One out, top of the 4th. Sendo's breath steadied as the next batter approached: Maezono Kenta, Inashiro's fifth hitter. Stocky, powerful, and known for punishing mistakes.
Miyuki tapped his glove twice, signaling inside. "Don't give him room to extend his arms. Jam him."
Sendo nodded, winding up. The pitch came hard and in.
Maezono swung, the ball ricocheting foul. He grinned. "Heh. Not bad, but you'll need more to beat me."
The second pitch — a moving fastball low. Maezono launched his bat — crack! The grounder shot up the middle.
But Ryousuke dove, snagging it cleanly before firing to first.
"Out!"
The alumni clapped again, impressed by Seidou's infield defense.
"Two down," Miyuki reminded calmly, tossing the ball back.
Inashiro's sixth hitter strode up — Shirasu, steady but dangerous with runners on. With bases empty, he looked more cautious.
Sendo wasted no time, pounding the zone with fastballs. Shirasu fouled one, missed the next, then froze on a slider that bit across the plate.
"Strike three!"
Three outs. Another clean inning.
The Seidou bench erupted with cheers, Sawamura leaping over the rail. "He's untouchable right now!"
The alumni exchanged glances. "A rookie keeping Inashiro scoreless for four straight innings? Incredible…"
On the Inashiro bench, murmurs spread too.
"He's sharper than we expected.""Still… it won't last. The order will adjust."
Narumiya sat with arms crossed, his eyes narrowed. (Interesting. You're not just a placeholder. But how long can you keep that calm when the pressure really mounts?)
Bottom of the 4th.
Seidou back at bat, facing the relentless Narumiya. Their seventh batter stepped in, gripping the bat tight. He knew he had to support Sendo's effort.
Narumiya smirked. His first pitch blazed in — swing and a miss. The second was a sharp curve, dropping out of reach. Another miss.
"Strike three!"
The batter slumped back. One out.
Next came the eighth batter. He tried to work the count, laying off the first curve. But Narumiya painted the corners mercilessly — fastball outside, slider inside.
"Strikeout!"
Two down.
Ninth in the order stepped up, desperate just to get something started. He made contact, fouling two in a row, but Narumiya finished him with a rising fastball that left him swinging at air.
Three up, three down.
The Inashiro bench applauded their ace, voices calm and steady. "That's more like it, Mei."
The inning ended quickly, both sides showing their strength — Sendo surprising everyone with his poise, Narumiya reminding all why he was called the "Tokyo Prince."
As the players jogged off the field, the alumni leaned against the fence, voices buzzing with excitement.
"That rookie… he's not just holding on. He's standing toe-to-toe with Narumiya.""Still, one mistake and Inashiro will jump all over him. The real test starts next inning."
From the mound, Sendo glanced at Narumiya, who was casually picking at the ball in his glove. Their eyes met for a brief second — calm versus calm, fire versus ice.
Sendo's lips tightened into the faintest of smirks. (I'm not backing down.)
Narumiya tilted his head, his smile thin and amused. (Try and keep up, rookie. Let's see who breaks first.)
The fourth inning ended with both pitchers standing tall. The scoreboard read:Inashiro 0 – Seidou 0.
The air around Seidou's practice ground was thick with tension. Alumni leaned against the fences, eyes gleaming as though they were watching Koshien itself. Second-string players sat huddled together, whispering about every pitch.
"Unbelievable," one of the alumni muttered. "That freshman—Sendo—he's throwing like he belongs here."
Another shook his head. "He's impressive, sure, but Inashiro's lineup isn't ordinary. Once their core adjusts, can he really keep them quiet?"
On Seidou's bench, Sawamura practically bounced out of his seat."Did you see that strikeout? Sendo's on fire!"
Kuramochi grinned, leaning back with his helmet in his lap. "Calm down, idiot. Don't jinx him."
Miyuki, crouched low while tightening his gear, smirked faintly. "He's steady so far. But this is where it gets tricky. Inashiro's veterans don't crumble after two clean innings. They're already planning the counter."
Sendo sat quietly at the edge of the bench, sipping water. His expression never wavered. Inside, though, his chest pounded with the rush of facing hitters who had dominated Tokyo for years.
(I've held them down for four. But it's not enough. I can't let up, not even once. If I falter, it's over.)
Meanwhile, across the diamond, Inashiro's dugout brimmed with quiet calculation.
"Four innings, no runs… that's rare against us," Harada muttered, arms crossed. His eyes lingered on Sendo. "He's sharper than he looks."
Maezono scoffed. "Tch. He's nothing like Mei. Give it another inning—we'll crack him."
Carlos, already stretching with his bat, grinned. "That calm look of his… reminds me of someone who hasn't been tested yet. Let's shake him up."
Narumiya sat apart, polishing the ball in his glove. His smirk didn't fade. "He's doing well for a rookie. But the fifth is where games begin. Let's see if he has the guts to last."
The umpire's voice cut through the chatter."Top of the fifth! Play ball!"
The alumni leaned closer to the fence, anticipation buzzing through the air. Seidou's defense spread across the field, cleats digging in, gloves snapping tight.
Sendo stepped back onto the mound. His heart raced, but his grip on the ball was steady.
Across the field, Inashiro's first batter of the inning walked to the plate—Carlos, their leadoff man, bat spinning casually in his hands.
Miyuki crouched, his voice calm but sharp."Alright, Sendo. Time to prove if you belong here. Don't fear them—attack."
Sendo wound up, the ball flashing from his fingers.
The battle for the fifth inning had begun.