Reincarnation In Diamond No Ace

The ball broke the bat into two, many splinters of the bat spread on to the ground. the ball went into the air over the head of Shortstop. Shortstop jumped to catch the ball but in vain as the ball went slightly over his glove and started to roll on the ground. Yuuki sprinted towards home base and reached with ease, on the other side Kojima went towards 2nd base with great speed. Upon getting closer to the 2nd base he start to slide, but fielder tagged slightly faster than Kojima.

"Out" umpire declared.

Kojima got up and cleaned his clothes and went towards dug out. he was patted on the back.

Masuko stepped in batter box but popped to the shortstop. Miyuki hit a grounder to the 2nd, who threw to the 1st baseman.

"out" umpire declared.

1st Half of 4th Inning.

Furuya stepped on the mound and Kojima went to the left Field. Furuya retired Yakushi batter with only one run.

The game went in stalemate up to 8th inning. Sawamura replaced Furuya in 7th inning. Sawamura made Raichi hit a pop fly to the center. but he couldn't stop Raichi in the 9th inning from hitting solo home run. Sawamura couldn't calm himself and gave few hit. In ninth inning Coach Kataoka brought The Ace Tanba. Tanba pitched really well, he struck out two of the three batters and made last batter to pop fly out to 2nd base.

The Quarter finals won by Seidou by 8-2.

Kojima scored 1 home run and 1 out in 3 at bats. After coming to Seidou Kojima first time struck out.

He struck out 5 players out of 9 players, with no runs and no hits.

Outside the stadium:

Crowd:

" Nice game"

" Nice pitching Kojima"

"Kataoka san only two left"

"Make sure that this is the year you go to the Koshien"

Ryousuke: It's tough for you guys too.

Isashiki: You'll spend all three years in the same block with that monster.

Yuuki: {After looking towards Kojima} Well we also have our own Monster.

Chris: Well that's true his performance is awesome whether it is batting or pitching.

Kojima: Thank you senpai, well we will have three monsters from my view by the end of my 2nd year.

Isashiki: Who?

Kojima: Furuya, Kominato and especially Sawamura {Glancing towards Sawamura who was speaking to Kominato}

Isashiki: Well Furuya and kominato I can understand but sawamura so quickly.

Kojima: He almost has good control of his pitches if he added two or three breaking balls along with his weird Pitching form he will be in league of his own.[ well he will add a whole lot of breaking balls]

Isashiki: let's see.

Seidou reached the Best 4.

Reporters:

"Powerful batting Line up with the clean up Yuuki and Kojima at its heart, and Aggressive pitcher relief strategy with 5 pitchers."

"But most of all that first Kojima kun, he is in league of his own"

"Yeah both in batting and pitching"

"Could they be stronger than Inashiro"

"Duel between Narumiya Mie and Kojima Yasuhiro will be exciting"

West Tokyo Best 4:

A Block: Seidou High

VS

B Block: Sensen Academy

----------------------------

C Block: Inashiro Industrial

VS

D Block: Sakurazawa High

***************************

In meeting,

Chris: Our next opponent is Sensen Academy, their Ace is Maki Yousuke, the special aspect about him is he is over 2 m tall and threw curve, which comes from top to bottom.

Kominato: A curve from that height!

Coach: With the regards to the starting pitcher for the Semi-finals in two days, I'm thinking of going with Tanba. You are ready right?

Tanba: Yes.

Ryousuke: whoa, back in position.

Isashiki: he may loss to him in height, but not in curve.

Coach: Kawakami.. It might be hard, but prepare like always and also sawamura you'll get on the mound too if there's chance, So be prepared for that.

Sawamura: Yes sir.

Coach: Kojima you will rest for the game against Sensen. You will start against Inashiro.

Kojima: yes, sir.

**********************

Next day,

training field,

Coach: Everyone gather at the B grounds. We're doing batting practice against angled pitches.

Every player from ground A reached B ground. 3rd years were making the setting mound.

Kuramochi: Eh, more sand to the mound.

Yuuki: Imitating, Maki's height by raising the mound, huh

Coach: these made the suggestion last night.. Apparently it took them all night to pile up the mound.

"Guys"

3rd years: We also want to be useful to the team.

Coach: Okay, who's first?

Isashiki: hey, you're pitching coach?

Ryousuke: Now, that's fun.

Kojima: {Wearing Helmet and gloves} Please don't hold back!

Isashiki: But you are not playing against Sensen.

Kojima: But you can't face against coach everyday, this is rare opportunity.

practice continued players faced coach one by one. In midst, Kojima switched with coach, with risen mound and height of Kojima's he almost reached Maki's height, he pitched simple curves then Improved grip curves with varying speeds and great accuracy making difficult to hit but was great helpful to batters.

***********************

Next day,

Seidou played against Sensen Academy,

First game of the Semi-finals,

The respective Aces of both teams, Tanba and Maki are the starting pitchers. The first one to score a run was Sensen Academy.

Coach: How's their Pitching? Think you can hit it?

Masuko: Thanks to the training yesterday, its's easy to grasp an image.

Isashiki: The curve's trajectory is a bit different, but within what we expected, in fact Kojima's Curve ball is more difficult and breaks more. Maki's curve couldn't hold a candle against his.

Yuuki: Yeah, totally agreed, Should we completely go after his curves?

Coach: Hit it low and strong. Any giant will fall when you break his legs.

"Yeah"

Seidou's batters started to target Maki's curves. In the sixth due to Kominato's pinch hitting Seidou lead by 4 runs. Sawamura was brought to the mound in the bottom of the 6th Inning, He pitched beautiful he used his inside pitch to struck out and jamming Sense batters, he also accidentally Pitched Crossfire to struck out Maki. Kawakami was brought in the 7th inning to close the game.

In the end Seidou won the match by 8-2.

Seidou made to finals.

In the 2nd round of the Semi-finals Inashiro Industrial won the match from Sakurazawa High in a called game in 5th inning by 10-0.