On the field, situations can sometimes change so rapidly it was astounding.
Take the game between Seido and Ichidai San, for example. At first, no one expected Seido High School's ace, Hidezawa, to undergo such a transformation in his pitching. He actually fought Ichidai San to a standstill.
The powerhouse Ichidai Third High School had no choice but to reveal its hidden trump card to decide the match against Seido.
Kameshima unveiled his concealed new pitch, the Gyroball, catching Seido completely off guard. On the surface, it only seemed to strengthen Ichidai Third High School's defense, but in reality, its impact rippled through the entire game.
Especially for Hidezawa.
His strength had just improved, and he originally believed he had finally caught up to Kameshima's pace. Yet now, he realized the back he was chasing was drifting farther and farther away.
So much so that it began to affect his pitching.
The confrontation between the two sides reached a critical juncture. Any slight oversight could lead to irreversible and disastrous consequences.
One such oversight by Hidezawa was immediately seized upon by Kameshima, who smashed out a double.
On the field, the situation became no outs, runner on second base.
Although Hidezawa quickly stabilized himself afterward, the damage had already been done. Ichidai Third High School would not allow Seido any chance to reverse it.
Someone once summed up the defining trait of powerhouse teams with a single word: steady.
As long as an opportunity appears, they have a very high probability of turning it into runs. This is one of the most important characteristics of a powerhouse team.
Ichidai Third High School was no exception. They simply did not give Seido the chance to regret their mistake.
Through a combination of walks and squeeze plays, they forcefully sent Kameshima home.
The score became 1–0.
The blow to Seido High School's baseball team was severe.
Even the Seido supporters in the stands felt as if all their strength had been drained away.
This year, Seido's momentum had been tremendous. They had performed exceptionally well in their previous games, even achieving the rare feat of three consecutive matches ending early in five innings.
They were hailed as the team with the most formidable hitting power in all of Tokyo.
Everyone thought that this year's Seido might finally have hope.
Unexpectedly, a single clash with Ichidai Third High School exposed the harsh reality.
"Sure enough, it's still not enough…"
"The gap between the pitchers can't be made up by other means."
Not only ordinary fans felt pessimistic, but even professionals believed that Seido High School's upcoming games would be extremely difficult.
Of course, their views differed slightly from those of regular fans.
They did not believe Seido's strength was lacking. Setting aside their terrifying batting lineup, even Ace Hidezawa's growth alone was enough to qualify them for Koshien.
If there was any real shortcoming, it was likely their division.
Tokyo was simply an unlucky place. No matter how hard you worked or how strong you were, you weren't guaranteed the rewards you deserved.
This year's Seido was very strong.
It was just that they ran into an even stronger Ichidai Third High School, with the ever-threatening Inashiro Industrial lurking behind them.
What made it worse was that these two games were scheduled back-to-back.
Both Seido and Ichidai San faced a devilish schedule. They had to consider tomorrow's game, yet they couldn't afford to hold anything back today.
This was a comprehensive test of experience, mentality, and spirit.
In that regard, Ichidai Third High School seemed to hold the advantage.
"If Seido fails to score in the bottom of the second inning, their remaining games will become incredibly difficult."
The chances of one powerhouse completely crushing another outright were slim. Most of the time, victory came down to momentum.
Whoever rolled the bigger snowball would have the last laugh.
Kameshima, having mastered the Gyroball, was like a small snowball that had already begun rolling.
If Seido couldn't stop the bleeding in time, that snowball would only grow larger and larger.
Eventually, it would become unstoppable.
Inside the Seido High School dugout, Coach Kataoka had already recognized the severity of the situation.
Trying to make up the gap between the pitchers in this game was no longer realistic.
In other words, they were destined to be at a disadvantage in that regard.
"Kameshima, who has mastered the Gyroball, has superior pitching ability compared to Hidezawa. Although I don't want to admit it, this is an objective fact."
His tone was calm, without a trace of agitation.
Yet every young player on the Seido High School baseball team felt as though those words were ringing directly in their ears.
Hidezawa's eyes had lost all their sparkle.
"Does everyone think we have no hope in today's game?" Coach Kataoka asked. "Azuma, Yuuki, do you think so too?"
"No!"
The two core hitters responded instantly. Their voices were resolute, their eyes burning with stubborn determination.
Of course they didn't think so.
That their pitcher was weaker than Ichidai San's wasn't news to them.
When had Seido ever given up because of that?
"Very good. Good eyes," Coach Kataoka said with a nod.
"Next, use your actions to tell those guys from Ichidai Third High School this: Seido's victories have never relied solely on its pitcher."
Seido's victories have never relied on its pitcher.
To the hitters, those words were like a shot of adrenaline.
Azuma Kiyokuni, Yuuki, Tanaka, Yamada…
Including Zhang Han, Seido's power hitters felt their blood surge. One by one, their eyes reddened as they itched to step into the batter's box and fight with everything they had.
After firing up the hitters, Coach Kataoka turned his attention to the mound.
"Hidezawa, don't shoulder all the pressure yourself. We're a team. Put your personal win or loss against Kameshima aside for now. First, help the team win this game."
"You're pitching well. Believe in yourself. Maintain this state and keep pitching the way you are. Do you understand?"
Hidezawa, whose eyes had been completely lifeless, felt something stir.
Slowly, the light returned to his gaze. He nodded firmly.
Just as Coach Kataoka said, he didn't need to obsess over personal victory or defeat anymore.
As a pitcher, all he needed to do was allow fewer runs than Kameshima.
In terms of pure individual skill, Hidezawa knew he couldn't compare to him.
But the outcome of a baseball game wasn't decided by pitchers alone. It also depended on the strength of the batting lineup.
And in his teammates, Hidezawa had absolute confidence.
Azuma Kiyokuni was noisy, Yuuki was taciturn and rarely spoke, and Zhang Han could be infuriating beyond words.
But as hitters, as teammates, there was no one more reliable than them.
"Let's go!"
Azuma Kiyokuni led the charge, bat in hand, stepping into the batter's box first.
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