Ace of the Diamond (ダイヤのA)

Go do it!

Get him out!

Even with pitching this good...

If I lose, it's over.

If I lose, it's over!

This team...

My senpais' summer will be over!

I won't let it end!

Strike! He's out!

Struck out swinging! Three outs and change!

Yeah!

Nice pitching!

Thanks!

The other team will have realized we're targeting specific pitch types.

That's fine.

That will put pressure on them, because they'll know they can't slip up.

Here in the second half, we'll see more easy pitches.

Don't let them get by you!

Hell yeah!

Nailing the fifth pitch on a 2-2 count,

the first batter of the inning, Maezono, gets on base!

This is our generation! We're not finished yet!

Bottom of the seventh, no outs, and a runner on first!

Seido High could turn this into a comeback!

Keep it going, Tojo!

We're just getting started!

That cutter of his...

It's tricky as long as he keeps it low,

but when it starts drifting higher, it loses some of that break, right?

Yeah.

My Fight

It's a bunt!

Kosei, first!

Did Tojo wing that one?

I've set things up at least.

The runner moves to second, and our next man comes up to bat—

With unbelievable power for a first-year,

it's 7-hole left fielder Masashi Yuki!

From how they're letting the outside sliders go by,

you can tell they're waiting for pitches on the inside.

Outside pitches in the black would do the trick, but...

I have a feeling that might play into their hands.

I wouldn't be afraid of your typical showdown.

But this guy won't play small ball to advance runners.

If he thinks he can hit it, he'll swing with all he's got.

I can't take the chance.

He was chosen for the starting rotation, and they've kept him in.

He just needs to follow his swing.

Try and hit this one, Slugger Man!

First pitch, fastball on the outside!

Foul!

He swung.

He's locked in on fastballs?

They're playing deep, afraid of Masashi's swing.

If it finds a hole, I'm going home.

Test him with a curve. It's okay to miss the zone.

Way ahead of you!

Sorry!

It's fine. Stay alert and take your time.

He's getting a little reckless.

A bad pitch could be fatal.

That's just what Seido's after.

The pressure they've been putting on since the very first inning...

This guy gone Zen or something?

No thoughts, head empty!

Scary!

Outside breaking ball, foul!

He responded to the Sly, too.

Another curve outside the zone?

Nah, it'd leave a bad aftertaste if he went down and got it.

If he's focused on my Sly, I'll get him out...

with a fastball!

It's a long ball to right field!

It's okay. It's coming up short!

The right fielder...

he's stopped!

The right fielder has it!

The runner on second tags up!

The right fielder was playing deep and catches the ball,

but Maezono on second makes a great call!

Yeah!

Two outs, runner on third!

Batting eighth, third base, Kanemaru-kun.

Zono-san...

Tojo... Masashi...

Go, Shinji!

Advancing our runner no matter what it takes.

Even if we get out, we keep up the pressure.

Reduce unproductive outs as much as possible...

That's how Seido... how we play ball!

It's time, Kanemaru!

Yeah!

I'll get it done!

I'll take all the glory!

The smaller the dog, the louder the bark.

Get it done, Kanemaru.

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th

Ichi Sei

First-pitch fastball, foul!

Go, Amahisa!

Fastest pitch today!

A little inside... but he's still pitching hard.

He's not underestimating the bottom of the order.

We're the ones in the lead...

How can even bottom-of-the-order batters swing so confidently?

They've all got serious guts!

I can see it. I can keep up!

Second pitch is a curve! Ball!

Great eye, man!

First, tie it up.

If we can tie it up, it'll relieve the burden on Sawamura.

Good eye! Go, go, Kanemaru!

Gotta send Zono-san home!

Get it done!

Ball!

Take the bait already, damn it!

I'll bring him home or die!

Second-year Kanemaru is determined to survive! The count is 3-2!

It's damn hot out here.

Center to right...

I won't let it end until you throw me a meatball!

What kind of jerk makes us play sports on a day like this?

Somebody's going to wind up dead!

Down the middle!

Second!

Damn it!

He's out!

The tenacious Kanemaru ground out to second!

Three outs and change!

You've gotten calmer and more determined.

Amahisa m'boy, that's the spirit of an ace.

We feel it...

The whole team feels the fire in your heart!

Nice fight, Kanemaru!

Almost got 'em!

I'm feeling that Kanemaru power!

Okay, let's go!

It's not over yet!

Yeah! It's not over!

That's our Zono-san! You've got pipes!

This game's ours!

Incredible. He turned the atmosphere around with just his voice.

That's something only Sawamura-senpai can do.

Nori?

Kawakami's in the bullpen?

To warm up?

But he's forbidden from pitching!

Shadow pitching?

When you're at Kawakami's level,

you can get in the groove without throwing a ball!

For real?

Like he's saving up stamina? Awesome!

Nori-senpai...

Nori...

What can a pitcher do if he can't throw the ball or warm up?

I don't care what happens to my elbow.

I'm ready to pitch at any moment.

But I can't be any help to my team... to anyone.

To anyone...

Nori...

Nori-senpai. Thanks.

You're fighting with us, aren't you?

Seido Kuramochi Kominato Shirasu Miyuki Maezono Tojo Yuki Kanemaru

Ichidaisan Chimaru Mori Miyagawa Hoshida Sasaki Adachi Takami Amahisa

Top of the eighth.

Ichidaisan High's offense will begin with 8-hole, pitcher, Amahisa-kun.

Two innings left.

Let's both throw a game we won't regret, Sawamura.

Even at the bottom of the order, you can't let your guard down.

The rival ace is the first batter of the side.

Take him down!

Strike!

That was filthy!

Man, that came fast!

A splitter on the same course!

Terrifying... How can he be so accurate in the late innings...

He's a superman.

It's the first time this tournament that he's shown this side.

It's going outside—

Strike! You're out!

A breaking ball outside leaves him helpless!

Struck out looking!

It broke into the strike zone?!

The improved cutter...

You kidding me?

A backdoor slider?!

It's our first time trying it live.