Pitcher Sugisawa continued into the top of the seventh inning. So far, he had only allowed one run—a home run by Sakai.
The leadoff batter for the Tokyo Chariots, Kaku, aggressively swung at the second pitch after starting with a ball. The ball soared over my head like a line drive. I leaped, but it sailed well over my glove. *Nothing I could do about that one.*
Next up was Durer. He hooked the first cut fastball and grounded it to short. Arai fielded the ball cleanly, and I moved to cover second base. Receiving Arai's toss, I pivoted and fired to Shimizu at first. A textbook 6-4-3 double play. Two outs, no runners.
However, Sugisawa couldn't relax yet. He gave up consecutive hits to Nakamura and Takaido, then walked Beans on a full count. Bases loaded with two outs. This was the game's biggest crisis.
The next batter, Hirama, stepped up. *We need to get through this with zero runs.* I felt a familiar nervousness rising. *But I've faced worse—bottom of the ninth, bases loaded, leading by one at Koshien. I can turn tension into strength.* Believing in oneself in such moments is crucial, and the countless hours of practice were my foundation.
Sugisawa's pitches had noticeably lost some velocity, but the bench didn't move. They were trusting our ace. Hirama was a tough out, with a keen batting eye and the ability to hit long balls. Sugisawa's first two pitches missed inside. Two balls, no strikes.
The third pitch was high and outside. Three balls, no strikes.
Sugisawa maintained his composure and delivered a low fastball for the fourth pitch. The umpire paused, then called it a strike. Three balls, one strike.
The fifth pitch was a cut fastball on the outside corner. Hirama swung and missed. Full count. *Here we go.*
Hirama fouled off the sixth and seventh pitches—both tough, just outside the zone. The eighth pitch, a low slider, was also fouled off. Both Hirama and Sugisawa were impressive, fighting for every inch of the strike zone. True professional competition.
The ninth pitch was a high cut fastball down the middle. Hirama connected, sending the ball flying towards left-center field. Takeshita sprinted back, making a leaping catch just before the fence. The stadium erupted in cheers. Sugisawa limited the damage, keeping the seventh inning scoreless and fulfilling his role as our ace.
In the bottom of the seventh, Maehara led off. The Chariots replaced Takita with left-hander Ishikura. Maehara singled to left on the first pitch. No outs, runner on first.
Takeshita executed a perfect sacrifice bunt, moving Maehara to second. One out, runner on second.
Taniguchi was up next. I moved to the on-deck circle. Taniguchi swung at the first pitch, sending it down the right field line. The crowd buzzed, but it was a foul. The second pitch, a slider on the outside corner, was close. No balls, two strikes. After taking a ball, Taniguchi swung at a low forkball on the fourth pitch and struck out. He walked back to the bench, disappointment etched on his face.
Two outs, runner on second. A chance to take the lead with one swing. *If I get my first professional hit here, I could be the hero.* I stepped up to the batter's box, feeling the weight of the moment. A tap on my shoulder stopped me.
"Takahashi, pinch hit," batting coach Onda said.
*I didn't expect this.* I nodded, swallowing my disappointment, and headed back to the bench. *It's the right call.* We needed to score at all costs, and Iida, the backup second baseman, was talented.
"Number 9, Takahashi Takashi, will be replaced by pinch hitter Takahashi Koji, number 15," the announcer called.
The crowd roared. Takahashi Koji, in his second year after university, had played in 40 games last season with a .250 average. This season, he had a .300 average in limited at-bats, becoming a key pinch hitter.
Suppressing my frustration, I cheered from the bench. *That's all I can do now.*
Takahashi Koji battled to a full count but ultimately struck out swinging on the fifth pitch. Sugisawa was no longer in line for the win.