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

Chapter 208: The Best Hitter of the Year? Have You Asked Me? · Nov 12, 2026

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Chapter List (248)

Page number / 5

201 Chapter 201: The Importance of One Run 2026-11-12
202 Chapter 202: Withdrawn Furuya and Sawamura 2026-11-12
203 Chapter 203: Sawamura’s Golden Words 2026-11-12
204 Chapter 204: Wooden Bats Are Too Expensive 2026-11-12
205 Chapter 205: Koshien Begins 2026-11-12
206 Chapter 206: Pre-Game Meeting 2026-11-12
207 Chapter 207: First Appearance at Koshien 2026-11-12
208 Chapter 208: The Best Hitter of the Year? Have You Asked Me? 2026-11-12
209 Chapter 209: The Kominato Brothers Take the Stage 2026-11-12
210 Chapter 210: The Kominato Brothers’ Stage 2026-11-12
211 Chapter 211: The Koshien Finals 2026-11-12
212 Chapter 212: Battle of Endurance 2026-11-12
213 Chapter 213: Unlocked! Ushijima’s Full-Power Mode 2026-11-12
214 Chapter 214: Unlocked! Complete Strength 2026-11-12
215 Chapter 215: The Desperate Giants 2026-11-12
216 Chapter 216: The Roar of His Teammates 2026-11-12
217 Chapter 217: After the Championship — Terrifying Numbers 2026-11-12
218 Chapter 218: After the Summer—Preparing for the Autumn Tournament 2026-11-12
219 Chapter 219: Sawamura Suffers from the Yips 2026-11-12
220 Chapter 220: Teaching 2026-11-12
221 Chapter 221: A Full Repertoire? 2026-11-12
222 Chapter 222: Seido’s Current Batting Lineup 2026-11-12
223 Chapter 223: Kawakami’s Pressure 2026-11-12
224 Chapter 224: The Retired Third-Year Seniors 2026-11-12
225 Chapter 225: The Difficulties Facing Seido’s Batting Lineup 2026-11-12
226 Chapter 226: The Autumn Tournament Begins 2026-11-12
227 Chapter 227: Special Training Before the Game 2026-11-12
228 Chapter 228: The East–West Showdown 2026-11-12
229 Chapter 229: Middle Infield Cooperation 2026-11-12
230 Chapter 230: Untitled 2026-11-12
231 Chapter 231: Contest Between Aces 2026-11-12
232 Chapter 232: Breaking Through the Emperor’s Ace 2026-11-12
233 Chapter 233: The Broken Heart of the Emperor 2026-11-12
234 Chapter 234: Little Wolf Cub 2026-11-12
235 Chapter 235: The Eternal Baserunner 2026-11-12
236 Chapter 236: An Unexpectedly Popular Song 2026-11-12
237 Chapter 237: Here It Comes! Mastering Control 2026-11-12
238 Chapter 238: Evolving Control! Testing His New Pitching 2026-11-12
239 Chapter 239: The Shock of Ushijima’s Left-Handed Pitch 2026-11-12
240 Chapter 240: VS the Dark Horse Ugumori 2026-11-12
241 Chapter 241: The Annoying Little Goblin 2026-11-12
242 Chapter 242: Psychological Warfare 2026-11-12
243 Chapter 243: A Head-On Showdown? 2026-11-12
244 Chapter 244: Sawamura’s Crazy Presence 2026-11-12
245 Chapter 245: Furuya’s Confusion 2026-11-12
246 Chapter 246: The Difference Between Furuya and Sawamura 2026-11-12
247 Chapter 247: Sawamura’s First Start 2026-11-12
248 Chapter 248: Sawamura Seeks Guidance 2026-11-12

”Strike!”

The umpire’s call echoed across Koshien.

Seiho’s leadoff batter stood frozen in disbelief.

Before the game, everyone had reached the same conclusion after studying Ushijima Wakatoshi.

If his fastball exceeded 150 km/h, his control would become unstable.

As long as they refused to swing, there was a good chance the pitch would miss the strike zone.

That had been the plan.

But when he actually stood in the batter’s box...

His body betrayed him.

The overwhelming pressure behind that pitch forced him to swing instinctively.

Then the speed appeared on the giant scoreboard.

158 km/h

The entire stadium erupted.

”158?!”

”Is that real?”

”He can actually throw that fast?”

”That’s almost 160 km/h!”

”A 158 km/h fastball is rare even in professional baseball.”

”If he can consistently control that kind of velocity, he’ll become a star at the professional level.”

The crowd buzzed with excitement.

Standing calmly on the mound, Ushijima turned his gaze toward Seiho’s dugout.

There, Sano Shuzo was already staring back.

Neither of them looked away.

One stood atop the mound.

The other waited outside the dugout.

Even from opposite ends of the field, their fighting spirits collided invisibly.

Without another word, Miyuki fired the ball back.

Smack!

Ushijima caught it with one hand.

His eyes shifted back to the batter.

The second pitch came immediately.

Whoosh!

Another blazing fastball screamed toward the plate at over 155 km/h.

”Strike!”

The batter swung.

He missed.

Two strikes.

Moments later—

”Strike three! Batter out!”

The leadoff hitter walked back to the dugout with a blank expression.

His teammates immediately surrounded him.

”What happened?”

”Weren’t we supposed to ignore anything over 150 km/h?”

”It should’ve been a ball.”

The batter could only force a bitter smile.

”...You’ll understand once you face him yourself.”

”That wasn’t just a baseball.”

”It felt like...”

”...a starving beast charging straight at me.”

”The moment it leaves his hand, your body senses danger.”

”You don’t even think.”

”You just swing.”

Even now, he rubbed his arms.

”Look...”

”I still have goosebumps.”

The others looked over.

Sure enough, the hairs on his arms were standing on end.

While the dugout was still discussing Ushijima’s terrifying pitches, Seiho managed to put a runner on base.

Ushijima issued a walk to the second batter.

However, he quickly regrouped.

Facing Seiho’s third batter, he relentlessly attacked the inside corner.

Three pitches.

Three strikes.

Another strikeout.

Two outs.

Runner on third.

The next batter...

Sano Shuzo.

The runner had reached third after stealing second during Ushijima’s duel with the previous hitter and advancing on the following play.

Ushijima hadn’t even spared the baserunner a glance.

His attention had remained fixed entirely on the batter.

The commentator’s voice rose with excitement.

”Seiho has an excellent scoring opportunity!”

”With two outs and a runner on third, the batter coming to the plate is none other than this year’s most feared slugger—Sano Shuzo!”

”In his three years of high school baseball, Sano has blasted an astonishing 67 home runs!”

”Can he deliver with a clutch hit and drive in Seiho’s first run?”

The entire stadium grew restless.

Everyone had been waiting for this matchup.

The strongest pitcher.

The strongest batter.

In the eyes of many, intentionally walking Sano would have been the safer choice.

After all, a single mistake against a hitter of his caliber could cost Seido a run in the very first inning.

But everyone also knew...

Ushijima Wakatoshi wasn’t the type to back down from a challenge.

After all...

This wasn’t just any batter.

Standing in the box was Seiho’s cleanup hitter.

The heart of their lineup.

Watching the live broadcast, Inashiro captain Harada Masatoshi narrowed his eyes.

”That guy isn’t going to pitch around him...”

Back on the field, Ushijima had no such intention.

The walk to the second batter had been deliberate.

From the very beginning, he had planned to challenge Sano Shuzo head-on.

Miyuki gave the sign.

Ushijima nodded.

The first pitch exploded from his fingertips.

Whoosh!

The baseball shot toward home plate at blistering speed.

Batting from the left-handed box, Sano locked onto the incoming pitch.

Not over 150 km/h?

It was noticeably slower than Ushijima’s opening fastballs.

An inside fastball!

Without the slightest hesitation, Sano unleashed his swing.

But at the very last instant—

The baseball darted sharply toward his hands before breaking downward.

Thwack!

The ball disappeared into Miyuki’s mitt.

”Strike!”

The giant scoreboard immediately displayed the pitch speed.

144 km/h

The spectators looked puzzled.

”It wasn’t nearly as fast as before.”

”So how did he miss?”

”That pitch broke sharply at the last second.”

”A Cutter!”

Some experienced fans immediately recognized it.

”That’s one of Ushijima Wakatoshi’s signature pitches.”

Sano slowly tightened his grip on the bat.

His expression became more serious.

That single pitch told him everything he needed to know.

Ushijima’s pitches weren’t terrifying simply because of their velocity.

Even when he dialed back the speed, his control became even sharper.

The late break made the ball incredibly deceptive.

In some ways...

It was even harder to hit than his blazing fastball.

The crowd couldn’t help but sigh.

”He’s only a first-year...”

”I almost feel lucky for the younger players.”

”They’ll get two more years to challenge someone like him.”

Another spectator immediately shook his head.

”Lucky?”

”I feel sorry for them.”

”They have to spend the next two years facing that monster.”

Meanwhile, Ushijima had already begun his next delivery.

The ball followed almost the exact same trajectory.

Trying to fool me with another Cutter?

Sano reacted immediately.

His bat cut through the strike zone.

Once again—

The pitch broke late.

Thwack!

Strike two.

Sano’s eyes narrowed.

Another Cutter?

Before he could fully process it, Ushijima was already in motion again.

The third pitch came.

This Cutter was thrown even harder than the previous two.

No way...

There’s no way he’d throw three straight Cutters to the same spot.

Sano made his decision.

Fastball!

He committed to the swing.

The result...

Was exactly the same.

The bat sliced through empty air.

Thwack!

”...”

”Strike three! Batter out!”

The umpire’s call echoed across Koshien.

Sano stood motionless.

He slowly turned his head toward the mound, staring at Ushijima in disbelief.

Three pitches.

Three swings.

Three misses.

The entire stadium exploded.

”THREE STRIKEOUTS!!”

Cheers thundered through every corner of Koshien as spectators leaped to their feet.

”Did that really just happen?”

”He struck out Sano Shuzo—the hitter with 67 career home runs—on only three pitches!”

”And every single one was an inside Cutter!”

”What unbelievable confidence!”

”He attacked the cleanup hitter head-on and completely overpowered him!”

”That’s Ushijima’s style!”

”Attack the inside!”

”Dominate the batter!”

”No hesitation!”

Someone in the stands burst into laughter.

”Haha! Sano must’ve thought Ushijima wouldn’t throw the same pitch three times.”

”And yet...”

”He really challenged him with three straight Cutters and struck him out anyway.”

A nearby fan nodded in agreement.

”I bet plenty of batters have thought the exact same thing.”

”And they’ve all ended up walking back to the dugout after just three pitches.”

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