The ga entered the bottom of the seventh inning, with Inashiro Industrial High School now at bat.
The scoreboard showed 3:3.
At first glance, the ga looked evenly matched. But anyone with a solid understanding of baseball wouldn't see it that way.
Reaching the bottom of the seventh ant that Inashiro had one extra inning of offense — a significant tactical advantage.
Not to ntion, the score had once been 3:0 in favor of Seido High School. But in the sixth inning, montum shifted dramatically, and Inashiro ca back to tie the ga.
That shift gave Inashiro the edge in both confidence and montum.
If the ga's outco could be weighed on a scale, that scale had already begun tipping toward Inashiro's side.
anwhile, Seido — who had dominated earlier — found themselves back on their heels.
Now, Inashiro's fifth batter stepped into the batter's box with a fierce and confident look in his eyes.
He wasn't just planning to make contact — he wanted a hit.
At first, Miyuki and Zhou Hao didn't think much of it. They kept their rhythm and continued to pitch as usual.
Then ca the first pitch.
Whoosh!
The baseball zood toward the plate. The fifth batter watched closely — eyes locked onto the ball.
There it is.
It looked ordinary — a pure Straight ball — but sothing about it was different.
With veins bulging in his arms, the batter tightened his grip.
Now!
He raised his bat just half a ball higher than usual, exactly as Coach Kunitomo instructed, and swung hard.
Buzz!
The swing sliced the air, fast and sharp.
Miyuki's expression shifted.
Ping!
Contact.
The bat struck the ball — it flew off… but not as intended.
It drifted sideways, tailing more than expected, and landed outside the foul line.
"Foul!"
The umpire made the call as the Inashiro dugout lit up.
Their strategy was working.
They'd found the key to Zhou Hao's Straight ball — or so they thought.
"We've got him now!"
"He's not invincible after all!"
"Keep throwing that Spiral ball! You've gotta be getting tired!"
Inashiro's dugout buzzed with new energy. Players who had been tense now exhaled. They were feeling confident — maybe overconfident.
Back behind the plate, Miyuki Kazuya looked tense.
He hadn't expected Zhou Hao to fool the opponent all the way through — but still, for Inashiro to figure out the pitch after just one at-bat?
"Did they really see through it?" Miyuki wondered.
He looked at the fired-up Inashiro bench. His gut said sothing didn't add up.
They thought they'd cracked the code. But if they truly understood Zhou Hao's Straight ball, would they still look so… certain?
No.
Let's find out.
"Zhou Hao, throw it here."
Miyuki signaled.
Zhou Hao's blood surged. The pitch Miyuki called for demanded perfect control — and he knew he didn't have that kind of pinpoint command.
But that's what the ga was about.
Push your limits — or get pushed out.
Zhou Hao set, wound up, and delivered.
His motion was clean. Sharp. Effortless.
Even the players in the Inashiro dugout were captivated — his pitching was srizing.
"Tch… show-off."
Narumiya i pouted from the bench.
He hated seeing anyone flashier than him. And Zhou Hao? His form was drawing screams from the girls in the stands.
The pitch arrived.
The fifth batter restrained himself. He recognized the location — not his ideal swing zone.
Even if he hit it, it wouldn't go far.
Pop!
"Strike!"
Count: 0 balls, 2 strikes.
He was in a tight spot.
Still, he didn't look nervous. He was calm, calculating.
He'd already made contact once — he could do it again.
Zhou Hao wound up again.
This ti, the pitch ca exactly where the batter wanted it — a zone he could crush.
"Aim just one ball above the Straight and swing full force!"
He was going for it.
Boom!
The bat ca around in a brutal, sweeping arc.
But the ball—
Dropped.
Suddenly, without warning, it fell mid-flight.
The batter had no ti to react. His bat cut through air.
Pop!
Miyuki caught it cleanly.
"Strike!"
"Strikeout!!"
One out. Nobody on base.
The Inashiro dugout — seconds ago full of celebration — went completely still.
Their confident fifth batter, the one who'd seemingly cracked the Straight ball?
He didn't even make contact.
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