiro Industrial couldn't possibly be unaffected—especially Narumiya Mei on the mound. That last confrontation must have dealt him a heavy psychological blow.
Now was the time to press the advantage.
"Swing aggressively," Coach Kataoka instructed the next batter. "Advance whenever there's a chance."
Isashiki Jun and the others readily agreed.
Hitting an opponent while they were down was already satisfying. Doing it against Inashiro Industrial would make that satisfaction several times greater.
On the pitcher's mound, Narumiya Mei looked completely dazed.
The failure of that duel hit him hard.
Before throwing that pitch, he had never imagined such a result. Now that the ball had been crushed, his mind went blank.
Guilt surged through him, and he didn't know how he should face what came next.
In Inashiro Industrial's dugout, Coach Kunimoto rolled his neck, joints creaking softly.
The bald manager beside him, sensing that the situation had turned grim, offered no useful suggestions. In fact, many of Inashiro's players felt the same way.
Narumiya Mei had lost.
Their strongest trump card had fallen.
So what was the point of continuing?
Were they just supposed to watch Seido swagger across the field?
But Coach Kunimoto didn't think that way.
The man known as the top director in the country didn't hesitate. He acted decisively.
"Pitcher and outfielder, switch positions."
Narumiya Mei was moved to the outfield, temporarily reassigned.
At the same time, Inashiro Industrial's former ace, Nishimonji, returned to the pitcher's mound.
"That reaction is too fast!"
Zhang Han, who had just hit the home run, glanced back at Inashiro's dugout in shock. A bad premonition rose in his heart.
Even the bald manager didn't understand.
"Director, are you really pulling Narumiya like this? Isn't it too hasty?"
In his view, since they likely couldn't win this game anyway, they might as well let Narumiya Mei pitch to the end. Failure could be a kind of wealth. Experiencing it now might make Narumiya stronger in the future.
Compared to Nishimonji, Narumiya Mei was clearly Inashiro Industrial's future.
"It's better to let him cool down in the outfield," Coach Kunimoto replied calmly. "If he stays on the mound like this, he'll only get lost in his own thoughts. That's bad for him—and for the team."
The team needed Narumiya Mei's strength.
But they needed him clear-headed, not confused.
Seeing Kunimoto's firm stance, the bald manager chose to remain silent.
The game continued, and the confrontation between the two sides grew intense.
Nishimonji performed steadily. Although he encountered pressure and challenges, he ultimately overcame them and didn't give up any runs that inning.
In the end, Seido High School still led Inashiro Industrial by two runs.
The crisis remained.
Yet Coach Kunimoto's attention had already shifted.
He stared at Seido's dugout for a long time before turning to his assistant.
"What's that kid's name?"
"It seems to be Zhang Han. A rather unusual name."
Zhang Han.
Coach Kunimoto watched in silence, saying nothing more. But deep inside, a thought had already taken root.
After this tournament, in future games against Seido High School, that young man would very likely become their greatest enemy.
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