Chapter Summaries

Sendou struck Harada out throughout their informal pitching matchup, then continued pitching while Harada caught and called for more balls. After they stopped for the evening, Sendou teased Harada about dating and joked that he would be a brother complex if he had a younger sister.

• Sendou used a Diagonal Fastball, a Fast Forkball, and a Changeup to strike Harada out in their second at-bat.
• Harada eagerly asked Sendou to pitch again, and Sendou struck him out in their third at-bat without Harada touching the ball.
• Harada questioned Sendou about his unusual Fast Forkball, and Sendou explained that he had only experimented with one direction of drop.
• Sendou kept pitching while Harada caught and called for different trajectories until he stopped because it was getting late.
• Sendou suggested dinner and a movie, then teased Harada about not having a girlfriend.
• Sendou joked that he would be a brother complex if he had a younger sister, and Harada said he would not approve of Sendou dating her unless she looked nothing like him.

Sendou spent his last free day before Koshien catching for Sawamura, then joined Seidou’s final preparations and traveled with the team to Hyogo. The team settled into its hotel determined to conquer the nation, with a possible rematch against Yokohama Kohoku Academy ahead.

• Sendou and Harada talked baseball over dinner, and Harada wished him luck at Koshien before they parted.
• Sendou agreed to catch for Sawamura, limited him to ten pitches, and watched him hit Kanemaru several times during practice.
• Coach Kataoka held batting practice with minor lineup adjustments, and Coach Kataoka led Seidou in its departure cheer before the team left for Hyogo.
• Harada, Azuma Kiyokuni, Ozawa, and Sendou’s parents thought of Sendou and wished him well at Koshien.
• Seidou arrived at its hotel and practiced, while Sendou considered the team’s possible first opponent, Yokohama Kohoku Academy.

Sendou and the Seidou team settled into their hotel before Koshien, where room assignments and shogi games gave the players plenty to laugh about. After evening practice, Sendou learned that Coach Nakanishi had arranged access to a nearby middle school’s field and equipment, opening the way for defensive practice.

• Head Manager Oota announced the hotel arrangements, and Sendou discovered he was rooming with Captain Tetsu and Miyuki.
• Captain Tetsu brought a shogi set and played Miyuki until dinner while Sendou watched; the team later laughed at Sawamura’s room assignment with Kuramochi and Isashiki.
• After dinner, Captain Tetsu practiced a thousand swings with Sendou keeping track while Miyuki, Sawamura, and Furuya continued pitching practice.
• Sendou received a call from Coach Nakanishi, who had arranged for Seidou to borrow a nearby middle school’s field and equipment for defensive practice.

Seidou settled into Koshien, studied its first opponent Yokohama Kohoku Academy, and prepared for their opening game. Coach Kataoka named Furuya as the starter and ordered a pitching rotation, leaving Seidou ready to begin the tournament.

• Sendou told Coach Kataoka that Coach Nakanishi had arranged access to Mishima Middle School’s field and facilities for Seidou’s practice.
• Seidou attended Koshien’s opening ceremony, trained at Mishima Middle School, and watched Yokohama Kohoku Academy defeat Ichizen 5–2.
• Sendou and Miyuki discussed Yokohama Kohoku Academy’s strengths and vowed to avenge Seidou’s spring loss.
• Senior Chris analyzed Yokohama Kohoku Academy, and Coach Kataoka instructed the lineup to wear down ace Ino while building an early lead.
• Coach Kataoka chose Furuya to start Seidou’s opening game and told Tanba, Kawakami, and Sawamura to prepare for a rotating pitching plan.

Yokogaku Kohoku Academy’s coach recognized that Seidou had become far stronger since spring, while Coach Kataoka moved Sendou into the cleanup spot for Seidou’s Koshien opener. Furuya struck out Yokogaku’s first three batters with pitches reaching 151 kilometers per hour, and Seidou’s cheering section helped turn the stadium into a home-field advantage.

• Yokogaku Kohoku Academy’s coach studied Seidou’s recent footage and warned his team that Seidou’s pitching and batting had improved, estimating Yokogaku’s chances of winning at under thirty percent.
• Coach Kataoka made Sendou do extra baserunning drills, then set Seidou’s lineup with Sendou batting cleanup ahead of Yuuki.
• On August 12th, Seidou and Yokogaku Kohoku Academy began their first Koshien game as the crowd reacted with surprise to first-year Sendou batting cleanup and first-year Furuya starting.
• Furuya struck out the first three Yokogaku batters, reaching 151 kilometers per hour and astonishing the crowd and scouts.
• Seidou’s supporters rallied the crowd behind the team, turning Koshien Stadium into Seidou’s home field.

Seidou and Yokohama Kohoku traded scoreless innings as Furuya dominated with high-speed pitches and strikeouts. The chapter ended with Sendou stepping up for his first at-bat at Koshien.

• Furuya struck out Yokohama Kohoku's first batter with a 160-kilometer-per-hour pitch, drawing a huge response from the crowd.
• Kuramochi struck out to open Seidou's first-inning offense, and Kominato Ryosuke followed after a long at-bat against Ino.
• Isashiki hit a fly ball to third, ending Seidou's first inning with the score still 0–0.
• Furuya struck out Yokohama Kohoku's cleanup hitter Furano with a 140-kilometer-per-hour Fast Forkball, then continued suppressing the lineup.
• Sendou was introduced as Seidou's cleanup hitter, and he stepped into the batter's box for his first at-bat at Koshien.

Sendou faced Yokogaku’s pitcher in his first at-bat and followed Coach Kataoka’s instruction by fouling off pitch after pitch. The count reached two strikes as Sendou continued resisting the Forkball that had gotten Onii-san out earlier.

• Sawamura loudly introduced Sendou while Seidou’s teammates and fans cheered for him.
• Sendou watched Yokogaku’s first two pitches, an inside Forkball and an outside curveball, go for balls.
• Sendou fouled off the third pitch and several more pitches, keeping the at-bat alive despite reaching two strikes.
• Sendou fouled off another Forkball, and the commentators praised his ability to adjust to the pitch.
• Sawamura declared that Saint Seiya never lost to the same move twice, and Onii-san chopped him for forgetting that he had struck out on that Forkball.

Sendou used a hit and a carefully timed steal signal to help Yuuki hit a two-run sequence, giving Seidou an early lead over Yokohama Kohoku Academy. Seidou continued its attack with Masuko’s unexpected squeeze bunt, while Miyuki came to bat with a runner on base.

• Sendou chopped Shirau’s inside pitch through the infield for Seidou’s first hit and reached second base.
• Sendou stole as Ino threw a Changeup, signaling its type to Yuuki, who drove the pitch to the left-field fence for a triple that scored Sendou.
• Masuko laid down a squeeze bunt while Yuuki ran home, extending Seidou’s lead to two runs.
• Sendou and Yuuki celebrated their coordinated strategy, and Miyuki stepped into the batter’s box as Sawamura heckled him.

Seidou changed pitchers after Furuya finished the third inning, and Furuya then reached base with a hit in Seidou’s next turn at bat. Kuramochi replaced him at first and tried to steal while Kominato Ryosuke batted, but the chapter ended after Kuramochi pulled back from a suspected pickoff and the pitch was called a strike.

• Furuya issued a walk in the third inning, then struck out the next two batters to strand a runner on second.
• Coach Kataoka decided Furuya would finish the inning and sent Kominato to call Sawamura to pitch next.
• Furuya hit a first-pitch fastball into right field for Seidou’s third hit and reached first base.
• Kuramochi grounded into a fielder’s choice, but his speed let him reach first as Furuya was put out.
• Kuramochi tried to steal second while Kominato Ryosuke batted, then returned to first after a suspected pickoff that never came; the pitch was called a strike.

Seidou threatened Yokogaku with runners on second and third and Sendou at the plate, while Ino and Shirau tried to escape the inning. Sendou drove a pitch toward the outfield, but the ball landed foul, leaving the at-bat alive.

• Ino walked a Seidou batter, and Isashiki followed by grounding out while advancing the runners to second and third.
• Sawamura shouted at Isashiki, who left the bench to punch him before Miyauchi urged him to hurry because Sawamura would pitch next inning.
• Shirau and Ino decided to challenge Sendou rather than let him reach base easily, with Tetsu waiting on deck.
• Sendou took a ball on an inside slider, then fouled off an outside pitch to earn a strike.
• Sendou blasted the next pitch toward the outfield, but it landed in a spectator’s glove in foul territory.

Sendou nearly drove in two runs with a powerful hit, but Seidou's inning ended with him out at first. Seidou then replaced Itai with Sawamura on the mound, and Sawamura prepared to face Yokogaku in the bottom of the third.

• Sendou fouled off a dangerous pitch and then hit Ino's Forkball hard, but the second baseman recovered the ball and got him out at first.
• Sendou told Tetsu and Isashiki that he had guessed Ino's final pitches but failed to hit them well.
• Seidou announced that Sawamura would replace Itai in left field and pitch, while Furuya moved to left field.
• Sawamura warmed up with Miyuki, took a deep breath on the mound, and rallied his teammates before facing Yokogaku.

Sawamura began his first Summer Koshien appearance by slipping off the mound and throwing a wild pitch, leaving him mortified as the stadium laughed. Sendou and his teammates helped him recover, and Sawamura returned to the game determined to pitch well.

• Furuya complained about being taken out in the fourth inning as Sawamura eagerly took the mound.
• Sawamura slipped while pitching, and the ball bounced along the ground to Miyuki as the crowd burst into laughter.
• Sawamura blushed and struggled to compose himself while Miyuki called a defensive timeout and his teammates tried to calm him down.
• Sendou reminded Sawamura that playing well could turn the embarrassing moment into a story people teased him about, and Sawamura regained his composure.
• Furuya offered to take Sawamura's place, but Sawamura refused and Miyuki told him to pitch properly.
• Miyuki quietly asked Sendou to get a copy of the game footage, and Sendou agreed.

After his humiliating first pitch, Sawamura regained his focus and retired Yokogaku’s batters in his first inning on the mound. Seidou kept its 2–0 lead as Sawamura finished the inning in seven pitches.

• Sendou and Miyuki teased Sawamura after his embarrassing first pitch, but Sawamura resolved to erase the incident.
• Sawamura struck out Shin Nami with a fastball before Shin could react, then forced him to pop up an inside fastball for the first out.
• Sawamura got Kajiyama to hit a ground ball to Kuramochi, who caught it and completed the out with a quick throw.
• Furano grounded Sawamura’s first-pitch cutter to the second baseman, ending the inning after seven pitches with Seidou ahead 2–0.
• The author noted that a family hospital follow-up and exhaustion might delay the chapter owed from the previous day.

Seidou’s first-year pitchers continued to hold Yokohama Kohoku Academy hitless, while Captain Tetsu faced the opposing battery in a tense at-bat. Tetsu battled with two strikes as both teams cheered, and the inning remained unresolved.

• Yokohama Kohoku Academy remained hitless through four innings, while Seidou maintained a two-run lead.
• Furano encouraged Yokohama Kohoku Academy’s players to keep the score close and believe they could still win.
• Ino and Shirau mixed balls and strikes against Captain Tetsu, who swung through an outside Forkball for a strike.
• Sendou told Miyuki that Tetsu could handle the pitcher by guessing pitches, and Miyuki admitted that only Sendou and Tetsu could reliably keep up.
• Captain Tetsu fouled off another pitch with two strikes as both teams and their supporters urged their players on.

Seidou failed to score in the fourth inning against Yokogaku, despite Masuko reaching base and Sawamura advancing him with a bunt that also put himself on base. The score stayed 2–0 as Sawamura took the mound to start the next half-inning.

• Yokogaku's pitcher got Captain Tetsu out on an outside curveball, and Right Field caught the hit.
• Masuko hit a Slider for a single, but Yokogaku struck Miyuki out with a fastball, Forkball, and Slider.
• Sawamura followed the bench's bunt signal, and his bunt advanced Masuko while Sawamura reached base safely.
• Furuya hit a fastball, but Center Field caught it, leaving Seidou with runners stranded and the score 2–0.
• Seidou's bench urged Sawamura to shut down Yokogaku as he took the field.

Seidou and Yokogaku remained scoreless as Sawamura escaped a fifth-inning threat with a double play. In the bottom of the fifth, Yokogaku intentionally walked Sendou and Tetsu, but Ino struck out Masuko to end the inning with the bases loaded.

• Sawamura gave up Yokogaku’s first hit, then induced a double play and finished the inning without allowing a run.
• Isashiki hit a single with two outs in the bottom of the fifth, advancing to second and bringing Sendou to the plate.
• Yokogaku’s coach chose to intentionally walk Sendou and Tetsu, loading the bases rather than risk facing Seidou’s powerful batters.
• Ino struck out Masuko with three pitches, ending Seidou’s scoring threat and sending the teams into the next inning.

Seidou and Yokohama Kohoku Academy traded scoreless defensive innings before Miyuki broke through with Seidou’s first hit of the day. Sawamura advanced Miyuki to second with a bunt, leaving Yokohama Kohoku Academy facing another crisis.

• Kuramochi and the Seidou players consoled Masuko after he struck out, then joked around before Captain Tetsu rallied the team.
• Sawamura retired Shirau, Ishioka, and the next batter in six pitches during the top of the sixth.
• Miyuki hit Yokohama Kohoku Academy’s Forkball and reached first base for Seidou’s first hit of the day.
• Sawamura laid down a bunt that advanced Miyuki to second, while Sawamura was put out.

Seidou used Furuya’s hit and a squeeze-play feint to put Yokogaku’s battery under pressure, giving Kuramochi a three-ball, one-strike count with Miyuki on third. The chapter ended as Coach Kataoka signaled a new play and Sendou realized Kuramochi might be making an old joke come true.

• Furuya fouled off a fastball, then reached on an infield hit while Miyuki advanced to third.
• Shirau directed Yokogaku’s defense to guard against Seidou’s hit-and-run and squeeze plays as Kuramochi came to bat.
• Kuramochi took two outside pitches while Miyuki tested his lead from third.
• Miyuki and Kuramochi feinted a squeeze play, making Ino throw wide and giving Kuramochi a three-ball, one-strike count.
• Coach Kataoka signaled another play, and Kuramochi’s glance at Sendou made him realize their old joke might become real.

Kuramochi's squeeze bunt scored a run for Seidou, widening their lead over Yokogaku to three. Ino then used pickoffs and a quick pitch to pressure Kuramochi while Kominato Ryosuke came to bat, leaving the at-bat at two strikes as the author’s note began.

• Shirau chose to pitch to Kuramochi in the strike zone and called for a fastball to counter Seidou’s squeeze play.
• Kuramochi bunted the fastball toward second, and despite Yokogaku turning a force out, he beat the throw to first so Miyuki’s run counted.
• Seidou extended its lead to three runs, with two outs and Kuramochi on first.
• Ino repeatedly used pickoff throws and a quick Forkball to limit Kuramochi’s lead, then got him to swing and miss for the first strike on Kominato Ryosuke.
• Kominato fouled off an inside fastball for the second strike while Kuramochi returned to first.

Seidou loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth, setting up a decisive showdown between Sendou and Yokohama Kohoku Academy’s battery. Sendou let the first pitch pass and fouled off later pitches, leaving the at-bat unresolved after driving a fast pitch foul.

• Kominato Ryosuke singled off Shirau, advancing Kuramochi to third and reaching first with two outs.
• Isashiki drew a walk after fouling off pitches, loading the bases for Sendou.
• Sendou stepped up against Ino and Shirau as both teams braced for the game’s pivotal at-bat.
• Sendou watched the first pitch and fouled off the second, while Ino steadied Shirau and the battery continued attacking.
• Sendou questioned Shirau about pitching around him, then fouled a fast pitch into foul territory.