Chapter 21
Chapter 21
Translator Wjin
Chapter 21
"Ahhh!! Another home run! Cha Tae-hyun hits a three-run homer! He didn't miss the bad pitch and hit it squarely, striking the back screen directly. He shatters the hope that Cheongshin High had just regained!"
└ LMAO.
└ Wow… I’m actually starting to feel bad for them…
└ They were just starting to build momentum, and he completely shut them down.
└This should be rated 19+... so cruel
└Uh... um. Good luck, Cheongshin High
└Why didn't he just walk him...
└Looking at where it was thrown, it just seems like a bad pitch?
└I just worship you, Tae-hyun god...
'It's my fault... It was an arrogant decision... Seung-cheol was already at his limit.'
Head bowed, Jin Tae-hyun slammed his fist on the ground.
“No… this is no time for this. I have to go up there and take care of Seung-cheol’s mentality…”
Hastily climbing the mound, Jin Tae-hyun slightly bowed his head at Shin Seung-cheol’s stiff face.
What on earth should he say?
'It was my mistake?'
No… it was clearly a bad pitch, so that would just be patronizing.
'I should have just sent him for sure?'
Yes… it would be better to say that—
“Hey, asshole. Why the long face?”
“…?”
Shin Seung-cheol, who had a stiff face, spoke in a playful voice.
“You were asking us if we wanted to go home, and now you’re like this?”
“No…, that’s…”
Before Jin Tae-hyun could say anything, Shin Seung-cheol lightly punched his chest.
“Chest out. Head up. I can get hit once. I threw a bad pitch. So, don't look so grim. The game isn't over yet. Right?”
As Jin Tae-hyun slowly raised his head, his narrowed vision widened, and he began to see his pitcher, his teammates around him, and the baseball field.
‘...I was shaken too.’
“Yeah, it's not over. I’m sorry, I guess I was shaken too, even though I said that.”
“We’re both human, so you can't be the only one who's fine. Anyway, go back now. I should be heading down soon.”
“Huh? You're going down?”
Shin Seung-cheol gestured towards the dugout with his chin. The coach was slowly walking towards the mound.
“It's about time for me to go down. So, I’m counting on you. Tae-hyun.”
Shin Seung-cheol waved his hand and walked towards the dugout.
Cheongshin High’s starting pitcher left the mound a little early, and relief pitcher Lee Chan-wook took the mound.
Cheongshin High was hoping for a change in atmosphere with this pitcher change, but—
Clack!
Unfortunately, the next batter was Lee Ji-ho. He hit a high fastball on the second pitch for a home run.
With this, the score became 9 to 4, a difference of more than double.
It was a truly desperate situation.
But,
“It’s okay! We’ll catch up in the next inning!”
No one at Cheongshin High had given up yet, and their spirits were still high.
But baseball isn't played with just passion.
Clack!
“Safe!”
Clack!
“Safe!”
“Ah… another hit. Cheongshin High hasn’t been able to get a single out even after changing pitchers. This is a very difficult situation.”
A run.
Another run.
Hyeoksan High’s offense showed no signs of stopping, and when Cheongshin High finally managed to get three outs—
“Out. And that ends Hyeoksan High’s long inning. The score is now 11 to 4, a significant lead.”
The score difference had widened considerably.
Honestly, I thought the game was over the moment I hit the grand slam.
But Cheongshin High was a more tenacious team than I had thought.
Until the 7th inning, senior Chang-hyun was on the mound, so they couldn't score, but they somehow managed to increase his pitch count, and after Chang-hyun reached his limit, Cheongshin High started their counterattack from the 8th inning.
Cheongshin High’s batters were starting to get on base.
Well… our bullpen is weak, but I have to admit it.
Their concentration is insane, those Cheongshin High guys.
Baseball is a surprisingly mental sport, and since their mentality is strong, they don't break easily.
Anyway, the score is now 11 to 7. Cheongshin High has caught up a lot, but we still have a 4-point lead.
It's unlikely that I'll have to pitch as a closer.
The coach also said he wouldn't send me out to save my stamina.
As if to prove my thoughts wrong, Cheongshin High’s batter hit Hwang Gwang-hyun’s ball, and it went over the center fielder's head and hit the wall.
With this, the runners on 2nd and 3rd both scored.
A 2-run single. The score is now 11 to 9.
Hmm… it seems… I might have to go out.
“And now we’re back for the top of the 9th, Cheongshin High’s offense. The current score is 11 to 9, with Cheongshin High having caught up quite a bit.”
“That’s right. After pitcher Kim Chang-hyun left, Hyeoksan High’s relief pitcher Hwang Gwang-hyun showed some instability. There’s still a 2-point difference, but now it’s really anyone’s game.”
└ Cheongshin High’s mental game is seriously insane.
└ For real, they held out until the 7th inning and then immediately tore the bullpen apart. That’s crazy.
└For real, are they going to turn this around?
└Who knows, Hyeoksan High’s bullpen is traditionally weak
└ They’re starting from the leadoff hitter this inning, so yeah, it’s definitely possible.
└ A two-run deficit is nothing. Hyeoksan High’s bullpen also imploded in last year’s finals.
└ Hyeoksan High is basically a Bonfrere-style team. When the bullpen catches fire, the batters step up, lol.
With Cheongshin High’s unexpected counterattack, a sentiment of “Could Cheongshin High actually do this?” started to emerge, and this atmosphere also filled the stadium.
“Waaaaah!!!”
The crowd roared just from the Cheongshin High players entering the field, and the atmosphere, as if Cheongshin High had already won, was brought to a screeching halt by the appearance of a single person.
Pitcher Cha Tae-hyun was walking onto the mound.
“Ah! This is a bold decision! Pitcher Cha Tae-hyun is coming in as the closer!”
└ Wow, lol. He’s here—pitcher Cha Tae-hyun.
└ It’s been a while, lol.
└ But playing shortstop in the 8th and then closing in the 9th… isn’t that overworking him?
└Tae-hyun, what can you do… we’ve come this far…
The crowd had various reactions, but most were puzzled.
“Huh? Isn’t he a batter? Why is he pitching?”
“Can a batter also pitch?”
“Are they out of pitchers? Why did they send him out?”
More than half of the crowd were people who had come after watching the moving Cheongshin High documentary on YouTube.
Most of them didn't even know much about baseball, let alone a high school baseball player named Cha Tae-hyun.
They were just a little surprised that a batter was pitching, and as soon as Cheongshin High’s batter stepped up to the plate, the crowd roared again.
“Waaaaah!!!”
But… the moment pitcher Cha Tae-hyun threw the first pitch.
Thwack!
[154km/h]
“Waaaaah…”
Silence fell over the crowd again.
I clicked my tongue at the speed on the scoreboard.
154? It seems I didn't have enough time to warm up. My condition isn't perfect right now.
Well, it's enough to get three outs in this game.
I wound up again and threw the second pitch.
A fastball right down the middle.
It was a good pitch, but the batter seemed to have no intention of swinging and just froze.
[156km/h]
I got the ball back and waited for a sign for a moment. Senior Ji Chang-seop wasn't the type to lead, but when I had a favorable count like this, he would sometimes send a sign.
But there was no sign.
It meant, 'Just throw whatever you want.'
That was fine with me.
Then for the third pitch…
This time, I put a little more power into it and rotated my arm.
Thwack!
“Strike! Out!”
I got one out with three clean pitches.
Next was the 2nd batter, the one who didn't even try to avoid the hit by pitch and was happy to get on base.
His will and his heart for the team really touched me…
Thwack!
“Strike— Out!”
But I had no intention of letting him get a hit.
This time, I struck him out with three straight fastballs. The second red light indicating an out flickered on.
The 4th batter, Jin Tae-hyun, was swinging his bat hard in the on-deck circle, but…
It would probably end here.
I wound up and threw the first pitch. Another fast fastball.
Whoosh
The 3rd batter swung his bat hard, but it wasn't a calculated swing. It was more like he just swung.
Well, it's better than just standing there.
For the second pitch, the Cheongshin High batter swung hard again.
Clack!
The ball hit the bat. But it was a foul ball, way off. An easy catch for Lee Chang-soo, who had replaced me at shortstop…
“Hmm?”
…but perhaps because it was his first time playing in a while, Lee Chang-soo completely missed the ball.
I didn't care. Errors happen all the time.
“Waaaaah!!!!!”
The cheers, which had been silent for a while, pierced my ears again.
It was understandable to be hopeful.
Two outs in the top of the 9th, a runner on first, and a 2-point difference. If Jin Tae-hyun hit a big one, it would be a tie.
But… would that happen?
I took a breath and threw the first pitch. A fast fastball aimed at the inside corner.
Jin Tae-hyun, as if he couldn't let this fastball go, swung his bat.
Clack!
He hit the ball hard.
“Waaaaah…”
The cheers died down. It was a good hit, but it was a foul ball, way outside the line.
Jin Tae-hyun, who had been running hard, quickly returned to the batter's box.
“He's a crazy bastard.”
It might sound a little arrogant, but this was the first time someone had hit my first pitch so well.
Did he really come out of a comic book… what kind of guy was this?
I composed myself and took a big step.
I leaned my upper body more than usual and threw the ball with all my might.
The heavy ball was flying towards the inside corner of the glove, but…
Clack!
The bat, which had appeared out of nowhere, hit the ball.
“Waaaaah!!!!!!”
The biggest cheer of the game erupted, but it soon died down.
It was a foul home run, just outside the left foul pole. It was a good hit, but his bat was a little late.
[157km/h]
“That was my full power, and he hit it for a foul home run…”
Is this what it means to be the protagonist who creates miracles?
Then… I have to show him some respect.
I subtly changed my grip.
“It's a little cheap, but…”
“Tae-hyun!! Strike him out!!!”
I can't lose, especially with Miss Mi-yeon watching.
As I entered my pitching motion, and my hidden grip was revealed, Jin Tae-hyun flinched.
He seemed to have noticed that it wasn't a fastball.
But… well, even if he knew it was a breaking ball, could he stop his bat?
The ball left my hand and flew towards the glove, and Jin Tae-hyun’s bat followed.
Just as the bat was about to make solid contact with the ball, the ball dropped as if defying gravity, grazed the bat, and went into the glove.
A perfectly thrown forkball.
Jin Tae-hyun, who had swung hard, stumbled and eventually fell on his butt.
“Str---ike out!”
“Game set!”
The third red light, signaling the final out of the Golden Lion Tournament finals, flickered on.