CHAPTER 65: CHAPTER 65: SCORCHING TOUCH

The situation on the field: 1 out, bases loaded—Waseda Jitsugyo’s offensive continues.

In the player’s area near third base, Chukyo University’s coach Ohtake Toshiyuki is still hesitating: the game has just begun, but Asano Fumuya’s performance has fluctuated significantly, which is clearly beyond his expectations; facing a bases-loaded one-out situation, should he change the pitcher now?

Changing the pitcher, although he has confidence in his ace Moriyama Junpei, even he might not be able to retreat unscathed in this situation; and changing the pitcher before the first inning is completed is nothing short of shameful for the current pitcher, Asano Fumuya.

But if he doesn’t change, and Waseda Jitsugyo’s lineup hits another big shot, the price to pay would be unacceptable for Chukyo University.

Even for Ohtake Toshiyuki, who has been coaching Chukyo University for twenty years, it’s difficult to make an immediate decision in such a tricky situation; after hesitating for a while, he ultimately decided not to change the pitcher immediately but to continue observing.

In Ohtake Toshiyuki’s view, a two-run deficit is still within an acceptable range; he set a threshold for himself—5 points, exceeding this score, no matter the situation, he will change the pitcher immediately.

On the Waseda Jitsugyo side, it is a completely different scene: the nearly perfect start relaxes the players, allowing them to face the upcoming game with a more liberated stance.

Asano Fumuya’s nightmare is not yet over: facing seventh batter Fukasawa Kouta, he was once again hit with a base hit—the score came to 3:0 while the three bases on the field remained fully loaded—Chukyo University’s dilemma continued.

Waseda Jitsugyo’s attack is like a tide, wave after wave, for the players on the field of Chukyo University, they feel like a big hand is tightly gripping their throat, making it impossible for them to breathe.

In the face of adversity, the team still relied on their main player Moriyama Junpei:

Faced with a fast, directly flying, powerful ball towards him from Waseda Jitsugyo’s eighth batter Kakiwara Yosuke, Moriyama Junpei first lowered his body’s center of gravity, making consecutive adjustments in the direction of the ball, then sending his entire body towards the ball’s location—

The baseball was intercepted halfway by his extended glove, making a crisp "pop" sound upon contact—subsequently, Moriyama Junpei made no unnecessary adjustments, as he powered up his legs and lifted his body from the ground, grabbing the baseball from the glove promptly and sending it directly towards home plate.

Due to the ball being caught by the shortstop, the three Waseda Jitsugyo players who had originally left the bases to advance quickly stepped back to their original bases—being slightly slower might lead to additional outs leaving the bases loaded.

After completing this spectacular defense, although the bases were still loaded, the situation became completely different than before—two outs, bases loaded, Chukyo University only needs one more out to end this inning.

Moreover, the next batter is the ninth batter pitcher.

Standing at the shortstop position, Moriyama Junpei extended a finger to signal the situation on the field to his teammates, while constantly shouting towards Asano Fumuya on the pitcher’s mound, encouraging the youngster to trust his teammates and urging him to pitch with full effort.

Having donned his batting gear, Lin Guanglai, standing for the first time in Koshien Stadium, felt a bit shaky—not from nervousness, but from excitement.

Standing outside the batter’s box, he took deep breaths while swinging the bat, trying to calm himself both physically and mentally; meanwhile, Asano Fumuya on the pitcher’s mound of Chukyo University continued rubbing talc on his hands—the immense pressure made his palms sweaty.

As the main umpire cleaned the home plate with a brush, Lin Guanglai, following his signal, walked into the left batter’s box on the right side of home plate; the broadcasting voice at Koshien also rang out:

"Top of the first inning, Waseda Real’s attack. The batter entering now is, ninth batter, pitcher, Mr. Lin. Ninth batter, pitcher, Mr. Lin."

Chukyo University’s pitching-catcher combo had researched Lin Guanglai—mostly focusing on his pitching habits;

For this freshman pitcher’s batting before their eyes, Chukyo University only paid slight attention: his hitting ability is relatively rough, many of his on-base occasions rely on precise control over ball landing points allowing him to walk – even his home runs were somewhat due to luck.

Thus, the pitching-catcher combo at Chukyo University planned to proceed using regular pitching strategies.

Under the watch of nearly fifty thousand live fans, on the pitcher’s mound, Chukyo University’s starting pitcher Asano Fumuya abruptly stepped forward with his front foot, sending his body forward while simultaneously swinging his left hand holding the baseball forward.

As the baseball was about to leave Asano Fumuya’s control, Lin Guanglai gripped the bat tightly, eyes fixed on the baseball in the pitcher’s hand.

When Asano Fumuya’s arm was driven sideways alongside his body by the kinetic energy released from the hip and lower body rotations, his left hand gripping the baseball seams simultaneously loosened.

A white streak swiftly flew from Asano Fumuya’s hand, immediately covering the nearly 20-meter distance between the pitcher’s mound and home plate, aiming towards Lin Guanglai’s left side.

The speed at which the ball reached the plate was swift, and the trajectory was suppressed low, sticking tightly to the inner corner towards Lin Guanglai.

Lin Guanglai’s eyes followed the baseball’s path closely, his body pulled the bat back slightly, his front foot lifted just a bit—as the ball got closer, closer still, the distance to home plate narrowed.

At the moment the baseball flew into home plate!

Lin Guanglai’s lifted front leg suddenly stepped forward fiercely, with his toes gripping the ground, driving the hips to rotate the entire upper body outward from the inside.

The bat, held high, drew a hook-shaped trajectory in the air, then was pushed forward by the inertia of the arms.

The instant the bat made contact with the ball, Lin Guanglai’s hands continued swinging forward, transferring the body’s kinetic energy completely outward.

The baseball’s motion status transformed instantly, abruptly changing direction.

"Twang——!!!" The crisp and resonant sound of the hit echoed throughout Koshien Stadium—as the ball was hit out, Lin Guanglai’s hands holding the bat returned once more behind due to inertia.

No time to observe the ball’s position, having completed the full batting motion, Lin Guanglai swiftly tossed the bat away, striding towards first base.

"He hit it! The ball hit was very accurate! It’s flying very high!" In the commentary box, Takumi Tanchisha, with many years of semi-professional baseball experience, reacted first, immediately shouting out.

The director, reacting quickly, switched the live broadcast to focus on the hit baseball—the camera zoomed out wide-angle, capturing the attention of nearly fifty thousand live fans and tens of thousands in front of televisions focusing entirely on the small baseball flying through the sky.

On the outfield grass, three fast-footed outfielders of Chukyo University sprinted endlessly, trying to catch up with the baseball; but as they ran, each stopped at the outfield billboard.

Tanchisha’s voice now filled with excitement yet infused with a tinge of disbelief:

"This ball... this ball, this ball is going out!!!"

"Chukyo University’s outfielders have already given up!!!"

Under the collective gaze of 48,000 spectators, the small baseball flew over the pitcher’s mound, flew above the infield dirt, also above the outfield grass, finally halting its advance on the stands of Koshien.

At this moment, the vast Koshien was silent for a second—upon reacting, the nearly full stadium erupted like a volcano, instantly exploding in roar.

"Lin Guanglai!!! Initial appearance in the tournament!!!"

"Grand Slam home run!!!!!!!!!!"