The Extra in a Baseball Novel

“Ah!! It’s another home run! Cha Taehyun achieves his third consecutive home run! He didn’t miss the pitch and sent it straight to the back screen, shattering the hope that Cheongsin High had barely recovered!”

└ Hahahahahaha

└ Wow… this is getting a bit pitiful…

└ They try to rally, and he just cuts them down…

└ Should this be rated 19+? It’s too brutal.

└ Oh… um, stay strong, Cheongsin High!

└ Why don’t they just walk him…

└ Judging by the pitch right down the middle, it looks like a mistake.

└ I just worship you, Taehyun-god…

Jin Taehyun, his head hung low, pounded the ground with his fist.

“No… This isn’t the time for this. I need to get up there and help Songchul with his mentality…”

Hurriedly climbing the mound, Jin Taehyun looked at the stiff face of Shin Songchul and bowed his head slightly.

What on earth could he say to him?

Was it my fault? No… It was clearly a mistake, so saying that would be a lie. Should he have just been intentionally walked? Yeah… maybe it’s better to say it like that—

“Hey, why the long face?”

“…?”

Despite looking stiff, Shin Songchul spoke in a playful tone.

“You were just lecturing us about not wanting to go home, but now you’re acting like that?”

“No… It’s just…”

Before Jin Taehyun could say anything, Shin Songchul lightly tapped his chest with his fist.

“Stand tall. Keep your head up. Sometimes you take a hit. I made the mistake, didn’t I? So don’t scowl. The game isn’t over yet, right?”

Jin Taehyun slowly lifted his head.

Only then did his narrow field of vision expand, revealing his pitcher, his teammates, and the whole stadium.

‘…I was shaken too.’

“Yeah, it’s not over. Sorry. I talked big, but I guess I was shaken too.”

“We’re all human. You can’t be the only one unaffected. Anyway, head back. It’s about time I come down.”

“What? You’re coming down?”

Shin Songchul gestured toward the dugout with his chin. The coach was slowly walking toward the mound.

“It’s about time for me to step down. So, I’m counting on you, Taehyun.”

Waving his hand once, Shin Songchul walked toward the dugout.

Cheongsin High’s starting pitcher stepped down early, and the relief pitcher, Lee Chanwook, took the mound.

Cheongsin High hoped this pitching change would shift the momentum, but…

-Whack!

Unfortunately, the next batter was Lee Jiho. He took the second pitch, a high fastball, and hit a home run.

The score became 9-4, doubling the point difference.

It was certainly a bleak situation.

Still,

“It’s okay! We’ll catch up in the next inning!”

Cheongsin High hadn’t given up and continued to burn with determination.

But just because there was determination didn’t mean baseball would go well.

-Whack!

“Safe!”

-Whack!

“Safe!”

“Ah… It’s another hit. Cheongsin High changed pitchers, but they still haven’t managed to get a single out. This is becoming a very difficult situation.”

More runs. More runs again. Hyuksan High’s offense showed no signs of ending, and when Cheongsin High finally managed to secure the three outs…

“Out. With this, Hyuksan High’s long offensive ends. The score now stands at 11-4, widening the gap significantly.”

A considerable point difference had opened up.

Honestly, when I hit that grand slam, I thought the game was over.

Cheongsin High turned out to be a more tenacious team than I expected.

Until the 7th inning, Changhyun was on the mound, so they couldn’t score, but they twisted and turned to increase his pitch count.

Eventually, they succeeded in making Changhyun use up his pitch limit, and starting from the 8th inning, Cheongsin High began their counterattack.

Slowly, Cheongsin High’s batters started to fill the bases.

It wasn’t just that our bullpen was weak; I had to admit it.

Cheongsin High’s concentration was on another level.

Baseball surprisingly relies a lot on mental strength, and with their mental fortitude, they didn’t crumble easily.

Anyway, the current score is 11-7. Cheongsin High has caught up quite a bit, but there’s still a comfortable four-point lead.

I probably won’t have to go out as the closing pitcher. The coach said he’d try not to use me to conserve my energy.

But as if to contradict my thoughts, a Cheongsin High batter hit Hwang Gwanghyun’s pitch over the center fielder’s head, striking the wall.

The runners on second and third both came home.

A two-run hit. The score was now 11-9.

Hmm… Looks like I might have to go out there.

“And now, Cheongsin High’s offense resumes in the top of the 9th. The current score is 11-9. Cheongsin High has caught up quite a bit.”

“That’s right. After pitcher Kim Changhyun came down, Hyuksan High’s relief pitcher Hwang Gwanghyun has looked a bit unstable. Even though there’s still a two-run difference, it’s really anyone’s game now.”

└ Cheongsin High’s mentality is insane.

└ They held out until the 7th and then tore into the bullpen.

└ Are they really going to turn this around?

└ Who knows? Hyuksan High’s bullpen has been traditionally weak.

└ They’re starting from the leadoff batter, so they have a good chance.

└ A two-point difference is really unpredictable. Didn’t Hyuksan High’s bullpen blow it in last year’s final, too?

└ Hyuksan High is a Bonfrere-style team. If the bullpen messes up, the batters pick up the slack, haha.

In light of Cheongsin High’s unexpected comeback, whispers of “Could Cheongsin High do it?” began to surface, and this sentiment filled the stadium.

-Wooaaah!!!

Just seeing Cheongsin High’s players taking the field elicited loud cheers. It felt as if Cheongsin High had already turned the game around.

“It’s getting noisy again.”

And with the appearance of a single figure, the atmosphere suddenly died down.

Pitcher Cha Taehyun was stepping onto the mound.

“Oh! This is a bold move! Cha Taehyun is coming on as the closer!”

└ Wow, look at that, pitcher Cha Taehyun!

└ It’s been so long!

└ But isn’t this overworking him? Shortstop in the 8th and now closer in the 9th…?

└ Taehyun, what can you do… You’ve come this far…

The audience had varied reactions, but most were filled with confusion.

“Huh? Isn’t that the batter? Why is he pitching?”

“Can batters pitch too?”

“Are they out of pitchers? Why send him out?”

More than half of the audience had come after watching the emotional Cheongsin High documentary on YouTube. Many didn’t even know much about baseball, let alone who Cha Taehyun was.

They were simply surprised to see a batter pitching, and as soon as the Cheongsin High batter stepped into the box, the crowd cheered again.

-Wooaaah!!!

However… the moment Cha Taehyun threw his first pitch…

-Thwack!

[154km/h]

-Woooaaah…

Silence fell over the stands once more.

After seeing the speed on the scoreboard, I clicked my tongue.

154? Seems like I didn’t have enough time to warm up; I’m not in my best condition.

But still, it’s enough to get these three outs for this game.

I wound up again and threw the second pitch.

A daring fastball right down the middle.

It was undoubtedly a good pitch, but the batter couldn’t even think of swinging. He just froze in place.

[156km/h]

I caught the ball again and waited for a sign. Senior Jichangseop usually isn’t one to take the lead, but he sends signals when we have the upper hand like this.

However, there was no signal.

It was basically, “Throw whatever you feel like.”

Fine by me.

For the third pitch…

I put a bit more force into my throw.

-Thwack!

“Strike! Out!”

With a clean three-pitch strikeout, I secured one out.

Next up was the second batter, the one who took a hit by pitch to reach base, celebrating as if he’d achieved something.

I admired his resolve and the care he had for his team, which made me feel a bit moved, but…

-Thwack!

“Strike! Out!”

That didn’t mean I’d go easy on him.

Another three fastballs, another strikeout. The second red light signaling an out blinked.

Jin Taehyun, the fourth batter, was swinging his bat in front of the dugout, but…

I think this will end here.

I wound up and threw the first pitch. Another fast fastball.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

-Whoosh

The third batter swung his bat wide, but it was a ridiculous

attempt. It was more of a “swing just in case” rather than a calculated one.

Well, it’s better than just standing there.

For the second pitch, the Cheongsin High batter swung again.

-Clang!

The ball hit the bat, but it was a complete mishit. It was an easy one for Lee Changsoo, who had replaced me as shortstop to handle…

“Huh?”

He must have been nervous since it was his first appearance in a while, as he fumbled it.

No need to worry. Errors happen all the time.

-Wooaaah!!!!!

Then, the cheers that hadn’t been heard in a while pierced my ears again.

It’s fair to be excited.

Top of the ninth, two outs, runner on first, and a two-run difference. If Jin Taehyun hits a big one, it’s a tie.

But… will that happen?

Taking a deep breath, I threw the first pitch. A fastball aiming for the inside corner.

Jin Taehyun, unwilling to let it go, swung his bat.

-Whack!

He hit it hard.

-Woooaaah…

The cheer started but quickly died down. It was a foul ball that veered far off the foul line.

Jin Taehyun, who had been running hard, hurriedly returned to the batter’s box.

“This guy’s a maniac.”

This might sound cocky, but it’s the first time anyone’s managed to hit my first pitch like that.

Did he step out of a comic book or something? What a guy…

I composed myself and took a big step forward.

I leaned my upper body even further than usual and threw the ball with all my strength.

The ball flew powerfully, seeming to get sucked into the mitt positioned on the inside corner.

But…

-Whack!

The bat came out and connected with the ball.

-Wooaaah!!!!!!

The loudest cheer so far erupted but soon died down.

It was a foul home run that just missed the left foul pole. A well-hit ball, but the bat reacted a bit late.

[157km/h]

“It was my all-out pitch, and he managed to foul it off for a home run…”

Is this what makes the protagonist of a miracle story different?

Well then… I’ll give him some respect.

I subtly changed my grip.

“This might be a bit cheap…”

“Taehyun! Strike him out!!”

I can’t lose since Myeon-ssam is watching.

As I went into my pitching motion, the hidden grip became visible, causing Jin Taehyun to flinch.

Looks like he realized it wasn’t a fastball.

But… does knowing it’s a breaking ball stop him from swinging?

The ball left my hand and flew towards the mitt. Jin Taehyun’s bat came out as well.

It seemed like it would make solid contact, but then, almost defying gravity, the ball dipped and grazed the bat, slipping into the mitt.

A cleanly executed forkball.

Jin Taehyun swung wildly and staggered before falling on his rear.

“Strike! Out!”

“Game set!”

The third red light signaling the final out of the Golden Lion Tournament final blinked.