Chapter 438: The Explosive Batting Lineup
"Whoosh."
"Ping!"
A thunderous crack echoed like a bolt of lightning.
A white streak soared into the sky, dazzling in the moment.
"Zoom."
"Pop!"
"Out! Three outs! Change sides!"
"What a spectacular play by the right fielder! The No. 3 batter and ace, Kojima, launched a powerful hit—distance was there, but just a bit too slow. The right fielder from Sensen High made the catch. In the third inning, Seiko High missed a golden opportunity with a runner on second. Still scoreless. Three outs. Change sides."
"Damn, just missed it… Sorry, I was that close." Kojima Ryuhei jogged back to the dugout, an apologetic look on his face, his voice deep and heavy.
"Don't sweat it. Just a hair off. We'll definitely score in the next inning."
"Next time, knock the guy's glove off with the ball!"
"Haha, that's the spirit!"
In the Seiko dugout, the brawny players all grinned with confidence.
They had let a few chances slip by in the first three innings, sure—but to them, scoring was just a matter of time.
There was no need to worry.
"Yeah, we've got to keep this momentum going," said Coach Oga with fiery determination. "They're not pushovers, so we go all in—aggressive, relentless offense. Let them feel our pressure!"
"OOOOOOHHH!!"
Their passionate roar echoed out.
It wasn't just their builds—their conviction and spirit matched the image of a true powerhouse lineup.
Over in the first-base dugout, Sensen's coach, Ugai, narrowed his eyes. Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at Maki, who was drenched in sweat. His expression grew grim.
This isn't good.
He knew—Sensen needed to score. They had to counterattack and relieve the pressure on Maki. Otherwise, under this constant stress, it was only a matter of time before Maki collapsed.
He had to admit—every single Seiko batter was a power hitter. Their swings were vicious and bold. It was a spectacle, akin to Furuya's explosive fastballs.
Their offensive style brought a thrilling, overwhelming visual impact. Especially the moment bat met ball—sharp cracks and dazzling white streaks lit up the field. It was beautiful.
The audience was in awe.
Each swing was a display of raw, muscular aesthetics—the beauty of power.
"Man, that lineup is terrifying. No hesitation in their swings." In the stands, Eijun frowned slightly. His signature 'quirky' pitches hadn't reached full refinement yet, and this Seiko lineup felt like a natural enemy.
His unpredictable breaking balls had little effect on this kind of brute-force offense.
Delicate movement pitches like the five-seam wouldn't work here. Against this lineup, you needed either pure power or pinpoint control to land the ball on the edges. Or something with sharp, deep movement.
Subtle movement pitches? Totally useless.
"They really do seem like your kryptonite, Sawamura," said Miyuki with a chuckle.
"Yeah, I'd say so too," added Kuramochi with a grin from behind.
"Kryptonite, huh? Guess I'll find out once I face them," Eijun said with a confident shrug. Even if he felt the same deep down, he wasn't about to admit defeat just yet.
"You're something else," Miyuki said with a smirk, shaking his head.
Eijun just shrugged again. He wasn't wrong either.
Still, that lineup was scary.
...
"The key to this game is who can break the deadlock first," Miyuki murmured, eyes fixed on the scoreboard showing another pair of zeros in the fourth inning. Neither side had managed to convert.
But even so, the difference was clear.
Seiko held the edge.
Sensen had only two hits and one walk so far. Seiko had threatened the plate twice already—they were just one step away.
And Sensen absolutely could not afford to give up that step.
Because if they did, they might not be able to take it back.
It wasn't just Miyuki, Eijun, and Kuramochi who saw it that way.
Up in the higher stands, Coach Kataoka and Ochiai were watching with serious expressions. Even though Ota, their team manager, seemed a bit clueless, Takashima Rei was sharply aware of the shifting tide.
And this kind of momentum shift… was definitely not in Seidou's favor.
What came next played out much like the original storyline.
Eijun was prepared for it.
So when that dramatic triple home run burst onto the field…
Among all the Seidou players in the stands, Eijun was likely the calmest.
He'd seen it coming.
It was still every bit as explosive and thrilling in person—but it lacked the surprise.
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
Three home runs in a row.
It started with the cleanup hitter Nagata's turn at bat, launching a devastating offensive chain.
Unlike the original timeline, Maki gave up those three runs an inning earlier—in the fourth instead of the fifth.
Those wild, fearless swings—
The sheer distance and velocity of the hits—
Everyone in the stadium gasped in disbelief.
No surprise, though. This was a team averaging over ten runs per game.
Both sides had suffered summer defeats.
But Seiko's lineup was sharper, more aggressive, more oppressive than Sensen's.
Still, a giant awakened by adversity wasn't so easily toppled.
Even after giving up three homers in a row, Maki stood tall on the mound, still pitching.
His resolve moved the audience.
Back in the Seidou stands, Furuya's fists clenched.
He stared at Maki, still composed, still pitching after such a crushing blow—and a different kind of light flashed in his eyes.
Miyuki and Eijun noticed and exchanged knowing smiles.
A moment later, their eyes met.
They both paused, realizing they saw the same thing in each other's gaze.
And smiled again—this time, with understanding.
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