Recaps

Kōshū grew into his role as Seido’s ace through Spring Koshien, where Seido advanced to a semifinal against Kyoma University. He hit a two-run home run off Hongo Masamune, and Seido held its lead through the bottom of the sixth.

• Kōshū comforted Lang Zhi after Qianxue apologized, then returned to Seido and focused on improving as Winter Training approached.
• Kōshū and Miyuki helped Eijun demonstrate his unpredictable new pitches, while Kataoka put the team through intensive training and prepared them to face Great Troll Wisteria again.
• Kōshū declined to focus on beating Hongo and instead worked on his own weaknesses as Spring Koshien arrived.
• Seido won its opening games against Houmei and Japanese Shono, with Kōshū pitching and Eijun contributing in relief.
• Kōshū struck out Mima and retired Hakuryu’s batters as Seido’s pitchers secured a win over Hakuryu.
• Seido prepared for Kyoma University, and Kōshū struck out its patient leadoff hitter and helped retire Matsushita before Hongo took the mound.
• Hongo struck out Seido’s first three batters, but Kōshū retired Kyoma University’s batters, including Hongo, and praised Lang Zhi after a key fielding play.
• Miyuki recorded Seido’s first hit, then Kōshū hit a two-run home run off Hongo, and Hongo regrouped, and Seido’s pitchers kept Kyoma University scoreless through the bottom of the sixth.

Kōshū led Seido to the Spring Koshien championship, then returned to school and began training with the new freshmen while refining his pitching. As Seido entered the Spring Tournament, he developed a sharp new pitch and looked ahead to facing Inashiro again.

• Kōshū pitched through exhaustion to defeat Hongo and Kyoma University, then shook hands with Hongo and promised to meet again in summer.
• Seido beat Seisho Company and won the Spring Koshien championship, with Furuya, Eijun, and Kawakami sharing the mound.
• Back at Seido, Kōshū helped welcome Yui Kaoru and the new freshmen, including Shimizu Osamu, while the coaches planned the team’s next roster.
• Kōshū trained Yui in the Bullpen and urged him to learn to catch Seido’s powerful pitchers, while Takashima asked Kōshū to guide Yui, Okumura, and Seto.
• Seido opened the Spring Tournament by mercy-ruling Eigen High School in five innings, with Eijun and Kawakami pitching.
• Kōshū and Miyuki worked on strategies for power hitters as Kōshū traded taunts with Narumiya Mei and anticipated facing Inashiro again.
• Kōshū tested a new Cutter in the Analysis Room and produced a fast, sharply breaking pitch that Ochiai judged beyond the high school level, though Kōshū could not reproduce it.

Kōshū refined his pitching and batting while Seido advanced through the Spring Tournament, defeating Tachikawa Private and Ichidai Third High. Seido then prepared to face Inashiro as Teito and Inashiro began their matchup.

• Kōshū impressed Okumura in the bullpen, then led Seido against Tachikawa Private and used his evolving Cutter as Seido won.
• Kōshū reviewed his mechanics and stamina with Ochiai Coach, while Kataoka Manager kept him on a carefully managed workload for the quarterfinals.
• Seido beat Kasuga Ichi, and Kōshū studied Ichidai Third High’s ace Amakuhisa Kousei before volunteering to pitch against them.
• Kōshū’s Slider challenged Seido’s hitters in practice, and he organized a pitchers’ meeting so the staff could prepare for Ichidai Third High.
• Kōshū entered Flow State to hit Amakuhisa’s pitch for a single, helping Seido score in the first inning of their quarterfinal.
• Seido took a 1–0 lead, and Kōshū hit a home run off Amakuhisa after Ichidai Third began reading his Slider.
• Kōshū asked to pitch the fifth inning and later struck out Hoshida in the seventh before Kataoka moved him to left field and gave Furuya the final two innings.
• Furuya helped Seido secure the victory over Ichidai Third, and Teito and Inashiro began their game on April 26.