Diamond No Ace: Life As Sawamura Eijun

Chapter 280: Offensive and Defensive Clash in the Finals (1)

A patient and calculated offensive play.

Yuuki was ultimately unable to find any flaws in the opposing strategy.

Instead, he was pressured by the sheer power and late break of the pitches, compounded by his unfamiliarity with the pitcher's delivery.

On the 10th pitch, Yuuki slightly miscalculated his swing timing.

Although he managed to read the pitch, a slight misjudgment led to an unfortunate outcome—a fly ball toward third base.

The third baseman of Komadai Fujimaki High School easily caught it for an out.

Next up was Masuko.

Facing Komadai Fujimaki's formidable pitcher-catcher duo, he couldn't make contact, swiftly striking out.

With that, Seidou High School's offense in the first inning came to an end.

However, they achieved their initial goal, securing the crucial first run.

This run gave Seidou High School a slight edge in controlling the game from the very first inning.

As for the upcoming early and mid-game phases, this advantage could allow Seidou to perform more confidently in both offense and defense.

"Top of the second inning, Komadai Fujimaki High School is up to bat. Fourth batter, center fielder, Akito Seijou."

With the first run secured, the next step was to defend it at all costs.

In the original match, even Narumiya Mei had given up two runs.

I know there's still a gap between me and Narumiya-senpai, and I'm unsure how far I can go.

But as long as my arm can move, I will protect this run to the end.

If Narumiya-senpai conceded three runs against Komadai Fujimaki in 14 innings, then I'll set myself a small goal—keeping the runs allowed within three, no, within two!

With his head held high, a faint golden light shimmered in his determined eyes.

His gaze toward the batter's box revealed Eijun's firm resolve.

"Go, Sawamura!"

"Attack, attack! No hesitation, no confusion!"

"This is all on you now."

"Eijun-kun, just like the previous inning, get those three outs with ease."

"Come on, Seidou High!"

The home plate umpire glanced at Seijou, who was ready to bat, and called out loudly:

"Play ball!"

"Whoo…"

First pitch, changeup—let's go straight for it, Sawamura.

A sharp glint flashed in Miyuki's eyes as he decisively signaled the pitch.

On the mound, Eijun nodded solemnly.

Whoosh!

Raising his arm, he suddenly brought it down. A streak of icy light burst forth, darting straight toward the batter's box.

The sharp glare of the ball, the roaring momentum, and an unstoppable force sweeping across the field caused a subtle change in Akito Seijou's expression at the plate.

In his focused eyes, without any warning, the ball flashed into view.

Swish!

Akito reacted with impressive speed.

Unfortunately, Akito completely misread the pitch's trajectory and type. His swing, swift as it was, hit nothing but air.

Pop!

The ball arrived late, spinning into Miyuki's glove with a crisp, clear sound.

"Strike!"

A changeup?!

Damn it, that little brat!

Akito gritted his teeth, his face contorted with frustration.

Pulling this trick right from the first pitch? How bold.

Next pitch, a cutter. Sawamura, show them everything you've got. Let's use this opportunity to establish a dominant start to the game.

Crush them with your momentum!!!

"Got it."

With a lifted leg and raised arm, Eijun poured everything into his left arm.

Whoosh!

As he released the ball, it shot forward like a streak of cold light.

Sharp and oppressive, the pitch screamed toward the batter.

Swish!

Crack!

The ball, with its slicing trajectory, broke sharply at the last moment.

Akito's face tightened at the unexpected movement.

The vibration from the contact, the force of the pitch, and the late break left Akito's hands trembling as he struggled to maintain his grip on the bat.

Thud!

The ball ricocheted off the bat and bounced hard on the ground.

"Foul ball!" the third-base umpire declared.

So this is his cutter? It's nothing like an ordinary cutter. Akito's face revealed his astonishment. He couldn't help but think, That sharp break…

After two consecutive breaking balls—one of which was a fastball variant—it seemed likely the next pitch would be a straight fastball.

But even Eijun's fastballs weren't easy to handle, especially with his precise control over the inside and outside corners.

Whoosh!

Another streak of light, sharp and unstoppable.

The ball's sudden rise and late movement caught Akito completely off guard. His pupils constricted as the ball barely avoided the bat and shot into Miyuki's glove.

"What?! Another breaking ball?!"

Pop!

"Strike three! Batter out!"

"Whoa! Three consecutive breaking balls! Seidou High's first-year lefty, Sawamura Eijun, strikes out Komadai Fujimaki's cleanup batter in three pitches!"

"Great pitch, Sawamura!"

"Amazing, Sawamura-kun!"

"Seidou! Seidou! Seidou!"

"This is how you dominate! Keep attacking, keep the pressure on!"

"Go, Eijun-kun!"

Eijun's dominant presence on the mound, forged through battles against powerhouse lineups like Kiryuu, Inashiro, and Yokohama, now radiated the confidence of a true ace.

His commanding aura captivated everyone, showcasing the charm of this rising star.

Akito took a deep breath, calming his shaken nerves.

After a long look at Eijun, he shook his head and walked off, carrying his bat.

"Fifth batter, catcher, Kanemoto."

"Be careful, Kanemoto. That kid's pitches are tricky, especially those breaking balls," Akito said in a low voice, his tone serious, making Kanemoto's expression even more grave.

"Got it," Kanemoto replied with a determined nod as he stepped into the batter's box.

Unfortunately for Komadai Fujimaki, after facing lineups from teams like Kiryuu, Yakushi, Inashiro, and Yokohama, Eijun's current abilities—and mentality—could no longer be measured by the standards of a typical first-year pitcher.

To put it bluntly, Eijun's ERA against those powerhouse lineups was incredibly low.

This gave him the confidence to stand tall against Komadai Fujimaki High School.

A future ace?

No, Eijun had already become a bona fide ace in every sense of the word.

...

As expected, the moment the umpire gave the signal, Eijun launched an aggressive offensive.

Riding the momentum from striking out the cleanup batter, his relentless and imposing pitching created a constant pressure that made Kanemoto, standing in the batter's box, extremely uncomfortable.

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