Ace of Diamond: Return of the Pitcher

As long as there's reliable fielding, Sawamura can still get outs in a different way.

He has that ability and that capability.

The problem is the current fielding lineup.

It's a makeshift lineup, and of course, it can't compare to the finely-tuned defenses of those teams with years of training.

Luckily, the players on the field are all stars, which greatly compensates for the deficiencies.

Even if they aren't perfectly coordinated with their teammates, a star player can still perform well in their position.

Up until the game so far, the Japanese team's defense has been decent.

This isn't because they've practiced together a lot.

It's simply because they are all-star players, and even though they are working individually, they can still perform their tasks effectively.

The coordination is lacking, but individual performances have made up for many of the shortcomings.

But many is not most. Under a powerful assault, gaps in the defense can still appear.

In short, it's hard to feel reassured!

Takeda had previously insisted on not letting Hongou play, choosing the more experienced Sawamura instead, due to these considerations.

In terms of coordination with Renji, Sawamura couldn't necessarily outdo Hongou.

The problem was, Hongou's 150 km/h fastball likely couldn't stop the American players.

Sooner or later, they would adapt.

Once they did, they would counterattack with a vengeance.

And it would be a thunderous strike!

By that time, could Hongou hold them off?

Sawamura might also face all kinds of problems.

But compared to that, Sawamura was clearly more reliable.

After all, aside from his pitching skills, Sawamura's combat experience is something that other high school players could never match.

This monster, who started winning national championships in middle school, has no idea how many life-and-death games he's been through by now.

Time and time again, he led his team forward!

In the process, Sawamura accumulated vast experience.

He now has his own way of dealing with crises.

This situation, which seemed tricky when Takeda first thought about it, now feels somewhat manageable.

At this point, the head Coach has no choice but to trust Sawamura's tenacity.

But he was sure of it.

The Great Demon King will work his magic and lead the Japanese team to victory.

But the outcome on the field is beginning to head in the opposite direction.

The first to make a move isn't the Japanese team, but America.

Sawamura faces Francis and throws his third pitch.

During the first two pitches, Francis didn't swing.

Sawamura could already sense danger.

A player like Francis has very strong instincts.

It means that the moment Sawamura throws a pitch, Francis should immediately react.

But during the first two pitches, Francis showed no reaction at all.

What does this mean?

If Sawamura's guess is right, it means Francis is preparing to unleash a big strike!

Before preparing his killing blow, he needs to understand his opponent's true condition.

In other words, he needs to observe first.

Only after understanding the situation can he make a precise move to deliver a final strike.

Francis is probably waiting for that opportunity now.

Sawamura knew that he would have to up his play in this game at any time, and as expected, the American players are no pushovers. After one round, they have adapted to his pitching form and rhythm.

'This is troublesome.'

Using high-level pitches is usually the solution right now. And even though Renji can mostly catch them, that would affect the last round of the game, which he was sure would be very intense.

For now, Sawamura would have to buy time.

He has to rely on his Moving!

Making his stride, Sawamura threw the ball!

ROAAARR!!

Sawamura instinctively believed that Francis would swing.

At this point, he can only hope that his teammates will manage to stop the ball.

Just as Sawamura thought, Francis, who was down to two strikes, indeed swung at the next pitch.

In fact, Sawamura intentionally threw it to the edge of the strike zone.

If the batter hits it, the ball will likely go out of bounds.

If the batter hits it far enough, it will be a fly ball.

In that case, the Japanese team players can easily complete the catch.

Even if their fielding positions are not their usual ones, Sawamura believes it doesn't matter!

Their skills are unquestionable, and it's just a matter of getting used to their positions.

Catching should be fine, especially for a fly ball.

Compared to the times when he had to take care of the Akagi middle school team's younger players, the current situation is much better.

At this moment, Sawamura has full confidence in solving the problem.

This is his habit.

He pitches with the belief that he will win!

No matter the result, he must first do his part.

The baseball flies through the air.

In the blink of an eye, it reaches the batter.

Francis grits his teeth and puts all his strength into swinging.

Shuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!!

The sound of air friction was loud as he swung the bat.

The bat strikes the ball heavily, sending it flying far away.

PAAAAKK!!!

In the break area and on the stands, all the star players from Japan are deeply shocked.

How can the opponent's batting power be that strong?

They find it hard to understand, very hard to understand.

But Sawamura, on the pitcher's mound, just smiles bitterly.

He's not surprised at all by this result.

America's style is completely different from Japan's.

Japanese baseball focuses more on tactics.

While players also practice swinging and regard it as an essential skill,

Some players go beyond the usual training amount, practicing hundreds or even thousands of swings every day.

Just like the former captain of the Seidou High School baseball team, Yuuki Tetsuya.

He did this, and did it very well.

Later, not even a year after,

He had already become one of the strongest batters in Japan.

After entering professional baseball, his development was smooth, and people envied him.

This shows just how important solid fundamentals are.

American players may seem carefree,

But they've never slacked off in their practice.

Almost every famous American player has excellent batting skills.

Plus, their physique and training style give them an innate advantage.

This difference may not be as huge as imagined, but it's meaningful.

Just like Francis's hit.

Normally, strong batters from Japan could hit the ball, but they couldn't pull it back into fair territory.

As a result, the Japanese team's original setup didn't have any effect.

The ball bounced and rebounded, and Francis took the opportunity to run to second base.

No outs, runner on second base.

This is a very difficult situation, especially for the defending side.

Right now, they don't need much, just one more hit will solve the problem.

As long as a batter hits safely, Francis can run home.

The American players understand how crucial this moment is, and they're already strategizing, especially their Coach, who's come up with several plans to target Sawamura and the Japanese team.

If Sawamura and the Japanese team aren't careful, the balance of victory in this game could shift.

It's in this situation that Sawamura has an idea.

He must find a way to solve the current dilemma.

…

T/N: Well, That's it for today.

Thank you all for reading!

Have a good day!

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https://www.patre0n.com/ColdColt