Final Inning

"You little..." Sawamura muttered with a smile when he saw Miyuki's teasing expression.

"Let's forget about that debut in summer!" Miyuki suddenly said.

"!!!" Sawamura immediately bristled when Miyuki brought up that dark history of his stumble at Summer Koshien.

"Yamete!!

Don't just bring up other people's dark history whenever you feel like it!!!" Sawamura shouted, pointing at Miyuki.

"Hahaha!" Miyuki laughed as he ran toward home plate.

"That bastard's making him even more nervous. What are we supposed to do?!" Kuramochi muttered viciously as he watched Miyuki get Sawamura so worked up.

"Eijun-kun! Watch the first pitch!!" Hearing Kuramochi, Kominato Haruichi smacked his glove with his right hand and cheered him on with a smile.

"Yahaha!

Don't screw it up!!" Kuramochi shouted, raising his right hand.

The second baseman-shortstop combination returned to their defensive positions in perfect sync. The two of them had grown increasingly attuned to each other.

"Is everyone doing okay?!!!" Sawamura shouted with his arms spread wide.

"Yahaha! Idiot!!" Kuramochi laughed at his booming voice.

"No matter who our opponent is!!!

No matter where we are!!!

We believe in our baseball!!!

I'll make them keep hitting it! Everyone on defense... I'm counting on you!!"

"Yeah!!"

"Bring it on!!!"

"Let's go!!!"

"Haha!!

It really feels like something's missing without that!!"

At Sawamura's cry, every fielder shouted back.

"This place...

I'm standing here again!!!

This familiar dirt, the stands, the atmosphere, even that scent unique to spring... it really feels good!

Koshien!!!

Summer ended so long ago, yet it feels like yesterday!!

Of course, no one wants to give up this place... Koshien!!" Sawamura thought as he lowered his arms and stared at Miyuki's mitt.

Even Miyuki could tell that Sawamura had entered the zone.

Koshien was just that kind of magical place!!

"Let him hit it!!"

"Let's