Diamond No Ace: Life As Sawamura Eijun

Chapter 281: Offensive and Defensive Clash in the Finals (2)

A powerful offensive.

With precise control, Eijun was unstoppable after taking down Komadai Fujimaki's cleanup batter, Akito.

He followed it up by aggressively overpowering their fifth batter, Kanemoto, with three fastballs, finishing him off with a five-seam fastball to secure the out.

The sixth batter for Komadai Fujimaki fared no better against Eijun's dominant pitching.

The combination of sharp fastballs and hard-to-predict breaking balls made Eijun untouchable in this inning.

On just his second pitch, he forced the sixth batter to hit a high fly ball to left field, where Ichiro Sakai effortlessly caught it, securing the third out.

Pop!

"Out!"

"Three outs, side retired."

Eijun's sharp dominance on the mound made it difficult for any of Komadai Fujimaki's players to even look directly at him.

His commanding presence and extraordinary skill left them stunned.

Despite this being the first rotation through the lineup, a time when both sides typically adjust to each other's pitching, Eijun swept through their batters with ease, like an autumn breeze scattering fallen leaves.

It was almost too much for Komadai Fujimaki to accept.

Hongou clenched his fists as he watched Eijun jog back to the dugout, a sharp glint in his eyes betraying the turmoil in his heart.

The sight of this young pitcher filled him with frustration and resentment.

I'm not happy.

His expression and aura made this sentiment abundantly clear.

"Great job, Sawamura," Chris said warmly as Eijun returned to the dugout.

Nearby, Coach Kataoka nodded in approval.

With such a strong start, Seidou High School had established a favorable position early in the game.

If they could pressure Komadai Fujimaki into switching pitchers prematurely, their chances of winning would increase significantly.

"Yes," Eijun replied with a smile.

He was satisfied with his performance, though he knew the seemingly easy dominance was the result of giving his all and capitalizing on moments when the opponent hesitated.

Still, he was aware that the second time through the lineup would not be as easy.

After all, he had already revealed all his cards.

Changeups, cutters, five-seam fastballs—everything in his current arsenal had been used in this inning with great effect.

Moving forward, the game would truly test his raw ability.

...

Bottom of the second inning. Seidou High School is up to bat. Sixth batter, catcher, Miyuki Kazuya.

The first-inning run had given Seidou High School an early lead, but Komadai Fujimaki's defense quickly showed why they were considered a formidable team.

Even against Seidou's lineup, arguably stronger than Inashiro's from the original story, Komadai Fujimaki began to demonstrate their defensive prowess in the second inning.

Facing Miyuki, known for capitalizing on opportunities, Komadai's pitcher-catcher duo gave him no openings.

With three clean fastballs, they forced Miyuki to hit a grounder toward third base.

The pitch's overwhelming force left Miyuki unable to control the angle, and the ball was easily handled for a routine out at first.

Seventh batter, pitcher, Eijun.

The same scenario repeated itself with the following batters.

As Eijun stepped into the batter's box, he could immediately feel the intense pressure emanating from Komadai pitcher Iguchi.

The oppressive atmosphere made it difficult for Eijun to breathe.

Whoosh!

Swish!

Pop!

"Strike!"

The first pitch, a slider, smoothly landed in Kanemoto's glove, leaving Eijun swinging at air.

Whoosh!

Ping!

Thud!

"Foul ball!"

The powerful velocity and late break of the pitch made Eijun feel a slight stinging pain in his palm.

While it wasn't quite at the level of Kiryuu High's ace Tachi's ferocious pitches, this pitch made it abundantly clear to Eijun that Komadai Fujimaki's ace was no pushover.

Whoosh!

Pop!

"Strike! Batter out!"

After two strikes, Komadai Fujimaki's pitcher-catcher duo wasted no time.

With just three pitches, they struck Eijun out, securing the second out of the bottom of the second inning.

"That pitch… it's tough to handle," Eijun muttered with a frown as he walked off the field, shaking his head.

Next up was Ichiro Sakai, who attempted a surprise attack on the first pitch, swinging aggressively.

Unfortunately for him, this was fully anticipated by Komadai's battery.

A well-placed high pitch caused Sakai to misjudge the timing.

Ping!

The ball was hit straight toward the pitcher, Iguchi, who intercepted it cleanly. He threw directly to first base.

Pop!

Sakai was easily tagged out, ending Seidou High's offense in the second inning.

...

While the outcome wasn't entirely unexpected, Komadai Fujimaki's rapid adjustments caught Seidou by surprise.

After the intense first inning, both teams seemed to settle down, their pitchers finding their rhythm by the second inning.

...

Top of the third inning: Komadai Fujimaki High School's offense.

The bottom of the lineup posed little threat to Eijun.

The seventh batter was taken down in just two pitches.

The eighth batter, however, used his keen judgment and patience, refusing to swing at any bad pitches.

This forced Eijun and Miyuki to spend a bit more effort to secure his out.

Finally, the ninth batter was struck out in just three pitches.

At the end of three innings, Eijun had completed a full cycle through the Komadai Fujimaki lineup with a perfect record—three up, three down.

He had not allowed a single hit or baserunner.

His flawless performance on such a grand stage left the audience in awe.

A first-year pitcher delivering such dominance in the finals was a testament to Eijun's status as Seidou's de facto ace.

...

Bottom of the third inning: Seidou High School's offense.

Ninth batter Shirasu managed to capitalize on a slider, hitting an infield single and barely reaching first base.

However, Kuramochi was not so fortunate. Komadai Fujimaki was determined not to repeat their mistake from the first inning. With relentless pressure on the strike zone, Kuramochi was ultimately struck out.

Next up, Ryousuke Kominato seized an opportunity to bunt successfully.

However, Komadai Fujimaki's flawless defense turned what was meant to be a safety bunt into a sacrifice bunt.

Ryousuke was tagged out, but Shirasu advanced to second base.

With two outs and a runner on second, Seidou found themselves in a precarious situation yet again.

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