Chapter Summaries

Sendou was summoned to the Supervisor's Room and asked to train as a third baseman to provide the team with defensive cover. He accepted the switch, and Coach Kataoka prepared to begin one-on-one practice with him.

• Jun-san and the other seniors punished the first- and second-years for their poor play in the group qualifiers with a thousand one-on-one drills.
• Captain Tetsu met with the Supervisor and Coach Kataoka to arrange a Practice Match for Friday and two more games over the weekend.
• Coach Kataoka called Sendou to the Supervisor's Room and told him to train temporarily as a third baseman.
• Sendou agreed to the position change and asked whether he would throw left-handed, but Coach Kataoka told him to throw right-handed.
• Coach Kataoka gave Sendou an infielder's glove and announced that their practice would be one-on-one.

Sendou began intensive one-on-one training to convert him into a third baseman while the rest of the team endured punishing drills without touching a ball. After learning that the first match against the first- and second-years would take place Friday, Sendou came up with a proposal.

• Coach Kataoka arranged for Sendou to train in the batting cage while the other players worked on stamina and fundamentals.
• Coach Kataoka changed Sendou's defensive practice to one-on-two, with Captain Tetsu at first base, and drilled Sendou at third.
• Sendou quickly improved at fielding ground balls, prompting the other infielders to worry about losing their positions.
• Coach Kataoka ended practice after Sendou caught a hard line drive, and Sendou prepared for another night of training.
• Sendou asked Captain Tetsu when the first match against the first- and second-years would be played and came up with a proposal after hearing it was Friday.

Sendou’s request to face the Third Years in the first practice match was rejected, and Coach Kataoka put the team through grueling sprint training ahead of the match. Sawamura’s determination began to inspire the new team, while Sendou noticed that the first-year pitcher was starting to lead them mentally.

• Coach Kataoka rejected Sendou’s request to face the Third Years in the first match but said he could consider it for the second.
• Miyuki asked about practice, and Coach Kataoka announced that the team would follow its usual routine under his personal supervision.
• Coach Kataoka made the players run repeated full-speed sprints, leaving the team exhausted and unsure why practice was so demanding.
• Sawamura shouted encouragement as he sprinted, prompting Furuya, Tojo, and the other players to push themselves harder.
• Sendou watched Sawamura inspire the team, then caught a ball thrown by the assistant coach and was ordered to throw it to first base.

Sendou pushed through intensive defensive training as Seidou’s players finished their exhausting practice. Miyuki announced that they would face the Third Years in a practice match the next day, with Sendou joining the First Team as center fielder.

• Sendou made a diving stop during his one-on-one fielding practice and threw the ball to Tetsu.
• After practice, Maezono urged the team to take responsibility for their training instead of complaining about the running.
• Sawamura and Furuya eagerly asked about bullpen practice, but Miyuki stopped the players to announce the next day’s game.
• Miyuki said the First Team would play the Third Years, and Sendou would make his First Team debut in center field.
• Kuramochi told Miyuki that Coach had nearly chosen Sendou as captain and had asked the seniors to help guide the team.

Sawamura and Furuya kept Miyuki catching pitches at the Indoor Practice Field until he escaped, then pleaded with Sendou to take over. Sendou set strict limits on their practice, and they waited obediently for him to return with a glove.

• Sawamura and Furuya monopolized Miyuki for pitching practice, ignoring his complaints and competing for more pitches.
• Sendou questioned why Sawamura had called him over, and Sawamura admitted he had used Fumino's advice to persuade him to help.
• Miyuki escaped while Sawamura and Furuya argued over whose turn it was, so they begged Sendou to catch for them instead.
• Sendou agreed to catch ten pitches each in alternating turns until eleven o'clock, with strict rules about extra pitches.
• Sendou borrowed Miyauchi-senpai's glove, then returned to find Sawamura and Furuya sitting obediently as instructed.

On September 24, Seidou prepared for a practice match between the Third Years and the first- and second-years, with Coach Kataoka leaving the younger team in Miyuki’s hands. Sendou and Sawamura eagerly anticipated facing the seniors, and the chapter ended just before the game began.

• Sendou, Furuya, and Sawamura trained together, and Sawamura improved his pitches while preparing to test them in a practice match.
• Senior Takako returned to Seidou as alumni gathered to watch the Third Years play the underclassmen.
• Coach Kataoka appointed Miyuki to lead the younger team while he umpired the game.
• Chris instructed the Third Years to use the match to teach the underclassmen, and Tetsu urged his team to pass on what they had learned.
• Isashiki and Sendou traded taunts, while Sawamura burned to face Chris and Sendou reflected on how much he had changed since enrolling.

Seidou’s Third Years faced the younger players in a Red and White Game, with Tanba shutting down the first inning and the seniors showing how much they had grown. As the current team took the field, Furuya prepared to pitch to Kusunoki while Sawamura waited impatiently in the bullpen.

• Tanba struck out Kuramochi, while Ryosuke caught Haru’s ground ball to retire the first two batters.
• Tanba struck out Shirazu to complete a three-up, three-down inning and drew praise and teasing from the seniors and coaches.
• Chris advised Miyauchi to guard against bunts and take advantage of Sendou’s slump, while Miyuki geared up to catch for the current team.
• Sendou ran onto the field, Furuya readied himself to pitch, and Sawamura tried to get called in from the bullpen.
• Kusunoki prepared to bat against Furuya, and the seniors noticed Higasa was positioned deep rather than guarding against a safety bunt.

Furuya faced the third-year team and struggled as Kusunoki and Oni-san mounted a fierce offensive. Senior Chris outmaneuvered Miyuki with a double steal and hit-and-run, leaving the third years with runners scoring and advancing.

• Furuya opened the game with strikes, and Kusunoki hit his fastball to right field for a single.
• Oni-san battled Furuya through a long at-bat and reached first base on a walk.
• On Senior Chris's signal, Kusunoki and Oni-san stole together as Furuya pitched to Isashiki.
• Isashiki hit Furuya's inside fastball with a chopping swing, executing Senior Chris's hit-and-run play.
• Kusunoki scored easily on Isashiki's hit, and Sendou praised Senior Chris's strategy.

Isashiki lectured Kuramochi that Seidou’s players needed to stop overthinking and trust their own abilities, then the Red and White game resumed with Tetsu batting against Furuya. Tetsu drove in both runners with a hit, while Tojo’s strong throw stopped him from advancing and drew Isashiki’s encouragement.

• Isashiki told Kuramochi that accommodating others was not teamwork and urged the younger players to show their full ability.
• Tetsu faced Furuya with runners on second and third, and Furuya threw two Fast Forkballs and a ball before reaching a one-ball, two-strike count.
• Tetsu hit Furuya’s third Fast Forkball to left field, bringing both runners home.
• Tojo made a powerful throw that stopped Tetsu at first, and Isashiki shouted encouragement for Tojo not to give up on pitching.
• Tetsu noticed Sendou running over to Tojo and felt happy to see the younger players shining.

Masuko-senpai drove in Isashiki-senpai with a powerful hit, and Sendou pranked Isashiki by throwing the ball home after the play was over. Furuya struggled against the Third Years, but he struck out Miyauchi-senpai to end the chapter.

• Maezono asked Captain Tetsu about his hit, and Captain Tetsu said his body had instinctively sent the ball toward left field.
• Masuko-senpai hit Furuya’s pitch deep enough for Isashiki-senpai to score the Third Years’ third run.
• Sendou held Captain Tetsu at second, then threw the ball home to startle Isashiki-senpai, while Miyuki and Captain Tetsu laughed.
• Coach Kataoka, Miyuki, and Rei-chan discussed Furuya’s poor start as the Third Years kept reaching base.
• Miyauchi-senpai struck out swinging at Furuya’s pitch, prompting Sendou to compare his dramatic miss to Eijun’s.

Sendou faced Tanba with two balls and did not swing, prompting the coaches to consider whether he had improved at judging pitches. The chapter ended with Coach Ochiai suggesting that Sendou’s growth and the opportunity before him could help him evolve quickly.

• Furuya struck out the upperclassmen who followed and grew angry at himself for not improving, but Sendou encouraged him to take his assignments slowly.
• Miyuki and Kanemaru rallied the team as Sendou prepared to face Tanba, and the upperclassmen set a defensive shift against both bunts and long hits.
• Miyauchi-senpai threw Sendou two outside pitches, and Sendou watched both go by for balls.
• Coach Ochiai argued that Sendou might have improved at tracking pitches, while Rei-chan and Oota considered how that could change the at-bat.

Sendou broke through Miyauchi’s forkball for the team’s first hit, reaching second base and showing that his slump had not stopped his batting. As Miyuki stepped up determined to secure a run, Sendou took a large lead, setting up their next play.

• Coach Ochiai approved of Coach Kataoka’s approach to Sendou’s development, while Kuramochi sat quietly on the bench over his earlier poor performance.
• Miyauchi faced Sendou with a forkball, but Sendou scooped it into the infield for a hit and advanced to second.
• Sendou explained to Oni-san that he analyzed likely pitches before relying on his body to judge the swing.
• Miyuki entered the batter’s box resolved to secure one run, and Sendou recognized his intent and took a large lead off second.

Sendou used his improved baserunning to reach third, while Coach Ochiai explained that Sendou had been compensating for a batting slump caused by his month away from games. Miyuki's hit-and-run brought Sendou home and helped the team rally, leaving them trailing by two runs with no outs.

• Sendou stole third as Tanba pitched, and Coach Kataoka smiled at his improved baserunning.
• Coach Ochiai told Rei-chan and Head Manager Oota that Sendou's swing had grown hesitant, and Rei-chan became angry that Sendou had not told her about his slump.
• Miyuki squared to bunt, then pulled back and hit the ball as Sendou ran home from third.
• Sendou celebrated the run, praised his improved takeoff, and encouraged Furuya to keep his spirits up.

Miyuki reflected on his leadership after Captain Tetsu warned him not to hide his doubts from the team, while Sendou’s slump came to light. The team realized its own poor offense had been weighing Sendou down, leaving them shaken as the game continued.

• Captain Tetsu praised Miyuki’s hit, then urged him to act confidently as captain rather than relying on Sendou to carry the team.
• Furuya hit a fly ball for an out, and Maezono grounded into a double play against Tanba’s pitching.
• Miyuki asked Sendou about his slump, and Sendou admitted it but said he could handle it himself and told Miyuki to focus on batting.
• The active roster realized Sendou had been struggling while they were failing to support the offense, and Miyuki urged everyone to focus on the game.

Miyuki urged Furuya to challenge the third-year seniors head-on, turning the practice match into a fierce showdown that rallied both teams. Furuya struck out Tetsu and helped Miyuki catch Oni-san stealing, ending the inning with Seidou’s confidence and excitement surging.

• Miyuki told Furuya to throw with all his strength, and Furuya struck out three consecutive batters with fastballs down the middle.
• Miyuki declared that Seidou would win the Autumn Tournament, and Kuramochi responded by reaching second base through hits and a successful steal.
• Furuya faced the seniors’ upper lineup directly as Oni-san got on base and Isashiki-senpai hit a weak ground ball.
• Tetsu came to bat, stole second, and fouled off Furuya’s pitches before Furuya struck him out with a Fast Forkball.
• Miyuki caught Oni-san attempting to advance to third, completing a double play and ending the inning.

In the Red and White Battle, Tanba pitched with fierce momentum against the juniors, striking out Shirazu, Sendou, Miyuki, and Furuya while Miyuki managed a hit. Furuya then dominated the Third Years before Maezono finally hit a home run, leaving the dugout celebrating his long-awaited success.

• Sawamura eagerly volunteered to relieve Furuya, but Miyuki sent him back to the bullpen as Tanba took the mound.
• Tanba struck out Shirazu, then Isashiki caught Sendou’s hit in the outfield for the second out.
• Miyuki hit a single off Tanba, but Tanba struck out Furuya to end the inning.
• Furuya struck out Pudding-senpai and Senior Itai and suppressed Miyauchi-senpai during the juniors’ turn at bat.
• Maezono hit a home run off Tanba and ran the bases wildly as Kuramochi urged him to calm down.

Maezono celebrated his first home run as Seidou prepared to test a new defensive lineup and Sawamura took over pitching from Furuya. Sawamura struggled to control his outside-corner pitches but got two quick outs, leaving Captain Tetsu to bat.

• Isashiki encouraged Maezono after his home run, and Maezono returned to the dugout in tears of joy.
• Miyuki replaced Furuya with Sawamura on the mound and moved Furuya to left field, Tojo to center field, and Sendou to third base.
• Miyuki told Sawamura that his Autumn Tournament opportunities depended on proving himself against Yakushi, prompting Sawamura to steady his nerves before pitching.
• Ryo-san fouled Sawamura’s first pitch, then watched a sudden inside-corner strike go by before drawing three balls.
• Sawamura induced Onisan to hit a grounder to Sendou, who threw him out at first, and Isashiki hit another grounder for the second out.
• Captain Tetsu stepped up to bat as the third years cheered.

Sawamura nearly struck out Captain Tetsu with precise pitches, but Tetsu hit the decisive inside cutter and Sendou made a spectacular play to get him out. In the bottom of the fifth, Tanba shut down Kominato and Shirazu with help from the infield, leaving the score unchanged.

• Miyuki called for Sawamura to attack Captain Tetsu with inside cutters and then test his control with outside pitches, and Sawamura forced Tetsu to foul off several balls.
• Sawamura threw a flawless pitch that made Tetsu swing instinctively, then Miyuki called for an inside cutter as the decisive pitch.
• Tetsu hit the inside cutter, but Sendou stopped the ball with a twisted glove play and threw him out at first.
• Sawamura rushed to the bullpen to preserve the feeling he had found, while Miyuki and Sendou teased him about his habits.
• Kominato struck out against Tanba, and Sendou and Big Brother combined on a sharp play to get Shirazu out and end the inning.

Senior Tanba faced Sendou in a tense at-bat and walked him, while Miyuki was retired to end the inning. In the bottom of the fifth, Sawamura faced Masuko and then Senior Chris, striking Chris out after Chris stepped in to bat.

• Tanba struck out Sendou's rhythm with a curveball, but Sendou read his pitch selection and fouled off several pitches before Senior Chris signaled for an intentional walk.
• Sendou stole a base, but Tanba retired Miyuki, and the game moved to the bottom of the fifth inning.
• Masuko hit Sawamura's pitch through the infield for a single despite mistiming it.
• Captain Tetsu called for a substitution, and Miyauchi yielded the mound to Senior Chris, who entered as a pinch hitter against Sawamura.
• Sawamura threw his best pitches to Senior Chris, who praised his fastball before striking out.

Sawamura showcased his new outside-corner pitch before the exhibition game between the first- and second-year players and the Third Years ended regulation tied at 4–4. Coach Kataoka extended the game for fun, and Sendou hit a three-run homer off Isashiki in the tenth inning, leaving Isashiki furious and Sawamura teasing him.

• Sawamura struck out the Third Years with a mix of inside and outside pitches, earning praise for his improved pitching.
• Sawamura and Tanba held each other scoreless for several innings before Sawamura was replaced, and the game finished regulation tied 4–4.
• Coach Kataoka ordered extra innings and told both teams to substitute freely so everyone could enjoy playing.
• Isashiki took the mound for the Third Years, while Sawamura and the others joked about his unreliable control.
• With runners on first and second in the tenth, Sendou asked Coach Kataoka to let him face Isashiki and then hit a three-run homer over the fence.
• Sawamura loudly mocked Isashiki after the home run, and Isashiki erupted in anger.