Standing on the pitcher's mound, Kantou Number One's main pitcher Shirai Keiichi felt he was a bit out of breath:
At the third base on his right side, Waseda Jitsugyo's Ishikawa Shoujin kept distracting him like a fly, constantly darting back and forth between bases, making him feel quite annoyed. The key factor was he was a left-handed pitcher, so trying to pick off a runner at third base required turning his whole body, which was nearly impossible to execute successfully.
In the stands, many neutral spectators who enjoyed the excitement were cheering for the Waseda Jitsugyo batter — most didn't care who the winner was, as long as the game was thrilling.
At home plate, Waseda Jitsugyo's seventh batter, Fukasawa Kouta, had already stepped into the batter's box — he immediately took a bunt stance, clearly intending to score by any means.
