"Two outs!
They already had two outs!!
In the top of the ninth, with the score still three runs apart, Ichidai San High had gotten their second out!
There was only one out left before the game ended~
But...
At this moment...!!!"
"Cleanup hitter! Center fielder, Sendou-kun!"
Deliberately matching the rhythm of the stadium announcement, the commentator once again whipped the ballpark into a frenzy.
"Smack!" Seeing Haruichi with his head lowered, Sendou gently placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Sen... Sendou-kun?" Feeling the hand on his shoulder, Haruichi looked up.
"Don't mind it... Even if I say that, you probably can't think that way, can you?
But... the game isn't over yet!
And we... aren't finished yet either!!
There's still time before summer!!"
"Yeah!" Haruichi nodded heavily.
"Well!
Don't make that kind of face either!
Didn't I say it? The game isn't over yet!!" Sendou said, patting Haruichi's shoulder twice more before walking onto the field.
Watching Sendou's back, Haruichi felt a pang of sadness.
"Once again...!!
Once again, I can only leave everything to him!!" With that thought, Haruichi gripped his bat even tighter.
"Damn it!" Senior Kuramochi could not help speaking up.
Shirazu-senpai lowered his head as well.
"Well!
The last few at-bats today were just bad luck on our part!!" Miyuki said as he headed toward the on-deck circle.
What Miyuki said was not entirely unreasonable. Senior Kuramochi's hit had landed in a rather unfortunate spot.
As for Shirazu-senpai's hit, all they could do was praise the other side's defense, and so on!
But...
"I know!!
But doesn't relying on luck mean that we're not strong enough?!!" Senior Kuramochi did not say those demoralizing words aloud, but even if the others were not as sharp and clear-minded as he was, they all had more or less