LIFE IN DIAMOND NO ACE WORLd

first match

Today's temperature were normal outside but inside our bench it was very hot . All of our team members including 3 rd years had a fire lit inside them . Ma ... it was inevitable because all were excited to show the results of harsh training on the field . All the strong high schools like our seido high school did insane amount of hard training during the off time to compete for the ticket to koshien .

I was also excited to fight it out with strong opponents in future but calmed myself down when the horn stating the start of our first match sounded .

Like we discussed at night yesterday , furuya was the starting pitcher and I at the left position for the whole game .

Yesterday night after the meeting coach called me in his office . I went there before sleeping .

Coach - you are here Ken,  good . I called you here to tell you a few things for future .

1.  You see Ken  for the teams we play in future I have a plan to let furuya gain experience on the mound of official matches to let his potential out . For the teams that are somewhat weaker I hope for him to pitch all the innings from the start . You see , furuya wrote in his baseball notes about the training advice that you gave him from the start .it was good but his body is not ready to fight in the elimination tournaments in high school baseball . I hope to improve that part completely. 

2. You are already a very good pitcher that can fight it out at koshien already . So I plan to use you more when we fight it out with national class teams  . Your  batting skills are best after yuki now so I plan to use you from the start in every match.

It will be tough for you but I know that you can do it with your unusual stamina and strong mental qualities . Do you have any problems with my plans ?

Ken - no sir , I agree with you about the potential of furuya.  Your plan is the best one now and I believe that it will have positive effect for furuya in the future. Thank you for the praise but I know my limits . There are many more outstanding pitchers out there than me like narumiya , hongo masamune etc . I will do my best so that we can fight it out with them at koshien ( aura ) .

Coach - is that right . ( satisfied ) then go sleep and do your best tomorrow. 

Ken - yes sir

I was happy that coach thought me so highly. It made me feel that all the hard work was worth it .

Our first match started with a bang . I was very satisfied with the process . Furuya pitched the whole game . At the starting innings he showed his full potential to the crowd . From the 4th inning he started showing signs of fatigue and control was off at times till the end .

Still no batter could even see his fastball much less hit it . We won the game 15 to 0 and match was called after 5 th inning . For batting , yuki senpai hit a 2 run home run after jun senpai hit the first base . I also hit a solid single run home run at my first at bat . The batting side didn't do that well us as most runs were scored by running.  The opponent pitcher was not that good so I expected more home runs but the result was alright .

I guessed that motive of coach for furuya was accomplished as he had a very frustrated expression after I pointed his lack of stamina and bad pitches towards the end .

After the game. 

Ken - yo winning pitcher,  it was lucky that there were no batters that could hit your bad pitches at the end ( sarcasm ) .

Furuya - ( aura) ignore ....

Ken - it's no difference even if you ignore me . Just train more so that you can pitch more easily for full 9 innings . Hahaha...

Furuya- ( frustrated) okay , I will listen to you .

Ken - good . But you had fun right . Just wait till we fight a strong school then you will have more fun . Haha.. bye .

After confirming that coach's intentions were recieved well by furuya,  I went towards the bus back to school .

When we came back,  coach praise my batting and scolded everybody else than me and yuki senpai that they were not able to swing their bat properly . After the meeting , I met coach and told him about the positive attitude of furuya and went to run some laps as I had energy remaining in my body  .

At night when it was  time for everyone to sleep , I was practicing my swings repeatedly.  Coach called furuya to his office .

Coach - you are here furuya , at the meeting I didn't point out your lack of stamina because everybody was happy after winning a game   . But now I have to do it . To be honest , you have much more potential than you imagine , just train your body first . Breaking balls , control and everything else will come after that   . Aside from you there is Ken,  kawakami and tanba , if you just show any bad pitching on the mound I'm sure they will be happy to replace you . Is that clear

Furuya- (stunned) yes sir .

Coach - go now , and learn to pace yourself during the game from chris and train your body from tomorrow onwards .

After some time passed I saw furuya again releasing aura unconsciously.  I guessed that coach must have set fire in his heart and succeeded. 

Ken - yo furuya looks like you found the right direction from coach . Good good ..

Furuya- nod , train body and pace managing.... ( mumbling) .

After that he went away mumbling and I continued to practice my swing .

I knew that compared to furuya and eijun , I had really normal talent in baseball . I will make the gap nonexistent by practicing way harder using high stamina perk to the fullest .