Chapter 434: The King's Counterattack at Ouya
Tenacious and unyielding.
Unwavering in determination.
Ouya High School's performance toward the late-game stages of this match has truly left the audience awestruck.
In the bottom of the sixth inning.
Ouya's sixth offensive rally.
A new wave of batting aggression.
It once again brought endless trouble for Kawakami.
However, the previous inning's crisis had been defused by Eijun, which gave Kawakami a renewed sense of confidence. Behind him, he knew, stood not only reliable teammates of his own year but also a group of dependable juniors.
With such reassuring defense at his back, Kawakami's pitching momentum grew fiercer. Behind home plate, even Miyuki was slightly surprised—after all, this version of Kawakami was rarely seen.
"Whoosh"
"Thwack"
"Strike! Batter's out!!"
"A perfect pitch—a sinking cutter that slid from inside to the outside corner. Number 11, Kawakami, the second-year sidearm pitcher from Seidou High School, used his excellent breaking balls and pinpoint control to retire the third batter, Sumi. Two outs, one runner on base. Ouya's offense continues to struggle!!"
"Nice pitch, Kawakami-senpai."
"Let's go, Ouya!"
"Come on, Hiro-kun, hit one out."
"Seidou, Seidou, Seidou!"
"Nori, just one more out. You can do it."
You have resilience.
I have overwhelming pressure.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, although Ouya's first batter, Haruno, managed to connect with Kawakami's outside fastball and hit a ground ball toward third, the awkward angle, along with some luck and Haruno's decent speed, allowed him to barely reach first base safely.
This infield single initially seemed to offer Ouya a chance to turn things around. But Kawakami's subsequent pitching clearly conveyed to Ouya that no second opportunities would be given.
His sharp control and effective breaking balls, coupled with Miyuki's aggressive pitch selection, made it impossible for the second batter, Kamii, or the third batter, Sumi, to break through Seidou's defense. Neither had the luck that the first batter did, and they both struck out.
Ouya's pent-up frustration, feeling as though they couldn't break through no matter how hard they tried, began to grow, causing their emotions to fray.
"Fourth batter, first baseman, Kasuga Hiro."
Just one hit.
They absolutely needed to get a hit here.
Even Ouya's cleanup hitter and captain, Hiro, now wore an uncharacteristically solemn expression.
The pressure from Seidou's side was simply overwhelming, leaving Ouya with very little room to maneuver. The previous inning had been a golden opportunity, but unfortunately, Sawamura had extinguished it.
As captain, Hiro understood all too well the predicament his team was in. Although their ace, Wakabayashi, seemed to be getting stronger as the game went on, Hiro couldn't shake a deep sense of foreboding.
"We absolutely need to get a hit here!!"
Regrettably, their failure to seize the chance to rattle Kawakami in the previous inning meant that Ouya had already missed their best opportunity.
It wasn't that the potential run in that inning would have determined the game's outcome, but it could have been a crucial turning point.
A three-run deficit versus a two-run deficit, the continuation of the batting order, and the morale of both teams—so much hinged on that one run. Losing it left Ouya's chances looking incredibly slim.
"Whoosh"
"Thwack"
"Strike! Batter's out!!"
"Three outs! Change sides!!"
Without any exaggerated buildup or overpowering pitches, Miyuki's steady guidance allowed Kawakami to fully leverage his advantage in the strike zone.
Hiro had no opportunities to exploit, ultimately striking out swinging.
A runner was left stranded on base, and the game moved on.
"That final pitch was an outside fastball, and the batter swung through it for a strikeout. After surviving the previous inning's onslaught, Kawakami looked even more solid in this one, allowing Seidou High to maintain their three-run lead as they entered the final stages of the game!!"
In this inning, Ouya found themselves utterly stymied by Seidou's rock-solid defense. They simply couldn't find any openings.
"Nice pitch, Kawakami."
"Just like that, keep it up."
"Let's go, Nori."
"Seidou, Seidou, Seidou."
The thunderous cheers, as bright as the stars, echoed through the stadium. Seidou High's players' enthusiastic shouts perfectly mirrored Kawakami's shining determination.
Together, they demonstrated that in this moment, Seidou held an unquestionable advantage.
"It's okay, it's okay. We've still got them."
"Right, we're just one hit away. There are still three innings left—we still have a chance."
"Don't give up."
"We still have a chance to win."
"Let's go, Ouya High."
With a grave expression, piercing eyes, and lips tightly pursed, Wakabayashi firmly clenched his fists. His teammates' determined, expectant gazes bore down on him.
"Alright, let's go!!!"
This was a cry born from the depths of Wakabayashi's spirit, a display of his unyielding ambition and fiery resolve. Yet, that resolve was soon utterly shattered.
"Whoosh"
"Ping!"
In the vast, silent stadium, the clear, resonant crack of the bat filled the air.
A dazzling trajectory streaked through the sky.
The baserunner, who had been poised to sprint, froze mid-motion, his gaze fixed on the ball speeding high over the infield.
"Thump!"
Brilliant and spectacular, the ball struck the fence in deep right-center, beyond the reach of the outfielders, and ricocheted back with a booming echo.
The falling light of the ball reflected the pale, helpless expression of one player, while at the same time highlighting the jubilant cheers of another.
"OOOOOOOOOH!"
After a moment of stunned silence, an explosion of astonished cries filled the stadium.
At home plate, the young, pink-haired player raised a victorious fist, his flushed cheeks glowing with triumph. Seidou High's team erupted into joyous shouts, their excitement uncontainable.
"An extraordinary hit! After both the eighth and ninth batters were retired, Kuramochi reached base with a single, setting the stage for Haruichi Kominato to deliver the perfect response. A home run to deep right-center! A two-run homer! Seidou extends their lead to five runs! What a sharp, powerful swing, showcasing the strength of the wooden bat!"
The announcer's exuberant call reverberated through the stadium, perfectly capturing the thrilling sight of Kuramochi leisurely returning to home plate, followed by Kominato racing around the bases.
On the mound, Wakabayashi tugged his cap lower over his face, his left hand hanging limply at his side.
The once resolute aura that surrounded him was now fading rapidly.
In the dugout, Ouya High's players stared in disbelief.
Another home run. Another blow that widened the gap between them and their opponent. Faced with this stark reality, it was nearly impossible for them to summon the same level of determination as before.
The counterattack of the kings came swiftly, with a sharp edge that left Ouya High with no time to respond.
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