Diamond No Ace: Life As Sawamura Eijun

Chapter 300: The Pivotal Moment of the Finals

In West Tokyo, at Inashiro Industrial High School:

"Now that you've come this far, in these final three innings, Miyuki, and that stubborn kid, go and take the crown. You've already defeated me, the ace. If you lose now, just wait until you get back—I'll mock you endlessly! I won't allow you to lose before I get my revenge!"

The arrogant "prince" gazed at the television screen, where the players from Seidou High School were stepping onto the field. His eyes lingered on Miyuki and Eijun as he muttered those words under his breath.

At the same time, as the game reached its final phase:

All across Japan, the core players and head coaches of teams that had been eliminated were intently watching this match—the pinnacle of high school baseball—unfold in its closing moments.

At Hanshin Koshien Stadium, the atmosphere had reached its peak.

Tens of thousands of spectators packed the stands, creating a fervent, tense, and electrifying environment.

The passionate cheers from the dugouts and fan sections, combined with the buzz of the crowd, created a cacophony that converged into a singular focus: the final battle between two teams and 36 young players.

...

"It's already the seventh inning. In the next three innings, the opponents are likely to change their strategy and go all-out to score. I expect them to swing at even tricky pitches, so avoid throwing high balls. Striking them out isn't the only way to get outs, right?"

Before stepping onto the field, Miyuki lightly patted Eijun on the shoulder, a faint smile flashing in his eyes as he spoke.

"Yeah, I understand, Miyuki-senpai."

Eijun was momentarily taken aback, but then his lips curled into a confident smile as he nodded.

"Alright, let's do this."

"Yeah!"

...

Hongou's presence on the mound had indeed steadied Komadai Fujimaki High School's shaky defense in the bottom of the sixth inning, restoring their rhythm.

However, this didn't change the fact that Komadai was still in a disadvantageous position.

While their defensive and pitching strengths matched the original story, their batting lineup posed a significant challenge for Eijun.

Yet, Seidou High School had one key difference compared to Inashiro Industrial—its batting lineup was stronger.

While both teams were evenly matched in overall strength, Seidou's core hitters—Isashiki Jun, Yuuki Tetsuya, and Masuko Tooru—outclassed Inashiro's cleanup trio. This fundamental difference was why Seidou had maintained the upper hand throughout the game.

In the original story, even after 14 innings, Inashiro could only manage two runs against Komadai.

By contrast, Seidou had already scored three runs in just six innings. Regardless of the final outcome, Seidou's offensive strength was undeniable.

As the game entered its final three innings, one critical question remained for Seidou:

How long could Sawamura Eijun sustain his current performance?

Should the backup pitchers take the mound, and if so, when?

These decisions would ultimately determine the game's outcome in the next three innings.

...

"The crucial moment starts now. Can Seidou dominate the nation…?"

From the stands, Ochiai stroked his mustache, his eyes narrowing with a thoughtful expression as he murmured to himself.

While Seidou's strong batting lineup gave them an advantage, it didn't guarantee victory.

Both head coaches, Nitta and Kataoka, were acutely aware of this. Their solemn expressions reflected their shared understanding of the stakes.

...

"Top of the seventh inning, Komadai Fujimaki High School is at bat. Batting fourth, center fielder, Akito-kun."

At this point in the seventh inning, Eijun was beginning to feel the strain. Each pitch demanded tremendous focus and energy to control.

Ultimately, his lack of experience in high-pressure games and the fatigue from consecutive pitching outings were starting to show.

Despite this, Eijun persevered, continuing to fight on the mound.

Eijun was starting to feel the strain.

Each pitch demanded an immense amount of energy to control, highlighting his limited experience in high-stakes games and the toll of consecutive outings.

But Eijun refused to give in.

Until he expended every last ounce of strength, he would not allow himself to falter. No—perhaps it was more accurate to say that he was pushing his limits, unwilling to collapse before seeing victory.

...

The head umpire's voice rang out loud and clear.

In the batter's box, Komadai Fujimaki's cleanup hitter, Akito, stood firm, his eyes cold and sharp. His grip on the bat exuded an aura of ferocity, as though he intended to devour everything in his path.

"Whoosh."

From the mound, Eijun met Akito's gaze without a hint of fear.

In the next moment, his arm whipped forward, followed by his determined stride.

A cold flash of determination burst forth.

"Ping!"

The bat made contact with the ball.

Though the pitch lacked its earlier power, it retained an unpredictable, tricky nature—something that frustrated even an experienced batter like Akito.

As the ball struck the bat, Akito's expression shifted, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. He pressed the bat firmly.

"Whoosh."

The ball ricocheted off.

"Bang."

"Foul ball!"

The sharp trajectory of the pitch, its indomitable spirit, and the stakes of this final showdown pushed both teams' cores to their limits.

At this point, every pitch carried the weight of potential victory or defeat.

...

"Whoosh."

"Pop!"

"Ball."

"Whoosh."

"Pop!"

"Strike!"

"Whoosh."

"Ping."

"Bang."

"Foul!"

...

Resilience and belief kept Eijun standing tall against Komadai Fujimaki's cleanup hitter, even as his fatigue began to show.

His control and pitch power were no longer as sharp as they were at the start, but he persisted.

Finally, Akito managed to exploit a slight inconsistency in Eijun's control and delivered a clean hit toward right field for a single.

However, the subsequent batters couldn't capitalize.

Seidou's defense tightened its grip, stifling Komadai's offensive rhythm and refusing to let their momentum build.

Even with Akito advancing to third base through stolen bases and bunts, the crucial hit to bring him home never came.

Hongou's turn at bat was particularly significant.

Eijun, despite his evident exhaustion, maintained a strong presence on the mound.

The icy expression on Hongou's face made it clear to the nationwide audience that Komadai's ace pitcher was not pleased with the situation.

...

In the top of the seventh inning, after a grueling back-and-forth, Eijun managed to suppress Komadai Fujimaki's offense, leaving them scoreless.

With Komadai running out of time and opportunities, Seidou took yet another determined step toward their ultimate goal of becoming champions.

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