Home / Diamond no Ace: Coach, I Want to Be a Batter, Not a Pitcher! / Chapter 66 66: A Surprisingly Low Pitch Count

Read free on Ficlyn

Diamond no Ace: Coach, I Want to Be a Batter, Not a Pitcher!

Chapter 66 66: A Surprisingly Low Pitch Count · Nov 12, 2026

Prev Chapter Novel Info Next Chapter

Chapter List (248)

Page number / 5

51 Chapter 51 51: Seido’s Tradition 2026-11-12
52 Chapter 52 52: Intensive Training — Begins!!! 2026-11-12
53 Chapter 53 53: The Sweat of Youth and Passion 2026-11-12
54 Chapter 54 54: The Determination of the Starting Lineup 2026-11-12
55 Chapter 55 55: That’s It? Getting Old? 2026-11-12
56 Chapter 56 56: Silver Sinker 2026-11-12
57 Chapter 57 57: Seido vs Kiryu 2026-11-12
58 Chapter 58 58: Miyuki’s Sin 2026-11-12
59 Chapter 59 59: Osaka Kiryu’s Shock ( 100 Power Stone) 2026-11-12
60 Chapter 60 60: Who Doesn’t Have a Hidden Skill? 2026-11-12
61 Chapter 61 61: Seido’s Fourth Batter 2026-11-12
62 Chapter 62 62: Seido’s Ace and Fifth Batter 2026-11-12
63 Chapter 63 63: The Cunning Miyuki 2026-11-12
64 Chapter 64 64: An Unfathomable Pitch! A Powerful and Fearless Throw 2026-11-12
65 Chapter 65 65: The Cutter’s Surprise for Kiryu 2026-11-12
66 Chapter 66 66: A Surprisingly Low Pitch Count 2026-11-12
67 Chapter 67 67: The Sinker’s Despair for Kiryu 2026-11-12
68 Chapter 68 68: The Power of the Sinker 2026-11-12
69 Chapter 69 69: Inashiro Ace, King Narumiya Mei 2026-11-12
70 Chapter 70 70: Narumiya Mei’s Tricks 2026-11-12
71 Chapter 71 71: Narumiya Mei’s Provocation 2026-11-12
72 Chapter 72 72: A Head-on Clash! A Strong Response to the Provocation 2026-11-12
73 Chapter 73 73: Who Said These Are All My Trump Cards? 2026-11-12
74 Chapter 74 74: Shootball 2026-11-12
75 Chapter 75 75: The Summer Preliminaries Begin 2026-11-12
76 Chapter 76 76: Blind Cannon — Masashi 2026-11-12
77 Chapter 77 77: Masashi — Dangerous and Addictive 2026-11-12
78 Chapter 78 78: Preliminary Round 1 — Chris Starts 2026-11-12
79 Chapter 79 79: Good Swing. Don’t Swing Like That Next Time. 2026-11-12
80 Chapter 80 80: Chris Is Excited 2026-11-12
81 Chapter 81 81: The Trust of the Senior Students 2026-11-12
82 Chapter 82 82: The Arrogant Outfield Trio (100 Power Stones) 2026-11-12
83 Chapter 83 83: Addicted, Chris 2026-11-12
84 Chapter 84 84: An Inside-the-Park Home Run 2026-11-12
85 Chapter 85 85: The Speechless Trio 2026-11-12
86 Chapter 86 86: A Howl! The Outfield Interception! 2026-11-12
87 Chapter 87 87: The Shootball That Excited Chris 2026-11-12
88 Chapter 88 88: Your Goals as First Years 2026-11-12
89 Chapter 89 89: Untitled 2026-11-12
90 Chapter 90 90: The Evolutionary Direction of the Shootball 2026-11-12
91 Chapter 91 91: Two People Came to Ask for Advice 2026-11-12
92 Chapter 92 92: Silver Home Run 2026-11-12
93 Chapter 93 93: Signing In for 100 Days 2026-11-12
94 Chapter 94 94: Chris’s Rice Crackers Are Mine ( Bonus Chapter) 2026-11-12
95 Chapter 95 95: Pitch Pairing Strategy 2026-11-12
96 Chapter 96 96: A Powerful Offense 2026-11-12
97 Chapter 97 97: Playing with the Opponent 2026-11-12
98 Chapter 98 98: The Precise Machine — You Shunshin 2026-11-12
99 Chapter 99 99: If You’re So Good, Then You Do It! 2026-11-12
100 Chapter 100 100: A Powerful Response! 2026-11-12

”Nice pitch! Two outs! Just one more!”

Kominato Ryosuke clapped his hands and called out to his junior.

”No rush. Two outs. Focus on the next batter,” Yuki Tetsuya added calmly.

On the mound, Ushijima Wakatoshi gave a small nod.

Encouragement received. Mind steady.

The sixth batter stepped into the box.

First pitch—

Two-seam.

Smack!

The batter made contact, but the timing was terrible.

The ball died off the bat and rolled weakly toward the mound.

A slow infield grounder.

Ushijima stepped forward, scooped it up cleanly, and tossed it casually to first base.

Before the ball even reached Yuki’s glove—

he had already turned around.

Snap.

”Out!”

”Change sides!”

The inning ended just like that.

The crowd buzzed.

”Whoa… that’s insane.”

”Three batters down with only eight pitches?”

”That’s another three up, three down…”

”Against Kiryu’s lineup too!”

”They didn’t even get a single hit!”

”The catcher and pitcher basically handled everything themselves.”

”Is he really just a first-year?!”

Even Kiryu’s bench looked frustrated.

Those pitches weren’t flashy—

but they were sharp.

Precise.

Efficient.

And suffocating.

”Nice one!”

Isashiki ran over and threw an arm around Ushijima’s neck.

”But hey… where’s your sinker? You haven’t thrown it once!”

Everyone perked up.

They were curious too.

Ushijima answered calmly,

”They haven’t forced me to use it yet.”

”I’ll probably bring it out around the fourth inning.”

”Three pitches are enough for now.”

”Against Kiryu… I can’t assume Miyuki and I can suppress them forever with just three types.”

His tone was rational.

Not arrogant.

Just realistic.

That was the mindset of an Ace.

Bottom of the inning — Seido’s turn to bat.

Shirasu, the eighth batter, went down quickly.

Two pitches. Out.

Then Furuya stepped up.

Ushijima’s dominance seemed to light a fire in him.

CRACK!

The ball soared high and deep—

Home run.

”Oh ho~” Ushijima laughed softly.

”Some catcher’s about to feel embarrassed.”

”…Shut up,” Miyuki muttered.

That homer added another run for Seido.

But the rest of the inning ended quickly.

Top of the third.

Ushijima returned to the mound.

Seventh, eighth, ninth batters—

Fastballs.

Corners.

Power.

Precision.

Three straight outs again.

Coach Kataoka glanced at Chris.

”How many pitches?”

Chris checked his notebook.

”Eight in the first inning. Eight in the second. Nine in the third.”

”…Twenty-seven total.”

”…That efficient?” Kawakami stared.

Chris nodded.

”Through nine batters, seven strikeouts.”

”Five of them on just three pitches each.”

”Two needed four pitches.”

”One fly out. One grounder.”

Silence fell over the bench.

That wasn’t just good.

That was terrifying.

Especially for the other pitchers like Tanba and Kawakami.

They understood better than anyone how absurd that efficiency was.

Score after three innings:

Kiryu — 0 0 0

Seido — 2 1 0

Top of the fourth.

Kiryu’s lineup came around again.

Ushijima rested his hands on his knees, eyes locked forward.

First batter.

First pitch—

Cutter.

The ball sliced sharply toward the outside corner.

”Strike!”

The batter didn’t swing.

He hadn’t expected that.

I thought it’d be inside…

Second pitch—

Same trajectory.

Strike two.

”What… two Cutters in a row?”

”Aren’t they afraid we’ll get used to it?”

The batter’s thoughts began to waver.

And that hesitation—

was exactly what Miyuki wanted.

Third pitch—

Same starting path.

The batter assumed four-seam and swung.

But at the last moment—

the ball dipped and cut.

Lower.

Sharper.

Gone.

Thwack!

”Strike three!”

Another strikeout.

”Whoa! That’s eight strikeouts already!”

”Kiryu’s leadoff just struck out twice!”

”Last time he got eaten alive inside—this time outside!”

”That inside–outside combo is evil…”

On the mound—

Ushijima simply adjusted his cap.

Cold.

Unbothered.

Like eliminating batters was just routine.

Prev Chapter Novel Info Next Chapter

Recommended Novels

The Number One Star in the Interstellar Era Tyramisu

Rebirth: The Courtyard Bride Is Cool and Radiant Spring Splendor in the Garden

Supreme Warrior in the City River Handsome

The Devil Does Not Need to Be Defeated Ruqing Rusu

My Silly, Sweet Wife Bu Fei

Library of Heaven’s Path Heng Sao Tian Ya

The Divine Urban Physician The Wind Laughs

King of Gods Fast Food Resturant

Hogwarts: Even Voldemort Can't Stop Me From Studying Yamaha

Prodigal System in the Flourishing City Wind and Thunder Brewing Wine

The Lovely Heiress Is Actually A God Beast Have a Bowl of Noodles

Sect Recruitment: I Can See Attribute Entries joyce_4070

Master Of None 1King_Rep1

The King's Avatar Butterfly Blue

D.E.M.O.N.S: Getting Summoned Weekly isn't so Bad Vongrak