Chapter Summaries

Seidou entered the bottom of the seventh with Sendou’s at-bat set to decide the game’s momentum, while both coaches prepared for a direct showdown between Sendou and Kiryu’s ace, Hirobi Tate. After Kiryu intentionally walked Isashiki, Sendou identified that Coach Matsumoto was calling the pitches after just one pitch and two sets of signals.

• Sendou and Miyuki discussed the risky pitch choice that had protected Furuya, while Coach Kataoka told Sendou not to get taken out too easily.
• Coach Matsumoto chose Nagumo to relay his pitch calls and recognized Sendou as the key to Seidou’s batting lineup.
• At the start of the seventh, Isashiki forgot his helmet again before entering the batter’s box.
• Kiryu intentionally walked Isashiki to put a runner ahead of Sendou and set up a head-on matchup with the cleanup hitter.
• Sendou stepped up against Hirobi Tate, swung through the first-pitch slider, and realized that Coach Matsumoto was calling the pitches.

Sendou outwitted Coach Matsumoto despite his numb hands and hit a two-run home run, bringing Seidou within two runs of Kiryu. After reaching the dugout, he let Senior Chris and Sawamura tend to his injured hands.

• Nagumo relayed Coach Matsumoto’s signals as Hirobi Tate threw two sliders, then an inside fastball that Sendou fouled off and that left his hands numb.
• Sendou hid his injury and let Coach Matsumoto believe he was struggling, then used his whole-body power to hit the next pitch high and deep.
• Kiryu’s outfielder failed to catch the ball at the fence, and Sendou’s home run made the score seven to five.
• Sendou admitted his hands had almost no feeling, and the Seidou players realized the earlier fastball had caused the numbness.
• Coach Kataoka thanked Sendou, who insisted he had done his job as the team’s cleanup hitter.
• Senior Chris removed Sendou’s glove and massaged his hand before Sawamura took over.

Seidou and Kiryu traded late-inning runs before Seidou erupted in the bottom of the eighth, with Sendou’s triple and a six-hit rally putting Seidou ahead 14–6. Hirobi Tate remained on the mound as Shirazu’s double kept the inning alive and Seidou’s batting order turned over.

• In the seventh, Captain Tetsu stole second during a feigned bunt, Masuko bunted him to third, and Miyuki doubled to help Seidou extend its lead to three runs.
• Kiryu scored once in the top of the eighth, but Furuya struck out Sudou and Nakai to limit the damage, leaving the score 8–6.
• Kuramochi was retired on a surprise bunt in the bottom of the eighth, while Kominato Ryosuke and Isashiki reached base with first-pitch swings and bunts.
• Sendou hit a one-run triple, bringing Seidou within one run and advancing himself to third.
• Captain Tetsu, Masuko, Miyuki, and Furuya followed with hits as Seidou surged ahead and scored five more runs.
• Shirazu doubled to cap Seidou’s six consecutive hits, while Hirobi Tate stayed in the game despite the rally.

Seidou widened its lead to 14–6, but Kiryu rallied around Coach Matsumoto’s call to keep fighting and entered the top of the ninth with hopes of a comeback. Furuya remained on the mound against Kiryu’s patient, persistent batters, and Murata kept the inning alive with a foul ball.

• Seidou scored six runs in the inning, including Furuya’s home run, to take an eight-run lead over Kiryu.
• Coach Matsumoto encouraged Hirobi Tate and Kiryu’s players to believe they could still overcome the deficit, while Kiryu got Kuramochi out with an extreme defensive formation.
• Kuramochi hit an infield fly, ending Seidou’s offense and sending the game into the final inning with Kiryu trailing by eight.
• Coach Kataoka kept Furuya on the mound as Kiryu began its ninth-inning offense, and Murata watched the first pitch for a ball.
• Murata fouled off several pitches from Furuya, including a changeup, and continued the at-bat.

Kiryu High School rallied against Furuya, scoring a run and loading the bases before Seidou replaced him with Kawakami. With the Center Batting Lineup at the plate, Seidou set up a risky defensive shift and tried to steady Kawakami.

• Murata walked after battling Furuya with foul balls, and Asano followed with a single to put runners on first and second.
• Amasawa hit a long single that scored a runner and left Kiryu with runners on second and third and no outs.
• Coach Kataoka replaced Furuya with Kawakami, who struck out Hirata but then allowed another batter to reach and faced Ishizaki with the bases loaded.
• Miyuki called the defense together, and Tanba explained the infield shift and Sendou’s role in covering the gaps.
• Sendou, Tetsu, and the others rubbed Tanba’s head as a team ritual before Seidou took its defensive positions.

Seidou used an aggressive defensive formation as Kawakami faced Kiryu’s cleanup hitter with the game at stake. Encouraged by Miyuki and the team, Kawakami trusted his pitch and got the first batter out, leaving the decisive showdown against Hirobi Tate ahead.

• Seidou shifted its fielders forward, and Ishizaki tried to hit Kawakami’s pitches toward center field but struck out after fouling off an outside pitch and grounding out.
• Kawakami accepted Miyuki’s inside-corner pitch despite his nerves, and Ishizaki’s ground ball was caught for the first out.
• Coach Kataoka returned Seidou’s fielders to normal positions to challenge cleanup hitter Hirobi Tate instead of giving Kiryu an easy run.
• Miyuki visited Kawakami on the mound, reminded him of Seidou’s defense, and encouraged him to trust his pitches.
• Kawakami turned to look at his teammates, felt reassured by their defense, and prepared to face Hirobi Tate.

Sendou robbed Hirobi Tate of a potential grand slam with a spectacular wall catch and throw, limiting Kiryu to one run and leaving the score at 14–8 with two outs. Seidou’s spirits rose as Kawakami faced Sudou, Kiryu’s fifth batter, while Sawamura led the crowd in chanting for one more out.

• Miyuki and Kawakami challenged Hirobi Tate with a careful mix of fastballs and sliders, but Hirobi fouled off several pitches before driving a high fly ball toward center field.
• Sendou raced back, climbed the fence, caught the ball just before it cleared the wall, and threw toward home plate as he landed and rolled.
• Kiryu’s runner scored from third, but Sendou’s catch turned Hirobi’s potential grand slam into an out and made the score 14–8 with two outs.
• Isashiki helped Sendou up and praised his dangerous catch, while Sendou joked with him about wanting watermelon instead of a banana.
• Coach Matsumoto rallied Kiryu, and Kawakami prepared to face fifth batter Sudou as Seidou’s players and supporters called for one more out.
• Sawamura started a chant of “One moooore!” that spread through the crowd.

Seidou defeated Osaka Toin 14–7 to reach the semifinals, where they would face Seibou the next day. After the other semifinalists were decided, Seidou rested at the hotel and held another War Council.

• Kan caught Sudou's hit, and Kuramochi's throw to first completed the final out as Seidou beat Osaka Toin 14–7.
• Hirobi Tate congratulated Sendou and Captain Tetsu, then comforted his teammates after Osaka Toin's elimination.
• Coach Kataoka and Captain Tetsu thanked Seidou's supporters, while Seibou's players discussed the threat posed by Seidou's batting lineup.
• Hakuryuu and Kyoma won their afternoon games, completing the semifinal matchups of Seidou versus Seibou and Kyoma versus Hakuryuu.
• Coach Matsumoto praised Seidou's lineup to the media without revealing its secret combination, and Sendou later guessed at his motives to the team.
• Seidou returned to the hotel, rested, and held another War Council before the semifinal.

Sendou studied Seihou’s players with Seidou’s seniors and joined Coach Kataoka’s plan to pressure their changeup pitcher and build an early lead. Seidou prepared to face Seihou in the packed stadium, with Furuya starting and Captain Tetsu choosing to bat first.

• Sendou escaped shogi with Captain Tetsu and borrowed recordings from Senior Chris to study game footage.
• Senior Chris described Seihou’s pitchers and lineup, warning Seidou about Hoshinomiya Yukino’s Vertical Slider and cleanup hitter Sano Shuzo.
• Coach Kataoka ordered Sendou and Yuki to pressure Hoshinomiya on the bases, named Furuya the starter, and assigned Kawakami and Sawamura to prepare in relief and Tanba to close.
• Coach Nishi-tera reviewed Seidou’s game and planned to copy the tactics Coach Matsumoto had used against Kiryu.
• Seidou rested, completed morning preparations, and arrived at the packed stadium for its game against Seihou.
• Captain Tetsu won rock-paper-scissors, chose to attack first, and Seidou’s players entered the field to warm up.

Seidou opened its Koshien semifinal against Seibou with aggressive baserunning, putting Kuramochi on third before Sendou came up with two outs. Sendou fouled off a powerful pitch in his first at-bat, leaving Sano stunned by his hitting ability.

• Mr. Che assessed Seidou and Seibou before the game, favoring Seidou because of its stronger batting lineup and four-man pitching rotation.
• Kuramochi reached first on a safety bunt, stole second, and advanced to third after Isashiki grounded out.
• Kominato Ryosuke battled Hoshinomiya Yukino through a full count but struck out on a slow curveball.
• Sendou entered with two outs and Kuramochi on third, drawing an outside ball before fouling off a powerful pitch.
• Sano watched Sendou's swing and realized the first-year batter was a genuine monster.

Sendou hit a two-run home run off Hoshinomiya’s vertical slider, giving Seidou an early lead and shaking Seihou’s ace. Hoshinomiya then lost control and walked Captain Tetsu, leaving Seihou scrambling to steady him with two outs in the first inning.

• Sendou choked up, adjusted to Hoshinomiya’s pitches, and hit the vertical slider over the left-field fence with Kuramochi scoring ahead of him.
• Sendou explained that he had mentally simulated the ball’s movement from the available footage, while Chris recognized his exceptional spatial awareness.
• Hoshinomiya and Kiriyama agreed to stop using the vertical slider and rebuild their pitching plan around the sinker and slow curveball.
• Seidou rallied behind Captain Tetsu as he stepped up, and Kiriyama warned Hoshinomiya that Tetsu could further damage the ace’s confidence.
• Hoshinomiya failed to throw strikes and walked Captain Tetsu, prompting Kiriyama to call a mound visit so the ace could regain control.

Seidou used aggressive baserunning and a safety bunt to pressure Seibou’s recovering pitcher, then Furuya struck out the side in the first inning. The chapter ended with Furuya striking out Seibou’s cleanup hitter, Sano, as Seidou’s strong start continued.

• Yuuki stole second with two outs, and Masuko attempted a safety bunt, but Seibou got the final out of the inning.
• Mine Fujio explained that Seidou’s aggressive approach aimed to keep Seibou’s pitcher under pressure and drain his stamina.
• Furuya struck out Nakagawa and Nanase, then Oni-san caught Kiriyama’s hit to end Seibou’s first inning scoreless.
• Hoshinomiya struck out Miyuki, Furuya, and Shirazu in the top of the second inning.
• Furuya struck out Sano with a Fast Forkball, giving Seidou another out in the bottom of the second.

Furuya dominated Seihou after mistakenly believing Sendou hit a home run to motivate him, while Sendou reached base in the fourth inning and set up a scoring chance with Yuuki at bat. The chapter ended with Sendou and Captain Tetsu exchanging their scissors signal as Seidou prepared to attack.

• Furuya struck out Seihou’s fifth and sixth batters, fueled by a misunderstanding about Sendou’s home run and praise.
• Furuya completed another three-up, three-down inning as both pitchers continued to hold the opposing lineups.
• Sendou swung through a sinker, fouled off a pitch, then hit Hoshinomiya’s slow curveball and beat a relay throw to first.
• Sendou took a large lead, and Seihou’s pickoff attempt failed to catch him.
• Yuuki stepped into the batter’s box, and he and Sendou exchanged their scissors signal while Seidou’s supporters cheered.

Sendou and Captain Tetsu used their new signals to coordinate aggressive baserunning and batting against Seihou. Tetsu deliberately fouled pitches as he pursued a big hit, while Seidou’s teammates chose to trust him.

• Sendou stole second and took an enormous lead, forcing Kiriyama and Hoshinomiya into repeated, unsuccessful pickoff attempts.
• Sendou and Tetsu used their version 2.0 signals to communicate pitch information, and Coach Matsumoto worked out how their system functioned.
• Sendou signaled for Tetsu to target a long hit, and Tetsu recalled their promise to show Japan the strength of their partnership.
• Tetsu deliberately fouled several pitches, while Coach Kataoka and Seidou’s third-year players trusted and supported his judgment.

Seidou extended its lead over Seibou to four runs in the fourth inning, powered by Yuuki and Sendou and another strong batting turn. Furuya struck out Nakagawa before Coach Kataoka prepared Kawakami to relieve him next inning, leaving Seibou’s second trip through the order underway.

• With two strikes and three balls, Sendou broke from second as Yuuki hit Kiriyama’s sinker to the center-field fence for a triple, scoring Sendou and putting Seidou ahead by three runs.
• Masuko’s hit-and-run grounder brought Yuuki home, though Seibou threw Masuko out at first and recorded its first out of the inning.
• Miyuki grounded out, but Furuya followed with a double off the right-field fence before Shirazu was retired, completing Seidou’s two-run inning and extending its lead to four.
• In the bottom of the fourth, Furuya struck out Nakagawa for his seventh strikeout of the game after a long at-bat.
• Coach Kataoka told Haruichi to have Kawakami warm up to pitch the next inning while Furuya finished the current one, and Nanase came up to bat.

Seidou held its lead through Furuya’s tense inning, with Sendou’s defense limiting Seihou to one run. Coach Kataoka replaced Furuya with Kawakami as Seihou prepared to keep fighting for victory.

• Nanase doubled for Seibou, and Furuya refocused after Sendou encouraged him to keep pitching.
• Kiriyama advanced to first and then third, while Sano’s powerful drive was caught by Sendou near the fence and brought in only one run.
• Furuya struck out Sano, then Sendou dove to catch Shiranami’s hit and end the inning.
• Coach Kataoka replaced Furuya with Kawakami, while Coach Nishi-tera urged Seihou to pursue the Victory Banner.

Seidou escaped the top of the fifth without scoring after Sendou nearly hit a home run but was caught in center field. Kawakami relieved Furuya in the bottom half, where Akashi battled him through a long at-bat and kept the count at two balls and two strikes.

• Kuramochi and Kominato struck out against Hoshinomiya’s breaking pitches, and Seihou intentionally walked Isashiki to face Sendou with two outs.
• Sendou fouled a pitch just short of a home run, then hit Hoshinomiya’s next fastball to the center fielder and was retired.
• Sendou joked with his teammates as Seidou changed sides and prepared for the bottom of the fifth.
• Seidou replaced Furuya with Kawakami, who faced Akashi to open Seibou’s offense.
• Akashi fouled off several pitches and laid off a close outside slider, extending his at-bat to twelve pitches with the count still two balls and two strikes.

Miyuki called a bold pitch sequence that struck out Akashi and helped Kawakami retire the side scoreless. As the sixth inning began, Coach Kataoka urged Seidou to keep attacking, while Yuuki came to bat against a tiring Hoshinomiya.

• Miyuki called for Kawakami to repeat the pitch Akashi had just watched, and Akashi swung through it for a strikeout.
• Kawakami retired Seihou's next two batters, keeping the fifth inning scoreless.
• Coach Kataoka told Seidou to attack relentlessly before the sixth inning, anticipating Seihou's push to reduce the lead before Tanba entered.
• Yuuki stepped into the batter's box as Seidou began the sixth inning, and Hoshinomiya struggled with the pressure and heat.
• Hoshinomiya and his catcher chose a sinker when they needed a strike, and Yuuki fouled it off.

Seidou extended its lead to five runs when Masuko hit a two-run home run, but Seibou rallied around Hoshinomiya’s confidence and retired the next three batters. Sendou, tiring from the consecutive games, accepted bananas from Jun-san and Sawamura.

• Tetsu reached first with an infield hit, and Masuko followed him to the batter’s box.
• Masuko hit Hoshinomiya’s inside sinker over left field for a two-run home run, widening Seidou’s lead to five runs.
• Hoshinomiya urged Kiriyama to trust their lineup, and Seibou’s battery struck out Miyuki with a sequence ending in a fastball.
• Kawakami hit an infield fly, giving Seibou its second out, and the ace retired three batters in a row after Masuko’s home run.
• Sendou admitted the consecutive games were exhausting him, and Jun-san and Sawamura gave him bananas.

Seibou High School mounted a late-inning rally against Seidou, scoring a run and putting runners on base in the bottom of the sixth. Kawakami faced Sano with one out, as Seidou’s five-run lead came under pressure.

• Sendou and Miyuki bickered while the players prepared to resume the game.
• Ichinose singled, and Nakagawa’s bunt moved him to second for one out.
• Nanase singled on a ball that barely stayed fair, putting runners on first and third.
• Miyuki visited the mound to reassure Kawakami after the lucky hit.
• Kiriyama bunted with two strikes, bringing in a run and reaching first as Seibou left runners on first and second.
• Sano came to bat with one out, and Miyuki urged Kawakami to reset himself.