Diamond No Ace: Life As Sawamura Eijun

Chapter 233: The True Rhythm of the Ikuei Battle

Bottom of the Second Inning, Ikuei High's Offense. Batting Sixth, Pitcher, Sato.

With sharp judgment, exceptional skill, and Ikuei being a team with dual aces, having their pitcher bat higher in the lineup was a completely viable strategy.

Heh, has Coach Kataoka's words fired up Tanba-senpai?

Behind home plate, Miyuki glanced at the pitcher's mound, where Tanba stood with a resolute expression.

A slight smirk crept onto Miyuki's lips.

Good, this is perfect. With this mindset, I can work with him to call the pitches more effectively.

A faint glimmer of satisfaction appeared in Miyuki's eyes.

The determination not to be taken off the mound.

"Go, Tanba! Shut them down!"

"Sato, show your skills here!"

"Tanba! Tanba! Tanba!"

"Sato, crush one out of the park!"

"This is your moment to shine!"

In left field, where Eijun stood, his face carried a touch of exasperation.

At first, he didn't fully grasp it, but with his quick wits, it wasn't long before he understood the meaning behind Coach Kataoka's earlier words.

"Am I just the punching bag here?"

Eijun recalled Tanba's determined gaze from earlier, and he couldn't help but grumble inwardly.

However, Eijun also understood one thing: Coach Kataoka wasn't joking in the slightest.

For the sake of the team's victory, he wouldn't hesitate to call for a pitching change if necessary.

Whoosh.

Clang!

The energy on the field was palpable. Among Seidou's four pitchers, three—including Eijun—relied heavily on momentum when pitching.

In the second inning, Tanba showcased his commanding presence.

Every pitch was precise, and his focus had visibly improved compared to the first inning.

This might have been due to Ikuei's tactical strategies in the first inning or the strength of their cleanup hitters.

Regardless, Tanba's pitching in this inning effectively suppressed Ikuei's lower lineup.

Thud.

"Foul!"

Two fastballs and a curveball quickly put Sato in a tough spot.

Whoosh.

Clang!

The final pitch was an outside fastball. As the bat and ball connected, Sato furrowed his brow.

Whoosh.

The ball arced through the sky toward the left-center field.

Eijun sprinted toward the landing spot.

"Leave it to me, Isashiki-senpai!" Eijun called out as he ran.

With quick communication, Eijun's agile movements brought him directly to the ball's landing point. Extending his glove, he securely caught the ball.

Pop.

"Out!"

After Eijun made the catch, Isashiki Jun had also arrived nearby.

Although Eijun had been performing well in the outfield recently, as a first-year, Isashiki couldn't help but follow closely to ensure everything went smoothly.

Moreover, since the ball was in the left-center zone, Isashiki had plenty of time to back him up.

"One out, Tanba-senpai!" Eijun raised his left hand high and called toward the mound.

"Got it!" Tanba replied, raising a finger and flashing a smile.

"Seventh batter, catcher, Matsushita."

The normal rhythm had returned.

The first inning was, after all, just an anomaly.

Seidou High wouldn't allow themselves to be easily dragged along by their opponent's pace.

In this inning, they regained their own tempo.

This unexpected performance left Ikuei's side a bit surprised.

Coach Natsume observed as Tanba secured another strikeout and touched his chin, his expression contemplative.

"I thought he might be a relatively weak ace due to his low starting rate. But now, it seems it's just that the first-year overshadowed him with his brilliance. With pitching like this, that ace number isn't undeserved."

With his hands clasped behind his back, Natsume softly murmured these words.

Whoosh.

Pop.

"Strike! Batter out!"

"Three outs! Change of sides."

Tanba gave Ikuei no opportunities in this frame, retiring three batters consecutively and shutting down their offense.

"Well done, Tanba!"

"Good! Keep it up, ace!"

"Tanba, you're doing great!"

"Go, Tanba! Show your strength now!"

When Tanba returned to the dugout, even Coach Kataoka gave him a rare nod of approval.

This simple gesture seemed to fill Tanba with boundless energy.

This time, just this time, I will be the one to shut down Ikuei High.

...

"Top of the Third Inning. Seidou High's offense. Batting eighth, pitcher, Tanba Koichirou-kun."

Seidou was gradually correcting its rhythm, trying to bring it back on track.

By this point in the third inning, Seidou had started to grasp Ikuei High's defensive style.

Despite its seemingly solid foundation, Ikuei's defense was entirely situational and player-dependent—a highly aggressive approach.

Tanba, as expected, was quickly retired.

However, when Shirasu stepped into the batter's box, Ikuei's battery found themselves in an uncomfortable position.

Shirasu relentlessly targeted low, sharp grounders, seemingly abandoning the idea of long outfield hits. His sole focus was to break through the infield with strong, low-angle strikes.

Whoosh.

Ping!

Thud.

"Foul!"

Once again, a powerful grounder zipped just past the edge of third base, forcing the umpire to declare it a foul.

"This guy is tough..." Ikuei's catcher, Matsushita, gritted his teeth at home plate. "Sato, throw with more authority. If the pitch isn't tight enough, he won't take risks."

"Got it." Sato nodded lightly from the mound.

Whoosh.

The pitcher's arm swung sharply, the ball gleaming under the autumn sun.

In the batter's box, Shirasu's expression tightened.

Swish.

The bat whipped through the air, narrowly missing the ball at the last possible moment.

Pop.

"Strike! Batter out!"

An inside pitch. This pitcher...

Shirasu's pupils contracted as his bat swung and missed.

Tightening his grip for a moment, he sighed, shook his head, and returned to the dugout.

Unbeknownst to him, Matsushita let out a small sigh of relief.

If he had connected with that pitch... it would've gone far.

...

"Batting first, shortstop, Kuramochi Yoichi-kun."

Seidou's second trip through the lineup began with Kuramochi's second at-bat.

By now, he had fully adapted to Sato's pitching. However, lacking power, Kuramochi struggled against Ikuei's "moving wall" of defense, their seamless mobility making it difficult to find gaps.

After a six-pitch battle, Kuramochi was also retired.

...

Seidou High still couldn't break through Ikuei's defense this inning. But at this moment, the dugouts of both teams reflected contrasting emotions.

The rhythm had returned.

For Seidou, this was the rhythm they considered normal.

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