The rest of the inning went smoothly, Yuki managed to hit an 2 RBI double, bringing home both Kominato and Isashiki.
That brought out total runs to 6 while Yokohama stayed at 2.
After that, Yokohama changed their pitcher and managed to get the next to outs with a strikeout and a grounder to second, easily getting the final out by throwing to first.
Now the top of the eighth inning, we were back on defence.
When I walked back onto the field while with the team, I thought about the mission tasks I had left.
'I still need 3 more strikeouts, and I need to make sure they don't get a run.' I thought as I got to the mound.
I then looked towards the batters that were next for Yokohama, it was their third, fourth and fifth batters.
'Okay, so I'm going against their clean-ups next. They will be cautious after what happened last inning and I need to make every pitch count.' I thought.
I then turned to Miyuki who was also looking at me.
I nodded to him as if telling him that I was ready for the challenge ahead.
He just chuckled at that.
Then the third batter started walking up to the batter's box, he had a very serious look on his face, a complete contrast to the first batter last inning that full of confidence.
I bent over and chucked the Rosin bag in my hand as I waited for him to step into the box.
After he entered and got into his position, I dropped the bag and looked at Miyuki.
Miyuki then called for a low, inside fastball.
I nodded and threw.
WHOOOOOOSH
BAANG
"Strike!"
"Nice pitching Sawamura! You're looking good!" Miyuki said whilst throwing the ball back.
I looked at the batter for a second.
'He didn't look like he was going to swing at all on the last pitch.' I thought.
Miyuki then called for the same pitch again and I agreed and threw.
WHOOOOOOOSH
DING
The batter suddenly swung at the pitch and hit it.
I looked at the ball and saw that it was going way into foul territory past first base.
I sighed a little at that.
I then composed my self and turned to Miyuki.
He then called for a splitter, low and inside.
'Ah, so that's what he was going for.' I thought as I nodded at the call.
I then threw the next pitch.
WHOOOOOOSH
The batter then swung at the same pitch he had seen twice in a row with intensity.
SHUM
BAANG
"Strike! Batter out!" The umpire called as the ball landed in Miyuki's mitt after the batter swung at nothing.
"YOSH!" I shouted, clenching my fist.
I then looked at the next batter, Yokohama's clean up.
He was responsible for the 2 runs Yokohama had as he hit an RBI homerun in the fourth inning.
'I need to go all out against him.' I thought. 'Max, activate 'Ace's indomitable will' skill.'
[Activating Ace's Indomitable will skill.]
I suddenly felt the familiar rush of power and bursting energy when the skill activated.
'I need to get to a level where I can feel this kind of power regularly.' I thought with satisfaction when I clenched my hand over the ball with an iron grip.
'Okay, now I'm ready.' I thought as a looked at the cleanup walking into the batter's box with a determined face.
I took a deep breath and looked to Miyuki.
'We need to throw him off from the first pitch.' I thought.
Miyuki seemed to have the same thought as he called for a cutter.
I nodded and threw the ball.
WHOOOOSH
The batter saw the speed of the ball and instantly started swinging in the path.
SWWIIIIPP
BANG
The ball landed in Miyuki's mitt perfectly after breaking hard, disappearing from the batter's view.
"Strike!"
The batter stood there in a daze for a moment as he couldn't work out what had happened.
'Good, he looks distracted now. Now, something to quicken the pace.' I thought.
Miyuki then called for a high, inside four-seam and I nodded immediately.
I then threw the ball.
WHOOOOOOOOSH
The ball flew down to Homeplate with a blitzing pace, the fastest I'd ever thrown.
The batter only saw the ball for a moment before it crashed into Miyuki's mitt.
BAAANG
The batter was caught looking, he had no chance of getting that ball.
The ball landed with immense power, making Miyuki's eyes widen.
'That was his best pitch by far! What was with that speed? It was almost like Furuya's! Damn, I'm getting goosebumps again!' He thought.
The sound of the impact echoed through the crowd, making them open their mouths slightly.
"Hey, wasn't that faster than his last pitches?" Someone asked.
"I definitely seemed faster, lets look at the board." Another replied.
Most of the crowd looked towards the board that displayed the speed of the pitches.
Suddenly a number appeared on the screen which shocked the crowd.
'145kmh' It read.
"Holy, he hit the 145kmh mark? He was throwing around early 140s earlier."
"That's insane!"
"Where did this monster come from?"
The crowd started cheering louder after noticing the change in the rookie pitcher, he had truly surprised everyone in his debut, making his arrival to high school baseball known to all that watched it.
"Again, the demon rookie from Seido is making waves around the stadium with the last pitch which broke into the 90mph mark. He is truly a force to be reckoned with. Sawamura Eijun, who came out of nowhere, has taken over this game singlehandedly!" The commentator said into his mic, he was truly happy he had been casting this game as he got to witness the debut of a prodigy.
As I was concentrating heavily, I was completely oblivious to the cheers and the sounds around me.
'Okay, one last pitch, he's seen the cutter and the four-seam. Maybe we go for and off-speed pitch with a change up? Or a splitter?' My mind was going at a fast pace.
I then took a breath to calm down.
I looked at Miyuki and he gave the sign for the last pitch.
I nodded and threw.
WHOOOOOOOOSH
The batter, knowing that he was stuck in a corner, instantly swung at the fast pitch coming at him thinking it was a fastball.
Then,
SHUM
BANG
The ball landed in Miyuki's mitt after breaking vertically at the last moment, making the cleanup swing at air.
"Strike! Batter out!" The umpire announced.
"SHHAAAAA!!" I shouted, pumping my fist.
"He finishes off with a splitter to strike out Yokohama's clean-up and the fifth batter in a row! Sawamura Eijun looks unstoppable on the mound!" The commentator stated.
The crowd started talking to each other again in excitement.
"Isn't that his fifth strike out in a row?"
"Yeah, Yokohama's batter can't seem to get a grasp on him!"
"Only one batter had touched the ball for a foul. Every other pitch was a strike, no balls at all."
"Holy shit, really?"
The Seido crowd were elated, they were surprised by how Sawamura had been so dominant so far, but they were equally as happy, shouting at the top of their lungs.
After I struck out the clean-up, I felt the power and energy leave my body as the skill had finished.
I took a deep breath and rolled my shoulder, making sure everything was still light and comfortable.
After the check, I looked down at the plate where the fifth batter had stepped into the box.
'He looks nervous, can't say I blame him after I just took out their cleanup with a quick pace.' I thought. 'He will probably swing on the first pitch to try and end it early.'
Miyuki had the same thought as he called for the first pitch.
I nodded at the call and threw.
Whoosh
The batter was indeed eager to swing, and he realised his mistake when he saw that he had already completed his swing before the ball landed.
Pah
"Strike!"
The batter looked furious as he saw the ball in Miyuki's mitt, his eyes started sharpening after that and he took a deep breath.
Miyuki then called for low and away two-seam.
I nodded and threw
WHOOOOOOSH
The batter swung with all hopes to hit the pitch, completely relying on luck to get a hit, luckily for him, he managed to snag the pitch and send it towards Kominato.
Kominato was a little restless as he hadn't had much to do since Sawamura came into the game, but he still had a confidence growing inside him as he watched Sawamura pitch.
He didn't know for sure what it was, but he knew that when the ball was flying towards his direction, he could get it.
He twisted his body, stretched out and leaped to his left as the ball was getting past him.
BANG
The ball landed in his outstretched glove with great force as he leaped.
He landed and rolled to the ground.
When he stopped, he showed his glove to the umpire at first base.
"Out!"
The crowd went wild at that last play, Kominato truly showed his skills and reactions with that catch.
As we walked back to the dugout, I ran towards Kominato and held out my glove.
"Nice save, Kominato-senpai!" I said with a smile.
He moved his glove towards mine and then slipped past it and chopped me on the head.
"Damn brat, I would do that more if you let them hit a bit!" He said with a smirk. "Nice pitching."
He then turned and jogged to the dugout.
When I arrived, I got swarmed again by the rest of the players.
"Nice pitching, rookie."
"SHHAAA! You're giving them hell and I'm loving it, you brat!"
"Nice job, Sawamura."
"Thank you, senpais!" I replied to them all.
It was now the bottom of the eight.
We were back on offence, starting from the seventh batter.
I would we third up after Sakai Ichirou, Seido's left fielder and Shirasu, Seido's right fielder.
I went and got my helmet and bat and walked to the hole as Sakai and Shirasu walk out.
While in the hole, I was standing next to the coach.
Sakai unfortunately hit a grounder to Yokohama's shortstop on the first pitch for the first out at first.
When I was about to move on deck, the coach said something to me.
"Sawamura, if Shirasu gets on base, I want you to bunt, alright?" He said.
I turned to the coach with an ok sign.
"You got it, coach. I'll make sure he advances."
I then turned and walked on deck.
Shirasu was already in the batter's box as I got there.
WHOOOSH
PAH
"Ball!" The umpire said.
"Good eyes, Shirasu-senpai!" I shouted to Shirasu.
He was locked in and ready to swing at any good-looking pitch.
The pitcher threw his second pitch.
WHOOSH
'Slower.' I stated in my mind as I watched the ball through the air.
DING
Shirasu saw the opportunity as well and swung straight over the infield of Yokohama for an easy single.
I walked up to the batter's box, swinging every so often.
When I entered the box, I pointed my bat to Shirasu and said in a loud voice.
"Senpai, get ready! I'll hit a big one and send you home!"
I then grinned at him.
Shirasu just nodded at my words, knowing how fake they were because he had seen coaches sign for a bunt.
The pitcher of Yokohama was pissed at my words.
I stood in the box with my bat pulled fully bat like I was ready to take a big swing.
The pitcher threw with anger on the first pitch.
WHOOOSH
As soon as he finished his windup, I pulled my bat back down towards the path of the ball.
'Hmm, should be right with this amount of power.' I thought as a slightly pushed the ball towards the direction of the third baseline.
TINK
As soon as bunted, I sprinted down towards first, kicking the dirt behind me pumped my legs as hard as I could.
Luckily with my antics, the third baseman was caught on the backfoot, expecting me to swing.
He was later than usual to pick up the ball.
He turned to second for a moment to see Shirasu already sliding safely.
He then turned to me as I was getting close to first.
He threw with all he had towards the first baseman.
THUD
PAH
I just got on the base as the ball hit the glove of the first baseman.
We both looked at the umpire to see his verdict.
The umpire took a second to review what he saw.
"Out!" He stated.
"Ah, so close." I said as I jogged back to the dugout.
When I got back, I had a couple of pats on the helmet from the team.
"HMPH! Nice bunt kid! That was clean." Mayauchi said to me.
"Thanks, Mayauchi-senpai." I replied with a grin.
I changed out of my helmet and put my cap back on.
I then sat down for a second with a towel and started wiping my face and neck.
Suddenly, a hand holding a cup of water appeared in front of me.
I looked up at the person and saw Furuya there.
"Thanks, Furuya, I needed this." I said as took the cup of water and gulped it down.
When I finished, I saw that Furuya was still looking at me, unmoved from his spot.
"Is there something you need?" I asked.