Baseball: A Two-Way Player

(Correction: In the previous chapter, there was an error in Osaka Tsubaki's batting order. The first batter should be Onishi Yuuya, the second batter Mizuhara Gakuto, and Mori Yuuya is the third batter in this match. This is to correct it, and I hope everyone understands!)

-----------------

For both Lin Guanglai and Waseda Industries, who are leading in the score, this bottom of the eighth inning is very important—this half-inning, their defense will face the center of Osaka Tsubaki's lineup:

Third-batter catcher Mori Yuuya, though barely over 1.7 meters tall, is a powerful left-handed batter capable of hitting the ball in any direction on the field. His batting average in the Kansai Tournament was .571, and he usually serves as the leadoff hitter—being placed in the third spot by Nishikawa Koji in such an important match also reflects his ability.

Fourth-batter first baseman Oike Yuuya, after the main first baseman and slugger Tandate Ryoki was sidelined due to injury, became the starter as the second first baseman. Although he mostly serves as a substitute, when the team needs him, Oike Yuuya never hesitates—during the challenging semi-finals against Urawa Academy, it was his crucial hit in the top of the ninth inning that evened the score, allowing Osaka Tsubaki to stage a comeback.

Fifth-batter third baseman Kasamatsu Yuuya is one of the most watched second-year players in this tournament. Besides his stable defense that rarely makes mistakes, Kasamatsu Yuuya not only swings much faster than ordinary people but is also known as a player with a strong heart. The more critical the at-bat, the better he performs—it was also in the Kansai Tournament that he once hit four consecutive doubles in a single game, showcasing his skilled batting technique.

Besides their powerful batting, these players are also quick to react, with all of them capable of running the 50-meter dash in under 6.5 seconds, posing a significant threat on the bases.

Behind them, there is also someone like Mizutani Yusei, an all-around player with a batting average close to .500; even Fujinami Jintaro, who, as a pitcher, rarely specializes in batting practice, has contributed a home run and several RBIs in this tournament.

It can be said that this Osaka Tsubaki team is a flawless, perfect team, and "absolute strength" is their motto—the only thing standing between this team and writing their name in history is a championship with high credibility.

Facing such an opponent, Lin Guanglai is under immense pressure: Every pitch he throws is carefully considered and carries significant risk; even the slightest mistake will be immediately punished by Osaka Tsubaki's players—he has already experienced their capabilities many times in this match.

In addition, his opponent is not only the Osaka Tsubaki players at the plate, but he also has to contend with his physical condition, which has not fully recovered from continuous play, and the pain and stiffness in his pitching right hand are sounding warnings.

This is evident from his pitch count: In just 7 innings, Lin Guanglai's pitch count has already surpassed 140, an unprecedented experience in his entire high school career.

Rationality tells him that the best choice now is to take a rest—he has already achieved all the honors that can be achieved at the high school level, and he has given his all in this game; getting injured due to a momentary lapse and ruining his promising future would be a great loss;

However, whether as the captain of Waseda, the ace of the team, or as an independent individual named Lin Guanglai, when the game reaches this point, looking into the trusting eyes of his teammates around him, indeed—he still doesn't want to give up!

With a roar to dispel all the exhaustion from his body, Lin Guanglai gritted his teeth and almost drained the last bit of his energy and strength, focusing all his attention on the batter.

In this inning, he must act swiftly to settle the score!!!

With such determination, under the eyes of all the spectators, Lin Guanglai threw his first pitch in the bottom of the eighth inning.

In the eyes of Mori Yuuya, standing in the batter's box, this pitch was like a meteor, so fast that he was momentarily stunned; by the time he reacted and swung the bat, the baseball had already flown into Uesugi Yasuyuki's glove.

"Pa."

"Strike."

Simultaneous with the home plate umpire's call of "Strike," was the dissatisfied yell of Nishikawa Koji from outside the Osaka Tsubaki player's area:

"Mori! What are you doing! If you're going to swing, swing with all your might, if not, stick to home plate discipline—who are you trying to impress with this half-hearted swing?"

"Hit it properly, you brat!"

Hearing the reprimanding voice of his team supervisor in his ear, Mori Yuuya snapped out of his daze; realizing what had just happened made him feel a bit embarrassed, so he stepped out of the batter's box and wiped his sweat with his sleeve, trying to hide his current embarrassment—it was truly inappropriate for him to have momentarily lost focus when facing the pitch.

Lifting his head to glance at the outfield, Mori Yuuya was curious about how fast the quick fastball that startled him was—seeing the large "150 km/h" on the electronic screen, even someone as proud as him couldn't help but shake his head repeatedly.

Facing the strongest lineup in Japanese high school baseball, having pitched seven full innings, and with the pitch count over 130, yet still able to throw a fastball over 150 km/h in the eighth inning, he admitted that he lost fair and square on that pitch.

Having started with a grand fastball, Lin Guanglai quickly adjusted his breathing rhythm, seizing the opportunity to recover some stamina.