Diamond No Ace: The Strongest Hitter

Chapter 62: Rebirth – Practice Match (14)

"That was way too close!" Sendo, now seated, echoed Fumino's earlier sentiment with a similar sigh of relief.

"Is baseball always this thrilling? The game was almost over!"

"No, in baseball, things really only start to heat up in the last half-inning with two outs," Sendo explained. "In school baseball, anything can happen. Baseball doesn't have time limits or a tied-score system like tennis or volleyball, where a two-point lead decides the winner. Here, every point counts, and the inning doesn't change hands just because the score is even, giving no free opportunity for a counterattack."

"In baseball, once you slip up, the game doesn't give you a second chance. That's what makes it so fearsome!"

"This quality alone might make baseball the most daunting sport. No matter how big the score gap, if you can't secure that final out, you're still at risk of losing."

"In this type of situation, the offense actually has the advantage. Pressure affects everyone on both sides, but for the offense, it only takes one hitter with nerves of steel. The defense, however, needs every single player to stay calm under pressure. It's a level of resolve, like taking a last-second game-winning shot in basketball."

"But it's not all an advantage for the offense, either. They can't change the batting order, unlike in basketball, where the last shot can go to the strongest, most composed player. In baseball, it's whoever's turn it is at the plate—an intense psychological battle. In professional baseball, there's a saying: 30% of the game is gathering information, 50% is strategy, and technique only counts for 20%."

"Personally, I think half of the strategy is psychological, beyond any set play patterns. No matter how intricate, every strategy has a counter. If your mind falters, you have to be replaced. Have you watched NBA games?"

"Players with the nerves to handle any situation? They're almost impossible to find, even throughout the entire history of the NBA," Sendo shared, reflecting on baseball's unique challenges.

"It really does sound intense!"

"But, unless something drastic happens, we've likely got this game in the bag!"

"Didn't you just say...?"

"That Eijun's got the guts to face this kind of challenge—and his pitches are terrifying."

Despite baseball's slower pace due to signs and pitchers taking their time to steady themselves, their conversation spanned only a couple of pitches. What started as a first strike had now become a two-strike, one-ball count; it was time for Sawamura's fifth pitch.

The batter had no room to retreat. Although his determination was evident, his ability and hard work just weren't enough to overcome Sawamura.

"Damn it! Damn it!" the batter's inner voice raged. He didn't resent anyone else—he was just frustrated by his own limits and feeling the weight of despair.

He wanted to keep fighting, even though he was already giving his best effort.

His body screamed that he'd hit his limit, and he was struggling to handle the relentless fastballs Sawamura kept sending straight down the middle.

The gap in skill was glaring, filling him with a deep sense of hopelessness.

By now, the spectators could all sense the outcome. They watched to see how long this batter could hang on against the pitcher's renewed focus, silently awaiting the game's conclusion.

"He's already struggling; even making contact is just luck. Let's go with the final pitch—inside."

Finally, crack!

"S-Strike! Batter's out! Game over!" The acting head coach for Seiwa, choking up, announced the result.

"Yosha!" At the announcement, Sawamura clenched his fists and let out a triumphant yell.

Without hesitation, all the infield and outfield players threw their arms in the air, cheering as they ran to the pitcher's mound!

For Akagi Junior High School, this was their first victory in years of playing baseball.

Even though it was just a regular practice game, the significance wasn't lost on them.

Most of the players cried, unashamedly letting their emotions flow. Even Wakana, who stood off to the side, quietly wiped away her tears as she watched the eight boys hugging and crying openly.

"It's finally over! What a close call! We really had some bad luck today, but we also exposed a lot of weaknesses," Sendo said as he sat on the bench, reflecting. "This summer hasn't been wasted, though. Now, it's time to prepare for the autumn tournament. Although it's not the national tournament qualifiers, it's still a great place to gain experience." He turned and noticed Fumino.

"Hey, are you crying too?"

"I am not!"

"Alright, then." Sendo stood up, tipped his hat toward Coach Takei in a respectful gesture, then walked over to his teammates.

"Line up!"

"Salute!"

"Thank you for the game!" Both teams bowed respectfully to each other before breaking off into conversations.

"We lost today, but let's play again sometime! Next time, we'll win!" one of the players said.

"Yeah, let's have a rematch!" added Sawamura.

At the same time...

"That was a great game, in every way! Right, Sendo-kun?" a senior said.

"It really was, senpai! Thanks to you guys, we learned a lot. We discovered so many issues—mostly with our mindset and experience. Of course, our skills need improvement too. We'll focus on a few things that can improve quickly since we still have a lot to work on."

"Same here. This baseball club used to be just an ordinary school sports club. I doubt any of these kids ever dreamed they'd get to play in such an intense game. It'll probably be a beautiful memory for a lifetime. Would you be up for another practice game sometime?"

"That'd have to be after the autumn tournament. We'll be heading back to Nagano soon. By then, you'll have a new team!"

"That's true! You all have so much room to grow, especially since you're all just first-years. You won't need to reform the team or go through any adjustments, so you're only going to get stronger. After autumn, half of our starting lineup might be gone, so go easy on us, okay?"

"Oh, by the way, Sendo-kun, have you thought about joining us? Coach has asked about you more than once..."

"Let's stop right there, senpai. I know what that guy is thinking, but honestly, baseball just doesn't really excite me."

"Is that so? Well, alright then. See you in the autumn!"

"Yeah, see you then!"

Finally, Sendo shook hands with his senior, then with Coach Takei watching them off, he led his team back home.

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