With Shun safely on third base after his daring run, all eyes turned to the young samurai, Ren, as he stepped into the batter's box. Ren gripped the bat tightly, his expression one of pure determination. He knew that his role here was much more than just scoring a run. Shun's leadership and encouragement had given him a new responsibility, to keep Shoto's confidence high and bring Shun home to close the gap on the scoreboard.
The Tenshi ace took a deep breath on the mound, analyzing the stance of the new batter. Determined to avoid a mistake, he decided to start with a low slider, throwing the ball outside the strike zone. The idea was to deceive Ren, making the batter swing too early. But Ren was prepared.
He watched the ball's trajectory closely and let it pass, his expression remaining steady.
PAH
"Ball!" - The umpire announced, and a soft murmur of approval spread through Shoto's dugout. Ren was focused.
With a slight nod, the Tenshi pitcher received the sign to try another slider, this time closer to the strike zone. He threw the ball, which followed a deceptive path towards the center of the zone. Ren didn't hesitate. He knew he couldn't waste this opportunity. In a quick, precise motion, he swung the bat with all his strength.
WOOSH
DOONG
The sound of the ball hitting the bat echoed through the stadium, and all eyes followed the ball rising into the sky. The ball soared, and the hit was so powerful that the left fielder didn't even try to chase it. Instead, he stood still, watching the ball's path disappear beyond the fence.
"Home run!" - Ren had done the impossible. He crossed the bases in a confident trot, receiving congratulations from his teammates as he approached Shun.
Clap
"That's it!" - Ren said confidently, slapping Shun's hand after crossing home plate. With one swing, he had brought the game to 3-2, reducing the pressure on the team and filling Shoto's dugout with renewed energy.
The only regret the young samurai had at that moment was being the second batter, he wished there had been two more runners on base so he could have hit a grand slam to give his team the lead. After all, Ren loved being the hero.
Now it was Jiro's turn. He knew that, as the ace, his responsibilities went beyond the mound. Still shaken by the tough first inning, he took a deep breath and positioned himself in the batter's box, determined to make his contribution. The Tenshi pitcher, noticing the tension on Jiro's face, threw a fastball. Jiro swung the bat, but his timing was slightly off.
WOOSH Stay updated through мѵʟ
Sora was next and attempted a hit to right field, but the ball rose too much, resulting in another fly ball that the right fielder caught with ease, ending the inning.
Despite the final two outs, Shoto had managed to tie the score, and the dugout's atmosphere was confident as Jiro prepared to return to the mound for the second inning.
---
With the score tied at 3-3, the second inning began with a renewed sense of confidence on Shoto Junior High's side. Jiro took the mound determined to prove that his shaky start had been only a temporary slip. Shun, in center field, watched his friend closely, ready to support him on any play.
The seventh batter for Tenshi stepped into the box with a confident stance, clearly prepared to try advancing the score. Daigo, noticing that Jiro was still regaining his confidence, opted for a cautious strategy. He signaled a low splitter outside the zone, trying to induce defensive contact for a quick out.
Jiro took a deep breath, nodded, and pitched. The ball slipped from his fingers, disappearing momentarily before closing in on the batter with insane movement.
WOOSH
PAH
"Strike!" - The umpire announced, and the seventh batter for Tenshi swung his bat into empty air, surprised by the ball's movement.
Daigo shot an approving look at Jiro and signaled for another splitter, now more inside the strike zone, hoping for a mistake by the batter. The nerdy pitcher threw again, and this time, the batter was ready.
WOOSH
DONG
He managed to make slight contact, but the ball went too high, resulting in an easy fly ball. Sora, in right field, had no trouble positioning himself and making the catch.
PAH
"Out!"