The batting lineup of Osaka Tsubaki is at least one level higher than any team before; as the first line of defense against Osaka Tsubaki's offense, Lin Guanglai only feels their attack is like a storm:

While maintaining home plate discipline, each of their batters is extremely aggressive, putting immense pressure on me as a pitcher and making the Waseda Jitsugyo fielders exceedingly embarrassed.

Although Lin Guanglai has managed to keep the gate unbreached, and the team has maintained a slim one-point lead, to the spectators at the venue and in front of their TVs, it seems that Osaka Tsubaki leveling the score is just a matter of time.

In the midst of back and forth, the game unknowingly reached the seventh inning:

"Osaka Tsubaki, really amazing..." on the Alps Stand, the girls supporting Waseda Jitsugyo couldn't help but exclaim — in their eyes, their team seemed to be dancing on a knife's edge throughout the game, coming close to not overcoming several crises;

At the same time, on the opposite stand, supporters of Osaka Tsubaki gave similar exclamations and complaints:

"Sigh...truly, Lin Guanglai is too strong — several times I thought our team was about to execute a sweeping offensive, but he managed to cut it off each time. Can this guy really join Koshien without it being against the rules..."

"Exactly! How is Takano Ren handling this? A player of this caliber should just go straight for the pro draft; competing in Takano is just cheating!"

Of course, some seasoned spectators also expressed worry for their team: "In this situation, it's completely unacceptable...it's almost the eighth inning and yet they haven't been able to break through, can the players' mindset really hold on..."

This concern is not unfounded: Osaka Tsubaki, being the dominant team in this game, had launched several threatening offensives in the previous seven innings, capitalized on the opponent's errors to get on base, and even in one half-inning, managed to send two batters into scoring position with no outs, seemingly guaranteed a scoring opportunity, needing just one chance to crush Waseda Jitsugyo;

But in these crucial moments, Lin Guanglai consistently obtained critical outs: he quickly struck out Yuuya Mori at bat one, and when facing the second bat, Onishi Yuuya, he forced the opponent into a 2-strike crisis, using a cunning breaking ball to deceive the opponent into swinging, helping his teammates complete a "3-6-3" double play.

Actually, from the slow-motion replay, Onishi Yuuya's original intention seemed to be to foul out the baseball, securing another chance to bat for himself; who would have thought that the ball would unpredictably fly into the field, aimed directly at the Waseda Jitsugyo first baseman, caught precisely, and even the players initially on base couldn't react in time.

At this point, even experienced Nishikawa Koji was somewhat at a loss, having not expected Lin Guanglai to persist so long under his attrition strategy.

Since becoming manager in 1993 and supervisor in 1998, he had never encountered talent of this caliber before — being able to hold up under Osaka Tsubaki's lineup, which gathers the nation's top talents, even as an opponent, Nishikawa Koji couldn't help but praise him:

"Just one of him, it's like a whole army!"

Within Osaka Tsubaki's player area, due to prolonged inability to break through, some players were a bit anxious; noticing the players' misaligned mindsets, Nishikawa Koji quickly displayed his supervisory authority, sharply scolding the players before him:

"Look at yourselves! Is this what people who want to win a game look like?! Hesitating when needing to swing for points, recklessly swinging when needing to maintain home plate discipline — what are you doing? Playing house?"

"This is the Koshien semifinals! It's a stage our Osaka Tsubaki has never reached before! Your opponents aren't nobodies you'd meet in the first round of the county tournament! Even though their strength has declined now, they're last year's Senbatsu champions!"

"If you continue playing with this mindset, I guarantee you this game, you'll become the backdrop for Lin Guanglai! When the Takano program crew compiles classic game stats later, this game will be brought out, watched countless times by hundreds of thousands of viewers nationwide! And many of you will only be able to sit in front of the TV smiling awkwardly!"

"Tell me! Are you willing to become like that!!!"

"Reporting to the supervisor! We are not willing!!!" Nishikawa Koji's words, nearly humiliating, roused the players' competitive spirit — they were all excellent players from various places, having come to Osaka Tsubaki in pursuit of victory, naturally unwilling to be the background in somebody else's legendary battle.

"Good! In the following match, let me see your determination to reach the finals! Can you do it!!"

"Reporting to the supervisor! We definitely can!!!"

Seeing the team's atmosphere lifted substantially, Nishikawa Koji, who a second ago was in rage, now exuded a gentle breeze; surveying all the players before him as if thinking of something, Nishikawa Koji kindly spoke:

"I know, from the first match we've faced strong opponents, everyone's tired, playing hard."

"I also know you've complained privately about the draw, about luck, thinking if we drew into another section maybe it'd be easier."

At this point, Nishikawa Koji paused, once again looked at the players before him; under his gaze, some players shyly lowered their heads.

"No one knows what would happen if we were placed in another section, maybe we'd easily reach the finals, not needing to fight to the last each match — if thinking like this makes you feel a bit better now, then go ahead and imagine!"

"But, children — don't romanticize the paths we've never walked, our path is under our feet!"

"Who are we? We are Osaka Tsubaki! Each of you was selected from players nationwide by me and the team's professionals! Believe in yourselves, believe that your teammates are among the best players in the whole country!"

"Yes, compared to our opponents, our luck is indeed a bit worse, but doesn't this also mean, precisely because we are strong enough, we've gotten this far?"

"Hanamaki East, Kyushu Academy, Urawa Academy... these teams are either incredibly strong A Level teams or possess genius players — yet, they all became our defeated opponents! Because we are absolutely strong!"

"In the face of absolute strength, that bit of luck is ultimately just an excuse for the losers — now! Get on the field, first defend this half-inning with determination; then in the latter half of the eighth, let's go head-to-head with the opposition!"

With Nishikawa Koji's call, Osaka Tsubaki's players swiftly moved onto the field, settling into their defensive positions, warming up by passing and catching between infield and outfield.

Soon —

"Three outs! Both sides switch positions!"

Waseda Jitsugyo's offense didn't manage to create much threat, the three batters appearing in the upper eighth inning weren't able to get on base, including Lin Guanglai himself, who was tempted to swing by a ball from Jintaro Fujinami, eventually being put out before reaching first base.

But at this moment, Lin Guanglai didn't have the energy to ponder the mistake he made in that at-bat — as soon as he returned to the players area, he collapsed onto the bench, drinking water to replenish his energy, breathing heavily:

Bouts of fatigue from continuous play and the pressure of offense and defense crashing in at this moment, aside from a dull ache in the shoulder and elbow, Lin Guanglai also felt a bit breathless, not even wanting to say a word.

It wasn't long before, under the umpire's urging and the supervisor's concerned gaze, Lin Guanglai slowly, step by step, made his way to the pitcher's mound.

"Ha—ah!!!" under the gaze of the entire audience, he let out a loud roar, then a sharp light danced in his eyes, the fatigue seemed to vanish in an instant.

Now, everyone knew, the most crucial moment of the game had arrived.

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