Diamond No Ace: Life As Sawamura Eijun

Chapter 214: Crushing Momentum

"The hit-and-run!? Is Seidou aiming that high!?"

As his peripheral vision caught the movements of Eijun and his teammate on base, Misaki's expression changed drastically.

Meanwhile, Narakoshi had no choice but to proceed with his motion; otherwise, it would result in a balk.

Forced to slightly adjust the trajectory of the pitch, Narakoshi aimed to push the ball toward the outer edge, turning it into a bait pitch.

If they could secure an out by tagging the runner before he reached third base, it would be a fantastic opportunity for Seihou.

Whoosh!

The straight white streak of the pitch needed no verbal cue; Misaki fully understood Narakoshi's intent.

He prepared to catch and throw to third base to stop Eijun from advancing.

But in the next second, a shadow darted across the scene.

Ping!

The crisp sound shattered any hopes Misaki and Narakoshi harbored.

This isn't good!

The collision between the bat and the ball sent a blinding flash hurtling toward the ground.

With excellent body control, the batter maintained his footing within the batter's box as he reached out to connect with the ball.

Tossing his bat aside, he sprinted toward first base with all his might.

Kuramochi's bold assault was a success!

In a flash, his lightning-quick figure dashed past the base path, and Misaki was momentarily stunned.

"First base, Narakoshi!"

Realizing that third base was now impossible to contest, Misaki shifted his focus.

At this critical juncture, securing an out was paramount.

Otherwise, Seihou High School would face a dire situation in the innings to come.

By the time Narakoshi retrieved the ball, Eijun had already stepped firmly onto third base.

Narakoshi had initially considered throwing to third to get Eijun out, but now that option was entirely gone.

Whoosh!

Thud!

"Out!"

Kuramochi's speed was extraordinary, but the ball had been hit to an awkward position.

This was the downside of his forced swing.

However, had he not swung, there was a real chance Eijun would have been tagged out.

Narakoshi's quick reaction had triggered a chain reaction: it forced Kuramochi to swing under pressure.

While the runners advanced to third, Seihou still managed to secure the second out.

This outcome was one both sides could reluctantly accept.

With two outs and runners on second and third, Seidou High School was now in an excellent position to score.

However, for Seihou High School, it was also an opportunity to defuse the crisis.

Although the runner on third posed a threat, sacrifice flies and forced scoring plays were no longer an option.

In terms of advantage, Seidou seemed slightly ahead. But in terms of pressure, both sides were evenly matched.

At this moment, the entire audience sat on the edge of their seats, fully aware that even though this was still early in the game, the outcome of this confrontation would significantly impact the rest of the match.

Would Seidou gain a slight upper hand? Would Seihou manage to neutralize the crisis entirely? Or would Seidou utterly crush Seihou's ace?

Three possible outcomes, each altering the trajectory of the game.

The last scenario, in particular, could practically guarantee Seidou's victory.

"Second batter, second baseman, Kominato-kun!"

Determined fighting spirit and primal instincts for battle—neither side could afford to give an inch.

Ultimately, Seidou High School seemed to have a slight edge.

Ryousuke expertly drew a walk, loading the bases with two outs.

In this critical moment, Seihou High School was forced to face Seidou's powerful cleanup hitters.

In such a situation, even walking a batter was not a viable option.

Seihou's pitcher-catcher duo had no choice but to take on Seidou head-on, even as pressure mounted.

Nishidera, Seihou's coach, felt the weight of the moment. With no better choice, he instructed the infield to play shallow, prioritizing preventing even a single run from scoring.

Their best hope lay in retiring Seidou's third batter.

If Seidou managed consecutive hits and brought their cleanup hitter to the plate, it would push Seihou High School to the brink of despair.

And indeed, Seidou High School firmly controlled the game's tempo in this inning.

The pressure of the bases-loaded situation seemed to get to Narakoshi, leading to a slight loss of control over his pitches.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Isashiki Jun smashed a sharp line drive to right field.

With this, both Eijun and Shirasu charged home, scoring two more runs.

Seidou High School took a commanding 3-1 lead, firmly seizing control of the game's momentum.

What sent an even stronger chill down Seihou High's spine was the next batter stepping into the box:

Seidou's most fearsome cleanup hitter, Yuuki Tetsuya.

Out of desperation, Seihou's battery, Misaki and Narakoshi, opted to intentionally walk Yuuki.

Luckily, the bases had one open spot, allowing them to avoid an even more perilous situation.

Once again, the bases were loaded with two outs, and it seemed like that elusive third out was always just beyond Seihou's grasp.

"Fifth batter, third baseman, Masuko!"

PING!!!

Masuko swung with immense power at the first pitch after the intentional walk.

His bat connected with a fastball, sending it rocketing toward the outfield.

Tap-tap-tap-tap...

Seihou's center fielder, sprinted back with all his might.

Just as the ball seemed about to drop into the outfield, he lunged with everything he had.

Snap!

The ball nestled into his glove with a crisp sound.

"Out!"

"Three outs! Change sides!"

Masuko's powerful hit was miraculously stopped by Seihou High's ironclad defense.

Despite the bases-loaded threat, Seidou High School could not extend their lead further.

In this inning, while they maintained control of the game's rhythm, they hadn't yet managed to fully break Seihou High's ace.

With a two-run lead, the fourth inning came to an end.

"Great catch!"

"Way to go, Haha!"

"Nicely done! That was clutch!"

"Wow, the coach didn't make you our center fielder for nothing!"

"That was one heck of a play!"

Back in Seihou's dugout, the players cheered for their center fielder.

If that catch had been missed, Seihou High would have likely given up at least two more runs—maybe even three—and faced Miyuki next, increasing the odds of a defensive collapse.

Even Coach Nishidera let out a relieved sigh.

A two-run deficit wasn't insurmountable.

Given their batting order, they would have at least two more opportunities for their key hitters to take the plate, keeping their chances of a comeback alive.

"Luck is certainly on their side," Eijun commented softly, glancing toward Seihou's dugout.

"Heh. But two runs are enough, aren't they? From here on, I'll make sure you keep throwing those sharp pitches, so don't mess up, Sawamura," Miyuki said as he adjusted his catcher's gear.

"Don't worry, Miyuki-senpai." Sawamura grinned, baring his bright white teeth.

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