Chapter 29: The final stage of the climax

There was only one reason why Hawks manager Iguchi used Su-hyeon as the number one starter in the postseason.

His job was on the line.

Iguchi, whose contract was expiring this year, couldn’t disobey the owner’s words that he would take full responsibility. Since Su-hyeon’s overall performance during the regular season made her the obvious choice for the number one starter.

“I’m always asking for favors, Chairwoman.

I want to be the number one starter in the fall.

I’m really confident!”

“How can I refuse Su-hyeon’s request?

But I have a favor to ask this time, is that okay?”

Son Yumi’s request, disguised as a condition, was twofold.

First, promise to re-sign with the team next year without transferring to another team.

Second, prioritize team events over agency activities after the season.

“Of course.

You don’t even have to raise my salary by much.

I’m already making good money anyway, hehe.”

“I didn’t say it, but I was a little upset about that.

No commercials for a while after the season, okay?”

Su-hyeon, like a politician before an election, made generous promises to get the number one starter position.

Anyway, if we win, who cares what happens after.

And even if they didn’t win, it was true that she felt indebted to owner Son Yumi.

Two days before the Climax Series Final Stage.

Su-hyeon stopped taking the birth control pills she had been taking for about a month.

A few hours before the first game.

The red moon rose.

– The goddess of death is back.

Jeong Su-hyeon, 10 consecutive strikeouts!

-Next up is Brent Rooker, who struck out in his first at-bat.

I wonder if Jeong Su-hyeon can get revenge for the regular season.

Brent Rooker, who had a 15 at-bat .600/.867/1.400 slash line against Su-hyeon during the regular season, showing an absolutely dominant performance.

Even after striking him out in the first at-bat, Su-hyeon was still excited and didn’t change her strategy against Brent Rooker.

No matter how much Boing Boing (EX+) she had, Su-hyeon knew it was dangerous from the second at-bat onwards.

– It’s another intentional walk.

Even though she struck him out in the first at-bat, she won’t challenge him.

-Is it because she’s a woman that she has no fighting spirit?

Today, Jeong Su-hyeon is making choices based solely on winning probability.

A head-on challenge?

Tell that to the dogs.

Boing~

Thwack!

“Strike, batter out!”

-4-hole hitter Mannami and 5-hole hitter Kiyomiya strike out again.

Brent Rooker hasn’t even touched second base.

– This is why they say baseball is a pitcher’s game.

It’s even more so in a short series like this.

Su-hyeon’s cowardly play seemed to draw boos from the away crowd, but Su-hyeon didn’t care.

This is our home field, anyway.

If you don’t like it, you should have finished first in the regular season.

For Su-hyeon, fall baseball was always a battle against herself.

And today, for the first time, Su-hyeon won the battle against herself.

Only the red moon in the sky above the wide-open roof of Fukuoka Dome was celebrating Su-hyeon’s other victory.

SoftBank Hawks 1-0 Nippon-Ham Fighters.

Winning Pitcher: Jeong Su-hyeon (1 win, 0 losses, 8 innings, 0 hits, 2 walks, 0 runs, 15 strikeouts)

Home Runs: None

SoftBank Hawks 2-1 Nippon-Ham Fighters.

Winning Pitcher: Landon Knack (1 win, 0 losses, 7.2 innings, 3 hits, 2 walks, 1 run, 12 strikeouts)

Home Run: Brent Rooker (7th inning, 1 run, Nippon-Ham)

With strong performances from Su-hyeon and Knack, the SoftBank Hawks reached 3 wins first, leaving them just one win away from advancing to the Japan Series.

However, in those two games, the Hawks’ offense couldn’t show the same concentration as they did in the regular season. And as the Fighters’ offense began to explode, the Hawks’ weaknesses became a reality.

SoftBank Hawks 0-12 Nippon-Ham Fighters.

Winning Pitcher: Tatsuko Kouta (1 win, 0 losses, 6 innings, 1 hit, 1 walk, 0 runs, 11 strikeouts)

Home Runs: Brent Rooker (1st inning, 3 runs, 4th inning, 1 run, Nippon-Ham), Kiyomiya Kotaro (1st inning, 2 runs, Nippon-Ham)

SoftBank Hawks 2-8 Nippon-Ham Fighters.

Winning Pitcher: Paul Reynolds (1 win, 0 losses, 7 innings, 5 hits, 2 walks, 1 run, 12 strikeouts)

Home Runs: Masaki Tomoya (6th inning, 1 run, SoftBank), Mannami Chusei (6th inning, 4 runs, Nippon-Ham)

SoftBank Hawks 1-2 Nippon-Ham Fighters.

Winning Pitcher: Yamamoto Takumi (1 win, 0 losses, 1 inning, 1 hit, 0 walks, 1 run, 2 strikeouts)

Home Run: Sasagawa Yoshiyasu (8th inning, 1 run, SoftBank), Brent Rooker (9th inning, 2 runs, Nippon-Ham)

After losing three straight games to Nippon-Ham, the SoftBank Hawks were on the brink of elimination, with the series tied at 3-3.

In the fateful 6th game, the Hawks once again put their ace, Su-hyeon, on the mound as the starting pitcher.

– Jeong Su-hyeon is coming to the mound in the 10th inning.

Her pitch count is currently at 97.

Jeong Su-hyeon has never thrown more than 100 pitches in a game during the regular season.

-The Hawks used their entire winning bullpen in yesterday’s game, so they don’t have many pitchers they can use.

Closer David Bednar also gave up a walk-off home run yesterday, so he seems to have lost the bench’s trust.

“Su-hyeon…

what to do.

We come this far…”

“I understamnida, I, do my best.”

Pitching coach Saito, who had secretly studied Korean for better communication with Su-hyeon.

Of course, Su-hyeon wanted to keep pitching, and she intended to, even if the bench protested.

So the fact that the bench trusted her was even more gratifying to Su-hyeon.

0-2 count.

The moment Su-hyeon’s third pitch, her 100th pitch of the day, left her hand.

The situation she had been preparing for arrived.

Zing-

[Boing Boing (SSS) trait is activated]

Boing~

Whoosh-

Thwack!

“Swing, batter out!”

I expected it, but the extreme pain came again, and Su-hyeon couldn’t help but grimace.

Was it this painful before?

It feels like my chest is going to fall off.

Su-hyeon unconsciously looked down at her chest.

The two breasts, which had nothing to do with the pain, were still there, showing off their presence.

They were someone else’s, but now they were hers.

But even though they were hers, they were still so alluring and endlessly beautiful, a mysterious existence.

Sorry, my boobs.

Just hold on a little longer.

Boing~

Thwack!

“Strike, batter out, change sides!”

After returning to the dugout, Su-hyeon put on the chest icing that Dae-joon had prepared.

Ugh, it’s too cold.

I didn’t want to use this.

Succumbing to the October chill and the coldness of the icing, Su-hyeon turned on the kerosene heater that Dae-joon had prepared and placed it at her feet.

Of course, no one in the Hawks’ dugout would make fun of this sacred sight.

Except for one person.

“Senpai, are you getting camping gear sponsorships now too?”

“Shut up, Kiriyama.”

Su-hyeon, who had retired the side in the top of the 11th inning.

With a pitch count of 119, Su-hyeon took the mound again in the top of the 12th inning.

Now, the Hawks’ bench didn’t even ask Su-hyeon if she would keep pitching.

They could tell the answer just by looking at Su-hyeon’s eyes and the camping heater at her feet.

The fateful top of the 12th inning.

Because of the extreme pain that made her mind go blank, Su-hyeon had no choice but to give up on a normal pitch sequence.

Su-hyeon’s choice was the Boing-Linker.

Her intention was to induce ground balls as much as possible to end the game quickly.

Zing-!

[Boing Boing (SS) trait is activated]

Crack!

– It’s hit!

Straight to the shortstop, to first, out!

Muneyama Rui hangs his head and heads to the dugout.

-It was a well-hit ball, but he was unlucky.

Jeong Su-hyeon is also getting some luck today.

‘F*ck, it really f*cking hurts!’

Beyond the mountain of pain, there was an even greater pain.

I heard kidney stones are that painful, is this how painful it is?

Su-hyeon was in so much pain that she shed a tear.

And the next batter was none other than Brent Rooker.

He had reached base four times today with four intentional walks, Su-hyeon’s nemesis.

– Jeong Su-hyeon has done it again!

Another intentional walk!

Five consecutive intentional walks in one game, is there a precedent for this?

– I guess we’ll have to look up the records of Barry Bonds or Babe Ruth.

With one out and a runner on first base, Mannami Chusei came to the batter’s box.

And Su-hyeon did it again.

– It’s another intentional walk.

They’re going to try to end the game against Kiyomiya Kotaro, who hasn’t been able to do anything against Jeong Su-hyeon all season.

– Well.

I have some doubts about this choice.

Kiyomiya could bunt, or they could use a pinch hitter.

‘No, they definitely won’t do that.’

A fact that Su-hyeon had learned after playing in the NPB for a year.

The Japanese liked dramatic scenes, which might be considered a bit cringeworthy in Korean sentiment.

Although he was being played by me.

Kiyomiya Kotaro, a franchise star and the face of the team, bunting?

Or even a pinch hitter?

Such a thing could never happen in this archipelago.

They must be dying to write a drama where Kiyomiya sinks the cocky female pitcher at the last moment.

Just as Su-hyeon thought.

5-hole hitter, Kiyomiya Kotaro, entered the batter’s box as is.

Everything was for this moment.

Su-hyeon, who had faced Kiyomiya more than 20 times in the regular season and postseason combined.

She threw a Boing-Linker, which she had never thrown before, right down the middle of the strike zone.

Zing-!

[Boing Boing (SS) trait is activated]

Crack!

-It’s hit!

The third baseman catches, steps on the base, and throws to first!

Out!

Double play!

The SoftBank Hawks advance to the Japan Series with 3 wins, 1 tie, and 3 losses!

Ah, it’s finally over.

You did well.

My boobs.

Far away at home plate, catcher Watanabe was heading towards the mound.

In the dugout, Kiriyama and the other players were heading towards the mound.

They were cheering and running towards her, and Su-hyeon could see it in both of her eyes.