Now a different pickoff move.
He's a skilled pitcher.
His lead's smaller now.
Steal!
Out!
There's Kazuya Miyuki's rocket arm!
That was a nice throw.
1.18 seconds.
He's going through the stretch faster.
Two outs!
The catcher can't stop a stolen base by himself.
The pitcher needs to cooperate, too.
And he's shown he cares about his catcher.
Did you drill that into him?
Drill it in? Please.
He's still nowhere near complete!
Strike!
Ball!
And since he's incomplete,
that means he can still grow an incredible amount.
Playing this game...
will undoubtedly...
make him stronger.
Yeah!
That's how Sawamura is now!
He took Mima down with a fastball!
His pitching is limiting Hakuryu's running game!
He held them scoreless again!
Sawamura, you jerk!
Nice pitching!
Hakuryu
Seido
Two talented pitchers who played in the Invitational are facing each other
as the match between Hakuryu High School and Seido High School
enters the bottom of the third inning.
Bottom of the Third Two Outs, Runner on First
After giving up the lead in the first inning, Hakuryu's starting pitcher Ono
has settled down and is holding the Seido batters at bay.
Hakuryu
Seido
Top of the Fourth One Out, Runner on First
Seido's starting pitcher Sawamura is using his outstanding ball control
to avoid giving Hakuryu any chances.
Both pitchers have gone blow-for-blow in the early innings.
Yeah!
Man, they're holding off Hakuryu!
And it isn't even Furuya pitching!
Who the heck is that pitcher?
Kane!
Sawa!
Nice pitch, Sawamura!
He hit that pitch into fair territory...
And these guys are barely reacting to the outside sliders.
Is that their strategy?
It's like my belly is on fire,
or like my blood is boiling.
This is the tension I can only feel
against a strong opponent.
I want to stand there!
On that mound!
It hit the fence!
That was a hard hit between the right and center fielders!
He's a monster!
He's even a good batter!
He's going for third!
He's crazy!
He's out!
Out!
Three outs! Change!
Furuya, why are you letting the other team influence you?!
That was too greedy and reckless!
That decision...
It's like Furuya-kun's mind is racing.
You're being overconfident about your running!
Let's switch gears.
Aso, you're on the field this inning!
See?
Okay! Let's go, guys!
I've got left field covered!
Wow, check out his scrub aura.
Yep.
That was a big opening against a pitcher we've struggled with since the first inning.
Knowing how well this team fields and throws,
I don't know what you thought you'd gain by pushing so hard.
Day in and day out, they've trained how to run bases
and accurately assess the situation.
Hakuryu does not run bases
with all-or-nothing gambles like you did.
There is no shortcut to glory.
The team does not need plays that mistake aggressiveness for arrogance.
Top of the Fifth
Wow, Aso!
Yeah!
You were at the right place.
They didn't seem like they could hit deep to left field.
I'm not just sitting on the bench to look pretty!
Nice, Aso-senpai!
See? He latches on to some unusual things, right?
Out!
Yeah!
Seven outside, four inside, two changeups.
The ball's speed at the beginning and end of each pitch
and the difference in the rotational axis
changes very slightly.
Hey, they're not just unable to run,
they can't even get on base!
That pitcher's flying through his innings.
People of Gunma!
This is Haruichi Kominato!
Thanks for your support!
Knock that off!
He's got a loud mouth, though.
There he is, calling for attention again.
Sawamura!
Get back over here!
Yeah!
Hakuryu Seido
Ball!
They really aren't swinging at the sliders.
Then we can pound the strike zone with it to run up the count.
Strike!
Kanemaru!
More hips!
Hit with your hips!
They're starting to switch up their sequence.
The battery probably thinks we won't swing at any sliders.
Then the time is right.
We'll start swinging at their sliders next inning.
Hakuryu Seido
We've only had five hits so far in this game.
He throws unique pitches to all four corners
and stays in control on the mound, even with runners on base.
He doesn't flinch at our base running. Let us acknowledge his skill as a pitcher.
Given that, what can we do about him?
After the Invitational, we've focused on improving our batting,
and developing a new brand of Hakuryu baseball that takes our running game to another level.
He's crowding the plate.
He's using the long handle.
And he's good at fouling pitches off.
Is he trying to ignore the inside pitches and wait for an outside pitch?
Start by making them think about what you'll do,
all while keeping our strategy very simple.
Once the pitch you want comes...
give a decisive swing!
Near right field!
Given your aggressive calls in tight situations,
we knew you would ask for an inside pitch.
There's a runner on first
and Soichiro Mima is up to bat!
Mima! Mima!
This is his third at-bat.
That's huge!
That's the biggest lead yet!
You're shouting too loud!
Even this guy is crowding the plate.
It looks like they're trying to rattle us from the batter's box as well as the bases.
With a runner on base?
If he runs with that lead...
Don't worry.
Taking a lead that large poses obvious risks.
It's just a fake-out. He'll run back to the base.
He went back as soon as I moved.
Ball!
An open stance.
He's waiting for an inside pitch.
You knew the runner would go back to the base and threw a changeup.
And you figured out what pitch we're waiting for.
Now, the next pitch...
He's standing in his usual position.
That's the stance he doesn't normally use because people say he's copying Ichiro.
He still ends up doing it when he's extremely focused.
Soichiro, is your instinct telling you to take this battery head-on?
It would be easier for us if he was batting for the team.
I don't think the high inside pitch we got him out with last time will work.
If we sprinkle in the numbers with fastballs to get him out of position...
Foul!
Ball!
He's staying perfectly balanced even as we paint the corners.
In that case...
We don't need to hold back!
Number 7!
The improved cutter!
Foul!
He made contact on the improved cutter!
Oh, man!
If the ball goes even halfway too close, he'll knock it flying.
He definitely will!
Looking good, Sawamura!
Stay aggressive!
This guy's crazy!
Ball!
You're forcing it.
Stay calm.
It's not every day you face a batter like this.
That's why it's worth it to hit him with everything you've got!
Half-hearted pitches won't strike this guy out.
It's a little premature to use this pitch, but it's worth a try.
Unleash Number 11, the splitter!
The count is three balls, two strikes.
The runner will make his move.
We want to avoid the extra-base hit.
Ball four!
Man, he got walked.
Did Mima get the better of them?
Now there are no outs, with runners on first and second.
What was that?
Did that pitch drop?
So there are more breaking balls that pitcher hasn't thrown yet.
Was that a forkball?
Probably.
It looked like he was pinching it.
Damn, I forced it.
I was too eager to get a strike!
Sawamura, next is the cleanup!
We hadn't practiced that pitch much anyway.
Don't worry about it.
The long handle...
Crowding the plate...
This is the first pitch after a walk.
He's going to be swinging.
I want to see what he'll do.
I don't need a strike.
This is the first pitch after a walk...
I can't throw a meatball.
Let's start with a ball!
Just on the edge!
In the strike zone?!
Near right field!
Back home!
Out!
Yeah! Nice, Shirasu!
Yeah!
That guy can throw strikes from the outfield!
The white laser!
A modest flex!
The Seido fielders are good.
They're well-trained.
So is that batter. He promptly moved up to second.
My bad. I should have said I wanted it further outside.
Sorry, I was too eager for a strike.
Runners on second and third.
Let's switch gears.
Yes, sir!
The third-base runner is Mima.
He'll run on a grounder, and they might try a squeeze play.
Infielders, play in.
Second base and shortstop,
be ready to throw the ball home.
Outfielders, don't let the second-base runner make it home.
Sawamura, one out!
Come on, let me show off!
Stay aggressive, Sawamura!
Make him hit it here!
Keep it going, Sawamura!
Eijun-kun!
These guys have my back,
so why am I still thinking about that last play?
What's important is the next pitch.
One moment can decide the outcome.
The runners aren't moving!
They're doing a safety squeeze!
One pitch can decide it!
Foul!
It's the middle innings, and his pitches aren't slowing down.
They actually seem sharper.
He's pitching without hesitation.
He's choking up on the bat.
Ono is pitching so patiently.
I'm his partner, so I want to get a run for him.
I want to get Mima home.
Get a deeper knowledge of every play
and learn why you throw each pitch.
That's what I need from you.
A tough to hit inside pitch!
This battery is really aggressive!
The more risk involved, the bolder they play.
Nice pitch! Looking good, Sawamura!
He's focusing on the inside.
We'll finish him with an outside pitch.
I want to catch up.
To help our team...
achieve victory!
I want to get closer...
for the summer!
Strike! Batter out!
"Unleashed"
"Unleashed."
It's thrilling to go toe-to-toe with a strong team like this.
It doesn't matter how well you pitched if you lose the game.
If you lose, it's over.
I don't want to let anyone take it.
This is my place!
I won't let it end like this.
Even one day longer.
Longer than any other team.
I will fulfill my duty.
On the next episode of Ace of the Diamond Act II:
"Beneath the Same Banner."
Next Time
"Beneath the Same Banner"
Let's win the national title!
Illustration / Yuji Terajima