Ace of Diamond: Return of the Pitcher

14:4!

The seniors' lead is now only ten points.

Such scores have been very rare in past Orientation Games at Seidou High School, and are considered quite exceptional.

Especially from the perspective of this inning, it is not an exaggeration to say the seniors have been defeated.

After all, the seniors' team only scored one point but gave up three.

1:3!

A number that brings a flush to the face.

The seniors' expressions were serious.

The freshmen, who were initially excited about their lead, had intended to celebrate. But after seeing the subtle expressions on their seniors' faces, they quickly toned it down.

It's crucial to read the mood, and it seemed like celebrating at this moment wouldn't be appropriate.

"This year's freshmen are really impressive!"

"Who was the guy who hit the home run?"

"I think his name is Hirota Hikaru. I heard he's a Kohai to Sawamura."

"No wonder, no wonder…"

The Seidou supporters in the nearby suddenly realized.

They looked at Hirota with newfound significance.

When it comes to sharp judgment, these alumni and fans of Seidou are even more perceptive than some reporters.

They knew exactly what Hirota's performance signified.

It looks like there's another candidate for the first-string team.

On the pitcher's mound, Kawashima stood tall, breathing heavily.

Any great athlete, especially those in competitive sports, has likely heard this piece of advice during training:

Never show signs of weakness in front of your opponent.

This is part of the mental game.

Once the opponent senses a gap in your defense, they'll exploit it without hesitation.

So, any player capable of maintaining their composure will never let the opponent see them falter.

Kawashima's current performance clearly shows that he's reached his limit.

He's been pushed to the edge by these freshmen, who have only been in the high school baseball club for a year.

"Let them swing at it!"

"We'll definitely stop them."

Seeing their pitcher in distress, the seniors in the field immediately rallied to support him.

Kawashima turned to look at these teammates, with whom he had shared many days and nights. And he became emotional.

Maybe he had been so absorbed in his own world before that he hadn't realized just how reliable his teammates were.

Now that the burden in his heart had lightened, he could finally feel something he had never felt before.

He wasn't fighting alone!

Whoosh!

"STRIKE!"

"STRIKE!"

"STRIKE! BATTER OUT!"

It was as if Kawashima had been reawakened. At the last moment, he struck out the freshman's sixth batter with three breaking balls to the inside corners.

At this point, he had completed his task and could rest.

He gave up four points in six innings.

Kawashima's performance can't be called bad, but it was simply not good enough.

And in Seidou High's first-string team, just being a qualified player isn't enough; they must be truly outstanding to make the cut.

So, unfortunately, Kawashima may not be able to join Seidou High's first team.

Kawashima understood this without needing any notice from Coach Kataoka or Coach Ochiai.

For Kawashima personally, his game was over. But for the entire second-string team and the seniors in their second and third years, the game had just begun.

"Let's bring the score back!"

"We can't let these freshmen continue to act so arrogantly."

The seniors' eyes were fierce. They were determined to show the freshmen their place.

Even though their next opponent was Nishiyama Kibo, their resolve had not changed.

They must defeat these freshmen completely.

If someone from the first-string team truly needs to be replaced, the replacement would have to come from the seniors in the second or third years.

As for the freshmen, they would not be given any place.

This was the Senpai's stance.

On the other side, right before they took the field, Yui Kaoru and Nishiyama Kibo, the freshman battery duo, were also discussing their tactics.

"The Senpais have high fighting spirit! Do you think we can bait them into swinging at Balls?"

Nishiyama nodded in agreement with Kaoru's suggestion.

"Let's see how it plays out…"

Dealing with the second-string's lower lineup didn't need to be complicated; any trick would do.

Nishiyama had this confidence.

And the results showed that his confidence was well-founded.

Nishiyama easily shut Out three batters.

Unlike Kawashima, who gave it his all, Nishiyama seemed completely at ease. Against senior batters, pitching was almost effortless.

"OUT!"

"OUT!!"

"OUT!!!"

With three Outs, Nishiyama didn't even need to use his Gyro ball.

The fired-up senior team hit a brick wall.

It looked like a complete failure.

In the Senpais' dugout, Sawamura rested his chin in his hand, watching Nishiyama with a thoughtful expression.

Miyuki too, shook his head in amazement.

"This guy is really interesting!"

He too noticed something unusual about Nishiyama.

The man who had once been a World Series runner-up pitcher. When he first joined the team, he showed extraordinary strength.

But back then, despite his strength, Nishiyama still had some flaws.

Sawamura and Miyuki were able to identify these weaknesses.

However, after this game, it felt as though Nishiyama had been reborn. The minor flaws that existed before had almost disappeared without anyone noticing.

"What the hell…"

You could make such a leap in performance at Koshien.

After all, the thrill of achieving a dream is something no one can resist.

Yet in this ordinary orientation game, some players had experienced a complete transformation.

And it was an obvious advancement.

It was incredible!

"This guy's potential might be even better than anyone imagined!" Sawamura muttered.

Although Nishiyama's performance wasn't flashy—his pitches were simply fielded by the players after they were hit—his impact on the game was undeniable.

In fact, his presence had brought the seniors' offense to a halt.

The more easily he achieved Outs, the greater the pressure on the Senpais...

In contrast, Kawashima, the pitcher for the seniors' team, was outclassed by Nishiyama.

So it's no surprise that Kawashima lost to Nishiyama in their direct competition.

In the second half of the seventh inning, the freshmen were up to bat.

This time, the freshmen's lower-order batters were up. Compared to the previous ones, they were much weaker.

Meanwhile, the seniors' pitchers had been replaced. Kawashima was swapped out for Kaneda, a second-year pitcher.

Among the second-string pitchers, Kaneda was second only to Kawashima in skill.

He didn't have any particularly strong or weak pitches but was known for his solid fundamentals.

He took the mound and, with the help of his teammates, managed to secure three quick outs.

The freshmen were given no chance.

Thus, the game unknowingly reached the final two innings.

In the top of the eighth inning, the seniors were up to bat.

After one out, the first batter, Kenichi Oka Kenichi, stepped up to the plate.

Oka Kenichi, who had previously been quiet, now appeared ready to explode.

His eyes were cold as he stared down at the pitcher's mound as if preparing to swallow Nishiyama alive.

Oka Kenichi, who usually lacked presence, seemed unusually intense now.

"So scary!"

Looking at such a determined senior, Nishiyama felt the pressure as well.

This would be his final showdown with these seniors.

In that case, Nishiyama could finally unleash his Gyro ball without hesitation.

WHOOSH!!

Nishiyama, who had been relatively tame in the previous innings, suddenly changed.

The ball in his hand was no longer casual.

It had become a bullet in the hands of an assassin.

The ball flew at an incredible speed.

Oka Kenichi attempted to hit it, but he couldn't even touch it.

'Too fast!'

He had become a 'victim' of the Gyro ball and was immediately struck out the moment he saw it.

"STRIKE!"

"STRIKE!!"

"STRIKE! BATTER OUT!!!"

Oka Kenichi and the second batter for the seniors were both easily struck out.

Two consecutive Strikeouts.

After the freshmen scored three more points, the seniors tried to fight back.

But all their efforts were in vain.

They couldn't even get on base, let alone score.

Since Nishiyama stepped onto the mound, the rhythm of the game had been entirely controlled by him.

And the seniors were helpless against it.

After all, the opponent was simply too good.

The game continued, and in the bottom of the eighth inning, the freshmen took the plate.

With the lineup still going strong, the freshmen's top batters returned to the Box.

They were about to face Kaneda, the new pitcher.

A shocking duel was about to begin.

Who would emerge victorious and maintain their position?

"First batter, catcher, Yui Kaoru."

The new game had begun!

The freshmen were eager to continue their momentum and secure a few more runs.

And it wasn't entirely impossible.

…

T/N: During Sawamura and Haruichi's Orientation game, their opponent was Tanba, the Ace and the main pitcher.

These guys are having it easy. XD

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