The Long-Awaited Extra Innings!
Shwaaaah—
The rain showed no signs of letting up at Jongmyo Stadium.
Thanks to its excellent drainage system, the game could continue without issue, though puddles had formed here and there.
Still, the game pressed on.
In a tournament setting, rescheduling was nearly impossible, so whether it was a downpour or whatever bullshit, they had to finish it somehow.
In that tense situation, Ryu Han-wool, who had staunchly guarded Hancheong High's mound all day, finally knelt to Ryu Ji's home run.
The relief pitcher who took the mound next was right-handed sidearmer Park Cheol-min, a card pulled by Coach Cha Kang-hoon specifically to target Seok Un-gang.
"Ah, Hancheong High's setup man Park Cheol-min takes the mound...! His high school ERA is a solid 2.38!"
"He's got a fastball in the mid-140s and a forkball as his specialties! Seok Un-gang will need to watch the ball extra carefully...!!"
'Seok Un-gang—that guy's dangerous.'
Munhyeok High was batting second, so one big hit here meant game over. Taming Ryu Taek-jin or whatever didn't matter if they lost. He'd probably get fired with high probability.
'According to the scouting report, he's weak against sidearm offspeed pitches.'
Of course, it was just relatively weak compared to other pitches—not that he couldn't hit them at all—but that tiny gap was enough for Coach Cha Kang-hoon.
Before sending Park Cheol-min to the mound, he'd instructed him to walk the batter if needed, but relentlessly pull changeups outside the zone to lure the bat.
Thwack—!!
"Ball...!!"
But with the heavy rain pouring down, it wasn't easy for a pitcher just stepping onto the mound to find his release point. And the batter facing him was none other than nationwide slugger Seok Un-gang.
The pitcher harbored constant anxiety that if a pitch wandered into the zone, it could turn into a goodbye homer any second.
As a result, his forkball came out a bit faster than intended, and Seok Un-gang easily picked it off as a ball.
"Base on balls...!!"
Seok Un-gang walked to first on the free pass.
The next batter was Ji Su-yong, tasked with the heavy responsibility of cleanup hitter today.
"Ugh...!! I'll end this game right here...!"
Ji Su-yong stepped into the box snorting through his nose.
As a lefty, he had a huge advantage against a righty sidearmer. Here, Coach Cha Kang-hoon called for yet another pitching change.
"Pitching change...!!"
"...Huh?"
Ji Su-yong was dumbfounded.
This wasn't pro ball, and high school teams didn't have deep bullpens. He'd never seen a pitcher yanked after just a few pitches like this.
"Ah! They pull Park Cheol-min right away! Bringing in Ryu Taek-jin, maybe?"
"No! They're sending in lefty overhand Seo Jeong-woo! What's going on here...!!"
Park Cheol-min made sense to target the righty Seok Un-gang, but with two lefties stacked up, the announcers were puzzled why they weren't using Ryu Taek-jin.
"Ah, we've got a tip! Ryu Taek-jin only pitches in save situations!"
"A rule they stick to even in dire crises. Is this what builds a powerhouse like Hancheong High...!!"
The announcers were foaming at the mouth, spouting praise nonstop. Deep down, they thought, 'What kind of boneheaded rule is that...?' But trash-talking a big-shot school like Hancheong High wouldn't fly if they wanted to keep calling high school games long-term.
"Seo Jeong-woo isn't a pushover either! His high school career ERA is an impressive 1.93...!"
"A pitcher known for his sharp curveball? He'd be a top closer on most teams."
Whiiip!
Seo Jeong-woo unleashed powerful curveballs.
They weren't easy pitches by any means, but Ji Su-yong dialed in his focus and made contact.
Crack!
"Ji Su-yong makes contact...!! Ahh, center fielder Jeong Woo-jin catches it standing pat. Runner left on first! Hancheong High and Munhyeok High head to extra innings in this Sejong Cup showdown...!"
"Who could've predicted this game would go to extras...!! Not me!"
"Same here! What a nail-biter unfolding at Jongmyo Stadium!"
Munhyeok High's first extra-inning game since the club's founding.
No one expected it to happen on such a massive stage, but Ri Dong-hyeok climbed the mound once more.
Crack!
"Foul...!"
Crack!!
"Foul!!"
"Hoo, hoo...."
Ri Dong-hyeok's opponent was ninth-place hitter Kwon Seok-jun.
Famous as an intelligent catcher, he wasn't a home run machine like the others or blessed with insane contact skills, but he executed the manager's intent to perfection.
Coach Cha Kang-hoon's orders were simple:
'Munhyeok High only has two pitchers worth a damn against us: Geum Seong-muk and Ri Dong-hyeok. The rest are total scrubs.'
In other words, drag Ri Dong-hyeok off the mound as fast as possible, and Hancheong High's path to scoring opens wide.
Kwon Seok-jun had no intention of getting on base.
Just one goal:
Grind Ri Dong-hyeok relentlessly, rack up pitches. That was it.
Crack!
"...Out!"
The ball sailed like a clothesline outside the left foul line. Ryu Ji, at third, dove and snagged it.
"Ahh, Takahina Ryu Ji...!! Picture-perfect diving catch! Helps Ri Dong-hyeok out!"
"Ri Dong-hyeok was hounded by Kwon Seok-jun! That out count is precious!"
"Ryu Ji, comrade, nice play."
"Yeah, good work."
Thanks to Ryu Ji, they got the out, but the real ordeal was just beginning.
"The lineup turns over again—Hancheong High's bats start with leadoff Han Gyeol...!!"
"Hoo, hoo...."
Ri Dong-hyeok had thrown 35 pitches.
He'd already exceeded his limit, and now facing Hancheong High.
An unimaginable fatigue crushed his body.
"Geum Seong-muk, comrade—you're incredible. Holding up under this pressure through the eighth...."
He was an underhand pitcher whose lifeblood was control. The heavy rain sapped his body heat, wearing him down faster.
Leadoff hitter Han Gyeol didn't miss Ri Dong-hyeok's wobble.
Crack!
"Perfect hit through the three-four hole...!! A hit! Big-time Han Gyeol advances to first!"
"Mmm, that's the taste."
Han Gyeol celebrated with a quick ceremony toward the stands. Next up: No. 2 hitter Jeong Woo-jin.
'...Ri Dong-hyeok, let's aim for a double play with the sinker.'
Nod—
Ri Dong-hyeok fired the sinker as per Seok Un-gang's call. But his body, at its limit, wouldn't obey.
Thwack—!
"...Ball!"
Thwack—!
"...Ball!"
Balls sailing in consecutively.
He tried to regain control, but with his grip strength gone, Ri Dong-hyeok issued a straight walk.
"Base on balls...!!"
"Hoo, haak, hoo......"
Ri Dong-hyeok panted raggedly, tipping his cap off and back on. Pitch count: 48 now. He bit his lip, realizing his stamina shortfall.
And here, Munhyeok High's coach Myeong Sin-u stepped out.
"Ah, Coach Myeong Sin-u comes out...!! Looks like a pitching change!"
The pitcher emerging after a shutdown finish drew all eyes to the bullpen. And the face that appeared was surprisingly unexpected.
"That guy's...!"
"Hassan...!?"
First-year starter Hassan Iqbal jogged to the mound with a tense expression. The Munhyeok High students in the stands—and the Goya Gallery users—could only despair at his entrance.
"Using Hassan in this spot...!?"
"Even if we're short on arms!!"
The crowd even muttered it'd be better to ride the fatigued Ri Dong-hyeok longer. Goya Gallery exploded.
No matter what anyone said, Hassan took the mound. Ri Dong-hyeok looked at him, unable to hide his guilt.
"Hassan, comrade, I'm sorry. I failed in my duty to hold the back end...."
"Dong-hyeok hyung, it's fine."
Hassan grabbed Ri Dong-hyeok's shoulder comfortingly.
With a resolute expression, he said,
"Now it's my turn to repay the favor."
Until now, Ri Dong-hyeok had always backed up Hassan. And that's how they'd won.
Today was Hassan's golden chance to settle that debt, even a little.
"One out, runners at first and second—big chance...!! Stepping up: Hancheong High's hitting machine Choi Hyeok-su!!"
"He's overshadowed by Park Tae-je, but Choi Hyeok-su's clutch ability is monstrous too? Let's see how he fares against Hassan Iqbal...!!"
Plip-plop—
"Hoo."
Hassan brushed the rain from his cap and exhaled. He went into his windup and unleashed the first pitch.
Thwang—!!
"Strike...!!"
"...!"
A high-velocity fastball blasted into the zone. Choi Hyeok-su glanced at the scoreboard in surprise—160 km/h stared back.
"First pitch 160 km/h...!! Hassan Iqbal shatters his personal best!! What's going on?!"
"Probably the difference between starter and reliever! No need to pace stamina, so full gas means higher velo naturally...!!"
Hassan didn't have Seong-muk's stamina. As a starter, he had to conserve to go deep, so he rarely threw all-out.
'But today is different...!'
The doctor's limit on his game pitches was almost up. Probably two more batters, and it'd be spent.
Hassan planned to unload everything on those two.
Crack!
"Foul......!"
"Argh!!"
Choi Hyeok-su fouled off Hassan's fastball, but it barely escaped the foul line, leaving him frustrated.
Count: 0-2.
Seok Un-gang called for splitters dropping low in the zone a couple times, but Choi Hyeok-su's bat didn't twitch.
'You think a rookie's splitter will fool me?'
Choi Hyeok-su even smirked.
He'd narrowed it down to one pitch.
'You only got one thing anyway—basic-ass fastball!'
Essentially a two-pitch guy.
Putting the splitter in the zone was scary, so only fastball left.
Choi Hyeok-su licked his lips.
'What does a foreigner like you know about baseball? Go lay bricks at a construction site. Be my game-ender sacrifice.'
Now the fateful fifth pitch.
Choi Hyeok-su saw the fastball coming in hot and inwardly cheered.
'Hah, knew it...!!'
He swung—and something felt off.
'Wh-what? This movement...!!'
The straight-line fastball snaked toward his body like a serpent. He panicked, trying to adjust, but too late.
Crack!
"Ahh! The ball goes right to second...!"
"Second tosses to short! Short fires to first!"
"Eeeeek......!!"
Choi Hyeok-su sprinted madly to first.
But the ball beat him there.
"Out......!!"
"Picture-perfect 4-6-3 double play!! Hassan Iqbal escapes the jam!!"
"Kuaaaak, fuck...!!"
Furious at losing to the foreigner he'd dismissed, Choi Hyeok-su raged. Hassan let out a timid shout of joy.
"Yaaah...!!"
He'd wanted to roar coolly like Seong-muk, but it wasn't easy. Blushing beet red, Hassan stepped down from the mound.
"Nice pitching, Hassan...!!"
"Groooar!! Where'd you learn that nasty two-seamer, Hassan!!"
"Haha, thank you. Thank you...!!"
Basking in the endless cheers as he entered the dugout, Hassan was thrilled by his teammates' praise. But the best part was something else.
"Good work, Hassan comrade."
"Ah! Dong-hyeok hyung...!!"
Clap!
They gripped hands firmly in a handshake. The bond between the two pitchers deepened further.
"Munhyeok High shuts down the top of the 10th scoreless...!! At this momentum, opportunity knocks for Munhyeok too!"
"Yes! Baseball's all about flow. And the batter stepping up now? Stronger than anyone in clutch spots!!"
Munhyeok High entered the bottom of the 10th at bat.
First up: this man.
Just emerging from the dugout and flashing his massive back drew thunderous roars from the stands.
"Waaaaaah.........!!"
"Geum Seong-muk! Geum Seong-muk! Geum Seong-muk...!!!"
Munhyeok High students chanted the name louder than ever. The team's captain, ace, and core slugger stepped to the plate.
Currently No. 1 in high school home runs.
No. 1 in walk-off homers too.
Seong-muk entered the box radiating a slugger's aura, settling into his stance with immense gravitas.
'Fuck, what pressure...!'
Pitcher No Jin-su gulped.
One big swing here ended it.
Shwaaa—
Rumble...!!
"........."
Thunder now echoed through Jongmyo Stadium in the bottom of the 10th. Seong-muk glared at the mound with ferocious eyes, ready to devour the pitcher at any moment.