"Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh---!!!"

On the Alps Stand above first base, Waseda Jitsugyo's cheering squad erupted in thunderous applause.

When the team committed consecutive defensive errors in the top half of the first inning and allowed Teikyo Junior & Senior High School to score 2 runs to take the lead, they thought the game was going to overturn—now it seems that was just a small fluctuation in the match, not something that would significantly impact the overall direction of the game.

The relaxed cheering squad didn't idle either—taking advantage of their team's batting lineup being in good form, Waseda Jitsugyo's band, ranking among the top nationwide, played a grand symphony with vigor, the magnificent momentum serving as encouragement and support for their players; as for the feelings of Teikyo Junior & Senior High School's players at this moment, it was beyond their consideration.

For Teikyo Junior & Senior High School's starting players on the field, being hit with consecutive home runs, having the score advantage tied and even overtaken, these events greatly shook their morale—after Lin Guanglai returned home and scored, Teikyo requested a long pause, gathering all starting players near the pitcher's mound to discuss strategies and motivate each other.

Although they kept saying "It's okay, it's okay" and "Pitch with confidence" while comforting the pitcher, when he turned around, Ishikawa Ryo couldn't help but sigh.

Originally, Ito Takuro was already drained by the batting tasks, and now the opponent kept pressing him: observing his recent sluggish demeanor, Ishikawa Ryo found it difficult to set his mind at ease.

Settling back into the catcher seat, he glanced once more at his team's supervisor stationed at the empty ground outside third base—Supervisor Maeda Sanosuke stood there with arms crossed, evidently determined to have Ito Takuro continue pitching, with no intention of substituting him.

Fortunately, the recent long pause provided Teikyo Junior & Senior High School with time to recover their morale and stabilize their position, preventing the score from expanding further.

Despite Ito Takuro being hit with another base hit by Hagiyama Mitsuo from the fifth bat, the two-out situation greatly increased his margin for error; in the next batting slot, he successfully suppressed Yagaki Kentaro to hit a common grounder and subsequently got him out, ending this half inning.

Currently, the game has progressed one-third; Waseda Jitsugyo, with Lin Guanglai's two home runs, temporarily leads by 5:2; on Teikyo's side, although they demonstrated their ability to capitalize on opportunities at the start and scored, the ace pitcher's unstable state resembles a time bomb, causing the starting players on the field to expend more energy on defense, further affecting their batting quality.

Due to the impact of defensive errors leading to loss of points, Teikyo's attack in the top half of the fourth inning failed to make any significant mark, the mid-to-late segment of the lineup, although strong, lacked the ability to burst instantly. Despite hitting 2 base hits, their indecision during base running allowed Waseda Jitsugyo to seize a crucial double play.

In the bottom half of the fourth inning, as expected, Ito Takuro broke down again: facing Waseda Jitsugyo's lower segment of the lineup, his pitching feel seemed to evaporate once more, delivering two consecutive walks, placing the team in a zero-out, first and second base dilemma.

This time, Teikyo's Supervisor Maeda Sanosuke finally couldn't sit still anymore, extending his hand to signal the game's head umpire:

"Substitute pitcher."

In Maeda Sanosuke's view, the team's start today was actually quite good, even with the score now overtaken, it's merely a 3-point difference, not completely insurmountable;

In comparison, Teikyo's pitcher reserves are relatively poor among A-class teams, if the ace pitcher is substituted after only two or three innings, the remainder of the match would be even more difficult—this is why, even when Ito Takuro made consecutive control errors in the third inning, he didn't substitute.

But now the situation has reached a point necessitating a pitcher substitution—there are players on first and second base, Waseda Jitsugyo has no outs, and the lineup is about to roll back to the front segment. If subject to another consecutive attack, merely the pressure from the score gap could crush the team's spirit entirely.

After a brief substitution phase concluded, stepping onto the field was Teikyo's second-year left-handed pitcher, Ishikura Masaya: with a maximum speed of 140 km/h, his specialties being slider and curveball—Maeda Sanosuke's primary reason for substituting him stemmed from his left-handed status naturally exerting pressure on Waseda Jitsugyo's predominantly left-handed hitters, hoping he could swiftly resolve the predicament.

Of course, Ito Takuro, though no longer pitching, hasn't been substituted; apart from being a pitcher, he also serves as the third base hitter in the lineup; with no longer the pressure of pitching, Maeda Sanosuke has repositioned him to first base where the defensive pressure is relatively lighter, hoping he could provide firepower support for the lineup.

This adjustment indeed quickly yielded results: in the bottom half of the fourth inning, the zero-out, first and second base predicament was swiftly resolved by Ishikura Masaya and Teikyo's defense players collectively:

Ninth batter Sato Ken, struck out.

First batter Chongxin Shen Zhong, out at first base.

Attempting to spark the team's offense by stealing third base, Uesugi Yasuyuki was a step too slow, getting out with a swift and precise third-base check by Ishikawa Ryo.

Having faced several innings of a right-handed pitcher, the sudden substitution with a left-handed one did require Waseda Jitsugyo's hitters to take some time adjusting to the ball trajectory.

During Teikyo's offensive round, the lineup likewise starts anew from the first batter—this time, without the pressure of pitching, Ito Takuro showcased his prowess:

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