Chapter Summaries

After losing to Kyoma, Seidou’s players exchanged words with their opponents and confronted their disappointment at the end of their spring Koshien run. Sawamura collected soil as a reminder of the defeat and resolved to return to the mound, while the team bowed farewell and looked toward summer.

• Enjou and Sendou discussed the strength of Inajitsu, Yakushi High School, and Ichidai San High as they looked ahead to the summer tournament.
• Furuya tried to approach Hongo, but Hongo walked away, and Enjou ran after him; Sendou comforted Furuya about the loss.
• Sawamura asked to take home Koshien soil, then gathered Bullpen soil and resolved to return to the Pitcher's Mound.
• Miyuki led Seidou in bowing to the field and spectators as they said farewell to spring Koshien.
• Haruichi decided to hang up his cracked bat, and Sawamura said Sendou had always kept his negative emotions to himself.

The narrator described the heavy snow and the exhausting work of clearing paths around the house. After a night of light snowfall, the snow by the door had risen only about ten centimeters, though deeper areas remained buried.

• The narrator found that snow along the side of the house reached roughly a meter deep, much more than the area by the door.
• The narrator recalled clearing narrow paths until dark and seeing that the snow had crushed a neighbor's Asbestos Tile shed and collapsed chicken sheds.
• The narrator said their doghouse had been completely buried, but the dog remained energetic after they dug a ventilation hole.
• The narrator described their soaked clothes and aching joints after the previous day's work.
• The narrator noted that light snow fell overnight, leaving about ten centimeters of snow by the door.

After Seidou lost to Kyoma Daifuji Maki, Sendou reflected on the game in an interview and declared that Seidou would fight for the summer Koshien ticket. Narumiya Mei watched the interview and welcomed Sendou’s challenge.

• Yui Kaoru, Seto Takuma, and Okumura Koushuu watched the game and looked forward to joining the new team, while Tetsu's Younger Brother practiced swings and eagerly wanted to play.
• Narumiya Mei stayed behind to watch Sendou’s interview as the other players headed off to practice.
• Sendou told reporters he regretted stopping at third base but would make the same choice for the team, and praised Hongo’s pitching and Kyoma’s defense.
• Sendou said Seidou needed to rebuild toward summer Koshien, then challenged Hongo and Kyoma to stake the summer ticket on a decisive victory in the qualifiers.
• Carlos pointed out that Sendou had declared war on Narumiya, whose expression showed he was pleased by the challenge.

After Seidou’s loss at Koshien, the team returned to the hotel to prepare for the trip home, while Sendou and Miyuki tried to put baseball aside for the night. Narumiya Mei declared that Inajitsu and Seidou would meet in the Spring Tournament final, unaware that Yakushi shared their bracket.

• Narumiya Mei promised to face Seidou in the Spring Tournament final, and Carlos pointed out that nobody had agreed to it.
• Seidou left the stadium after its loss, and the players rode back to the hotel in low spirits.
• Sendou told Miyuki about his family’s charitable work in China and his father’s wish to become a Chinese citizen.
• Sendou and Miyuki discussed taking a break from baseball, and Sendou played his game console on the way to the hotel.
• Coach Kataoka dismissed the players to pack and rest before returning to Tokyo the next day.
• Sendou refused to discuss baseball, then lent his game console to Miyuki.

Sawamura and the others left Osaka after their loss at Koshien, while Sawamura shared his disappointment with Wakaba by message. On the bus, the team checked the score of another game and learned Kamijou Academy was leading Seisho Company.

• Sendou and Miyuki packed up and left Osaka, determined to start over for their final summer.
• Sawamura posed for a photo with Komaru, then boarded the bus with Sendou, Miyuki, and Kuramochi.
• Sawamura sent Wakaba the photo and confided that he regretted losing and never getting to play at Koshien.
• Kuramochi tried to take Sawamura's phone so he could talk to Wakaba, prompting the teammates to bicker on the bus.
• Sendou checked the score of the first game and found Kamijou Academy leading Seisho Company five to two at the end of the seventh inning.

Seidou’s players returned from Koshien after watching Osaka Seisho Company win with a ninth-inning home run, and Sendou’s comment about feeling isolated prompted the team to resolve to improve before summer. During their break, Sendou joined the managers as they discussed newspaper coverage and the upcoming Spring Tournament matchup between Yakushi and Inajitsu.

• Miyuki and Sendou celebrated Osaka Seisho Company’s 6–5 comeback win as Seidou rode the Shinkansen back to Tokyo.
• Sendou compared the winning team’s lineup to Seidou and lamented feeling isolated, prompting Kuramochi and Maezono to lift the mood and the team to vow to improve for summer.
• The coach dismissed the team for break, with most players expected to begin self-practice before training resumed when school started.
• Haruno, Yui, Sachiko, and Fumino discussed newspaper reports about the game and praised Furuya and Hongo’s pitching.
• Sendou joined the managers, learned that Yakushi and Inajitsu would meet in the third round of the Spring Tournament, and urged everyone to focus on preparing for summer.

After returning from Koshien, Seidou’s players threw themselves into training as they prepared for the Spring Tournament and another run at the national title. The coaches discussed the team’s growing expectations and Sendou’s potential, while Kominato left his room with renewed resolve.

• Haruno cried when Sachiko called it the third-years’ last summer, and Sendou reminded the team that their goal was to conquer the nation.
• Sendou proposed watching a game on the seventh, while the team discussed the Spring Tournament schedule and their upcoming matchups.
• Fumino urged Sendou to extend the seniors’ summer, and Sendou vowed that summer would not end so easily.
• Kominato stared at Maezono’s equipment and his cracked bat, then left his room with determination.
• Rei-chan and Coach Ochiai discussed the team’s interview and exhibition-game requests, the players’ post-Koshien drive, and Sendou’s room to grow as a hitter.
• Rei-chan explained that Sendou had changed since the previous year, when he often avoided practice, and Coach Ochiai listened with interest.

After the tournament games ended, the Seidou players prepared to return home while Haruno and Sendou spotted Haruichi practicing with his newly cut hair. Haruichi revealed his new look to his teammates, leaving Sawamura dramatically convinced that Koshien had changed him.

• Kawakami stopped Furuya from continuing his hard run, telling him to recover from his Koshien workload, and Sawamura stopped running alongside him.
• Kyoma beat Hakuryuu High School five to zero, setting up a final between Kyoma and Osaka Seisho Company High School.
• As the managers packed up after the games, Haruno and Sendou saw Haruichi enter the Indoor Practice Field with his hair cut and his eyes visible.
• Maezono invited Haruichi to bat, while Haruno and Sendou left the roommates alone to bond.
• That evening, Sawamura and the others reacted to Haruichi's new look, and Sawamura jokingly declared that Koshien had changed him.

Koharu’s new, sharper demeanor startled Sawamura and the third-years, while Seidou’s baseball team was celebrated at the opening ceremony and the students learned their new class assignments. The story left Kanemaru dismayed to find himself in the same class as both Sawamura and Furuya, while Tojo and Kominato were placed elsewhere.

• Sendou and the others teased Koharu about his cute appearance, and Sawamura became convinced that something had changed about him.
• Koharu finally told Sawamura to shut up with a smile that reminded the seniors of Oniisan, frightening Sawamura and the others.
• At the opening ceremony, the school celebrated the baseball team’s Koshien appearance, and Furuya fell asleep standing beside Sawamura.
• Fumino and Sendou found that they were both assigned to Class B and joked about Sawamura and Furuya being together there.
• Kanemaru discovered that Sawamura and Furuya were in his class while Tojo and Kominato were assigned to a different class, and he lamented his bad luck.

Returning students settled into their new classes as Seidou prepared for the spring season, while Kyoma won Spring Koshien and Seidou gained national attention for challenging them. On April 4, first-years Yui Kaoru, Seto Takuma, and Okumura arrived early, and Seto persuaded the reluctant newcomers to visit the Yuki residence together.

• Furuya slept through the attention from his classmates, while Kanemaru reunited with Haruno and met Sendou and Fumino in their new class.
• Hongo Masamune pitched a three-hit shutout in the Koshien final, leading Kyoma Daifuji Maki to the championship and bringing Seidou widespread praise for its tough game against them.
• Seidou resumed baseball training with light game-focused drills, and Sendou expected Ichidai San and Inajitsu to challenge the Koshien teams in the Spring Tournament.
• On April 4, Yui Kaoru and Seto Takuma met Okumura at Seidou's field as the first-years arrived early.
• Seto and Yui tried to greet Okumura, who repeatedly started to leave, and Seto finally got him and the others to visit the Yuki residence before returning to settle their luggage.

As Seidou's seniors prepared to welcome the incoming first-years, Sendou discovered that his new roommate would not arrive until later in the month because he had broken his leg playing soccer. Rei-chan had kept the news from him as a joke, leaving Sendou to wonder what sort of junior he would eventually meet.

• Kuramochi hurried Sawamura as they prepared Room 5's prank for its new first-year roommate.
• Sendou thanked Watanabe-senpai for supporting him and promised to extend The Last Summer for him.
• Head Manager Oota brought the incoming players and their parents to the dorm by bus while Miyuki watched them arrive.
• Sawamura and Kuramochi's scares drew screams from their new roommates, but Sendou's roommate did not show up.
• Sendou called Rei-chan and learned that his assigned roommate had broken his leg playing soccer and would move in during the latter half of the month.

Sendou visited Miyuki’s room to meet the new catcher Okumura and found him sharing a room with Miyuki and Kimura. He left Okumura with drinks and an early glimpse of the dorm’s relaxed teasing, while Furuya also met an eager first-year catcher.

• Sendou recalled that Rei-chan had arranged for the injured player to stay in the dorm and decided to visit Miyuki’s room to meet the new junior.
• Sendou overheard Furuya’s new catcher eagerly asking to catch for him, while Ono-senpai tried to stop them from pitching immediately.
• Kimura introduced Okumura to Miyuki, and Okumura greeted his fellow catcher with a competitive stare.
• Sendou barged into Miyuki’s room with drinks, gave Okumura first pick, and teased Miyuki by calling him Black-bellied Glasses.
• Miyuki complained that Sendou was undermining his dignity as captain, and Sendou said Okumura would get used to it.

Sendou welcomed Okumura Koushuu and recognized that he wanted to take Miyuki’s starting catcher position, encouraging him to compete through ability. After Sendou left, Okumura learned that Sendou had joined the First Team as a first-year and looked forward to proving himself.

• Sendou helped Okumura settle in and realized he was a catcher because Okumura had been watching Miyuki.
• Sendou pointed out that Okumura wanted Miyuki’s starting catcher position, and Miyuki welcomed him to compete for it.
• Sendou revealed that Miyuki had once planned to learn everything from his respected senior before taking the starting catcher role.
• Sendou told Okumura he had no particular position in mind when he joined Seidou, then left the room.
• Kimura explained that Sendou had gone straight into the First Team as a first-year, and Okumura became eager to test himself.

Seidou’s new recruits introduced themselves at the April 5 enrollment gathering, drawing attention to several talented players and their ambitions. Okumura Koushuu declared himself a catcher and fixed his sights on Miyuki, while the chapter ended with Miyuki anticipating an eventful rivalry.

• Sendou told Watanabe-senpai that he had gotten along with his new roommate Okumura Koushuu, who wanted Miyuki’s starting catcher position.
• Sawamura and Kuramochi joked about their lateness from the previous year, embarrassing themselves in front of the First Years as Sendou arrived with Coach Kataoka.
• Yuuki Masashi introduced himself as Tetsu’s younger brother, said he wanted to try every position, and announced his Major League ambitions.
• Yui Kaoru introduced himself as a catcher and was recognized as a former World Tournament captain.
• Asada Hirofumi introduced himself as a pitcher, then retreated in tears after Sawamura urged him to show more confidence.
• Mogami Takeshi praised Maezono and Kominato, Seto Takuma highlighted his speed, and Okumura Koushuu named catcher as his position and stared down Miyuki.

Seidou’s first-years began their physical examinations and training as the reborn baseball club started the new season. Okumura learned how extraordinary Sendou’s middle-school physical abilities had been, leaving him with a daunting standard to measure himself against.

• Miyuki teased Sendou while the first-years introduced themselves, and Coach Kataoka laid out his expectations before assigning practice.
• Sendou asked Coach Kataoka to let him serve only as a runner during the offense-defense drills, and the coach agreed to discuss his reasons later.
• Okumura told Seto Takuma he hoped to earn a First Team place through the physical examination, then struggled with the first-years’ demanding running and meal routine.
• Sendou told Kanemaru and Tojo that the injured first-year was his roommate, and explained that Rei-chan had arranged the coincidence.
• Okumura asked Miyuki about Sendou’s old examination results, and Miyuki revealed Sendou could hit 150-kilometer-per-hour machine pitches out of the park as a second-year middle-schooler and had few physical weaknesses beyond stamina.

Seidou faced Eigenn in the third round of the Spring Tournament, with Sendou and Miyuki hitting home runs to build a commanding lead. Haruichi added a run with a timely hit, and the chapter ended with Seidou ahead by six.

• Seidou chose to bat first, and Shirazu reached base before Sendou hit a first-pitch home run.
• Eigenn's pitcher struck out Miyuki, and Kawakami then held Eigenn's top batters scoreless.
• In the third inning, Haruichi hit Kuramochi home with a clean single, and Eigenn walked Sendou.
• Miyuki hit a three-run home run off a high fastball, extending Seidou's lead to six runs.

Seidou extended its lead over Eienhara to twelve runs, then brought Sawamura in to pitch as the team sought to end the game early. Sawamura took the mound encouraged by Haruichi, while Seidou’s substitutions reflected its trust in the whole roster.

• Furuya doubled, and Seidou continued scoring until it led Eienhara nine to zero after five innings.
• Eienhara threatened with runners on second and third, but Sendou made a sliding catch and Kawakami struck out the next batter to end the inning scoreless.
• Seidou scored three more runs in the top of the sixth, raising its lead to twelve and putting an early end to the game within reach.
• Coach Kataoka substituted Maezono, Higasa, Asou, and Sawamura for Yamaguchi, Kanemaru, Furuya, and Kawakami.
• Sawamura recalled his offseason training as he took the mound, and Haruichi encouraged him to get the leadoff batter and finish the game.

Miyuki challenged Sawamura to pitch using only fastballs, and Sawamura showed how much his pitching had improved since Koshien. After striking out two batters, he faced the last hitter of the inning with his teammates urging him on.

• Miyuki praised Sawamura and challenged him to show his presence by pitching only fastballs.
• Sawamura asked his teammates to support him, then began the inning with a sharp inside fastball that made the batter swing and miss.
• Sawamura struck out the first batter, then used precise pitches to put the next hitter off balance and finish him with a high inside fastball.
• Miyuki warned Sawamura not to let his guard down against the lower batting lineup, and Sawamura nodded as the team urged him to get the final out.

Sawamura struck out three straight batters to finish Seidou's 12–0 win, showing newfound confidence and sharper fastball command. As the team left the stadium, attention turned to a possible Seidou–Ichidai San semifinal and the looming matchup between their pitchers and lineups.

• Sawamura closed out the game with three consecutive strikeouts, and Seidou won 12–0.
• Miyuki teased Sawamura after the game while Sendou provoked Miyuki into a dispute over a quiz and laundry wager.
• Spectators praised Seidou's balanced strength and Sawamura's improved fastball after the overwhelming victory.
• Okumura noted that Sawamura had thrown only fastballs and made batters miss with six swings, inspiring Yui to want to catch for him.
• Mine Fujio and Owada Akiko discussed the possible semifinal between Seidou and Ichidai San, including the pitching matchup and Sendou's potential impact.

Amakusa helped Ichidai San High defeat Kawamura in five innings while focusing on sharpening his Slider for a possible matchup with Sendou Akira. After the game, he learned Fumino might be Sendou’s girlfriend and decided to speak with her after the semifinals.

• Amakusa struck out the final batter with a sharp Slider, and Ichidai San High advanced to the fourth round after ending the game in five innings.
• Amakusa complained that his teammates had scored too many runs before admitting he had been joking, and Coach Tawara recognized his determination to improve.
• Fumino scouted Ichidai San High and judged that its Slider and lineup could make a semifinal matchup difficult.
• Amakusa spotted Fumino, and Sasaki explained that she had known Sendou since their childhood and might be his girlfriend.
• Amakusa decided he would ask Fumino about being with such a beautiful girl after the semifinals, then focused again on adjusting his pitching.