It wasn't just Hiryu that celebrated. The entire Zama team seemed to come alive as they let out a collective shout of triumph, instilling some fighting spirit back into them.
"Three outs. Changeover."
Tatsuya looked as if he just swallowed a lemon as he made his way back to the dugout.
"My bad."
"Don't mind don't mind." Yuta patted him on the shoulder, a smile on his face.
"We're up 9 runs, we just need to keep the same momentum."
Ken nodded. They were in a commanding position right now in only the first innings. While it looked like Zama High was on the verge of rallying their fighting spirit, it would all hinge on how they batted next.
He made his way up to the mound and picked up the rosin bag, rolling it in his hand a few times before beginning his warm up pitches.
After about 12 pitches using only 60% power, he felt warm enough to begin.
The first batter walked into the box and glared at him, his fighting spirit almost visible to the naked eye.
Without a word, Ken looked over at Yuta who called for a fastball right down the middle and couldn't help but smile behind his poker face.
'Looks like Yuta isn't as kindhearted as he seems on the outside. If they miss a pitch like this, it will kill any hope of a comeback.' He thought inwardly.
Ken performed his wind up, something he'd done thousands of times in the past and sent the ball whipping forwards with power.
PAH!
The sound of the ball meeting the leather glove resounded in everyone's ears, causing a deathly silence to reverberate through the field.
"Strike."
The first batter whose face was filled with resolve and determination just moments before suddenly looked as if his whole world had crumbled.
Ken raised his glove and received the ball back from Yuta, his heart calm as a lake.
'Sorry, but we'll be heading to Nationals and taking the title this year.'
***
"OSAKAAAAA"
"FIGHT ON!"
"OSAKAAAAA"
"FIGHT ON!"
The sound of cheering filled the field as Daichi squatted into position behind the batters box. He adjusted the mask over his baby face before turning his attention to the player on the mound.
Even though it was his first game as a starting catcher in an official tournament, there was no signs of nervousness. In fact, there was a serene calmness that seemed to take over him, like he was born to be in such moments.
Yatsuo squared himself up, not giving anything away as he waited for his catchers lead. His long hair was hidden underneath his cap and tied in a ponytail which sat on his back, giving him an exotic look.
Daichi made the signal, calling for a fastball to the inside.
He received a nod from Yatsuo before he began his wind up, whipping the ball out with impeccable accuracy and speed.
PAH
"Strike."
"Nice pitch."
Daichi threw the ball back, feeling at ease. He had initially been worried that Yatsuo may refuse to listen to his calls, but he was wrong. Not only did he follow every one of his leads, his control was nearly flawless.
His attention turned to the scoreboard and he could only smile wryly.
Shimizudani: 0
Osaka Toin: 14
It was currently the 5th inning and they were already 14 runs ahead, showing the stark difference between the teams. He had led Yatsuo to throwing a flawless no-hit game thus far.
As long as they got this batter out, the game would end via the mercy rule.
If a team was up by 15 runs by the 4th innings or 10 runs by the 5th innings, the umpires would call an end to the game. This was referred to as the mercy rule, allowing the losing team to avoid further humiliation.
Daichi knew that their team was strong. They had great facilities and coaching staff, paired with comprehensive training. This was one of the biggest allures of going to a prestigious baseball school in Japan.
However, he felt a little empty.
Even as he called for the next pitch, he couldn't help but feel like there was something missing. It was almost as if he was numb, his body just going through the motions.
"Strike two."
'Why did I even start baseball in the first place?'
His thoughts traveled back to when he first moved to Yokohama, a huge turning point in his life. He saw his Mother and Father's smiling faces, yet they were eclipsed by the face of his brother, the man who had saved him from his painful life.
He was introduced to baseball by that man, something he grew to love. However, did he truly love baseball? Or did he love it because he could play alongside Ken?
These questions bounced around inside of his head while the game continued.
"Strike Three! Out. Game Set."
"OSAKAAAA"
The crowd erupted into cheers, beginning their victory chants.
Meanwhile, Daichi stood up feeling his emotions in some turmoil.
It was funny, while he was training at Osaka he did not have any of these thoughts, even after finding out that Ken had lied to him. Yet as soon as he stepped onto the field during an official match, he felt despondent.
'I wonder how Ken's doing.' He thought, looking off into the distance.
"Nice work rookie."
Yatsuo made his way over to Daichi who seemed lost, holding out his fist.
"Ah, thanks Senpai."
Not expecting such a thing from the Ace, Daichi was a little taken aback, but he quickly recovered. The two made their way back to the dugout where everyone was already in high spirits.
"What a debut! A 3 run home run and 2 doubles!"
His teammates crowded him, giving him compliments for his performance. Yet something about the win didn't seem right, there was something that was still missing.
As if having an epiphany, his mind returned to the game he had in middle school against Fujimi.
["Hey man, I was just saying that a game like this isn't fun at all."
"Hah, fun? What's the point in having fun if you can't win? As long as we win the game then nothing else matters…"
"Those don't sound like your true feelings."]
Remembering the conversation between Ken and the Fujimi catcher seemed to spark something inside of him.
'Fun… Was that what this game was missing?'
Daichi's face dulled for a moment, his mind going into overdrive.
'Is that why Ken didn't want to join Osaka? Because there would be no challenge?'
He shook his head, as if he was trying to remove the thoughts that had taken hold in his brain.
'Ken wouldn't have kept quiet if that was the case, he wanted to get into Osaka just as much as me.'