"Wow!!!"
In Seidō's Second String dugout, the players leapt to their feet, buzzing with excitement.
Even Takashima Rei, the assistant coach, beamed warmly.
'These kids are performing exceptionally well,' she praised with genuine admiration.
"Good job, keep it up," she urged encouragingly.
"No problem. We have to play well today," one responded confidently, determination clear in his voice.
The third-year seniors were all fired up and highly motivated.
From their perspective, this was very likely their last game.
Setting aside whether they could be promoted to the First String, who would want to leave bad memories in their final match?
Although compared to Takumi and Miyuki, who had just hit the ball, Kadota's presence wasn't as striking.
Yet the third-year seniors in the Second String still gathered around him.
In the future, they might no longer wear the Seidō uniform in official games.
Let alone bring glory to the school and team.
They placed all their hopes on the players before them.
Unlike prodigies like Miyuki Kazuya and Yamamoto Takumi, Kadota's situation was more like theirs.
He was a third-year student with only average talent.
Through his own efforts, he had climbed to the team's First String—and delivered a dazzling performance today.
Whether batting or baserunning, he excelled.
Coach Kataoka, stationed behind home plate as umpire, observed everything with keen eyes.
Kadota's promotion was certain.
"We will definitely win!" Kadota declared with fierce determination.
"Absolutely!!" his teammates echoed enthusiastically.
Kadota had always been taciturn, but in that moment, stirred by his companions, he clenched his fists and pumped his arms energetically.
The other third-year seniors immediately responded, their energy a sharp contrast to the tense atmosphere on Nanamori's side.
After their pitcher, Midori, successfully retired Seidō's sixth batter, all the players trudged back to the dugout.
Nanamori's coach scanned the faces before him, but not a single player dared to meet his gaze.
If they could, the Nanamori players probably wished they could find a hole to crawl into.
They fully expected their coach to explode in anger.
But instead, he didn't.
Their coach began clapping his hands, the sharp smacks echoing through the dugout.
Curious, the players turned their eyes toward him, and Nanamori's coach smiled before speaking.
"Do you know why I brought you here to play this game today?" he asked rhetorically.
Receiving no answer, he continued, "I wanted you to see what a true powerhouse looks like. If you can't beat a team like this, don't even dream of beating Naruta Industrial."
Naruta Industrial was the powerhouse in their district.
"You think you're a top-four team and believe you have a shot at Koshien? In truth, you're still several steps behind a real powerhouse."
"Not letting you face Seidō's First String directly was to protect your confidence. Do you really believe they're on the same level as your top-four team? Drop unrealistic fantasies and honestly assess your own strength. There's an old saying: 'Know your enemy and know yourself, and you need not fear the outcome of a hundred battles.' I want you to remember that well, Midori."
Without waiting for a response, the coach turned his gaze to Midori.
Midori looked up.
"Cheer up and trust your pitching," the coach encouraged, raising his fist.
"Yes," the Nanamori players echoed in muffled voices.
The game resumed, and the Nanamori players seemed to have transformed.
The fourth batter stepped up to the plate, planting his feet firmly with a look of fierce determination.
Ping!
The incoming ball was powerfully swept away.
Miyuki, crouched behind the plate, sprang to his feet in astonishment.
"That worked?!" he gasped in disbelief.
He had never expected Nanamori's fourth batter to connect with such a poor pitch.
Seidō's Second String fielders stared in stunned silence, equally taken aback.
As they realized the ball had been hit, they watched it roll along the foul line.
The fourth batter immediately sprinted to second base, followed by a walk that forced in a run.
Once the Nanamori players settled and refocused on the game, their status as one of the county's top four teams erupted.
At the start of the top of the second inning, they scored a run, narrowing the score to 2-1.
In the bottom of the second inning, Seidō's batters went three up, three down.
In the top of the third inning, Kawakami executed a strong double play, securing three outs and sending Nanamori back empty-handed.
In the bottom of the third inning, Seidō was back on offense.
The highly anticipated leadoff batter, Takumi, stepped up once more.
With his earlier success still fresh in their minds, his teammates in the Seidō dugout watched eagerly, brimming with hope.
"Hit it out!" one urged excitedly.
"Full power! Full power!!!" another shouted passionately.
Especially Yōichi, who cupped his hands around his mouth like a megaphone and shouted, instantly boosting the cheering squad's energy several times over.
However, despite the overwhelming support, Takumi's swing this time faltered.
Ping!
The bat connected with the ball, and he initially thought it would fly out.
What he didn't expect was the sudden surge of power behind the ball.
Though his bat was well positioned, the force caused it to nearly slip from his hands, negating the carefully aimed angle.
After the baseball bounced back, Nanamori's shortstop caught it cleanly in his glove and immediately threw to first base.
Pop!
"Out!"
One out, no one on base.
Both the players in the dugout and Seidō's First String players watching the game couldn't help but sigh.
What a pity!
It had been so close—he could have secured his second hit of the game.
Only Coach Kataoka, positioned behind home plate as umpire, thoughtfully watched Takumi return to the dugout.
Just now, Takumi's bat had been deflected by the ball.
What if it hadn't been?
Recalling Takumi's first at-bat today, when he cleanly hit the ball, Coach Kataoka's eyes behind his sunglasses deepened in thought.
That might have been another hit.
Perhaps this kid was even better than he had initially believed.
"Unfortunately, our team isn't lacking batters at the moment. We can only slot him into the Second String to build a solid foundation," he murmured thoughtfully.
Like Takumi's talent, his weaknesses were also glaringly apparent.
Compared to other players, his fundamentals were lacking.
The game continued through the fourth and fifth innings.
It wasn't until the end of the fifth inning that the game truly reached its climax.