Diamond No Ace: Echoes Of The Ace

Chapter 27: We Can Still Fight

"Not bad at all."

"This year's rookies are pretty solid. They have the tactics, teamwork, and everything they need. Give them some time to grow, and who knows what the outcome might be."

"Yeah, back then, we were crushed by our seniors."

The seniors watched the rookies score a run with a mix of pride and unease.

"We can't just let the juniors get all cocky like this," Isashiki said, clearly annoyed. "Hey, what's wrong with you guys? Not only are we failing to dominate the first-years, but we even let them score! Have you been slacking off lately?"

"So embarrassing," added Ryousuke with a teasing smirk.

"Sub me in! I want to play! Aaaahhh!"

"No way, Jun-san! You just finished an intense workout!" Kuramochi grabbed Isashiki from behind, trying to calm him down.

The seniors on the field felt a bit ashamed as Isashiki ranted from the sidelines.

Fired up, they resolved to crush the rookies in the next plays.

Despite conceding a run, Chris and Kawakami remained composed, smoothly retiring the next two batters without breaking a sweat.

Watching their effortless teamwork, Eijun couldn't help but feel envious.

Meanwhile, Coach Kataoka, having observed all the players closely, decided it was time to wrap things up.

The rookies had gained some confidence, but dragging the game on could backfire.

"Coach, are you really planning to end the game after this inning? Please let us continue! We can't let the first-years get away with scoring on us!"

Despite the senior's protest, Kataoka was firm in his decision. Raising his hand, he called out, "Both teams, line up!"

"What?!"

"Coach!"

"This is it," Kataoka declared. "Continuing will only widen the score gap."

The rookies, just starting to find their rhythm, were suddenly cut short. They knew the coach was right, but it still felt frustrating.

"Coach, please let us keep playing! The game isn't over yet, is it?"

Eijun refused to accept an abrupt end. This was a rare chance to play, and his opponent was none other than Chris. He couldn't let it end like this.

"There's no need," Kataoka replied. "The result is already clear—"

"There is a need!" Eijun interrupted loudly. "For us players, this is necessary! We can still fight! The game isn't over until the final moment!"

The players on the field turned to the rookie who had dared to cut off the coach.

Their emotions were complicated.

The seniors didn't want it to seem like they were ending the game out of fear of the rookies.

On the other hand, they felt their goal of showing off to the coach had already been achieved.

As for the rookies, while they'd managed to hold their own, it was exhausting being on the defensive. Ending things early wasn't entirely unwelcome.

But looking at Eijun's determined expression, they began to reconsider.

"Coach, please let us continue. Even if we get scored on or can't hit, we want to see clearly where we stand compared to our seniors," Tojou, who had been substituted earlier, chimed in, backing Eijun.

Although the results hadn't been great, the experience was invaluable.

"Coach!"

"Coach!"

Seeing the eager expressions of his players, Coach Kataoka smiled warmly.

"Fine, we'll continue. Kid, you're pitching this inning."

Hearing his name called, Eijun trembled with excitement.

"Leave it to me! Hahaha!"

Standing on the mound, Eijun gently scuffed the dirt with his foot. It had been a while since he'd stood here.

"I'm probably going to get hit a lot, so I'm counting on you, defense!"

"You got it!"

With just a simple line, Eijun managed to energize the defense.

Exchanging a glance with Kariba, Eijun prepared for his first pitch.

He had to make an impression on the seniors.

Though his smile was bright, his pitch was anything but soft.

"Strike!"

"Strike two!"

"Strike three! Batter out!"

The senior batter walked off without even touching the ball.

"One out!"

"Watch out. This guy's release point is impossible to see. The ball just appears out of nowhere, and it's hard to time your swing," one senior warned the next batter.

"Can't see the release point? What kind of pitching is this?" The second batter nodded, taking the advice to heart.

Fixing his gaze on Eijun, he stepped into the batter's box. But Eijun didn't give him much time to react.

"Strike!"

"So you really can't see the release point... but it's hittable," the batter thought.

As the ball neared, he swung decisively. Though he didn't make solid contact, he managed to foul it off.

"Sweet, I can hit this," he thought. But just as he processed the last pitch, the next one came.

Seeing a ball right down the middle, he instinctively swung.

The moment his bat made contact, he realized something was off.

"Right field!"

As the ball soared high, Eijun shouted for the defense.

The right fielder took a few steps and calmly caught the ball.

Thanks to Eijun's stellar pitching, the rookies held the seniors to no hits and no runners in that inning.

However, the seniors retaliated just as efficiently, striking out the rookies in quick succession.

The game transitioned into yet another intense back-and-forth, leaving no room to breathe.

Eijun glanced at Chris, now stepping into the batter's box, and his smile grew even brighter. "No backing down now, Kariba. Let's take him on head-on."

Understanding Eijun's intent, Kariba signaled without hesitation.

Pop!

"Strike!"

Pop!

"Strike two!"

Chris felt the vibration through the bat.

Although he had often discussed Eijun's pitching, he hadn't expected it to be this effective in a real game.

"If I'm not mistaken, the next pitch will be his signature finisher. Bring it on!"

Eijun raised his arm high, took a strong inward step with his right foot, and stored energy in his upper body before unleashing it all in one swift motion.

The ball hurtled toward the inside corner.

Chris swung, but the ball suddenly broke inward, glancing off the edge of his bat and bouncing into play.

Eijun watched as Chris calmly made it to first base.

"He's amazing. Even after hitting my pitch, his form hasn't changed at all," Eijun thought, full of admiration.

"That last pitch had some movement, didn't it?"

"Yeah, I saw it clearly. It broke inward—a cutter, maybe?"

"Something like that. Does Sawamura know how to throw breaking pitches now?"

Despite giving up the hit, Eijun didn't panic.

He had hoped to strike out Chris but knew it wasn't realistic.

Moving on, Eijun retired the next senior batter by alternating between fastballs and regular straight pitches.

The seniors still hadn't caught on to the unique qualities of Eijun's fastball, even by the second time through the lineup.

In the fourth inning, Eijun faced Chris again.

This time, Chris let an outside low pitch go and instead hit an inside fastball, safely reaching first base.

Eijun then retired the second batter without much trouble, but the third batter managed to foul off an outside pitch, sending it to right field.

Now, with runners on second and third, cleanup hitter Masuko stepped up to the plate.

If Chris had learned about Eijun's unique pitching style from watching videos, Masuko had gained his knowledge through firsthand experience.

Among the players present, only Haruichi and Masuko had spent significant time practicing against Eijun.

After Eijun began collaborating with Kariba, they had refined their pitches by facing Masuko repeatedly.

It was no surprise, then, when Masuko crushed Eijun's signature pitch for a home run.

As the ball soared over the fence, Eijun stood frozen for a moment before breaking into a wry smile.

"Masuko-senpai is way too strong. But next time, it won't be so easy!"

The inning ended with Eijun giving up three runs, marking the game's final frame.

Though Eijun was dissatisfied and clamored to continue, Coach Kataoka ignored him.

With his teammates dragging him away, Eijun reluctantly joined the post-game lineup to bow.

"Chris, what's your take on Sawamura's performance today?"

"His condition was excellent, and his pitching was solid. He's just a bit noisy," Chris replied with a chuckle, recalling Eijun's animated behavior after the game.

"You and Masuko both hit well today. Do you think Sawamura's pitching can hold up in first-string games?"

"I believe so. His pitching isn't something opponents can figure out in just one or two games. I only began to understand it after watching the videos he sent me."

"I see. Chris, I'll leave Sawamura in your hands."

"Yes, Coach."

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