H2
	 Volume 22
	  Chapter 8 (216)
	   The Winner Was

 - Page 133 -

(Ch. 8) The Winner Was

 - Page 134 -

[Ibasho took the lead first.]
[Starting off the 2nd, Shimizu hit his 3rd home run of the Koshien.]

 - Page 135 -

[And then,]
[Ibasho tacked on more.]
[With one out in the bottom of the 4th, Tsukigata hit a triple.]
[With Shimizu's sacrifice fly,]
[the 2nd run of the game.]

 - Page 136 -

Scoreboard: Meiwa Ichi
	    Ibasho

[However,]
[The winner was Meiwa Ichi High.]
[The "lucky 7th" inning was just that.]
[Itoguchi's error, unlikely for the usually excellent Ibasho fielders...]
[led to an quick turnaround for Meiwa Ichi.]

 - Page 137 -

[Tsukigata only allowed five hits in this game.]
[Three of them happened in this inning...]
[3-2.]
[And the fifth of those hits,]

 - Page 138 -

[A blast from the star himself.]

 - Page 139 -

[Shimizu's 2nd home run of the game in the bottom of the 9th brought Ibasho within one run,]
[But that was as far as they got.]

Punch: (zzz)

[4-3.]
[Meiwa Ichi stole the lead and ran off with the game that was just as exciting as predicted.]

Scoreboard: Meiwa Ichi
	    Ibasho

Today's Results
Game 1

 - Page 140 -

[And then,]
[The quarterfinals,]
[the semifinals,]

 - Page 141 -

[The final...]
[With ten walks in these three games,]
[The hero became a monster.]

Sign: Tachibana

 - Page 142 -

 - Page 143 -

 - Page 144 -

Koga: Way to catch up to that one!  Good, Shima.
	One more!

Shima: Oops.

Koga: Good, Shima...

 - Page 145 -

Koga: I haven't seen our resident long-haired pervert...

Haruka: You know,
	neither have I...

Sign: Kine

Kine: Whaddayou want?

 - Page 146 -

Noda: Don't play dumb.
	Why haven't you been coming to practice?!

Haruka: Are you feeling bad?

Kine: Not at all.

Noda: Then why?!

Kine: I just don't care anymore.

Noda: Hmph.

Kine: As you know, the only reason I joined the baseball team
	was to kick that stupid Tachibana's ass a bit.
	But,
	I gave up.

Noda: Gave up?

Kine: Yeah.

 - Page 147 -

Kine: Seeing how easily he rose to the top,
	and how his greatness is shoved into my face every day in the news and on TV,
	I can't say I kicked his ass much.
	Plus...

Noda: There's MORE?

Kine: The other reason I joined has been stuck fast to Kunimi,
	and she won't give me any attention.

Haruka: Huh?

Kine: I find it really repulsive,
	how sappy you two are.

Haruka: I...  I'm not stuck to him.

Kine: Then why won't you say yes to a date once in a while?

 - Page 148 -

Haruka: OK.
	We can go on a date.

Hiro: (fwap)

 - Page 149 -

<<Hikari: I'm sorry...  Hiro.

Hiro: Ow.

 - Page 150 -

Punch: (glump)

Hiro: You've got nothing to apologize for,
	...idiot.

Dad: Oh,
	really?!
	Thank God!
	I was playing with your Game Boy in the bathroom,
	and I accidentally dropped it in the toilet.
	(now the screen won't show up)

Hiro: What the hell?!
	You asshole!

Dad: Huh?
	What?

 - Chapter 8 End -