Ace of Diamond: Return of the Pitcher

The total score is 9:1!

At the start of the seventh inning, this was the score difference between the two teams.

At this moment, Coach Kataoka substituted all the players, including Miyuki.

This large-scale substitution inevitably caused quite a stir at Tobuyasu High School.

"Seidou has made substitutions!"

The spectators, eager for any news, exchanged looks and shared their insights.

"The gap between the two teams is so big, Seidou must be using this opportunity to train the freshmen, right?"

"That's right! But to replace eight players all at once, is Seidou High School not worried about being counterattacked?"

"That's the King for you. Even their substitutes must be hard to deal with, right?"

"Can't say for sure. In some top teams, there's a huge gap between the starters and substitutes, so it's not impossible."

"Why are we overthinking this? Just watch the game and we'll find out."

"This guy's right."

As mere spectators, they didn't know what the Coaches of the two teams were thinking.

In an official game, at least the Coaches of both teams must follow certain rules and principles.

The audience can also make educated guesses.

But in practice games, it's hard to say.

It all depends on the thoughts of the two head Coaches.

If Coach Kataoka feels that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to train the rookies, and hands the game completely over to them, even if they lose, their strategic goal will still be achieved.

Therefore, anything happening on the field wouldn't be surprising.

Similarly, the Coach of Tobuyasu High School may have different plans.

After all, the Kanto Tournament is coming up.

Unlike Seidou, a veteran of the Kanto Tournament, Tobuyasu High School does have a history of participating in the Kanto Tournament, but that was over 20 years ago.

In the past 20 years, they haven't participated in a single Kanto Tournament. Now that they finally have the chance, they should place more importance on the Kanto Tournament than Seidou High School.

Considering that they might meet Seidou in the Kanto Tournament, Tobuyasu High School might have chosen to hold back for now.

So, what will happen at the end of the game? It's really unpredictable.

If Seidou High School, the reigning Champion, really wanted to win, they shouldn't have made so many substitutions at this point.

The move made by Coach Kataoka was like a move by an experienced chess player.

It left the spectators around them dumbfounded.

They didn't know what Coach Kataoka was planning.

The players of Tobuyasu High School were also unclear about Coach Kataoka's thoughts and Seidou High School's strategy.

But their reaction was very different from the spectators. They were filled with righteous indignation.

If the flames burning in their eyes could become reality, Coach Kataoka would probably have been burned to ashes by now.

"Does they look down on us this much?"

Although their current performance in the game was quite embarrassing, they still recognized their strength and abilities.

Sometimes in baseball, the situation on the field can change dramatically, even if the team is playing well.

But that doesn't mean they lost, nor does it mean they lack strength. Especially in the final stages, their Ace pitcher showed incredible fighting spirit and superb skills.

Normally, Seidou should have been very cautious, and at this point, they shouldn't have acted rashly.

But Coach Kataoka resolutely sent in eight substitutes.

This was a clear act of disrespect.

Could it be that Tobuyasu High School can only play against Seidou High School's substitutes?

They're not a weak team—they were the runner-up in Kanagawa!

As the runner-up from the fierce battle zone of Kanagawa, how could they accept such humiliation?

So, the players of Tobuyasu looked fiercer by the second.

It gave the impression that they wanted to devour the Seidou High School players alive.

"Stop with the vicious expressions. It won't help the game."

On the other hand, their Ace pitcher, Senzo Shiki, remained unusually calm at this moment.

He first calmed his teammates and then spoke about his plan.

"If you're really upset, show these Seidou guys with your actions. Let them see the power of Tobuyasu."

With their Ace pitcher saying this, how could the players of Tobuyasu High School not give their all?

Their eyes became cold and composed.

The top of the seventh inning began.

Nishiyama, now on the pitcher's mound, recalled the advice Coach Kataoka had given him earlier.

"This team is at the national level! Although they are considered a lower-tier team among national-level teams, they are genuinely a national-level team. After Seidou High School, at the very least, they will face opponents of this caliber."

Nishiyama was a smart person. Even if Coach Kataoka didn't spell it out, he understood the coach's meaning.

It was very simple and straightforward.

His performance in today's game would directly determine his standing in the summer games.

If he didn't even have the ability to challenge the weakest national-level opponents, it would be difficult for Coach Kataoka and the coaching staff to see him as a summer team player.

Even if he was lucky enough to stay on the first string, it would only be to develop new talent.

'Another test!'

Since joining Seidou High School's baseball team, Nishiyama and the others have been constantly accepting challenges.

Coach Kataoka trusted practice and actual performance. Only when players performed well in practice and normal games did they earn extra points.

Only those who had earned extra points would be sent to the field.

In the various tests so far, Nishiyama's performance has been good at times and average at others.

The Seidou's baseball team's pitching squad is clear. Sawamura is undoubtedly the Ace.

Furuya is the main substitute.

Kawakami is the reliever.

Nishiyama's position, however, is somewhat awkward.

Although Coach Kataoka values him highly and has put him on the mound in many games, up until now, he hasn't found his specific role. Coach Kataoka and the coaching staff have never addressed this matter.

Clearly, in their minds, Nishiyama is not yet an important member of the pitching squad.

But if Nishiyama performs outstandingly in today's game, everything will change...

He should be able to find a place for himself in Seidou High School's pitching squad.

A position that suits him.

As Coach Kataoka said, the current opponent is the lowest level Seidou High School will face. Only by performing excellently against an opponent of this caliber can he truly find his place in the first string.

Nishiyama's fighting spirit is extremely high.

He never fears challenges because in all the challenges he's faced so far, he has emerged victorious.

Whoosh!

The small ball shot into the catcher's Mitt.

Snap!

"STRIKE!!"

At the batter's box, the Tobuyasu batter squinted his eyes.

When Seidou High School sent in a first-year substitute, they were very displeased.

They felt that Coach Kataoka was looking down on them.

But when they actually faced off, they realized that even Seidou's substitutes were not easy to handle.

Like this first-year student in front of them, his pitching was extremely sharp.

In the Tobuyasu High School dugout:

"That guy looks kind of familiar!"

One of the players, the more he looked at Nishiyama, the more he felt he had seen him somewhere.

"Oh, it is him! I remember now!"

The player who had been thinking about Nishiyama's familiar face excitedly slapped his thigh.

He finally remembered who this guy was.

The surrounding teammates all focused their attention on him.

"This is Nishiyama Kibo! I heard he played in Tokyo, but I didn't expect him to go to Seidou!"

A World runner-up pitcher!

That title was certainly something to be wary of.

The Tobuyasu High School players looked at each other in surprise.

They had originally been pumped to teach Seidou High School a lesson.

But now they realized that the opponent they were facing didn't seem to be a weak team at all.

Rather, they had run into a solid opponent.

"Even their first-year substitutes are this high leveled?"

Ping!

Although Nishiyama's pitches were high-quality, they weren't impossible to hit.

The ball was still struck and sent forward.

Fortunately, Seidou High School's defense was extremely robust.

They beautifully intercepted the ball and threw it to first base.

Snap!

"OUT!!"

Although they had safely made the Out, Nishiyama on the pitcher's mound was startled.

It seemed like he had underestimated the national-level teams.

If he didn't bring out his trump card, he wouldn't have much chance of winning against these opponents.

Realizing this, Nishiyama immediately went all out.

In the end, with the help of his Gyro balls, he brilliantly secured three Outs.

One of those was a strikeout.

This certainly boosted the confidence of Seidou High School's substitutes.

In the Tobuyasu High School dugout:

The Superintendent of Tobuyasu High School, at this moment, was filled with deep regret.

How could he have had such a brain lapse and agreed to play a practice game against Seidou High School?

As a result, the confidence that the players had finally built up during the Kanagawa Regional Tournament completely collapsed.

It was such a blow.

The score on the field was 9:1.

This was just a practice game. If it had been an official regional competition, the game would have already ended early.

The gap between the two teams was clear at a glance.

However, during the course of the game, Tobuyasu High School showed strong strength, especially their Ace pitcher Senzo Shiki, who even managed to make Seidou's lineup helpless at times.

But that still didn't change one fact.

The strength of the two teams was simply not on the same level.

Even if Tobuyasu High School had a top-tier pitcher like Senzo Shiki, it still couldn't change this.

Seidou High School's dominance was no longer confined to just one player.

Now, even without Sawamura, Seidou would still be one of the top teams in the country.

Their performance on the field may not be as overwhelming as it is now, but their strength would not drop by much.

In contrast, Tobuyasu simply couldn't compare.

Without their current Ace pitcher Senzo Shiki, Tobuyasu High School would be nothing.

'Nothing at all!'

Although the other players have some skill, when combined, they would at best rank as a decent team in Kanagawa.

This level is too far from the national standard—it's not even in the same tier.

It is precisely because of Senzo that Tobuyasu has national-level strength.

However, any player's influence on a team has its limits.

Senzo Shiki can elevate Tobuyasu High School to the level of a national team, but when compared to Seidou High School, the difference immediately becomes apparent.

Seidou High School truly showed Tobuyasu High School's players what real power looks like.

In today's game, Sawamura was on the field but he didn't showcase much strength.

On one hand, he wasn't on the mound and couldn't control the rhythm of the game.

On the other hand, Sawamura's performance at bat was at best acceptable, and he didn't display the dominating aura he's known for.

So, in today's game, Seidou High School's victory had little to do with Sawamura.

Why did Tobuyasu High School lose so badly?

It was all thanks to the other players from Seidou High School.

This is the power of Seidou High School, and it's what frustrates the Superintendent of Tobuyasu High School the most.

The momentum the team had built up with great difficulty was completely destroyed by this loss.

Even Seidou High School, which was holding back, could handle Tobuyasu High School easily. What would they have done against the full-strength Seidou?

'In the next inning, we must score!' the Superintendent of Tobuyasu High School secretly prayed.

The players under his charge were all downcast.

Clearly, they had been hit very hard.

At this point, no matter how much he tried to encourage them, they probably wouldn't listen.

It's been proven that they simply weren't good enough.

The only way to solve this problem is for the team to turn things around right now.

As long as the players can pick themselves up again, they still have a chance.

It would be best if they could score some points.

That way, the players might think, "Although we can't defeat Seidou High School's main team, we can still beat their substitutes."

With this experience, they would also gain confidence when facing other top national teams.

The Superintendent of Tobuyasu High School thought very highly of this idea, but the reality was far more cruel than he imagined.

Before Tobuyasu could score against Seidou High School, Seidou's substitutes launched a counterattack.

By the time the game reached the eighth inning, Takatsu, once again, hit a clean single.

With several second-string players advancing to the first string for joint practice, Seidou High School's first-string team was overcrowded.

Whether it's the Kanto Tournament, the upcoming Summer Tournament, or even Koshien, a team is limited in the number of players it can send.

In regional tournaments, a team can have a maximum of 20 players—this refers only to players, not including managers and coaches.

Koshien has even fewer spots, with only 18.

It means that some players are bound to be demoted. Especially for those who were recently promoted to the first string and just joined the joint practice, their chances of being cut are much higher than those who have been with the team from the start.

After all, when two people are competing for the same position, their performances are often very similar.

Seidou High School has no reason to choose a newly promoted player over one who is already very familiar with the team.

The selection of main players is, of course, based on potential.

Who can make the biggest improvement in a short period of time? This is definitely an important criterion for selecting the main players.

However, the selection of substitutes is different.

Who can show their strength as soon as they step onto the field?

That's the key indicator for selecting substitutes.

Those players who sit on the bench for a bit and lose their form, whose entire strength seems to disappear—such players are certainly not considered excellent substitutes.

Takatsu, as one of the players promoted later on, was originally in a fairly dangerous position.

At any moment, he could have been excluded from the main roster.

But today, through his excellent performance, he proved his value.

Even through his sunglasses, it was not hard to feel the approval in Coach Kataoka's eyes.

Takatsu Hiroomi probably earned one of the 20 spots for the Kanto Tournament.

This also means that one of the 20 players currently on the main roster will have to leave the team before the Kanto Tournament.

"This guy's fighting spirit is really strong!"

Next up to bat after Takatsu was Kanemaru.

He watched as Takatsu hit the ball and ran to second base.

Takatsu had seized his opportunity.

And since Kuramochi's position as shortstop was unshakable, Takatsu was likely to be placed at third base, or even first base.

This meant that Takatsu and Kanemaru were now direct competitors.

Kanemaru was likely to be the one who would leave the main roster.

"I won't accept it!"

Kanemaru's eyes flashed with unyielding determination.

The reason he came to Seidou High was to test his own strength. Being able to join the main roster so quickly proved his hard work.

He had finally worked his way into a starting position and was about to join the team in their big stage battles.

And now, someone was replacing him.

That felt worse than being stabbed.

Now he had no choice but to face the train head-on. No matter what he had thought before, he could only move forward with determination.

'Come on!!!'

"Let me show you! Kanemaru Shinji isn't someone to be taken lightly!"

Ping!

The small white ball was slammed into the air.

With Takatsu and Kanemaru's collaboration, they helped Seidou High School score another run.

This brought Seidou's total score to double digits.

The score was now 10:1.

When the substitute lineup took the field, the best performers were these two second-year players.

They still relied on a key connection to score another point.

Compared to the other first-year players, there was a clear gap.

Nishiyama and Yuuki!

These two players, known for their powerful batting, were unable to unleash any of that power in today's game.

Their performance could only be described as mediocre.

Other substitutes didn't perform much better either.

At this point, we must praise Tobuyasu High School's pitcher, Senzo Shiki.

Though by the final stages of the game, he looked as if he could collapse at any moment, as though the wind could knock him over, his pitching remained focused and serious, not giving Seidou's substitute batters any opportunity to show their abilities.

Even Seidou's own players were impressed.

They had initially thought that Tobuyasu's pitcher was just a still target, but they soon realized that there was real strength behind that handsome face.

As a result, Seidou's substitutes took quite a beating.

Especially Nishiyama.

When he realized that today's game was a crucial test for him, he immediately switched to full power.

But even then, he couldn't stop Tobuyasu High School from scoring.

In the final inning, the top of the ninth, Tobuyasu High School suddenly launched an aggressive attack.

The newly arrived Seidou players were clearly caught off guard.

Quickly, they gave up two more runs.

The score became 10:3.

For Tobuyasu's players, they had finally regained some confidence.

For Seidou's substitute players, especially pitcher Nishiyama, this was an outright blow to their record.

In their minds, the first six innings were irrelevant.

They only counted the portion of the game from the seventh to the ninth innings.

They hadn't expected to open up a big lead like the main team did.

They knew their abilities and knew it was unrealistic.

So their goal was simple: just don't lose.

But even this simple goal seemed out of reach.

By the time the ninth inning came, the scores of the last three innings had already been counted.

The score was 2:1.

The freshman team was trailing by two points.

Nishiyama's face turned even more grim.

He had originally thought they had the victory in hand, but in the last moments, they had been overturned.

Tobuyasu's players had hit consecutive singles off him.

"So even a lower national-level opponent is like this. Truly formidable."

After coming to this realization, Nishiyama's pitching grew even sharper.

He used every ounce of strength he had left.

Finally, he managed to hold his ground and prevent any further runs.

In the end, the score was 10:3, and Seidou won their first practice game.

In today's game, Seidou's baseball team discovered many of their own issues.

They also realized how difficult the road ahead would be.

After the game, the players from both teams shook hands.

Seidou's players boarded the bus, preparing to go to the hotel they had booked.

Tobuyasu High School's players came forward to see them off.

Senzo Shiki firmly held Sawamura's hand, not letting go.

Sawamura looked awkward.

He had only heard of Senzo Shiki by name but had never met him, he had only heard the name and wasn't familiar with him at all.

Senzo's friendly demeanor, as if they were old friends, completely caught Sawamura off guard.

Later, he learned that Senzo Shiki's reason for shaking his hand was not just out of politeness.

…