Chapter Summaries

Kōshū pitched with growing confidence as Seido continued to attack Inashiro’s hitters on the inside. He retired the first batter and kept the inning moving, leaving the game’s outcome unresolved.

• Kōshū returned to the mound and took confidence from his smooth previous inning as Seido faced Inashiro’s lower lineup.
• Miyuki called for inside pitches, and Kōshū’s high fastball forced the sixth batter to pull back for a ball.
• Kōshū fooled the sixth batter with a two-seam fastball that jammed his swing, and Lang Zhi caught the ball for the out.
• Kōshū excitedly praised Lang Zhi and rallied the fielders before returning to pitch to Inashiro’s eighth batter.
• Miyuki called for an outside pitch against the eighth batter, and Seido retired the side.

Kōshū faced Narumiya Mei in the top of the sixth with Seido trailing by one run. After battling to a full count, Kōshū hit Mei’s inside pitch for a hit and reached base.

• Kōshū finished a strong inning of pitching, then came up to bat in the top of the sixth.
• Narumiya Mei’s first pitch flew dangerously close to Kōshū, drawing protests from Seido, and his second pitch was called a strike.
• Kōshū watched a changeup for a ball and fouled off Hayakawa’s fastball, bringing the count to two balls and two strikes.
• Kōshū took Mei’s slider for a ball, making the count full.
• Kōshū anticipated an inside pitch and drove Mei’s next pitch high into the field for a hit.

Kōshū advanced to third as Kuramochi’s sacrifice bunt brought Seido to a crucial scoring chance. Narumiya Mei calmed himself and focused on the next batter, while Seido prepared to send the runner home.

• Kōshū reached second base, and Hayakawa stopped Narumiya Mei from fixating on the runner and urged him to focus on pitching.
• Narumiya Mei returned to the mound, and Kuramochi bunted to advance the runners as Kōshū ran toward third.
• The umpires called Kuramochi out at first and Kōshū safe at third, leaving Seido one step from scoring.
• Kuramochi warned Shirazu that Narumiya still had plenty of power, and Shirazu prepared to bring Kōshū home.

Kōshū and Shirazu attempted a sacrifice bunt, but Narumiya Mei dove to field the ball and helped end Seido’s inning without conceding a run. Seido prepared to defend as Inajitsu’s ninth batter stepped up, aiming for right field.

• Kōshū broke from third as Shirazu bunted Narumiya Mei’s pitch, but the ball popped high into the space near the mound.
• Narumiya Mei dove to catch the ball and threw it toward home, forcing Kōshū to retreat toward third.
• The umpire called Kōshū out at third and declared the side retired, ending Seido’s attack without a run.
• Kōshū and Shirazu returned to the dugout, where Kataoka Manager urged Seido to put the previous inning behind them and focus on the present.
• Shirazu ran to the outfield as Inajitsu’s ninth batter stepped into the box, following Kunimoto Manager’s decision to hit toward right field.

Kōshū retired Inashiro’s ninth batter but struggled with fatigue and the letdown after Seido conceded a run as Carlos came to bat. He used a changeup to beat Carlos, while Narumiya complained from the dugout that Kōshū’s pitch resembled his own.

• Kuramochi covered Haruichi after an irregular bounce, throwing to first in time to retire Inashiro’s ninth batter.
• Kōshū tried to recover his energy on the mound while preparing to face leadoff batter Carlos.
• Carlos watched Miyuki’s first pitch, a bait ball, and guessed that Seido was relying on changeups to conserve Kōshū’s stamina.
• Kōshū threw a changeup, and Carlos swung and missed as the pitch disappeared from his sight.
• Narumiya complained to Hayakawa that Kōshū had copied his changeup, and Hayakawa praised the pitch.

Kōshū pitched through worsening ankle pain to retire Inashiro’s batters and finish the sixth inning. He returned to the dugout looking stiff, while Haruichi suspected something was wrong.

• Kōshū threw an inside high fastball for a strike despite the pain in his ankle.
• Kōshū’s ankle sharply hurt during his next pitch, but Carlos made weak contact, and Kōshū fielded the ball and threw him out at first.
• Haruichi noticed Kōshū seemed unwell but postponed questioning him until they left the field.
• Shirakawa fouled off a low pitch, then took an outside strike and hit a fly ball that was caught for the third out.
• Kōshū returned to the dugout with the team, appearing calm but stiff in his face and expression.

Haru watched Kōshū closely, then faced Narumiya Mei in the top of the seventh and fought through a long at-bat. After fouling off several pitches, Haru sent Narumiya’s fastball toward right field.

• Haru wondered how Kōshū had known what he was about to ask and decided to observe him more closely.
• Haru stepped into the Batter’s Box, determined to help his team win, while Narumiya Mei recovered from his collision and recognized how seriously he took the matchup.
• Hayakawa and Narumiya Mei began Haru’s at-bat with an outside fastball that Haru fouled off, then an inside Changeup that caught him looking for strike two.
• Haru fouled off another pitch and took a ball, extending the count to two strikes and three balls after ten pitches.
• Hayakawa signaled for a fastball, Narumiya Mei agreed, and Haru hit the pitch toward right field.

Haruichi reached base, and Miyuki followed with a hit that put runners on first and second in the top of the seventh. Narumiya recognized his own mistake and urged Hayakawa to proceed carefully, leaving Inashiro’s battery to face Seido’s growing threat.

• Haruichi reached first after a long at-bat, and Narumiya stopped Hayakawa from going to comfort him.
• Narumiya set aside his frustration and opened with a fastball, which Miyuki watched for a strike.
• Miyuki hit Narumiya’s dropping pitch toward third base and reached safely as Haruichi advanced to second.
• Hayakawa went to the mound, where Narumiya admitted his pitch had missed its target and warned that the inning felt dangerous.
• Hayakawa suggested using Changeups now that stealing was no longer a concern, and Narumiya agreed.

With two outs and runners on second and third, Inashiro’s battery tried to finish the inning against first-year Tojo. Tojo reached two strikes, leaving him one chance to keep Seido’s scoring opportunity alive.

• Hayakawa got Maezono to fly out to center field, then Asou bunted the runners to second and third while being put out at first.
• Tojo stepped in, and Narumiya Mei struck him out looking with an inside fastball for the first strike.
• Hayakawa called for an outside slider, which he blocked safely as Tojo swung through it for strike two.
• Tojo prepared for the next pitch as Hayakawa signaled for a Changeup.

Tōjō tied the game with a hit off Narumiya Mei, but Narumiya struck out Lang Zhi to end the inning. Kōshū headed to the mound determined to endure until the final out.

• Tōjō hit Narumiya Mei’s Changeup to right field, bringing the runner home and tying the game.
• Narumiya Mei recovered his composure and prepared to face Lang Zhi with runners on first and third and two outs.
• Lang Zhi swung and missed at Narumiya Mei’s first pitch, then fouled off another before striking out on a Changeup.
• Kōshū encouraged Lang Zhi, who apologized for failing to drive in the go-ahead run, and sent him back onto the field.
• Kōshū met Narumiya Mei’s gaze and repeated to himself that the team that endured until the end would win.

Kōshū hid an ankle injury and returned to the mound against Inashiro, but his control faltered as Miyuki and Kataoka began to suspect something was wrong. After deciding to tell the manager when he came off the mound, Kōshū settled down and helped get Inashiro’s third batter out.

• Kōshū concealed his swollen, injured left ankle and chose to pitch the seventh inning against Inashiro’s central batting lineup.
• Kōshū threw a wild warm-up pitch, drawing concern from the dugout and prompting Kataoka to watch him closely.
• Miyuki noticed Kōshū’s pitches were drifting off target but held back from calling time.
• Kōshū recalled a conversation about the meaning of the collective and resolved to confess his injury to the manager after leaving the mound.
• Kōshū controlled an outside pitch, and Maezono fielded the batter’s weak hit and stepped on first base for the out.

Kōshū faced Inashiro’s cleanup hitter Yamaoka in the bottom of the seventh, relying on Miyuki’s pitch calls while struggling with his control and his thoughts about his teammates. Yamaoka struck out, and Narumiya Mei came to bat with renewed seriousness.

• Kōshū threw Yamaoka an outside-corner slider, and Yamaoka swung and missed.
• Yamaoka fouled off another outside slider, bringing the count to two strikes.
• Kōshū missed with a high inside fastball, and Miyuki grew concerned about his control.
• Kōshū struck out Yamaoka with a changeup after Yamaoka swung for the inside pitch.
• Narumiya Mei passed Yamaoka on his way to the plate, determined to take over.

Kōshū faced Narumiya Mei with two outs and, after a tense conference with Miyuki, struck him out with a pitch that broke back into the zone and induced a weak grounder. Narumiya returned to the dugout shaken by his repeated failures against Kōshū, but Hayakawa reminded him he would soon face him again as a pitcher.

• Kōshū and Miyuki struggled to agree on how to pitch to Narumiya Mei after two balls, while Kōshū concealed his lingering ankle trouble.
• Miyuki encouraged Kōshū to challenge Narumiya, and Kōshū agreed to try for the strikeout.
• Kōshū’s outside pitch broke into the strike zone for a strike, then his next pitch drew a weak hit toward third base that Seido turned into an out.
• Narumiya returned to the dugout questioning why his preparation had not helped him beat Kōshū at the plate.
• Hayakawa pushed Narumiya to focus on pitching and reminded him he would face Kōshū again, prompting Narumiya to resolve to strike him out.

After Seido defeated Inajitsu, Narumiya Mei urged Kōshū to trust his teammates and revealed that he knew Kōshū was injured. Kōshū’s injury was diagnosed as a strain and bruising, leaving him to rest and reconsider the professional baseball goal he had neglected.

• Kōshū defeated Narumiya Mei for the fourth time, and Mei advised him to trust his teammates instead of carrying everything himself.
• Haruichi noticed Kōshū’s swollen foot, and Kōshū admitted his injury to Kataoka Manager after Eijun drew everyone’s attention to their conversation.
• Kataoka took Kōshū to the hospital and asked him to rewrite the half-year plan he had made when he first joined the school.
• The doctor diagnosed Kōshū with a slight strain and soft-tissue bruising and recommended that he rest.

After injuring his ankle during the game against Inashiro, Kōshū learned that Chris would guide him while he recovered. His teammates reassured him that Kataoka still trusted him, and he hurried to meet Chris.

• Kataoka told the team that Kōshū had injured his ankle, assigned Miyuki to coordinate the remaining pitchers, and gave Asou the starting left-field position.
• Kataoka arranged for Chris to guide Kōshū and explained how Chris's past injury had harmed his career.
• Kuramochi and the others asked Kōshū when he was hurt, and he admitted it happened when he charged home plate.
• Miyuki told Kōshū that Kataoka's decision showed he still favored him, despite Kōshū hiding his injury twice.
• Kōshū remembered Chris was waiting and hurried down the dark path to meet him.

Kōshū watched a Tokyo Swallows Second String game with Mr. Sasaki, who encouraged him not to put too much pressure on himself about reaching professional baseball. Back at Seido, Kōshū returned to writing his proposal and began planning how to improve his physique.

• Kōshū left Seido with Mr. Sasaki, who took him to watch the Tokyo Swallows Second String play.
• Mr. Sasaki explained why he liked the Second String games and pointed out players’ paths through professional baseball.
• Kōshū relaxed while watching the game and realized he had not thought about Seido during the trip.
• Mr. Sasaki told Kōshū he still had two years to prepare for professional baseball and urged him not to pressure himself.
• Kōshū returned to Seido and began outlining his proposal, deciding to change his meal plan to gain weight and build muscle.

During the Autumn Tournament group stage, Kōshū and Kanemaru bonded over their frustration at being unable to play, while the first-years gathered around Kōshū in the Dugout. Kuramochi suspected Kōshū was deliberately drawing the first-years together, but Miyuki defended him as an ordinary teenager with his own worries.

• Kōshū told Kanemaru that his stepfather had taken him to watch the Swallows Team's Second String, whose players felt more relatable than stars.
• Kanemaru admitted that he wanted to get on the field, and Kōshū said he felt the same way but could not play.
• Kōshū and Kanemaru chatted about Eijun and Haruichi as Haruichi made a diving catch, and Toujou joined them after leaving the field.
• Haruichi, Furuya, Lang Zhi, and Eijun gathered around Kōshū in the Dugout, where Eijun praised Toujou and Haruichi's defensive plays and bantered with Lang Zhi.
• Kuramochi accused Kōshū of gathering the first-years to protect his position, but Miyuki told him to stop demonizing Kōshū.

Seido defeated its opponent after Furuya pitched five innings and Eijun took over, while Kōshū worried about his recovery and prepared a plan for Kataoka Manager. As Yakushi awaited Seido in the semifinal, Kōshū began focusing on his body and the gap between himself and professional prospects.

• Kuramochi wondered why Kōshū irritated him, while Kōshū quietly felt anxious about his pitching and future.
• Furuya pitched five strong innings, then Eijun took over and was pulled in the ninth after allowing a runner.
• Kōshū noticed the opposing players staring at him, while Yakushi’s Todoroki Raichi said he wanted to see Kōshū pitch again.
• Kōshū considered the upcoming Yakushi semifinal and worked out what to include in the plan Kataoka Manager required before clearing him to play.
• Kōshū thought about his velocity, pitching ability, and injury history as he assessed his prospects with professional teams.
• Kōshū told Haruichi and Eijun that he planned to eat six meals a day to build his body.

Seido’s coaches debated who should start against Yakushi and what would make someone the team’s ace, while Raichi trained to hit Kōshū’s pitches. As the game approached, the seniors continued practicing and Yuki discussed his prospects in the professional draft.

• Kōshū recalled his earlier encounter with Yakushi and worried that the available pitchers had little experience facing their cleanup hitter.
• Ochiai Coach and Kataoka Manager agreed that the ace would be whoever combined strong pitching with the ability to lift the team’s morale, and Kataoka said he would not overlook anyone’s growth.
• Ochiai and Kataoka leaned toward starting Furuya against Yakushi, with Kawakami as a reliable reliever and Sawamura available depending on the situation.
• At Yakushi, Raichi kept swinging and said he could finally hit Kōshū’s pitches, while Sanada looked forward to the game.
• Seido’s third-years kept training, and Yuki told his teammates that scouts expected him to be drafted in the third or fourth round.

Kōshū was allowed to travel with Seido for its game against Yakushi after Kataoka promised he might play, though the coaches had already decided not to risk his injured foot. As Seido and Yakushi battled, Furuya faced a bases-loaded crisis in the fourth inning, leaving Kōshū hoping he could hold on.

• Kōshū stayed behind to write a pro baseball proposal while Seido's seniors prepared for the game and teased Kuramochi, Kawakami, and Haruichi.
• On October 20, Kataoka told Kōshū he might play depending on the situation, and Kōshū boarded the bus believing he still had a chance to take the field.
• Furuya struck out Todoroki Raichi with a Forkball in the first inning, and Seido scored once in the second to force Yakushi to bring in Sanada.
• Miyuki intentionally walked Todoroki Raichi in the fourth, but Sanada hit Furuya's fastball for a double and advanced the runner to third.
• Yakushi loaded the bases with two outs, and Kōshū watched as Furuya faced the pressure of the inning.