Bases loaded. Bases loaded again.
Logically speaking, this was an extremely advantageous situation for an offensive team like the Seido High School Baseball Team.
But back in the fifth inning, the situation had been almost exactly the same.
The batter was Zhang Han.
At that time, Seido's teammates had practically begun celebrating in advance.
Yet the final result had left everyone stunned.
Zhang Han failed to get a hit.
To be fair, the ball he hit was not bad at all.
The baseball flew far into the outfield and landed deep. No matter how one looked at it, that ball should have dropped safely onto the ground.
But baseball can be cruel.
The ball that should have landed was intercepted in midair. Hosen High School's outfielder sprinted in from afar and caught it cleanly.
"Pop!"
"Out!!"
Zhang Han returned to the dugout. Although his teammates verbally comforted him, saying it was nothing and that Hosen had simply gotten lucky, like a blind cat catching a dead mouse, the result itself could not be changed.
Ever since Zhang Han joined the Seido High School Baseball Team, his journey had been smooth. He had almost never missed in crucial situations, and even in non-critical at-bats, failures were rare.
Now, with such a perfect scoring opportunity created by the team, he had failed to bring in a run. No matter how it was viewed, it seemed somewhat inexcusable.
Worried that Zhang Han might feel pressured, his teammates did their best to comfort him.
Situations like this were actually very rare.
Coach Kataoka and the Seido coaching staff paid close attention to every player, but at the same time, their standards were extremely strict.
Once a player performed poorly, or even made a single serious mistake, he could be replaced and lose his starting position.
Fairness always carried a cruel edge.
Seido High School Baseball Team was not a grassroots team where everyone received equal chances regardless of ability. In a powerhouse team like Seido, resources and opportunities were limited. To remain fair, only one rule applied: the capable advanced, and the incapable stepped aside.
This iron rule did not change based on grade or position.
No matter how many explanations Zhang Han might have had, he had still missed the opportunity. Even if the team did not criticize him harshly, they would not excessively comfort him either.
However, in the eyes of many, this failure truly could not be blamed on Zhang Han.
He had hit a good ball, only for it to be caught. What more could he have done?
Baseball was like that. Skill was only one part of the equation. Luck mattered too.
No one could guarantee that strong performance would always lead to results.
Sometimes, luck was indispensable.
This time, Zhang Han had simply lacked a bit of it.
That explanation was enough for Seido's teammates.
Even Coach Kataoka did not stop them from offering comfort.
Now, the same situation had appeared again.
Originally, everyone had hoped that Zhang Han would make up for his earlier mistake, but doubt crept in.
No matter how outstanding his past performances were, he was still just a first-year.
When such a freshman was in good form, he was unstoppable. But when he faltered, it was possible for him to fall into a mental block.
What if he got stuck here and could not hit at all?
Manager Ota nervously rubbed his hands, helpless.
If they wanted to replace Zhang Han with a pinch hitter, there had to be a suitable candidate.
But there was none.
If someone in the dugout were truly stronger than Zhang Han, he would have become a core player long ago. There was no reason to wait until now.
Yet letting Zhang Han continue to bat also made Ota uneasy.
He cast a pleading glance toward Kataoka.
Director Kataoka's stance was firm.
"Zhang Han is standing on the field because of his strength, not because we are protecting new players. Since he earned his position through ability, we must believe in him."
Even if Zhang Han's luck failed him again, Kataoka had no intention of replacing him.
Kataoka was different from many other directors.
He did not demand that players always produce results. As long as they performed as they should on the field, they were qualified.
Even if outcomes were not ideal, he could accept that.
Behind his cold exterior, he possessed a surprisingly soft heart.
Zhang Han had no idea what the people around him were thinking.
Inside, he was calm.
That ball had not gone out. It had not landed.
He was only impressed by Hosen High School's defense. He did not blame himself at all, even though his seniors assumed he might.
It was not that Zhang Han was special. He simply could not empathize in that way.
Some people felt devastated if they did not score one hundred on a test. Some could not even eat if they placed second.
But for Zhang Han, even if he should have scored ninety and ended up with seventy, he would simply try harder next time.
Punishing himself was meaningless.
There was only one chance in many situations. Miss it, and it might be gone forever. Sometimes, the field was no different from a battlefield.
Zhang Han understood that.
But he had always lacked a sense of urgency.
Now, the situation had changed.
Even if he himself felt no inner turmoil, he could not ignore the expectations of those around him.
And Zhang Han did not want to disappoint the people who believed in him.
This time, no matter what, he had to deliver.
Here it came.
Baldy was clearly nearing exhaustion, and his pitching had grown hurried.
"Whoosh!"
Even so, the ball speed was still fast.
Zhang Han tightened his grip on the bat, calculated the trajectory, and swung with full force.
"Ping!"
The bat struck the ball violently.
The baseball shot off at an even faster speed than it had arrived.
Every pair of eyes in the stadium followed that small white ball.
It kept flying.
And flying.
Until it disappeared into the outfield stands.
"It's in! It's in! A grand slam home run!"
Four runs.
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