Diamond No Ace: Life As Sawamura Eijun

Chapter 267: Kiryuu's Final Struggle

The home run in the top of the fifth inning became the undeniable turning point of the game.

Yuuki was still the same dependable captain as ever.

This incredible hit left the entire nation in awe.

Scouts surrounding the stadium nodded in satisfaction—this player, once entering professional baseball, would undoubtedly become a key asset in no time.

Such reliability in hitting was unmatched.

At that moment, it became clear to the audience—not just in the stadium, but nationwide—that the momentum of the game had completely shifted to Seidou High.

This didn't necessarily mean that Seidou would claim an absolute victory, but the once even contest had now heavily tilted in Seidou's favor.

After the home run, what had previously seemed like a 50-50 game had turned into at least an 80-20 split, with some pessimists arguing it was closer to 90-10.

In essence, over 99% of the spectators believed the outcome of this game was decided.

After all, with a left-handed pitcher like Eijun on the mound, it was hard to imagine Kiryuu High making a dramatic comeback.

While scoring two or three runs against Eijun might seem feasible, overcoming a six-run deficit was an entirely different story.

The possibility existed, but the probability was slim—extremely slim.

The most crushing part wasn't just the "4" runs scored in the fifth inning; it was the psychological blow to Kiryuu's ace, Tachi.

Yuuki's home run was a thin line between heaven and hell, and Tachi was sent spiraling downward.

Unable to quickly adjust his mindset, things only worsened.

Following Yuuki's grand slam, Seidou's fifth batter, Masuko, hit a single to left field and advanced to second base.

Miyuki seized the opportunity, crushing a curveball to left field, where it slammed into the wall, allowing Masuko to score.

Seidou extended their lead yet again, making it a six-run difference, further pushing Kiryuu High into despair.

It was perhaps the ace's pride that flared up at this moment.

Or perhaps it was the timely guidance from Coach Matsumoto in the dugout.

Either way, Tachi managed to barely pull himself together, scraping back his composure.

After walking Eijun, he secured an out against Sakai Ichirou, finally ending Seidou's relentless offensive onslaught.

Whoosh!

Thwack!

"Out! Three outs! Change sides!"

The umpire's call brought a collective sigh of relief from Kiryuu High's players.

Internally, they exhaled deeply—finally, the nightmare was over.

But the damage had been done: five runs conceded.

The glaring scoreboard, with its harsh and overwhelming numbers, was a painful sight for Kiryuu High.

Even their fans in the stands, who had been cheering tirelessly, now wore grim expressions.

It was becoming harder for anyone to believe that Kiryuu High had any chance of a comeback.

For those still cheering, it was a matter of holding on to a sliver of hope—a belief that the remaining five innings could turn the game around.

Some steadfast fans, as well as the Kiryuu players themselves, clung to this hope.

But against a pitcher like Eijun, such hopes seemed fragile.

Whoosh!

Thwack!

"Strike! Batter out!"

"Three outs! Change sides!"

Eijun's dominance in the bottom of the fifth was absolute.

With a massive lead behind him, his focus reached an almost terrifying level, leaving Kiryuu with no opportunities to capitalize.

Starting with their fifth batter, Kiryuu mounted an effort in this inning.

The fifth batter managed to exploit a slight mistake on the second pitch, sending the ball to left field and reaching first base.

The sixth batter followed with a well-placed bunt, advancing the runner to scoring position.

But they couldn't overcome Eijun's pitching.

He struck out the seventh batter and forced the eighth batter to hit a high fly ball to right field, which was caught by Shirasu for the third out.

Seidou maintained control, extinguishing any spark of hope Kiryuu High had left.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Kiryuu High was completely shut down, unable to score a single run.

From that point onward, despite Kiryuu's efforts to fight back with all their might, the situation remained grim.

Even after their ace, Tachi, left the mound and regained some composure—though still visibly pale and drained—the team seemed unable to turn the tide.

By the sixth inning, both sides managed to keep the game scoreless, ending the inning with neither team giving up runs.

However, in the top of the seventh, Seidou once again exploited Tachi's fastball, tearing apart Kiryuu High's defense with ease.

After Yuuki Tetsuya was walked to first base, Masuko followed with a single to right field, setting up a no-out, runners-on-first-and-second situation.

Miyuki then struck again with a timely double to center field, bringing home another run for Seidou.

With the lead extended to seven runs, the outcome of the game became all but certain in the eyes of the spectators.

Yet, Kiryuu High refused to surrender.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Tachi attempted to redeem himself.

With two outs and a runner on third, he managed to connect with Eijun's changeup, delivering a long-overdue single to right field.

Kiryuu scraped together a single run—hard-fought and well-earned.

However, that was as far as they could go.

The next batter, their fifth in the lineup, struggled against Eijun's clean mix of fastballs and modified cutters, ultimately succumbing for the third out.

With Kiryuu's offensive momentum halted, the game moved decisively into the final two innings, with Seidou holding a commanding lead.

In the eighth inning, with a comfortable margin, Coach Kataoka made a bold decision to replace Eijun with Furuya as the pitcher.

Kataoka, recognizing Furuya's immense potential, sought to give him valuable experience in a controlled environment.

While Furuya might not yet rival Eijun, his presence on the mound was still formidable against most opponents' lineups.

To minimize risk, Eijun wasn't entirely removed from the game.

Instead, he replaced Sakai in left field—a strategic move Seidou had consistently employed throughout the summer tournament.

Additionally, during Seidou's offensive sequence in the top half of the eighth, Haruichi was sent to bat in place of Sakai.

Although no additional runs were scored, Haruichi managed to secure a hit off Tachi, further demonstrating Seidou's dominance.

The game had now fully shifted into Seidou's rhythm.

Kiryuu's final struggles seemed destined to end in futility, a testament to the overwhelming power of Seidou's momentum and control.

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