Seido High School's decisive substitution sent a shiver through Shinko High School's players.
The change had been far too decisive, and it came even after the previous player had performed excellently. What did this mean? Even a fool could guess. It meant that Seido High School Baseball Team had planned this from the very beginning. The moment that small player reached base, they would immediately make the substitution. Everything had been calculated in advance, and now events were unfolding exactly according to Seido's plan.
Kuse Hikaru probably regretted it deeply.
How had he failed to see through the schemes of Seido High School Baseball Team?
If he had realized it earlier, even if it meant throwing several more pitches and paying a certain price, he would have definitely dealt with that small player.
Now there was trouble.
Seido High School Baseball Team had come prepared, and judging by their posture, they clearly had no intention of backing down.
They had ideas, and they had ambition.
Right from the start, Seido High School had not even bothered to probe. They had launched a surprise attack, intending to catch Shinko High School completely off guard.
"Don't panic. We can't lose our composure just because the opponent's scheme succeeded. That would only make them more pleased."
Kuse Hikaru took two deep breaths in succession, forcibly adjusting his mindset.
He was not a pitcher who relied on brute strength or sheer speed. He relied on technique, and pitch selection was of utmost importance. A pitcher like him had to fight not only his opponents, but also himself. As long as his own mindset did not collapse, everything would still be manageable.
Once his mentality faltered, things would spiral out of control. No matter how much effort he put in afterward, it would be extremely difficult to reverse the situation.
So he had to stay calm.
Kuse Hikaru repeatedly warned himself not to be disturbed by Seido High School Baseball Team's actions. However, their moves were simply too arrogant.
The runner who had just entered the game stood nearly three meters off first base, clearly ready to advance at any moment. At the same time, the batter stepped into a clear bunting stance, as if they intended to trade an out for the runner to advance to second base.
This kind of trade was both acceptable and unacceptable for either side.
Normally, Kuse Hikaru would have allowed the runner to advance to second base. But now, he absolutely did not want that to happen.
With a runner already on base, unless they could turn a double play, it would be inevitable that the batting order would soon reach Seido High School Baseball Team's fourth batter.
Facing Seido's strongest hitter with a runner on base was not a wise choice.
It was not that Kuse Hikaru was afraid.
He simply believed there was no need to take such a risk. A skill-based pitcher like him could not pitch recklessly like those brute-force types, ignoring the consequences.
He had to prepare thoroughly to ensure final victory.
So even if the opponent used a bunt to advance the runner, he would absolutely not let them have their way.
"A bunt isn't something you get just because you want it!"
The white ball whistled forward. Although the pitch was not especially fast, it carried tremendous force, as if it could smash through anything in its path.
As one of the nation's top pitchers, Kuse Hikaru pushed both his focus and ability to the limit. Even with the team facing danger, he appeared calm and composed, responding steadily.
Watching the ball fly toward him, Hidezawa, who had been showing a bunting stance, suddenly pulled his bat back.
Fooled.
The opponent had no intention of bunting.
Instead, the runner on first base had already taken off the moment Kuse Hikaru began his pitching motion. At first, Shinko High School's players assumed this had been coordinated with the batter. Now it was clear that this was not the case at all.
One was a feint, the other the real move.
So fast.
Tanaka sprinted like a high-speed vehicle, instantly covering more than ten meters and rapidly closing in on second base.
"Dream on!"
The Shinko catcher froze for a brief moment as he caught the ball. He had not expected the batter to pull back the bunt, especially when the entire infield defense had already moved forward. In this situation, even if he threw to second base, the shortstop and second baseman might not make it back in time.
Those scoundrels from Seido High School Baseball Team must have planned this.
But they were wrong.
Shinko was also a powerhouse, and their players trained just as rigorously.
Although Seido's surprise attack was impressive, it was not enough to topple Shinko so easily.
"Crack!"
The catcher secured the ball, transferred it instantly from his glove to his right hand, and fired it out.
"Whoosh!"
The ball shot like an arrow toward second base, racing against Tanaka, who was about to reach the bag.
The crowd gasped.
"So fast!"
One exclamation was for Tanaka's speed. The other was for the catcher's lightning-fast throw. A catcher who could start for a powerhouse was certainly no ordinary player.
Unfortunately, his throw was just a fraction too slow, and the receiving position was slightly off. By the time the ball landed in the shortstop's glove, Tanaka had already dived in and slapped the base with his hand.
"Safe!"
No outs, runner on second base.
The stands erupted.
No one had expected such an explosive exchange.
Both teams reacted with incredible speed, and the confrontation was thrilling. Just a tiny margin, and the outcome could have been completely different.
The tension was exhilarating.
It was simply beautiful.
As Tanaka stood up, he glanced at Shinko's shortstop. That player had also moved forward on defense earlier, yet his recovery speed had been astonishing.
As expected of a powerhouse from Kyoto, they truly had hidden depth. Both sides became even more cautious, and the following exchanges grew increasingly tense.
Hidezawa, who had just feigned the bunt, squared up again. This time, he genuinely laid the ball down, successfully advancing Tanaka to third base.
"Safe!"
One out, runner on third base.
Now it was Yamada's turn to bat, the player with the two small fangs.
At this moment, the players of Shinko High School felt their hearts rise into their throats. Seido High School Baseball Team truly deserved its reputation as one of the strongest offensive teams in the country.
Before they could fully react, Seido's attack was already pressing down on them.
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