Chapter 163: Advancing to the Final 4!

With two outs and runners on first and third, Isashiki Jun failed to adapt to the opponent's rhythm and pitch selection after stepping up, and was quickly struck out.

The game reached the bottom of the 7th inning; manager Kataoka once again issued a substitution order, replacing catcher Miyuki with Tanaka Wataru.

With a three-run lead, manager Kataoka chose to send in the more offensively capable Tanaka Wataru, with the goal of strengthening the batting lineup.

In the bottom of the 7th, Nanjo Taishi started against the 6th batter of Kokai Daisagami, performing heroically by continuously racking up strikeouts and ending the inning without letting anyone reach base.

In the 8th inning, the 7th batter Tanaka Wataru, who had been subbed in, was the first to step into the Batter's Box. After seeing one four-seam fastball and one Sinker from Kokune Mirai, he tracked a Vertical Slider on the third pitch and successfully hit a base hit, reaching First Base.

Afterward, Seido's 8th batter Shinoki Keita was struck out, and the 9th batter Huangqian Yangyi stepped into the Batter's Box once again.

Gripping the bat in his hands, Huangqian Yangyi shot a look at Tanaka Wataru at First Base. Tanaka Wataru nodded slightly, and then everyone saw Huangqian Yangyi in the Batter's Box spread his arms and take a deep breath, his exaggerated movements drawing the attention of the entire stadium.

"Ha!"

With a loud shout, Huangqian Yangyi prepared to bat.

Kokune Mirai immediately focused with 120% of his spirit, then looked back at Tanaka Wataru; seeing the runner standing obediently at First Base, he turned his head back to focus on dealing with Huangqian Yangyi.

Just at this moment, Tanaka Wataru quietly moved two steps. Kokune Mirai, as if he had a premonition, instantly looked back again. Tanaka Wataru gave a cheeky grin but didn't move; at this distance, even if the opponent threw the ball over, he could still return to the base.

Seemingly certain that Tanaka Wataru wouldn't dare to act rashly, Kokune Mirai shifted his focus back to pitching.

Then Tanaka Wataru moved another step.

Whoosh!

The baseball flew out, and Tanaka Wataru dove back to First Base.

Phew~~

This guy really was keeping an eye on him again. After climbing up from the ground and waiting for the First Baseman to throw the ball back to Kokune Mirai, Tanaka Wataru stepped out again.

So annoying!

Kokune Mirai roared in his heart.

"Focus on the batter!"

A teammate shouted.

Only then did Kokune Mirai truly stop worrying about the runner; he glanced at Huangqian Yangyi and threw the ball.

The baseball flew out, Huangqian Yangyi stepped forward, and the bat swept across toward the incoming baseball.

Whack!

"Strike!"

Whoa! It was a Sinker.

Huangqian Yangyi pulled back his bat; that pitch was close, but fortunately, he didn't hit it, otherwise, it likely would have been a Grounder.

Next, for the second pitch, Kokune Mirai had a fast rhythm and threw the baseball over with almost no extra thought.

Huangqian Yangyi didn't pick his pitches either; he hit whatever came. After locking onto the trajectory, he swung his bat.

Bang!

The outside-corner Vertical Slider thrown by Kokune Mirai was smashed away by Huangqian Yangyi.

At the same time, Tanaka Wataru had already taken off, his footsteps swift.

Conversely, Huangqian Yangyi slowed down after running a few steps; for no other reason than that it was another Home Run.

"Oh oh!!"

"It's out!"

"Home Run!"

"A two-run shot!!"

Listening to the cheers of the spectators, Tanaka Wataru, who had just sprinted past Second Base, also slowed down and turned his head to look; whoa, it really was.

The two circled the bases one after the other and returned to home plate, scoring for Seido once again and changing the score to 6:1.

The fans excitedly held hands and danced; if it were only a three-run lead, a comeback might still be possible, but now with a 5-run lead, it would be very difficult to turn the situation around.

Moreover, this inning wasn't over yet; Kokai Daisagami had only managed to get one out, and next was Seido's leadoff hitter. If someone reached base, Seido's middle-order lineup would launch another offensive.

However, facts proved that the goddess of luck would not always stand on Seido's side; Zhitian Jiangtai and Kominato Ryosuke were struck out and put out respectively, ending the top of the 8th inning there.

Afterward, in the bottom of the 8th, Nanjo Taishi was hit for a base hit by Kokai Daisagami's 6th batter right at the start, but then he held the inning against the bottom three batters.

The game reached the final inning; Seido did not slack off at all because of the lead, but was instead full of fighting spirit, wanting to expand the score further.

After Yuki Tetsuya hit a base hit to reach base, Dong Qingguo also smashed a Home Run, and Seido added two more runs, making the score 8 to 1.

After these two runs, the 5th batter Nanjo Taishi was put out, the 6th batter Isashiki was struck out, the 7th batter Tanaka Wataru hit a base hit to reach First Base, and the 8th batter Shinoki Keita, who came up to bat, struggled through a few pitches before helplessly getting out.

The spectators in the stands sighed in unison, feeling it was a great pity that the batting order couldn't continue to Huangqian Yangyi.

In the bottom of the 9th, manager Kataoka made substitution arrangements again.

Dong Qingguo was subbed out, and taking his place was Masuko Toru!

Kominato Ryosuke was subbed out, and Yanagiya Kazuki went on.

Zhitian Jiangtai was subbed out, and Kusunoki Fumiya went on.

Huangqian Yangyi was subbed out, and Sakai Ichiro went on.

Manager Kataoka's actions immediately caused a gasp of amazement to ripple through the spectator stands, and the players sent onto the field were also very excited. This was Koshien, after all; as substitutes, they finally had a chance to play, and even if it was only for half an inning, they were immensely satisfied.

"Uga!"

"Senior Masuko, you're too excited."

Huangqian Yangyi patted Masuko Toru's belly just like he patted Dong Qingguo's.

"With a face as handsome as mine, I finally have a chance to show it on the Koshien stage. Do you think if the game is broadcast, I'll be able to attract a wave of fans who are just here for my looks?" Kusunoki Fumiya said while putting on his glove.

"Stop being so vain," said Yanagiya Kazuki.

"Let's go, let's go, time to get on the field." The second-year Sakai Ichiro couldn't wait to walk out of the Dugout.

The game continued; Kokai Daisagami hadn't given up yet. The leadoff hitter hit a base hit, but the next batter tried to bunt to advance the runner and returned empty-handed; instead, Masuko Toru quickly picked up the ball and threw it to Second Base, coordinating with Second Baseman Yanagiya Kazuki to turn a Double Play.

With two outs and no one on base, the third batter Maya Yamato faced Nanjo Taishi head-on and hit the second pitch into left field for a base hit.

This late-game hit made the entire audience feel the fighting spirit of Honghai University Sagami High School; even in defeat, as a powerhouse, they had to show their backbone.

Bang!

After Furukawa Shunsuke stepped up to the plate, he hammered the High-speed Slider thrown by Nanjo Taishi.

It was actually a Home Run!

Two runs!

In the bottom of the ninth inning, Furukawa Shunsuke scored two runs for his team.

Even if it was just a drop in the bucket, and even if it could not change the outcome of the game, the fighting spirit they displayed earned the admiration of the spectators.

In the end, Nanjo Taishi struck out the final Batter of Honghai University Sagami High School.

"In the Koshien tournament quarterfinals, the match between West Tokyo representative Seido High School and Kanagawa representative Honghai University Sagami High School ends with a score of 8:3. The winner advancing to the final four is Seido High School!!"