Diamond No Ace: The Strongest Hitter Has Arrived

Chapter 460: Advancing

The game reached the bottom of the fifth inning with the score standing at 11-0.

In the top of the fifth inning, facing an opponent who had completely lost their will to fight, the Seido High School Baseball Team had not pressed their advantage.

They scored only one symbolic run, bringing their lead to eleven.

Then the game came to the bottom of the fifth inning.

The Seido High School Baseball Team had been generous and given the Hongmo High School Baseball Team their dignity.

The Hongmo players, however, were not ready to simply accept defeat.

On the contrary, in the bottom of the fifth inning, they swung their bats aggressively. Their posture made clear that they wanted to score at least one run, whatever it took.

Their demand wasn't high. Just one run.

But the Seido High School Baseball Team couldn't allow even that.

Who knew whether, after giving up one run, the Hongmo players would push for more?

A seven-inning mercy rule was no less embarrassing than a five-inning one, but it preserved slightly more face.

Especially for the Hongmo coach, who was in urgent need of something presentable to show the school leadership. Pushing for a run or two in the final inning wasn't beyond what Hongmo High School might attempt.

That wouldn't do.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Seido High School Baseball Team responded with extraordinary composure and precision.

Koichiro Tanba's high-breaking curveball was simply untouchable.

The Hongmo batters had no answer for it.

"Strike!"

"Strike!!"

"Strike!!!"

"Strikeout!!"

"Strikeout!!!"

Tanba recorded two consecutive strikeouts with an impressive display.

They were now one out away from winning.

The next Hongmo batter was their pitcher, Mogami.

His eyes were red. He looked as though he was on the verge of tears.

Anyone who gives up eleven runs in their first game would feel it.

Although the gap in strength between the two teams had played a significant role, Mogami held himself responsible for the size of the defeat.

If only he had been stronger. If only he had pitched better. Maybe things wouldn't have ended up like this.

Today's game had made Mogami Takeshi fully understand just how brutal high school baseball competition could be.

Regardless of how many pitches he had thrown or how many runs he had given up, by the fifth inning his muscles were aching in ways he had never felt before.

Every movement hurt.

This wasn't ordinary fatigue. There was actual muscle damage.

But what made Mogami most uncomfortable wasn't the physical pain. It was the refusal to accept it.

He had seen how hard his teammates worked every day.

Watching them lose because of him was something he couldn't accept.

If only his strength had been a little greater. If only he could have pitched a little better. Maybe the outcome would have been different.

Unwilling to go out quietly, Mogami swung his bat with everything he had, even knowing the odds were against him.

He didn't want it to end this way.

"Pop!"

"Strike!"

"Pop!"

"Strike!!"

Two consecutive strikes. Mogami had his back against the wall.

Miyuki calmly signaled for the final pitch.

No need to drag it out. End it here.

Tanba, seeing the signal, nodded.

Although he had hit a rough patch early in the game, he had worked through it.

Now, his only goal was to close this out.

"Whoosh!"

Tanba threw with full commitment.

Behind the plate, Miyuki nodded quietly as he read the pitch.

Not Tanba's best, but solid. He had been reliable today, holding things together all the way to the end.

But even this difficult pitch was hit.

Whether it was a fortunate contact or Mogami's sheer determination finding a way through, he did make contact. The ball flew high into the air and came down near Second Base.

When Mogami made contact, the Seido players barely reacted.

The Hongmo players, on the other hand, let out a collective gasp.

Their Fourth Batter hadn't been able to do it. Their Fifth Batter hadn't either.

This man named Tanba had shut them all down. Yet the one who finally made contact with his decisive pitch was their Ninth Batter.

It was simply unbelievable.

But although the ball was hit, the contact wasn't clean and it didn't carry much force.

The ball floated up and came down easily into Kominato Ryosuke's glove.

"Pop!"

"Out!"

The stadium went completely silent for a moment.

Then every Seido High School Baseball Team supporter in the stands rose to their feet and roared.

"Seido! Seido!!!"

"In the Tokyo Spring Baseball Tournament, the round of sixteen match concludes. The winner is the Seido High School Baseball Team. Final score, 11-0."

In today's game, the Seido High School Baseball Team had demonstrated an extraordinary level of offensive power.

Ordinary fans might not have appreciated the full significance of it, but those who knew the game were genuinely taken aback.

The second-year pitcher that the Hongmo High School Baseball Team had been protecting as their hidden Ace was actually quite capable.

Precise control, skillful command of both slow and fast pitches. Used well, he would develop into a strong pitcher.

And yet the Seido High School Baseball Team had broken him in his very first game, without prior intelligence or any familiarity with his style.

Purely by force.

It had to be acknowledged. The Seido High School Baseball Team was genuinely powerful.

People were already looking ahead to their upcoming match with the Yakushi High School Baseball Team.

Originally, the Seido High School Baseball Team would have been at a disadvantage in that decisive clash. They were playing consecutive games, and Yakushi had beaten Inashiro the week before, giving them extra rest.

In terms of both physical condition and intelligence, Seido would have been at a disadvantage.

But now, Seido had dispatched their opponent so quickly and cleanly that the physical concern had been largely resolved.

As for intelligence, Seido had not been forced to reveal much of anything in this game.

The Seido High School Baseball Team had advanced to the quarterfinals.

With their advancement confirmed, the eight teams for the Tokyo Tournament quarterfinals were also successively announced.

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