Diamond No Ace: Life As Sawamura Eijun

Chapter 243: The Battle of Ikuei - The Essence of Offense

"An outside pitch? He swung at it! Oh, it's a hit! It's a hit! In the end, Seidou High's Kuramochi chose a low outside pitch and delivered an unexpected strike—a base hit to right field! As soon as the ball hit the ground, the runner on third, Sawamura Eijun, dashed home, scoring the tying run! Seidou High has finally evened the score in the top of the seventh inning! And with just one out, they still have runners on second and third—a golden opportunity!"

The commentator's passionate voice electrified the atmosphere as the stadium buzzed with excitement.

While Seidou celebrated, Ikuei High seemed momentarily stunned.

The tens of thousands of spectators in the stands marveled at how Seidou used a low pitch as their breakthrough and capitalized on Kuramochi's blazing speed to tie the game.

Kuramochi had quickly advanced to second base, and the batting order continued with the momentum on Seidou's side.

"Damn it, damn it, damn it! They were targeting low pitches all along!" At home plate, Matsushita gritted his teeth, his face contorted in frustration.

Since the middle innings, he felt like he had been toyed with by Seidou's relentless tactics.

On the mound, Kimura, Ikuei's ace pitcher, wore a similarly grim expression.

In the dugout, Coach Natsume maintained his usual stoic demeanor, but the faint tension on his tightly pressed lips betrayed his inner turmoil.

He had done everything possible to prepare his team, but now it was up to the players on the field to determine the outcome.

Victory or defeat—it was in their hands.

"Beautiful hit, Kuramochi!"

"Kominato-senpai, it's all on you now! Let's get another one!"

"Go for it, Ryousuke!"

"Kuramochi, nice job out there!"

"Ryou-san, time to take care of business!"

"Batting second, second baseman, Kominato-kun."

Ryousuke stepped up to the plate with his trademark cheerful smile, his demeanor so lighthearted it only deepened Matsushita's unease.

Facing Kuramochi's persistence in the previous at-bat had already drained Kimura and Matsushita.

Now, they had to deal with Ryousuke, whose superb batting skills and relentless fouling ability would make things even more difficult for Ikuei's battery.

As Seidou's hitters grew more familiar with Kimura's pitching, the team's offensive strength became increasingly evident.

"Whoosh!"

"Ping!"

"Thud—foul ball!"

Every swing from Ryousuke seemed to find a way to foul off the pitch.

"Whoosh!"

"Pop!"

"Ball!"

Ryousuke didn't even flinch at pitches outside the zone.

"Whoosh!"

"Pop!"

"Ball!"

Still wary of Kuramochi's low-pitch hit, Ikuei's battery found themselves in a bind.

Ryousuke's endless fouls and his precision in laying off bad pitches left them completely stymied.

"Whoosh!"

"Pop!"

"Four balls! Walk!"

Ultimately, with no better options, Ikuei's battery decided to walk Ryousuke, loading the bases.

Now, Seidou was in an incredibly advantageous position, with their powerful cleanup hitters stepping up.

"This is the worst-case scenario," the commentator exclaimed. "With a precise eye and excellent patience, Ryousuke earns a walk, loading the bases with one out! Seidou High, having tied the game, now has an incredible chance for a comeback with their heavy hitters!"

"Batting third, center fielder, Isashiki-kun."

"Man, you guys are so reliable!" Isashiki roared as he marched to the plate, metal bat slung over his shoulder and a ferocious grin on his face.

His intimidating presence made everyone on Ikuei High tense up.

The essence of offense lies in scoring runs.

Seidou's approach was clear: maximize the unique strengths of every player to overwhelm their opponents.

"Timeout"

Ikuei High could not afford to surrender; for them, this was a match they absolutely could not lose.

Matsushita understood that in this moment, more than skills or strength, what mattered most was a steady mindset.

The synergy between the pitcher and catcher was crucial—they needed to act as one, a true battery.

With that realization, Matsushita adjusted his mentality and, without hesitation, called for a timeout.

He needed to confer with his partner, Kimura, to overcome this crisis. If they could rise from the ashes, Ikuei High would be capable of seizing victory in this battle!

In the dugout, Coach Natsume, who had been about to raise his right hand to signal, saw Matsushita's initiative and slowly lowered it, a faint smile flickering in his eyes.

On the field, all eyes from the tens of thousands of spectators were now locked on the pitcher's mound, on Ikuei High's battery.

"What? Are you serious?" Kimura stared at his partner in astonishment. In this situation, throwing that pitch? Was Matsushita absolutely sure this wouldn't be a mistake?

Kimura couldn't help but wonder if the pressure of the game had clouded Matsushita's judgment.

"Yes," Matsushita replied calmly. "I believe this is our best option. Our ultimate goal is to win the championship. To achieve that, we need the resolve to fight for it. Don't you think so?"

"This is a match where we either win or lose. Rather than fading away quietly, we should go all out. Kimura, we're partners—let's attack, just like we did back in that unforgettable game. I trust you!" Matsushita lightly tapped Kimura's chest with his glove and smiled. "Let's take them down, advance to the semifinals, and then to the finals. Victory—it belongs to us."

This was the true bond between a pitcher and catcher.

"Maybe you're right," Kimura said, a slight smile forming at the corner of his lips. His eyes gleamed with newfound determination. "If we can take them down here, the championship flag will be waiting for us at the finish line!"

"Then I'm counting on you, partner."

"Leave it to me, partner."

Under the blue skies of Koshien, they were ready to soar.

The ace on the mound.

The king at the plate.

Wings spread wide, driven by unwavering belief.

"Whoosh!"

The ball streaked through the air, a radiant blur.

"Swish!"

The bat sliced through the sky.

The final showdown—where the metal bat met the blazing pitch—was the ultimate, resounding crescendo of this game.

"Ping!!!!"

----------------------

If you want to read 10 advance chapters ahead.

Visit my patreon: patreon.com/Leonzky