True Ace

Mihashi a freshman in high-school, and has just transferred to Nishiura High, a school not known for its baseball. But after he gets forced into playing by its new female coach, he befriends the the catcher Abe, who becomes his main supporter in the future.

A Catcher’s Role

The baseball team at Nishiura High heads out to a training camp. As everyone is preparing for their first practice match against Mihashi's old school, Abe realizes that the catcher's role is not just on the field but is also to encourage and to protected the pitcher and his well-being.

Practice Match

The practice game between Nishiura High and Mihoshi, Mihashi's old school, is about to start. However before the game starts Mihashi loses his confidence and runs behind the club building, Hatake, the catcher from Mihoshi, followed him and begins to harassing him to the point of threatening to break his arm for the lost games in middle-school.

Play

Mihashi is pitching nicely, outing all of Mihoshi’s batters so far. At the top of the 2nd inning, Tajima easily hits Kanou’s forkball. Kanai tries to compete with Tajima and do the same, but strikes out instead.

Don't Ease Up!

With nice team work, Nishiura is able to score two consecutive runs easily. Meanwhile, tension is rising between Kanou and the rest of his team.

The Requirements to be a Pitcher

Going into the bottom of the 7th inning, Kanou finally goes into detail about how great Mihashi’s control really is, and Mihoshi’s substitute coach comes up with a plan.

I Want to Play Baseball!

Through good teamwork, Nishiura was able to rally and gain back the lead. After winning the game, Mihashi’s old teammates finally acknowledge their mistakes and ask for his forgiveness and to come back.

Amazing Pitcher?

On the way to practice, Mihashi meets Sakaeguchi and learns about how in the Senior League, Abe was teamed up with an “amazing pitcher.”

Past

Abe’s past relationship with Haruna is revealed, showing the circumstances that led Abe to consider Haruna to be the worst pitcher instead of one of the best.

Steadily

In order to be able to play two practice games, everyone on the team must be able to play at least two different positions.

Summer Is Starting

The Summer National Senior High School Baseball Championship Saitama Tournament is about to start. All in all, 170 schools in the area gathered together in order to draw lots to determine who they would be playing against.

Cheering Party

During practice, the team, with the addition of Hamada, continue to meditate, but this time start to actively train their relaxing reflex to trigger with the presence of a third base runner.

Summer Game Beginning

The team has been working hard to prepare for the game against Tosei, to the point that even Shinooka-chan collapses from exhaustion because she had pulled an all-nighter writing a detailed report on Tosei’s battery and batters.

Challenge!

The first game of the summer tournament begins. Everyone is present, including the big crowd that Hamada got to come to the game.

First Point

The Tosei batters are getting perplexed by Mihashi’s pitching since the balls appear to be easy, but are hard to connect.

Do Not Underestimate

Tosei still does not know what to make of Mihashi’s pitches, and Nishiura is still hanging on. Nishiura had a chance to get another run in, but the Tosei battery once again made Tajima strike out.

Third Runner

Tosei comes back with a counter attack plan, playing to the basics and hitting grounders. Though Nishiura is still hanging onto their lead, they are playing really hard defense.

Additional Point

After getting on base because of a dead ball caused by the rain, Mihashi and the rest of his team work hard in order to get one more run before the inning ends.

Tosei's Abilities

Tosei continue their attack plan, concentrating on hitting Mihashi’s curveball, and manage to get in one run. Nishiura gets into a little mishap, because Mihashi gets a nose bleed, making Abe worry about Mihashi’s condition and whether or not he can pitch.

Reversal

Though Nishiura is playing a good defense, the lucky breaks that Tosei keep on having make the members of Nishiura seem clumsy.

One More Point

Tajima once again strikes out, but is able to help his teammates successfully steal bases once he enters the coaching box again.

Defend!

Tosei takes several gamble plays and is able to get one more run in to take the lead once again.

Strictly

Nishiura is desperate now to get their batters onto the plates in order to have a chance at winning.

Conclusion

Now that they have the lead, Nishiura must make sure that they don’t allow any more runs.

One Victory

After the game against Tosei ends, Mihashi is taken home to rest since he has a fever.

What's Next?

Hot off the heels of their first win, the players of Nishiura High School are fired up for the rest of the summer tournament!

Sakitama

Before the next match, the Nishiura Nine go to watch the game of their next opponent. There they discover Sakitama High's cleanup hitter, Daichi Sakura.

Third Match

Nishiura High's next opponent, Sakitama High, has an incredibly strong batter. If Nishiura wants any chance of winning, Nishiura will need a quick shutout win!

Baseball Is Tough

Hanai is the cleanup batter for Nishiura in the third match, and is struggling to get out from behind Tajima's shadow. Hanai questions whether or not he's a dependable player.

I Want To Play Ball

Abe's strategy to walk Sakitama's cleanup hitter is working. While Sakitama can't score a run, their third-year Oyama dwells on the end of his baseball career.

Important

After one of many misunderstandings, Mihashi comes to realize that he's an important baseball player of Nishiura High.

A Gradual Change

Nishiura's third game against Kounan begins. Bijyou High's coaches observe the game, and conclude that Abe, the catcher is deciding all of Mihashi's pitches.

Fifth Match

The game against Bijyou Dai Sayama High has begun, and Mihashi questions why Bijyou's batters only seem to swing on pitches that are the opposite of what they like to hit.

We're Being Scouted

It's 4-0, and Nishiura hasn't gotten a single run. After discovering that the courses were wrong and that Bijyou had scouted them, Abe is able to lead Mihashi to pitch two no-hit innings.

Bottom of the Fifth, 2-5

After scoring two runs, Bijyou High turns up the heat and sends out its reserve pitcher, Kashima. Kashima throws intense fast balls, but he's just warming up! Can Nishiura land a hit?

Because I'm the Ace

The unthinkable has happened! Abe is injured and can no longer participate in the match. Mihashi must step up to the pitcher's mound and discover some self-confidence.

Ninth Inning

It's the final inning and Nishiura is still behind in runs. Coming to terms with Abe's injury, Mihashi realizes that he was shoving all of his responsibilities onto Abe.

We Begin Again

Accepting their defeat against Bijyou Dai Sayama High, Mihashi and the Nishiura Nine work to come up with a team goal. Mihashi receives an ambiguous text from Abe.