Original subtitles

Anyone can make mistakes.

I won't let it end here...

If we make it to extras, we'll win!

Baseball is about the rest of the team making up for those mistakes.

It's also about making up for your mistakes with your bat.

H-Hang on...

But all of that only matters...

It can't be over!

...when you win.

It can't—

The victor moves forward.

The loser departs.

That's what the summer tournament is.

July 17th

Seido Spirit Dorm

I see. Yakushi got knocked out, then?

Todoroki's error really changed the momentum,

but if they'd gone into extras,

the pitchers' duel could have gone either way.

We can go over the game analysis in finer detail later,

but winning this clash of titans will make Ichidaisan an even more fearsome foe.

Most of all, Amahisa was on another level today.

I'm the ace of this team!

Even if it's just selfishness...

Even if it's just conceit...

It doesn't matter. I'll fight to protect my own pride...

and pitch!

Laugh at what a petty man I am if you like...

This is who I am!

The only long balls he gave up were the two hit by Todoroki.

Pretty much no one hit the new pitch he's added to his arsenal since spring.

New pitch?

Okumura says it's a two-seam gyroball.

It's a breaking ball that curves less than a slider.

A little more like a cutter.

Two-seam gyroball? You've got to be kidding...

That's a cutting-edge breaking ball only the top major-league pitchers can use.

Major-league? Cutting-edge?!

You and Amahisa have been texting, right?

Have you talked about that?

What's this? Sawamura and Amahisa are in contact?

How long's this been going on?

That's an unexpected pairing...

Hey, it wasn't my idea!

He just kept bugging me after the spring tournament!

I don't even text him all that often!

Hence your gyro questions.

So, did you talk to the guy about his new pitch or not?

Did you?

Hey, hey, hey! Lay off a minute!

Besides, I can't talk about it!

That all went down in a private discussion!

I can't just go telling other people about it!

We're rivals, but we're also men!

We've got a code to maintain!

Got it. So we're "other people."

Okay, I get it! Hand over that cell phone!

You can blame me for looking without your permission!

Hey, what're you doing?!

I'm playing the villain!

Don't just figure out my password!

It's his birthday. Figures.

Let's have a look.

You take forever to reply.

Guess they're not so close.

Proper punctuation and everything.

H-How did it come to this?!

You really do pay respect where it's due.

I've come to think a bit better of you.

You're the one who told Nabe-san, aren't you?!

Roar

July 20th.

Having beaten Norikane Academy, Seido High were preparing

for our quarterfinal match against Sosei High School in two days.

As expected, Furuya was starting.

While doing free training, the whole team worked together

trying to figure out how to break through Sosei's ironclad defense

and pitching stable that uses a breaker called the Sosei Two-Seamer.

Miyuki-senpai.

I'll be in the bullpen tomorrow. See you then.

Sure. Let's keep it light.

Right.

If he pitches like he did against Hachiya Oji, we'll be fine.

But it's hard to get a read on Furuya's condition.

What did you think, Miyuki-senpai?

Of Eijun's pitching today against Norikane...

Excuse me!

May I inquire as to the purpose of my visit here today?!

He worked himself up and went too hard.

His line looked good, but I haven't changed my estimation from his first game.

I hope he'll find a way to ease up a bit...

But our opponents are just going to get tougher moving forward.

I definitely felt his will to drive his opponent to the ground.

That's about the ego size a pitcher should have.

You're up next.

What? Jingu?

You want me to watch Inashiro and Ichidaisan's games myself?

To watch Narumiya and Amahisa, of course,

but both schools have hard-hitting lineups as well.

The others can focus on the upcoming match with Sosei.

I want you looking forward to the next step.

Is that all right?

Against Ichidaisan...

Against Inashiro...

Yes, sir!

The unworthy Eijun Sawamura shall undertake this mission

to the best of his humble ability!

Jingu Stadium

National High School Baseball Championship Tokyo Qualifiers

3rd Baseline

Seiko

1st Baseline

Inashiro Industrial

3rd Baseline

Sensen

1st Baseline

Ichidaisan

July 22nd.

July 22nd

Jingu hosted two matches to determine two of the four semifinals slots.

Seiko's power-hitting lineup went up against...

Inashiro Industrial Mei Narumiya

the champions Inashiro's ace, Mei Narumiya.

Inashiro Seiko

Inashiro dominated, taking a six-run lead before the sixth.

They tacked on another four runs in the eighth.

A ten-run shutout. The mercy rule was invoked in the 8th,

and Inashiro Industrial secured the first semifinal slot.

Sensen Ichidaisan

Then, the second match...

Ichidaisan High was resting their ace, Amahisa-san.

Sensen Ichidaisan

While they gave up first blood, they racked up the pitch count...

Ball four!

...and gradually turned up the pressure on Sensen's ace, Maki-san.

With steady but powerful batting, they stacked up the runs,

and took down Maki-san.

Sensen Ichidaisan

They secured their spot in the semis with a 7-3 win.

That's our biological weapon!

Is that supposed to be a compliment?

They rested Amahisa and still won easily?

That's going to give them even more momentum.

They never swing at a pitch out of the zone, and never let an easy pitch past.

Their lineup is disciplined and faultless from start to finish.

The lack of swinging strikes makes them tough, for sure.

But if you can force them into weak contact...

Like... you haven't let them hit the ball.

You've made them hit it.

Actively bait them with pitches in the zone, you mean?

I know, it's easier said than done.

You just thread the needle real fine!

Can you do that?

I'll stake my life on trying!

After that, vary up the pitching and make a moving target.

I've been wondering, Sawamura-senpai...

Do you not throw sliders and curves?

Wanna catch me?

Hey, now! Miyuki said none of that!

So you can throw them?

I can, but I can't promise anything beyond that.

What does that mean?

Still, it's good to have such reliable underclassmen.

Tomorrow's the battle with Sosei.

After that... the moment comes.

They don't have us beat.

Our team's at least as good as theirs!

We're in no way inferior!

July 23rd

The next day was July 23rd.

3rd Baseline

Seido

1st Baseline

Sosei

3rd Baseline

Koukaidai Sugata

1st Baseline

Ichidai Tsurugashima

With a semifinal spot on the line, Seido High arrived in Jingu Stadium.

Seido Kuramochi Kominato Shirasu Miyuki Maezono Furuya Tojo Yuki Kanemaru

Sosei Kikunaga Itsushima Juzo Nara Nagira Nakazawa Kanda Goto Hoshi

In order to see what your stuff's like today,

the first inning will be basically all fastballs.

Give me your best pitching.

Right.

Line up!

Let's go!

All right!

Bow!

Right!

Sawamura's really wearing number one.

Did you hear about it?

Yeah. But it's my first time seeing it in person.

Up until now, Sawamura-kun and Furuya-kun have been trading off starts.

The third-year, Kawakami-kun, is in the bullpen offering ironclad relief.

There aren't many teams with a pitching rotation

this suited to the long, harsh reality of the tournament.

Yeah. And the lineup has explosive hitting to rival last year's.

Manager Kataoka's always got the championship on his radar,

and I'd say he's formed the perfect team to take it.

They'll want to win with momentum to take into the Ichidaisan match

and the finals after that.

Now, what kind of pitching will we see?

5-hole Nagira hits a pop-up fly for a third out!

Satoru Furuya's iron arm tops out at 155kph,

driving his opponents to the ground with his best fastball!

That fastball is your true weapon.

It's the barometer of how you're feeling.

Yes!

Nice bazooka! You forced 'em into submission!

He's as loud as ever.

You can always pick him out of a crowd.

That's what we're after from you!

So high-and-mighty.

High-and-mighty.

But that two-out walk was a major blunder!

If you're gonna walk 'em, make 'em earn it!

I know that.

Shut up and watch from the bench.

He doesn't seem bothered at all.

Furuya can pull it off today.

Bottom of the first.

A pitching style about fifty-fifty fastballs and two-seamers to the outside.

On top of that...

Fielding alignments that sync up with the pitch calling.

Both pitchers got started with zeros on the scoreboard.

Sosei Seido

As the crowd began to anticipate a pitchers' duel...

It was Seido that drew first blood.

First-year Yuki hit a solo home run.

Yeah!

Don't worry.

But Sosei's ace, Nagira, was undeterred,

and continued to pitch his heart out.

Sosei Seido

Then, in the sixth, it was runners on the corners with no outs.

A clean hit would tie the game.

Second baseman Haruichi Kominato

in combination with shortstop Yohichi Kuramochi

had the seasoned spectators captivated.

What was that?

Did the second baseman just bounce it off his glove?

I've never seen anything like it!

He used the momentum from his sprint...

That's the level you have to be on.

What a middle infield!

The tying run came home during the double play,

but that was within Seido's expectations.

They stayed calm and finished the inning.

Did those four splitters in a row have you worried?

A little.

But as long as it stays in the infield, I know the defenders can handle it.

That's what I told myself.

The lineup responded to Furuya's excellence on the mound.

When he came up to bat, his sacrifice fly brought in our fourth run of the inning.

And in the seventh, we added one more run.

Then, the eighth inning came.

His fastballs that day averaged 148kph.

Against 31 batters, he gave up six hits, two walks, and got eight Ks.

He gave up only one run across two games.

He completed the eighth inning looking like the man he'd been before spring.

That's what makes you my rival!

Your presence here will make me stronger!

Nice pitching! Nice arm!

I have a long way to go.

Eijun's presence here will make me even better.

And one more person...

Because he's here...

We can go full tilt from the first inning!

Go on. Get it done, Nori!

He prepares from the first inning, and shows up in the ninth.

He has to stay in perfect condition all the time.

The most stressful position in baseball...

Seido's unbreakable closer...

Nori-senpai's presence on the team gives us the confidence we need!

Struck out looking!

Third-year Kawakami ends the 9th and the game!

With a decisive 7-1 victory over Sosei High,

Seido High moves on to the semifinals!

Ichidaisan High's up next.

Sawamura should be starting.

Yeah.

I hope the ace's pitching gives us something to see.

Next time on Ace of the Diamond Act II -Second Season-...

Next Time

"Something Off"

"Something Off."

Aim to take nationals!