Chapter 192: Chapter 76: One Step Away
The match at Koshien Stadium is still ongoing intensely.
This half-inning, the second up for Tokai University Sagami High School is Watanabe Shige, the player trusted and expected by everyone on the team—although his performance today has not been very good, as he’s barely gained any advantage against Lin Guanglai.
Throughout the match, Watanabe Shige has gone to bat four times without once successfully getting on base—a disastrous performance for a player leading off for a strong team.
Of course, it’s not entirely Watanabe Shige’s fault: under the strong suppression of Lin Guanglai, the offensive rhythm of the entire Tokai University Sagami team has been greatly affected, with few opportunities for consecutive hits from the top of the lineup throughout the match, leaving their offense disjointed and fragmented;
As the team’s leadoff hitter, aside from his initial at-bat, most of the time Watanabe Shige either strictly executed small ball tactics like bunting to advance teammates, or faced the plight of two outs upon stepping up to the plate—a situation that indeed makes it difficult to expect significant contributions from him.
Yet at this crucial moment concerning the team’s fate, the members of Tokai University Sagami still place their hopes on him, expecting Watanabe Shige to deliver a hit or even a home run to spark a comeback.
In the batter’s box, Watanabe Shige’s expression is serious, his eyes fixed on Lin Guanglai on the pitcher’s mound, appearing determined—though he’s not very confident inside.
Only those who have faced Lin Guanglai directly know the pressure a pitcher with such high-speed fastballs and excellent control can exert on a batter.
But at this moment, Watanabe Shige knows he has no way out:
If he’s struck out by Lin Guanglai again, then Tokai University Sagami will truly be facing the bleak situation of two outs and no one on base!
Thinking of the sweat he’s shed over the past two years, and the trust and expectations in his teammates’ eyes, Watanabe Shige makes a firm resolve in his heart—he must, must, must hit this pitch for a hit!
Lin Guanglai doesn’t immediately deliver the pitch; rather, he places his foot on the pitcher’s plate, quietly observing everyone’s moves on the field.
Leading by 4 points, with bases empty and a crucial out already secured, there’s no rush to pitch, as that may only stir the opponent’s emotions; observing carefully, thinking thoroughly, and placing each pitch precisely where desired is the right mindset for handling the ninth inning.
The first pitch, like in the previous at-bat, Lin Guanglai intends to first secure a good strike count to gain more leeway for himself.
With his front leg lifted high, body leaning forward, and arm swinging, Lin Guanglai throws the baseball with force.
A fastball flying toward the outside corner for Watanabe Shige.
"Clang!"
Facing the do-or-die situation, Watanabe Shige still displays his determination, swinging the bat and driving the ball above the third base player section into the white and green Tokai University Sagami cheering section, creating a wave of excitement in the stands.
"Foul ball."
The fastball aimed at the outside corner was pulled by Watanabe Shige into a strike-counted foul ball.
balls, 1 strike, Lin Guanglai again successfully gains a strike count advantage.
Having thrown a low ball for the first pitch, to further pull Watanabe Shige’s hitting point, the next pitch is aimed at a spot most prone for a batter to swing and miss—high and inside.
With the same smooth motion, and the arm swinging, the baseball slid from his fingertips, shooting straight toward the plate.
This pitch pulled Watanabe Shige’s batting vision tight, leaving him somewhat bewildered—switching between inside and outside angles requires a batter time to adapt; what Tokai University Sagami lacks now is precisely time.
"Pop." The baseball was securely caught by Uesugi Yasuyuki’s outstretched glove in the upper strike zone, making a dull sound.
Just as Lin Guanglai thought he would have a 2-strike advantage, the home plate umpire gave a different judgment:
"Ball."
Hearing the umpire’s words, Watanabe Shige in the batter’s box let out a slight sigh of relief, clearly reassured.
Watanabe Shige ultimately didn’t choose to swing at this pitch, actually harboring a glimmer of hope in the umpire’s judgment.
Luckily, he gambled correctly this round—the situation on the field shifted to 1 ball, 1 strike.
Though this judgment doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll reach base, at least for Tokai University Sagami and Watanabe Shige himself, 1 ball, 1 strike is much better than 0 balls, 2 strikes;
Moreover, this umpire ruling also boosted their confidence—at least, Lady Luck is on Tokai University Sagami’s side this time.
On the pitcher’s mound, Lin Guanglai’s emotions remain unchanged, as he quietly receives the ball Uesugi Yasuyuki returned, gently rubbing the seams with his fingertip.
Though he indeed has some disagreement with the call on that pitch, given the favorable situation with a substantial lead, there’s no need to argue with the umpire over this—focusing on the batter and resolutely getting the opponent out is what’s most important now.
The solid touch of the baseball in his hand, the clear stitching scale still discernible, after a moment’s exchange with Uesugi Yasuyuki, Lin Guanglai nods, delivering the baseball again to the outside low direction.
This time, Watanabe Shige had no way to handle the ball—a baseball surpassing 150 km/h firmly pressed on the lower edge of the strike zone for Watanabe Shige, a pitch likely tricky even for many professional players.
ball, 2 strikes, the harmonious coordination of Waseda Jitsugyo’s pitcher and catcher helps them regain the lead in the count.
They’re just one strike away from a second out.
In the top half of the ninth, one out, bases empty—for Waseda Jitsugyo supporters, they naturally hope their team will quickly deal with the batter ahead, securing the two-out advantage early to prevent any unexpected turns.
But Lin Guanglai knows well that the more crucial the moment, the more cautious one must be of an opponent’s comeback; thus, in the following pitches, he and Uesugi Yasuyuki prioritize stability, not opting for direct confrontations with the batter.
Back and forth, the advantage of two strikes gradually dwindles away, and the situation comes to 3 balls, 2 strikes, a full count.
Seeing this, Waseda Jitsugyo fans inevitably feel anxious, showing worried expressions on their faces:
Though everyone knows Lin Guanglai’s strength, he’s still just a high schooler, and for high school pitchers, sudden loss of control isn’t uncommon; especially at critical moments like this, it’s hard not to worry.
After two consecutive balls failed to entice the batter, Lin Guanglai still doesn’t plan to change his strategy on the final pitch; he signals to Uesugi Yasuyuki, indicating preparation, as the next pitch is a low corner forkball.
Adjusting his breathing rhythm, Lin Guanglai stretches his body and swings his arm, sending the ball toward home plate.
The quality of this pitch is extremely high, and analyzing the pitch trajectory, at first glance it appears no different from a fastball, making Watanabe Shige’s situation somewhat precarious:
Should he swing or not?
A full count presents tremendous pressure for the pitcher, but it’s no less for the batter.
After much consideration, Watanabe Shige ultimately decides not to gamble on the pitch’s deviation probability, opting to swing in the ball’s direction.
The result is as expected.
"Pop." The glove vibrates as Uesugi Yasuyuki securely catches the ball below the strike zone.
"Swinging strikeout! Batter is out!"
Amid the commentator’s rousing words, Koshien Stadium instantly erupts—under the gaze of all, Lin Guanglai’s expression remains unchanged, merely turning his back to raise one finger toward his teammates.
"One more to go."