Since the pitching change was the result of an injury, the umpire gave Shun some extra time to fully warm up his shoulder. Not that Shun needed all that time, since he had been prepared to pitch since the beginning of the inning. But Shun thought it was good to slow the game down a little and let Shoto's players clear their heads during that time.
Besides, Shun also took the opportunity to check on Daigo, since the young catcher had also been involved in the collision. To Shun's relief, Daigo seemed a little tense, but he didn't appear to be injured. And when the Old Man confirmed Daigo's condition, Shun felt a weight lift off his shoulders. Shoto didn't have anyone on the bench who could replace Daigo.
After a quick glance at Kohei in the on-deck circle, Shun signaled to Daigo, and the young catcher quickly stood up and ran toward the mound.
"Senpai, I—" - Daigo started speaking as soon as he reached the mound, but Shun quickly cut him off.
