Ace of the Diamond (ダイヤのA)

The pitch that will predict the state of today's game!

An alteration of his previous splitter...

Number nine!

The improved splitter!

The improved splitter!

I'm waiting for a fastball!

Kanemaru!

Was it a fastball?

I thought so...

I guess it broke more than I thought.

Let's spend the whole inning with the improved splitter!

First baseman Maezono scoops it up and steps on the bag!

Seido's ace, Eijun Sawamura, retires the Ichidaisan order in three batters

for an excellent start!

They can call me a slow starter, a late bloomer...

It's given me kind of a chip on my shoulder.

It's a hit to shallow center!

When you let Kuramochi on base, you know you're in trouble!

He's not usually a pick-off pitcher.

On the first pitch, the minute he's locked in...

Crap—

He's out!

It's a fast pivot for a pickoff at first!

Kuramochi can't make it back in time!

I get you. So that's what it is...

You see it?

Yeah. We'll get the next one.

I thought the same thing at the all-star camp,

but he really lives in his own little world.

He even sleeps with his bat.

He got two RBIs in the Yakushi match, too.

Can't let him get on base.

Pitch it low, with all you've got.

Number five—the changeup!

Yes!

Yes!

Got him off-balance!

Got him off-balance!

Center!

It hits the ground!

Hoshida heads for second!

No outs, runner on second!

Ichidaisan High has a chance to draw first blood!

What's Built Up

No outs and a runner on second.

Batting 5th, Right Field Shinsuke Sasaki

Next up to the plate is the 5-hole, Sasaki, who hit a home run last game!

Both teams searching for a way to break the shutout.

How will Ichidaisan High approach this opportunity?!

The runner's got no legs.

If he sends it this way, we'll throw him out at home.

He's gonna try to pull it to move the runner up.

With a runner in scoring position, this lineup doesn't go for big swings.

They'll try for reliable hits to the outfield.

Get it low in the box.

A drag bunt?!

A drag bunt?!

First!

We won't make it in time.

Don't push it!

Runner on first is out!

But the runner advances and makes it to third with one out!

Sasaki-kun bunted?!

Did he get the sign, or do it on his own?

Hoshida-kun got a good lead, too!

They're desperate for that run.

After seeing how Sawamura-kun pitched in the first,

they can't be sure how many chances they'll get this game.

Batting 6th, Shortstop Hiroki Adachi

The match will ride on how much you take advantage of the chances you do get.

All the players understand that.

6-hole Adachi heads to the batter's box.

The Seido infield draws inward!

Don't push yourself too hard!

Go easy on those legs of yours!

Go! With a runner on third, anything can happen—no surprise.

I'll bet on my boys' baseball power.

The Seido battery goes through their signs,

and here comes the first pitch!

Strike!

Yeah!

Number 9!

He didn't hesitate to swing.

Go for it, Captain!

That's some heat!

Nice pitch, Sawamura!

Go, Adachi-san!

If they want to make this the moment, we'll have to respond in kind.

Dig in.

I won't let him come home.

Kosei...

I wanna see you guys in the Koshien.

I want the whole country to see how amazing you are.

That's our line, man!

It would be a tragedy if the whole country didn't get to see you pitch!

I won't give up one run!

Get it to the outfield no matter—

He's jammed!

But with the infield drawn in, it'll still go over—

Go over!

Shortstop Kuramochi snags it!

He's trapped on third!

Yoh-san!

Awesome!

That's two down, Sawamura! Finish this!

Say something!

My heart nearly stopped when he made contact.

Nice play, Kuramochi.

I'll make up for being picked off and then some!

The shortest distance to the drop point...

Looks like he's not lingering on his mistake.

The battery brought out the fastball there.

Adachi-kun got jammed, but adjusted.

Ichidaisan plays baseball by racking up runs bit by bit.

They're a terrifying lineup to face with runners on base.

It's a weak grounder to the pitcher!

Three outs and they change sides!

Ace Sawamura prevents any further damage and leaves another side scoreless!

Next time, I guess.

Seido Kuramochi Kominato Shirasu Miyuki Maezono Tojo Yuki Kanemaru

Bottom of the 2nd

Bottom of the second, Seido High's turn at the plate.

4-hole Kazuya Miyuki's up to bat.

His vibe's changed again since spring.

This feels like an epic battle between pros!

So exciting!

Ball!

A pitch just outside brings the count to 3-2!

Yeah, yeah. A ball's width outside the zone...

Figures he wouldn't take the bait.

He's leading off this inning.

I'd really rather not walk him.

I know.

I was hoping to save this for a more do-or-die moment,

but it is what it is.

Try this one on for size!

Strike! You're out!

Struck out looking!

He got frozen by that inside breaking ball!

Amahisa-kun won the first duel between them?

Miyuki-kun prolonged it well, but yeah.

A breaking ball that rides the line of the strike zone...

Figuring that pitch out will be key.

Why didn't you swing there, dude?!

Sorry.

I don't like it.

You couldn't have swung if you'd tried, man.

Nice little dribbler.

Yeah, that's how you're supposed to look.

A throw to first for the second out!

Yeah!

Nice Sly, Kosei-san!

Two outs!

Batting sixth, center field, Tojo-kun.

Yeah, yeah.

Just don't underestimate the batters in this part of the order, right?!

6-hole Tojo grounds it to third to end the inning.

Amahisa has another three-up, three-down inning!

Four pitches for two batters.

The 4-hole wasted a lot of my time, but not bad at all.

All right, here it comes.

Seido Kuramochi Kominato Shirasu Miyuki Maezono Tojo Yuki Kanemaru

Ichidaisan Chimaru Mori Miyagawa Hoshida Sasaki Adachi Takami Amahisa

In the top of the third, Ichidaisan comes to the plate.

8-hole pitcher Amahisa is up. It's a duel between these ace pitchers!

Batting 8th, Pitcher Kosei Amahisa

Now, show me what you've got.

This is the summer tournament.

This is his last year, right?

I don't wanna do this to him, damn it...

Never should've traded contact info with him!

Strike!

Just brushed the corner?

Nice pitch!

But don't you get it, Sawamura?

What I wanna see is...

Quit grinning!

Strike two!

Yeah! Nice pitch!

I'm telling you, man...

Oh, so that's it.

A crummy batter like me is unworthy of seeing your new pitch, huh?

You rotten mob boss.

Seido Kuramochi Kominato Shirasu Miyuki Maezono Tojo Yuki Kanemaru

Top of the third, a fastball puts Amahisa one strike away from their first out.

Strike! You're out!