Chapter Summaries

Seido arrived at Koshien for its first tournament game, where Kataoka planned to rotate pitchers and keep Kōshū as a late-game option. Tanba started strongly against Ichizen, and the chapter ended with him striking out the opposing third batter on a sharp breaking pitch.

• Seido entered Koshien, and the players marveled at the professional stadium and its facilities.
• Kōshū told Eijun that Tanba would start, Kawakami would follow, and the younger pitchers would each get an inning, while Kōshū remained the emergency closer.
• Haruichi recognized that Kataoka's pitching rotation would force opponents to prepare for Seido's entire staff.
• Seido lined up on the field as Eijun encouraged his teammates and was scolded by spectators for showing off.
• Tanba induced Ichizen's third batter to miss a pitch that broke back into the strike zone, completing the inning with three outs.

Seido defeated Ichizen, then trained for five days before beating Yozei 7–0 to advance to the Sweet Sixteen. Before the Yozei game, the players briefly noticed a Hokkaido team called Great Troll Wisteria, unaware it would become a major obstacle to their Koshien hopes.

• Seido's defense supported Kawakami, Furuya, and Eijun as they shut out Ichizen.
• Kataoka and the coaching staff discussed whether to hold an intra-squad match, while the players soon returned to their training routine.
• Before facing Yozei, Seido's players read newspaper coverage and briefly noticed Great Troll Wisteria, a Hokkaido team using relay pitching.
• Kawakami started Seido's August 15 game against Yozei, and Seido won 7–0 to advance to the Sweet Sixteen.

Seido prepared for its game against Seihō, studying Sano Shuzo and assigning its pitchers to cover the innings. After Tanba rallied the Pitcher Lineup to share responsibility, the chapter ended with a personal note about the narrator’s father’s recent mishaps and the family deciding he should see a doctor.

• Seido learned that Sano Shuzo had hit a decisive home run to eliminate Osaka Kiryu and reviewed Seihō’s strengths before their game.
• The coaching staff assigned Tanba to the first four innings, Furuya to the fifth and sixth, and Kōshū to start in the seventh, with Kawakami and Sawamura ready as relievers.
• Chris explained Seihō’s roster, Sano’s dangerous hitting, the likely fatigue of Seihō’s ace, and the risks of playing in rainy conditions.
• Tanba gathered Seido’s pitchers and catchers, promised to attack Sano in his first two at-bats, and urged every pitcher to take responsibility as the team’s ace.
• The narrator described how their father put toilet cleaner in the washing machine, lost his phone, and flooded the house while trying to fix the heating, prompting the family to plan a doctor’s visit.

Seido faced Seibo at Koshien, recovering from an early deficit and keeping the game tied through the fifth inning. After Haruichi singled as a pinch hitter, Kōshū went to warm up in the bullpen.

• Kōshū dreamed that his Wild Pitch cost Seido the game, and Miyuki woke him after hearing him cry.
• At breakfast, the team teased Sawamura for crying in his sleep, while Miyuki asked Kōshū how he was feeling.
• Seido arrived at Koshien, where Kuramochi led off against Seibo as the game began.
• Tanba gave up a two-run home run in the first, but Seido tied the score with two runs in the second and Tanba retired the side in order in the bottom half.
• With the game tied 2:2 in the fifth, Kataoka sent Haruichi in to pinch hit, and Haruichi singled through the infield.
• Miyuki sent Kōshū to warm up in the bullpen as Furuya had only two more innings left to pitch.

Seido took a one-run lead over Seibang, but Masuko’s chance to bring home two runners ended in a groundout against Seibang’s newly entered ace. Furuya stayed on the mound to defend the lead as Seibang’s ninth batter prepared to face his high-velocity pitching.

• Senior Kominato’s sacrifice bunt advanced the runners and brought Seido the go-ahead run.
• Furuya’s pitching grew faster under pressure, and Kōshū signaled for Miyuki to call Changeups to help him relax.
• Senior Kominato feinted toward home, drawing a throw to third while Yuki advanced to second; Seido had runners on second and third with two outs.
• Seibang’s ace entered and struck out Masuko with a breaking pitch that Kōshū suspected was a previously unseen Cutter.
• Eijun prepared to relieve Furuya if needed, while Seibang’s ninth batter, Shirayama, planned to watch Furuya’s pitches and help his teammates adjust.

Seido’s Furuya faced Seihō’s cleanup hitter Sano Shuzo in a tense inning, walking him after a foul-producing Fast Forkball but keeping him stranded at third. With Seido still leading by one run, Kōshū prepared to take the mound in the seventh inning.

• Shirayama struck out against Furuya’s fastball, and Seihō’s batters considered the threat posed by Seido’s next pitcher, Kōshū.
• Seido’s battery tested Furuya against Sano Shuzo, who fouled off a Fast Forkball on the first pitch.
• Furuya’s control wavered, and he walked Sano before throwing several pickoff attempts at first base.
• Furuya’s pitching stopped Seihō’s sacrifice-bunt advance, and Sano was stranded on third without scoring.
• Kōshū announced that he would pitch the next inning and went to warm up in the bullpen.
• Kōshū stepped onto Koshien’s mound for the first time as the game turned to the seventh inning.

Kōshū took the mound for Seido and struck out Seihō’s eighth batter with precise pitches. He then faced Seihō’s leadoff batter, who swung through a changeup on the first pitch.

• Kōshū opened the inning with a sharp fastball that Seihō’s eighth batter watched for a strike.
• Kōshū threw a bait ball in nearly the same location, and the batter swung and missed for strike two.
• Miyuki called for an outside slider, and Kōshū struck the eighth batter out on three pitches.
• Shirayama encouraged his teammates as he went to bat, while Seihō’s players discussed Kōshū’s fearless pitching and accuracy.
• Seihō’s leadoff batter swung at Kōshū’s first-pitch changeup and missed badly.

Seido failed to capitalize on a bases-loaded chance against Seibo One, leaving the game still one run apart. Rival teams watching from Tokyo saw Seido’s batting weaknesses as the game continued.

• Kōshū struck out Seibo One’s leadoff batter with a fastball and slider, retiring the side.
• Shirazu and Masuko singled, Miyuki’s sacrifice fly advanced a runner, and Shirazu’s later hit put runners on first and third with two outs.
• Kōshū hit a towering foul ball, then walked to load the bases for Kuramochi.
• Kuramochi struck out and tapped the ball, but the catcher tagged out the advancing Masuko before Kuramochi could reach first.
• Narumiya, Coach Todoroki, and other rival teams watched Seido’s game and discussed the lineup’s emerging problems.

In the eighth inning, Kōshū and Miyuki outmaneuvered Seibo’s batters with a mix of pitches and deliberate choices. Kōshū struck out Seibo’s third batter with an almost middle-middle pitch, leaving Seibo’s cleanup hitter next.

• Kōshū opened the inning by catching Seibo’s second batter off guard with an outside-corner fastball for a strike.
• Miyuki recognized Seibo was targeting inside pitches, and Kōshū used a Cutter to induce a groundout to the second baseman.
• Miyuki chose to set up the cleanup hitter by attacking Seibo’s third batter with outside pitches and Changeups.
• Kōshū got the third batter to foul off an outside fastball and miss a Cutter for a strike.
• Kōshū threw an almost middle-middle ball, and the third batter’s hesitation let it cross the plate for an out.

Kōshū and Miyuki faced Sano Shuzo with two outs, and Kōshū struck him out to end the inning. Sano realized he would not get another at-bat.

• Sano told Kōshū that the third batter had been fooled by Miyuki's pitch selection, while Miyuki proposed walking Sano if he caught Kōshū's rhythm.
• Kōshū resisted the idea of deliberately walking Sano but agreed that a home run would worsen Seido's position.
• Kōshū opened the showdown with a high inside pitch that Sano avoided for a ball.
• Kōshū's rising fastball caught the back of Sano's bat for a foul, and a Two-Seam Fastball then fooled him into swinging at a ball.
• Kōshū threw a Changeup, and Sano swung through it for the third out, realizing he would not bat again.

Seido defeated West Tokyo in the ninth inning after Todoroki’s home run broke open the close game, securing a place in the Koshien quarterfinals. Back at the inn, Miyuki asked Lang Zhi about Kōshū’s emotional state and weaknesses, but their conversation had only just begun.

• West Tokyo rallied in the dugout, but Todoroki hit a home run in the top of the ninth and Shirayama wondered whether the heavy rain during their defensive innings was a sign from heaven.
• Seido widened its lead to four runs and defeated West Tokyo, becoming the sixth team to reach the Koshien quarterfinals.
• Seido met the captain of Great Troll Wisteria in the Players' Tunnel, and Yuki told him they would meet on the field.
• At the inn, Miyuki asked Lang Zhi about Kōshū's emotional state and whether he had any weaknesses.
• Lang Zhi began thinking about what he could tell Miyuki about his brother.

Lang Zhi told Miyuki about Kōshū’s perfectionism, attentiveness, and struggles around strangers, prompting Miyuki to reconsider how he treated others. After Kōshū ran to clear his head, Seido learned it would face Ikuei High School the day after tomorrow.

• Lang Zhi told Miyuki that Kōshū had been a perfectionist since middle school and had worked hard to avoid falling behind in his studies.
• Lang Zhi explained that Kōshū won over their family by understanding their feelings and interests, leading Miyuki to reflect on his own bluntness.
• Lang Zhi recalled that Kōshū used to grow quiet around strangers, and Miyuki concluded that he had worked to change.
• Kōshū woke from a nap, worried about the exhausting season ahead, and went for a run to clear his head.
• Miyuki practiced swinging alone, while Kōshū noticed a hostile pitcher from Kyoma University at the draw.
• The draw announced that Seido would play Ikuei High School the day after tomorrow.

Seido defeated Ikuei 11–4 and advanced to the Koshien semifinals, while the media debated the team’s pitcher-rotation strategy. Kōshū rejected Miyuki’s questions about the ace position, and Tanba began weighing whether to continue playing baseball after high school.

• Miyuki tried to check on Kōshū’s mood, but Kōshū brushed him off and asked him to put a newspaper by the door.
• Seido’s Central Batting Lineup broke through Ikuei’s ace in the sixth inning, and Seido won 11–4.
• Newspapers and online commentators debated Seido’s pitcher rotation and whether high-school competition or protecting young pitchers mattered more.
• Kōshū spoke with his mother after a team meeting, then told Miyuki that Tanba remained the ace and that he accepted the coaches’ decisions about pitching.
• Tanba reflected on his loss to Ikuei and questioned whether he wanted to keep playing baseball in university.

Seido watched Great Troll Wisteria battle its way into the Koshien final, where they would face Seido after a day and a half of preparation. Hongo vowed to study Seido’s pitchers, especially Kōshū, as the chapter ended with the teams preparing for their showdown.

• Hongo studied Seido’s footage and decided their pitchers, particularly Kōshū, had to be understood before they could be beaten.
• Seido discussed Takeyama High School’s strengths before defeating them 9–2 in the semifinal.
• Seido watched Great Troll Wisteria repeatedly change pitchers and reclaim the lead against their semifinal opponent.
• Nitta Manager warned Hongo not to lose his temper while Seido watched from the stands.
• Great Troll Wisteria’s first-year pitcher shut down the opposition in the ninth, securing a 6–3 win and a place in the final against Seido.

Seido reviewed its tournament pitching statistics and compared them with Kyoma University's ahead of their matchup, finding the teams had the same overall ERA. The meeting then turned to Seido's weaknesses at the plate, leaving the lineup under scrutiny.

• Eijun celebrated that he and Kōshū had ERAs of zero, while the others reviewed Seido's pitching statistics and discussed how Kōshū had become the team's effective ace.
• Chris explained that Kyoma University's four pitchers had a combined 1.6 ERA, with experienced third-years Nakata and Fuji, steady left-handed reliever Motomura, and first-year Hongo Masamune.
• Isashiki said Kyoma's pitching staff resembled Seido's but had more experience, and Kōshū acknowledged his own major-tournament experience came from middle school.
• Chris concluded that Seido's lineup lacked offensive threat outside the third through sixth spots and that only the third and fourth hitters consistently connected, leaving Masuko and Miyuki uneasy.

Chris analyzed Seido’s batting weaknesses and Kyoma University’s resilient, dangerous lineup before Kataoka urged the team to make reasonable preparations for the final. The chapter followed Kōshū’s limited pitching and batting practice through the eve of the Koshien Final, where Seido and Kyoma University arrived to face each other.

• Chris reviewed Seido’s batting statistics, highlighting the lineup’s dependence on its third through sixth batters and its weak on-base and sacrifice-bunt numbers.
• Chris described how Kyoma University came back twice against Chiba’s powerhouse school and warned Seido that every batter in Kyoma’s order could hit for extra bases.
• Kataoka told the players to make final adjustments without overtraining, and Kōshū resolved to hold on under the pressure of facing Kyoma.
• Kōshū tested his pitches, then practiced batting while Kuramochi worked on hitting left-handed.
• Seido rested early before the Koshien Final, and Eijun spotted Kyoma University arriving at the stadium.

Seido began the Koshien final against Kyoma University, with Kuramochi reaching first base in the opening inning. As Lang Zhi watched from the stands, he wondered whether he would ever be able to reconnect with Kōshū.

• Seido and Kyoma University’s captains greeted each other before both teams entered the field and bowed on the field.
• Yuki won the draw for Seido, giving them the first turn at bat.
• Lang Zhi called out to Kōshū from the stands, but Kōshū’s quick glance passed over him and he did not hear Lang Zhi’s shout.
• Kuramochi faced Kyoma’s starting pitcher Nakata, dodged the first pitch, and then hit the next pitch safely to reach first base.
• Nakata tried to hold Kuramochi close to first, but Kuramochi dodged a pickoff attempt and returned safely to the bag when Kyoma’s catcher anticipated a steal.

Seido took an early lead against Kyoma University in the Koshien Finals after Komizato and Kuramochi coordinated two hit-and-runs, while Kyoma changed pitchers to limit the damage. Tanba began Seido’s first defensive inning, and Miyuki prepared to guide him through Kyoma’s attack.

• Komizato anticipated a fastball, but Kyoma’s catcher threw out a fast forkball as Kuramochi stole second; Seido then used another hit-and-run to advance Kuramochi to third.
• Kyoma Manager Nitta replaced left fielder Maenuma and sent Fuji in to pitch, and Isashiki’s bunt let Kuramochi score while Isashiki was put out.
• Yuki struck out against Fuji’s sharp Slider, ending Seido’s first inning with a one-run lead.
• Kataoka told Seido to protect its lead, while Nitta urged Kyoma’s leadoff batter to target Tanba’s vulnerable fastball.
• Tanba asked Miyuki to handle the pitching strategy, and Miyuki chose his first Signal as Kyoma’s leadoff batter prepared to hit.

Tanba and Miyuki faced Kyoma University's disciplined lineup, using a mix of fastballs, breaking pitches, and psychological tricks to strike out the leadoff batter. The second batter eventually drove a pitch into the field for Kyoma University's first hit of the game.

• Tanba threw two fastballs and a Forkball to strike out Kyoma University's leadoff batter after the hitter overthought Miyuki's pitching strategy.
• The leadoff batter warned the second batter to focus on Tanba's fastball, but the second batter chose to rely on his own instincts.
• Miyuki and Tanba tested the second batter with a Curveball, a Forkball, and outside pitches, while he showed patience and checked his swing.
• The second batter fouled off an inside pitch, then drove the next pitch from the outside corner for Kyoma University's first hit.

Tanba was pulled after Kyoma University’s batters began hitting his fastballs, and Kōshū took the mound with Seido facing the opposing cleanup hitter. Kōshū planned to turn a double play, while Miyuki worried that their ace had entered the game too early and would need to conserve his stamina.

• Miyuki encouraged Tanba, but Kyoma University’s third batter crushed Tanba’s inside fastball.
• Kataoka replaced Tanba with Kōshū, and Tanba left the mound after a brief farewell to Koshien.
• Kōshū explained that Kyoma University’s disciplined hitters were unlikely to fall for the trick he had used against Harada.
• Kōshū told his teammates he would aim for a double play against Kyoma University’s cleanup hitter.
• Miyuki reminded Kōshū to manage his stamina and prepare to pitch the entire game.