Furuya...
What did you see at Koshien Stadium?
Are you chasing after that game you pitched against Hongo?
Control, speed, and focus...
Only four hits allowed in nine innings.
It was the best I'd ever seen you pitch.
But we lost.
We lost because of the runs I gave up.
I want my pitching to be even better than it was that day.
Aiming even higher...
You push yourself to walk a thorny path, huh?
Sorry you had to wait, Sawamura.
Shall we get to it?
What are you trying to do?!
After you put me on the back burner?
I don't intend to give up the mound.
You don't get to decide that.
The coach does.
You're not following your own advice.
Huh?
He wanted to keep pitching.
Yes, he did.
Pitchers are troublesome creatures.
That's what makes this fun.
You're not following your own advice.
Huh?
He wanted to keep pitching.
Yes, he did.
Pitchers are troublesome creatures.
That's what makes this fun.
Wouldn't you say?
Okay, let's go!
Okay, six more!
Well, you'll learn what Sawamura is like once you catch for him.
He might seem loud and overly assertive at first,
but he can throw the ball right to your chest from any distance.
He looks like he has good ball control.
What made you want to do this, Koshu?
I can't look away.
Okay, I'm feeling good!
I'm ready, Miyuki-senpai!
National champions
Learn today Devote every moment
Do you want to catch some more?
Then go get a protector and a mask.
Sawamura, throw a few more with Okumura!
Huh? Sure, since I'm on the back burner.
Are you still on about that?
I'd like to try number eleven today.
I know!
Be patient.
Stay focused. In a way,
his pitches are harder to deal with than Furuya-san's.
I've never seen pitches that were so hard to catch.
What are these numbers?
It seems like they're giving numbers to the breaking balls.
Oh, man...
I don't know much about them.
Start with number four!
Number four?
A four-seam, like the name implies.
Outside for a right-handed batter.
This won't be like warmups, young Okumura.
Their eyes...
I can't wait.
...looked forward,
unwavering.
Furuya, you're fortunate
to have come to this school
the same year as Sawamura.
Even if they see different things...
I love that sound!
That was a ball, unfortunately.
What?!
But it wasn't bad.
He's got a flexible catching style.
Yes, sir.
His glove makes a nice sound, which helps a pitcher throw their best.
Koshu always thought highly of him.
I think that's good.
They have two interesting pitchers.
He's way more intense than when we were playing catch.
How was that one?
That was a strike, plainly.
Yeah, that's right!
You can't see the ball's release point until the last second,
and it doesn't drop as much as you expect.
The first time I caught for him, my glove didn't make that sound.
Okay, number two next!
A two-seamer that sinks like a shootball.
A two-seamer. Can you throw that?
No...
Here it comes!
Nice reaction.
He immediately adjusted to that pitch, too.
Can you do a few more, Sawamura?
And how about you, Okumura?
I'm fine with more.
Yes, please.
Then, let's keep going! Number seven!
The improved cutter!
Improved sounds pretty cool.
Yeah.
Miyuki-senpai.
How many pitches have you assigned numbers?
Well, most of them are imperfect.
Imperfect?
His pitches break a lot naturally,
so just by changing his grip, he can throw various types of pitches.
We tried every grip there is and the ones that stuck are the numbers we have.
Every grip there is?
He was helping me in the off season!
Miyuki-senpai doesn't mind if my location is way off!
Learn today Devote every moment
What do you take me for?
You should apologize.
A tight-grip changeup,
the zero-seamer thrown without touching the stitching,
and the basic four-seamer and changeup.
Then the splitter he tried last game but doesn't have under control,
and the improved cutter he's about to throw.
Stay focused, Okumura. The difficulty is about to go way up.
The same cross step and full follow-through of the cutter...
Plus this different grip.
Imagine boring a hole into the chest
of a right-handed batter!
Straight...
It's not just you, Furuya.
It wasn't just you who experienced Koshien Stadium.
Sorry, that was a wild one.
He's improving at an amazing pace!
I heard rumors about Third High's practices, but these guys...
They swing the bat so many times.
These guys think swinging a thousand times a day for a year
will let them call forth the bat fairy or something.
C-Call forth a fairy, Amahisa-senpai?
Yeah, they really believe it.
Hey, Kosei!
Don't fill the first-years' heads with a load of nonsense!
I don't even like pitching to you guys in situational practice.
The bat fairy must be in there.
I'd want one if they really existed!
You'd want one?!
Hayamin could do her voice.
You're getting way too specific.
Who's Hayamin?
I'm gonna head out.
Good work today.
Kazutaka Kuhara (first-year)
Amahisa-san said he doesn't like pitching to them.
Yusuke Abe (first-year)
That means he trusts the lineup to do their job, right?
Tadashi Terui (first-year)
The bat fairy...
Hey, first-years! Don't take him seriously!
The first-years are meshing well with the team.
Defeating a powerhouse like Niogakusha has made the players more confident, too.
We had bitter losses last summer and fall,
but they ended up making our team stronger.
You pushed them hard in the off season, too.
Yes.
You could see Amahisa's soul leave his body in the latter innings.
Still...
There are things you can only get by winning.
We'll gain true confidence in this tournament to prepare for the summer.
Seido Spirit Dorm
If we want to be the best in Japan, there are many areas we need to improve.
Personal goals: Don't let a runner on base in the first inning,
my set position, and staying focused.
I lack so much.
I can't become the best like this.
If I'm the best pitcher in Japan, I can make our team the best in Japan.
Satoru Furuya
April 26
Tokyo High School Baseball Tournament Third Base Side First Base Side Game 1 10:00 Start Time Seido – Ichidai Third High Game 2 12:30 Start Time Inashiro – Teito
Tokyo Spring Tournament Semifinals Seido – Ichidai Third High (West Tokyo) (West Tokyo)
Meiji Jingu Secondary Stadium
Third Base Line Baseball Office Competition Office Umpires' Room Medical Room Locker Room
First Base Line Broadcast Room Executive Suite Locker Room Jingu Tournament Headquarters
Lineups, please.
We'd like to bat first.
Seido High School will bat first.
Ichidai Third will bat second. Understand?
Yes, sir.
Please shake hands.
What? They're gonna bat first?
Who's the starting pitcher?
1 | 6 | Yoichi Kuramochi 2 | 8 | Hideaki Tojo 3 | 4 | Haruichi Kominato 4 | 2 | Kazuya Miyuki 5 | 9 | Kenjiro Shirasu 6 | 3 | Kenta Maezono 7 | 7 | Masashi Yuki 8 | 1 | Satoru Furuya 9 | 5 | Shinji Kanemaru
There he is: Satoru Furuya.
But he's batting eighth. Maybe they want him to focus on pitching.
That first-year is in the starting lineup again.
Great!
I thought you might start Sawamura,
but looks like we'll both be fielding our best players,
Coach Kataoka.
Man, this game is gonna be great!
Do you think we can watch Inashiro versus Teito, too?
Honestly, I'd rather go back for batting practice
while the seniors aren't around.
Yeah!
I'm feeling great!
He's rather loud again today.
You can always tell where he is.
He's preparing like he's the starting pitcher.
That's how Sawamura-senpai...
Grr...
Sorry, it just slipped out.
Grrrrrrrrr...
Just hearing his name sets you off?
He must be frustrated about the other day.
Heh heh heh...
Note: This is Koshu's impression
Let's switch
Really, the pitch must've broken really hard for it to get past Koshu's glove.
And that's imperfect?
And he's not even the ace. No wonder Seido is really strong.
Are you done?
Yeah, thanks.
Sawamura, maybe we should wrap up, too.
No, no, no. Who knows when Furuya will screw up?
I need to be ready from the first inning!
You won't be pitching today.
Third High has the same players as last game?
Yes, even the batting order is the same.
With Third High's core of left-handed batters,
I thought Sawamura might start, but...
Maybe Coach Kataoka wants Furuya to show his ace pitching skills.
Furuya will start tomorrow.
Kawakami, Sawamura, start preparing early.
Yes, sir!
Third High's batters are some of the fastest swingers in the country.
Fielders, be ready to back up the pitcher on defense.
Yes, sir!
It's on me now!
Too early.
Ichidai Third High's ace, Kosei Amahisa.
His pitching held Niogakusha scoreless.
He'll make scoring difficult.
Based on the flow of the game and how many outs there are,
judge what to do for every pitch.
Get ready to work together until you score!
Every game we play from now on will affect our summer!
If you're serious about winning a national championship, then win this game!
Yes, sir!
Seido
Ichidai
It's the first game of the Tokyo spring tournament semifinals,
with Seido High School facing Ichidai Third High.
They are long-time rivals, both from the western division.
You can sense the tension in the packed stands.
Which team will win this preview match for the summer tournament?
Bow!
Thank you!
Thank you for waiting.
Today's first game, Ichidai Third High vs Seido High School,
will begin soon.
Beginning with the fielding team,
Ichidai Third High's pitcher will be Amahisa-kun.
Playing catcher, Takami-kun.
Playing first base, Hoshida-kun.
Playing second base, Miyamoto-kun.
Both teams have all their best players.
Playing third base, Mori-kun.
Winning this game will guarantee a spot in the Kanto tournament.
Playing shortstop, Adachi-kun.
Playing left field, Yoshida-kun.
They don't want to show any weakness before the summer tournament.
Playing center field, Miyagawa-kun.
Playing right field, Sasaki-kun.
Seido
Ichidai
Top of the first inning, Seido High School is up to bat.
Batting first, shortstop Kuramochi-kun.
Train, train, running along!
Train, train, on and on!
Train, train, running along!
Train, train, on and on!
What? You won at rock-paper-scissors?
Did you wait to throw?
But you never win.
Well, excuse me.
You know what it means to bat first.
Amahisa isn't especially great at the start, either.
We need to go after Amahisa in the first inning
Train, train, running along!
and take the pressure off Furuya.
Train, train, on and on!
Train, train, running along!
Train, train, on and on!
He's a batter you don't want on base, Amahisa boy.
Sure, he's fast...
But he's not that good a batter!
Kuramochi-kun has gotten more reliable as a third-year.
He pounced on that high pitch.
The cheetah's a little macho!
I keep telling him to focus on batting lefty,
but he's still obsessed with being a switch hitter.
Our middle infielders are stubborn.
Batting second, center fielder Tojo-kun.
If we want to score, we have to make every chance count.
And that depends on advancing the runner to third.
Yeah! Nice bunt!
That was a great bunt!
Second batter Tojo's sacrifice bunt advances the runner to third!
Seido High School has a chance to take the lead!
And here come the cleanup! The third batter is Haruichi Kominato!
This guy can do it! I'm sure he will!
He hasn't settled into a rhythm yet.
If he throws a meatball...
"Batting First"
"Batting First."
Looking good, Harudanji!
Good eye!
Yes, yes, yes!
There're two outs, Furuya!
Furuya, swing your arm all the way through.
Down the middle is fine. Just overpower them.
That's your ability.
No matter how many runners are on base,
we can still hold them off!
On the next episode of Ace of the Diamond Act II:
"Presence."
Next Time
"Presence"
Let's win the national title!
Color illustration / Yuji Terajima