Diamond No Ace: Life As Sawamura Eijun

Chapter 331: The Formed Seidou Batting Lineup

The third preliminary game was one where the outcome was essentially decided in the very first inning.

Despite the players of Seishou High School demonstrating unprecedented resilience, managing to somewhat recover from the shadow of that disastrous first inning, no surprises or twists emerged throughout the subsequent matchups.

In the end, they were still powerless against the seamless cooperation between Eijun and Miyuki.

A true shutout in every sense.

No runs, no hits, no walks. Eijun ensured that each inning featured only three batters stepping into the box, each swinging at most three times.

More often than not, it was just one or two swings before being retired.

Every pitch Eijun threw brought nothing but endless despair to the Seishou High players. His pitching was a declaration of the insurmountable difference in strength, radiating a king-like dominance over the field.

Seidou High's ace — Eijun Sawamura.

At that moment, his figure and name were deeply etched into the hearts of every player from Seishou High. For a long time afterward, many of them would never forget this autumn, this golden season, and this gray and bitter match.

"Have you ever experienced true despair?"

If not, then here it was, making its grand entrance.

This phrase perfectly captured Seishou High's predicament.

Even though their strength surpassed the two schools they faced previously, the outcome was somehow even more tragic. They conceded seven runs in the first inning alone.

Then, in the second inning, starting again with the core batters, Eijun and Miyuki remained merciless, delivering consecutive hits.

Another four runs were conceded in that inning.

By the third and fourth innings, Seishou High was completely defeated, collapsing like a landslide, unable to mount any resistance. Seidou scored a total of 16 runs across just four offensive innings.

Finally, in the top of the fifth, Eijun secured the last out.

This brutal game came to an end.

Whoosh!

Pop!

"Strike! Batter out! Three outs! Game over!"

When the game concluded, the players from Seishou High no longer wore expressions of frustration, despair, or disappointment.

Instead, they collectively heaved a sigh of relief.

It was finally over.

Finally, they no longer had to face this monstrous pitcher or this terrifying team.

In that moment, a singular thought crossed every player's mind simultaneously: We need to go back and solve some practice questions to calm ourselves down.

Recalling their initial belief that they had a chance at victory, these young players now wanted to crawl into a hole out of embarrassment.

They realized they had never stood a chance against monsters.

Losing to such monsters wasn't their fault. The blame lay solely on the opponent's overwhelming strength.

There was no point in competing with monsters. That was just tempting fate.

Once this thought sank in, a strange miracle occurred — none of Seishou High's players felt particularly dejected anymore. Even their pockmarked coach, who had "seen the light," displayed a relaxed expression.

Impressive. Really impressive.

Thus, a bizarre scene unfolded before the spectators.

Despite suffering a crushing defeat and losing their chance at the main tournament, Seishou High's players all seemed perfectly normal, with some even smiling.

This left the audience bewildered.

Even Seidou's players, like Eijun, Miyuki, and Kuramochi, were at a loss for words.

Seriously? Don't you guys have any sense of defeat as the losing team?!

Eijun genuinely felt like walking over to ask these goofballs what on earth was going on inside their heads.

"Salute!"

"Thank you for the match!"

Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap!

The two teams bowed to each other amidst the thunderous applause of the audience surrounding the field.

Leaving aside Seishou High's performance, Seidou High had undeniably demonstrated the dignity and dominance expected of a champion team today.

Though it was merely a one-sided game against a weaker opponent, the match served as a positive signal for Seidou.

While the batting lineup's performance couldn't fully prove their strength, a real test of whether their offense had reached the level of an elite powerhouse would come only when facing top-tier rivals.

For now, at least, it was clear that the team was on the right track—both defensively and offensively.

What impressed the audience the most, however, was the extraordinary performance of their ace, Eijun Sawamura.

He delivered crushing dominance on the mound and showcased brilliant batting skills.

Today, once again, he secured three hits in three at-bats, maintaining a perfect 100% batting average throughout all three preliminary games.

Eijun's outstanding performance reassured Seidou's supporters, excited the reporters eager to interview him, and struck fear into the scouts from rival powerhouse schools.

"This guy is becoming more and more of a monster," muttered the scouting member from Inashiro Industrial, his eyes filled with apprehension as he watched Eijun smiling confidently on the field.

Another scout beside him nodded grimly.

The scouts from other strong teams such as Teito High, Yakushi High, and Ichidaisan High also wore similarly tense expressions.

Meanwhile, figures like Yuuki and Chris, who had taken time to watch the match, were visibly pleased.

"It seems there's no need to worry about the new team," Yuuki said with a smile.

"Indeed," Chris agreed. "With Miyuki and Eijun around, this autumn should be smooth sailing."

"Hmph, just as expected from the ace. Both pitching and batting are ridiculously impressive," Jun grumbled.

"Ugaaa!"

Perhaps...

Perhaps this autumn, Seidou High could truly reach the pinnacle again.

This thought flashed simultaneously through the minds of the retired third-year seniors.

In this final preliminary match, Eijun's appearance marked the prelude to Seidou's return as a king.

It was almost as if his presence alone carried a symbolic warning to all challengers.

The most remarkable point, something noticed by sharp-eyed scouts, reporters, and experts, was a critical yet easily overlooked fact:

Throughout the five defensive innings of this game, Eijun had used only one type of pitch—his straight fastball.

That's right. No changeups, cutters, or his signature five-seam pitches that had shone brilliantly during the summer tournament.

Not a single one.

By the end of the game, some observers began noticing an unusual characteristic of his fastball—its initial and final velocity remained nearly identical.

This revelation left the professionals in shock.

It was a newly refined, uniquely Eijun-style fastball.

This subtle but formidable evolution elevated their evaluation of Eijun even further.

Hidden beneath Seidou's gradually forming batting lineup was something far more terrifying—the team's true cornerstone.

The one who demanded utmost vigilance and respect:

Seidou High's fearsome ace—Eijun Sawamura.