The batter who had just made a significant contribution was immediately replaced after reaching base, making his exit impossible to ignore.
Manaka, standing on the pitcher's mound, watched Yōichi eagerly bouncing off the base after reaching first.
A cold chuckle escaped him.
"Have they really been pushed to their limit?" he murmured with a hint of disdain.
He was well aware of what it meant for him, a substitute pitcher for Ichidaisan, to be playing against the Second String.
At the very least, Seidō was unprepared. Otherwise, they would have at least called Tanba Kōichirō back or brought in some strong hitters from the second year.
"I'm sorry if it feels like bullying, but these are the orders I've been given," Manaka confessed with a reluctant sigh, drawing in a deep breath before swiftly firing the ball to first base.
Swish!
The sudden pick-off throw startled the Seidō players.
So fast!
Such a clean and decisive pick-off—if it were them, the runner would probably have been out already.
Yōichi, ready to steal, was momentarily thrown off guard.
But quick on his feet, he lunged back with a swift dive, reaching first base just in the nick of time.
A triumphant glint flickered in his eyes as his hand slammed onto the base.
"You really think you can get me out with that? Dream on!" he declared with bold confidence.
"Safe!"
Watching Yōichi slip back successfully, the Seidō players finally exhaled in relief.
What a stroke of luck!
But just as that thought crossed their minds, the man on the mound moved again.
The moment he received the return throw, he unleashed the ball.
Swoosh!
The ball shot through the strike zone like a bullet.
The batter in the box didn't even have time to react.
Thwack!
"Strike!!"
The pitcher was one strike ahead.
This nearly drove Yōichi, who had planned to steal, mad with frustration.
He glared fiercely at the man on the mound, his eyes blazing with fury.
This guy did it on purpose
That pick-off throw was just a distraction, meant to stop him from stealing.
"Is this what a pitcher from a top national powerhouse looks like?" he hissed under his breath.
Having just been promoted to the Second String, Yōichi was stunned to face such a formidable opponent.
Yet his fearless nature remained unshaken.
After witnessing his opponent's skill, instead of retreating, he aimed to catch him off guard.
Before Kaname released his second pitch, he made sure to lock his gaze on the runner.
But just as he glanced over and turned back, Yōichi—who had been patiently holding his position—suddenly bolted.
The move startled Ichidaisan's first baseman.
"Here!" he barked, urgently signaling Manaka to throw the ball.
But he had already set himself and begun his pitch.
"Too late!" Yōichi taunted confidently.
The first baseman felt his heart thudding painfully in his throat.
The runner, tricked by Manaka's move, was far more formidable than they had imagined.
His timing for the steal was flawless.
Unlike the first baseman, whose heart pounded wildly, Kaname, observing from the corner of his eye, remained as calm and unshakable as Mount Fuji.
'Want to steal? Dream on!' he thought sharply, forcefully adjusting his pitching angle.
The catcher of Ichidaisan High School Baseball Team was no ordinary player either. Spotting the ball veer off course, he sprang up instantly and snapped his glove open.
Thwack!
Without hesitation, the catcher snatched the ball from his glove and launched it toward second base with lightning speed.
Swish!
As Ichidaisan's catcher, his arm strength was nothing short of extraordinary.
The ball shot dozens of meters in the blink of an eye.
The shortstop reacted instantly, racing toward the ball's landing spot and snatching it cleanly.
Snap!
"Thanks for the assist!" he called out gratefully.
Without missing a beat, the shortstop whipped his glove toward Yōichi.
But just as his glove sliced through the air, Yōichi—who had been charging straight at him—suddenly disappeared from sight.
Where did he go?
The shortstop frantically searched, but before he could spot him, the umpire's voice rang out.
"Safe!"
One out, runner on second base.
Seidō not only got a hit but also aggressively advanced to second.
This left everyone from Ichidaisan, who had planned to completely dominate Seidō and build confidence for their pitcher, simmering with frustration.
For today's game, besides Manaka Kaname, they had brought in two substitute batters from the First String to ensure a foolproof victory.
Who would have expected it to turn out like this?
"That guy is so fast!"
"Where did he come from? I've never heard of him before."
"He must be a first-year rookie!"
"Speed is one thing, but his reaction is key. He showed no panic at the glove and, with lightning acceleration, dove right back…"
"With such terrifying speed and reflexes, his promotion makes perfect sense."
The Ichidaisan players murmured among themselves.
Meanwhile, in the Seidō dugout, the players were celebrating as if at a festival.
The previously subdued atmosphere shifted completely.
Yōichi's brilliant performance gave them hope of winning today's game.
"We have a chance! We can definitely do this!"
"That steal was incredible!"
"He's just a substitute pitcher from the First String, and he thinks he can hold us back?"
The game pressed on.
Manaka, unable to stop him, showed no sign of frustration.
He merely glanced at Yōichi on second base and gave a slight nod.
He acknowledged his skill.
But for today's game, he refused to abandon his original plan.
Swish!
"Strike!"
Swish!!
"Strike!!"
"Strikeout!!!"
Facing a crisis with a runner on base, Kaname revealed his true strength.
He threw two sharp breaking balls in quick succession, striking out the batter.
Now it was two outs, runner on second.
The Seidō dugout, which had just begun to regain some morale, fell silent once more.
The pressure exerted by the Ichidaisan's pitcher was beyond anything they had imagined.
Even Tanba Kōichirō, a second-year, rarely showed such dominance, let alone their team's Ace from the First String.
"He's only a second-year!"
"How can he be this strong?"
"If he didn't possess such terrifying potential, Ichidaisan wouldn't have specially arranged this stage for him..."
Takashima Rei frowned deeply.
Both were second-year pitchers—so why had Manaka Kaname developed so rapidly?
If they didn't find a way to turn things around, today's game could leave a lasting psychological scar on the Second String players.
"Yamamoto-san!" she called out firmly.
Takumi, hearing his name, had assumed he wouldn't get a chance to play. Yet, unexpectedly, she was calling him now?
"Here!" he replied promptly.
"You're up!" Rei declared.
"But you'll be the cleanup hitter," she added with a hint of urgency.