Chapter 676 - 676: A Loss

The sudden breaking ball cast a deep shadow over the hearts of all the players on Seido High School Baseball Team.

They clearly understood how grim this game had become.

There weren't many opportunities left for Seido High School Baseball Team to counterattack.

Before, the players of Seido High School Baseball Team couldn't even overcome Narumiya Mei's low-angle pitch combination.

Now, a breaking ball that had never appeared before suddenly emerged.

It would be a miracle if they were in a good mood.

"For other pitchers, it takes several months to refine a breaking ball and use it as a weapon. How can Narumiya Mei master two new breaking balls in such a short time?"

This question struck the hearts of all the players on Seido High School Baseball Team.

They truly couldn't understand it.

Previously, Narumiya Mei was able to combine his curveball, forkball, and low-angle Fastball after learning the curveball.

Completing the low-angle pitch combination.

Now he's using this inside pitch with a very small break to force Zhang Han to hit a foul ball?

"Now is not the time to discuss whether the opponent is cheating, but rather how to deal with the fact that the opponent is already cheating?"

Ochiai looked at the downcast mood of the Seido High School Baseball Team players and proactively offered his advice.

As a member of the Seido High School Baseball Team, Ochiai felt more and more a sense of belonging, and he was much more proactive in offering suggestions than before.

Coach Kataoka nodded.

Like his disciples, he was equally puzzled as to how Narumiya Mei could have learned two such high-level breaking balls in such a short period.

But the reality was already before them; whether they wanted to believe it or not, it was a fact.

Instead of daydreaming, it was better to think carefully about what to do next.

There didn't seem to be anything they could do; at this point, they could only leave it to Zhang Han to handle.

After all, they were all spectators; Zhang Han, who was actually standing in the batter's box, was the one who observed it most clearly.

As Kataoka thought, Zhang Han observed it very clearly. Even if he hadn't noticed at the time, Zhang Han had already guessed when the baseball veered outside the line.

Not to mention the feel of the baseball hitting the bat, which had already made him clearly realize that the last pitch was definitely not a Fastball.

The baseball had a break, and that was the real reason his hit went off the line.

But just knowing that didn't seem to help Zhang Han much with his next hitting.

The baseball's break was too small; even with Zhang Han's eyesight, he couldn't see it clearly.

The players in the Seido High School Baseball Team dugout also inferred after Zhang Han's hit.

The baseball should have broken as it approached the inside corner.

The reason they made such a judgment was entirely due to their unwavering confidence in Zhang Han's swing.

"Ping!"

On the second pitch, Zhang Han hit another foul ball.

The baseball landed behind the Third Baseman and bounced far away.

If this pitch had landed within the line, it would have been an extra-base hit, and Seido High School Baseball Team could have easily tied the score.

The supporters of Seido High School Baseball Team in the stands and the Misses who specially came to cheer for Zhang Han believed that Zhang Han had overcome his previous predicament and was now pressuring the pitcher.

They excitedly shouted Zhang Han's name, giving the impression that Zhang Han was not being pressured by two strikes, but rather was pressuring his opponent.

Zhang Han himself didn't give any feedback; he just took a deep breath and firmly locked his target on Narumiya Mei.

He firmly believed in his heart that the pitch Narumiya Mei just threw was not a coincidence.

If that pitch wasn't a coincidence, it would definitely come again.

Zhang Han had enough confidence in this.

Sure enough, the inside pitch came.

Fixing his gaze on the incoming baseball, Zhang Han poured all his strength into the two arms swinging the bat, and then fiercely swung the bat out.

Unsure of the break, he could only rely on speed and power. Even if he couldn't hit the sweet spot, he would forcefully carry the baseball away with his bat.

"Ping!"

The baseball hit the bat, making an astonishing crashing sound.

Many people in the stands, including the dugouts of both teams, looked dumbfounded.

They obviously hadn't expected such a situation to occur?

The hit baseball bounced high, soaring over the entire infield and flying towards the outfield.

Everyone's gaze followed the baseball, finally landing in the center outfield.

A figure like a leopard had already run to the landing spot of the baseball, opened his glove, and steadily caught the ball in his glove.

"Pop!"

"Out!"

A showdown that Seido High School Baseball Team had placed high hopes on, and which many considered to be the key to victory or defeat.

Zhang Han lost.

He hit a fly ball to the outfield, and the baseball was caught directly.

Zhang Han tossed his bat and returned to the dugout, looking dejected.

Recalling the scene of the previous showdown, Zhang Han's remorse was beyond words.

He had preemptively assumed that Narumiya Mei's final decisive pitch would be the small-breaking breaking ball he had shown for the first time.

So Zhang Han increased the range and power of his swing, and he even pulled back slightly, trying to meet the baseball with the wider part of the bat.

Unexpectedly, what Narumiya Mei used in the end was not that small-breaking breaking ball at all, but a genuine Fastball.

The result of the head-on collision was that although he made contact with the ball, the baseball didn't fly as far as Zhang Han had imagined.

So, he was caught out directly.

This was a complete failure, not only a failure of the swing but also a failure of tactical choice.

Back in the dugout.

All the players on Seido High School Baseball Team had extremely serious expressions, but they also knew in their hearts.

In this situation, Zhang Han couldn't be blamed.

Narumiya Mei's pitch was itself on a cheating level. Any top hitter in the country facing him wouldn't dare to say they could definitely hit the ball out.

Not to mention the sudden appearance of the breaking ball.

It's just that after Zhang Han's out, Seido High School Baseball Team will probably have a hard time scoring in this inning.

It's not just this inning; the chances of Seido High School Baseball Team making a comeback in today's game have also become much slimmer.

"Three outs, side retired!"

As the players of Seido High School Baseball Team had guessed, with Zhang Han's out, Seido High School Baseball Team's offense lost its momentum.

Isashiki Jun barely made contact with the baseball, which bounced off the ground and was fielded by Inashiro Industrial High School Baseball Team's Shortstop Shirakawa, who then threw it to First Base.

Just like that, the game entered the top of the seventh inning.

Having overcome the difficult hurdles of Yuuki and Zhang Han, Inashiro Industrial's previously not-so-optimistic situation suddenly brightened.

In contrast, with a one-run lead, they seemed to have more hope of becoming the champions of Kanto.

Under the halo of this belief, the hitters of Inashiro Industrial High School Baseball Team had a very strong desire to score when on offense.

They seemed not content with just their one-run lead; they wanted to gain more on this field.

Holding such a belief, every hitter on Inashiro Industrial High School Baseball Team was full of motivation.

However…

"Whoosh!"

The baseball thrown from Zhang Han's hand was like a dazzling white light, instantly flashing past the batter's eyes.

The eighth batter in the lower lineup of Inashiro Industrial High School Baseball Team didn't even have time to react, watching the baseball fly past.

"Pop!"

"Strike!"

"Strike!"

"Strike!"

"Strikeout!"

"Strikeout!"

Zhang Han threw six consecutive pitches, not allowing any of Inashiro Industrial High School Baseball Team's batters to make contact once.

He recorded two consecutive strikeouts.

This instantly swept away nearly half of the gloom from Seido High School Baseball Team's previous offensive struggles.

In the stands, many onlookers had already noticed Zhang Han's incredibly powerful performance at this time.

Although his pitch didn't seem as aggressively overpowering as other Fastball pitchers.

But from the effect of his pitching, it might even be better.

After all, he had now recorded five consecutive strikeouts.

"Five strikeouts, and against Inashiro Industrial nonetheless, it's incredible!"

Such a feat, even the currently exceptionally strong Narumiya Mei, would probably find it very difficult to achieve.

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