Chapter 172: Substitution! Take the Field!

"Ya!!"

Isashiki Jun swung his bat, mimicking the shout of Dong Qingguo.

Bang!

An Extra-base Hit to Right Fielder!

"First Base!" the Osaka Kiryu Catcher shouted.

"Ya-ha-ha!" How fast was Isashiki Jun? The ball had just landed and hadn't even been thrown back yet, and he was already just a few steps away from the base.

Stepping onto the base, Isashiki Jun let out a roar, and immediately after, Huangqian Yangyi quickly advanced to Second Base, and Dong Qingguo also advanced to Third Base without hesitation.

Two outs, bases loaded!

Matsuki Musashi felt very uncomfortable; although he was confident he could retire the next Seido Eighth Batter, Yoshikawa Junpei, the difficulty of pitching every inning still made him feel a trace of irritation.

Glancing at Dong Qingguo at Third Base, Matsuki Musashi was not worried about the opponent stealing a base; given Dong Qingguo's physique, it was impossible for him to do such a thing.

At this moment, the pressure on Yoshikawa Junpei in the Batter's Box was much greater than on Matsuki Musashi; in this Koshien, he had almost no impressive performance so far, whether in batting or in his position as Right Fielder.

Score!

Must score!

Koshien, Semi-finals! Only if he could help Dong Qingguo return to home plate to score would it truly mean he hadn't come to Koshien in vain!

As Matsuki Musashi threw the baseball, Yoshikawa Junpei's spirit also tightened.

"Strike!"

"Strike!"

Soon there were two strikes, and Yoshikawa Junpei gritted his teeth, feeling extremely unwilling.

Matsuki Musashi on the Pitcher's Mound looked at Yoshikawa Junpei's expression and revealed a mocking smile; so what if the bases were loaded, he still wouldn't be able to score!

Come on, this pitch will finish you! Matsuki Musashi threw the third pitch, a Two-seam Fastball on the inside corner flew out; Yoshikawa Junpei swung his bat a step early. The opponent's pitch was not only fast but also sharp in its trajectory. With his batting level, if he wanted to hit an Extra-base Hit, he could only wait for the pitch trajectory and swing his bat with all his might, seizing the right moment to hit the ball.

Whoosh!

The little white ball flew in like a laser, and with a bang, it was a hit! Yoshikawa Junpei was overjoyed and used his strength to drive the baseball away.

At the same time, Dong Qingguo sprinted toward home plate, not daring to delay at all.

"Ah~~~!"

Dong Qingguo shouted while running.

"Safe!"

As the umpire's voice rang out, Dong Qingguo safely returned to home plate, scoring another point for Seido.

Matsuki Musashi never expected that this Eighth Batter would actually blast his ball to the outfield, and in a spot where there was no one in the defense! Bases loaded again! Turning his head to look at Huangqian Yangyi at Third Base, the opponent's smiling face made him feel incomparably annoyed again; I will never let you return to home plate!

Whoosh!

The baseball flew out, and Nanjo Taishi swung and missed.

"Strike!"

Swish!

"Strike!"

Slap!

"Strike!"

After three consecutive pitches, Nanjo Taishi was struck out; in the top of the third inning, Seido ended with one point gained.

Bottom of the third inning, the score reached 4:1.

Osaka Kiryu also strengthened their offense while trailing by three runs. In just half an inning, starting from the Second Batter getting on base, the Third Batter Wada Daisuke advanced the base with an Extra-base Hit to Center Fielder, and the Fourth Batter Tahara Kazuki also blasted an Extra-base Hit. Nanjo Taishi struggled to resist Osaka Kiryu's powerful lineup, yet now the bases were loaded again.

Just then, Osaka Kiryu pulled a hit that pierced through the infield defense; the Osaka Kiryu runner at Third Base successfully returned to home plate to recover one point, and the bases were still loaded.

After this, the Sixth Batter was retired by a Flyout, the Seventh Batter hit another base hit, and Osaka Kiryu recovered another point. It remained a stalemate until the Eighth Batter, when Nanjo Taishi finally secured three outs to end the third inning.

After just one inning, the score gap between the two sides was only one point left. Both Seido and Osaka Kiryu were nervous now; the players on both sides seemed to have ignited a real fire.

In the fourth inning, although Zhitian Jiangtai was struck out, Kominato Ryosuke successfully launched an attack with a hit that pierced through Third Base. Subsequently, Yuki Tetsuya got on base. With one out and runners on first and second, Dong Qingguo seized a Changeup from Matsuki Musashi and blasted it fiercely into the stands for a Home Run! He rewrote his Home Run count at Koshien to 3, and Seido gained another 3 points to expand their advantage.

"Dong!!"

"Home Run!"

"Nice!"

"Monster!!"

A timely three-run Home Run not only made the audience boil, but Dong Qingguo's wanton laughter echoed continuously on the field. When he went off the field and met Huangqian Yangyi, who was carrying a bat, he patted the other's shoulder with his large hand.

"Kid Huangqian, I'm amazing, right?! Hahaha."

"Amazing, amazing." Huangqian Yangyi nodded; this Home Run could be said to be worth a fortune.

Stepping into the Batter's Box, Huangqian Yangyi concentrated his spirit, preparing to duel with Matsuki Musashi again; not to mention a Home Run, at least he had to get on base!

The result.

Swish!

"Ball!"

"Ball!"

"Ball!"

"Ball!"

In Huangqian Yangyi's surprised gaze, he was given a Base on Balls!

This was something Huangqian Yangyi really hadn't expected. Judging from the previous situation, this Matsuki Musashi was clearly a person with extremely strong self-esteem and was also obsessed with deciding a winner with him, but in the end, he chose to avoid him. Should one say the opponent knew how to let go of what he could hold?

After being walked, Huangqian Yangyi watched from First Base as Tanaka Wataru and Isashiki Jun were successively retired.

The game proceeded just like that, bottom of the fourth inning, the fifth inning, the sixth inning.

By the end of the top of the 7th inning, the score between the two sides had reached 12:9, with Huangqian Yangyi having contributed another double and a Home Run at the plate.

"Huangqian, I'll leave the rest to you!"

In the Seido Dugout, Nanjo Taishi sat on a chair looking physically and mentally exhausted, covering his face with a towel and whispering.

It was only the 6th inning! His pitch count had long since exceeded one hundred, with runners constantly getting on base and the bases loaded from time to time; it wasn't just the physical drain, but the mental torture that made him feel unable to cope—he was too tired!

Looking at Nanjo Taishi, who was soaked in sweat, Huangqian Yangyi put on his pitcher's glove and nodded, "Rest easy, this game is already over!"

"Hoh, kid, you're quite confident," Dong Qingguo laughed.

"Isn't he always like this? I think it's pretty good, domineering!" Zhitian Jiangtai said.

At this moment, Coach Kataoka turned to look at Huangqian Yangyi, "Are you ready?"

"I've been ready for a long time; if anything, I can't wait," Huangqian Yangyi said with a smile.

"Mm, go!"

"Yes!"

In the bottom of the 7th inning, Seido requested a substitution: Pitcher Huangqian Yangyi, Catcher Miyuki Kazuya, Left Fielder Shinoki Keita.

Walking at the front of the group, the moment Huangqian Yangyi stepped onto the field, thunderous cheers erupted; Seido's fans shouted his name in unison, and from some point on, they had felt a sense of stability whenever they saw Huangqian Yangyi take the field as a Pitcher, as if as long as he was on the Pitcher's Mound, the game would never be lost.