Ace of the Diamond

Game set. Eijun Sawamura, the pitcher of a novice junior high baseball team, meets with a bitter walk-off loss. For Sawamura, that became his last game in junior high, so he sets a new goal of going to the nationals in high school with his teammates. As he begins his hard quest on studying, a guest arrives unannounced. Her name is Rei Takashima, and she is the assistant director of the...

Sawamura gets himself into a baseball match against the 12th grade batter, Kiyokuni Azuma. Sawamura forms a battery with Kazuya Miyuki, the catcher carrying high hopes for Seidou. Sawamura loses confidence against Azuma, an opponent he's never faced, but Miyuki's lead slowly pulls out Sawamura's full potential. And then he throws his last pitch. After returning from Tokyo, Sawamaura is lost...

Sawamura is nervous being roomed with his older baseball teammates. However, their unexpectedly warm welcome makes him feel right at home. Next day, he feels too much at home, and ends up sleeping in for his first practice! There, he reunites with Miyuki who also overslept. Unfortunately, Miyuki's advice on resolving the situation only makes it worse. The head coach himself tells Sawamura that...

Seidou High School faces off against Ichidai Third High School, the school that beat them last year. While their top-level offense rakes in runs, the ace Tanba isn't doing too hot. The game turns into a batting game. On the other hand, Sawamura is back at school, training by himself. During his training, Furuya, another first-year pitcher approaches him. Showing sympathy to Sawamura's peculiar...

A game between the first-years and the second and third-years is being held. While Sawamura worries about whether or not he can play, he chances upon the Head Coach in the bath. "I don't want to see anyone but me standing on the mound." The Head Coach gives Sawamura one more chance in response to his statement. On the day of the game, the second and third-years are playing with everything they...

The scrim continues. Sawamura has finally based. It was thanks to the advice from Haruichi Kominato. As he steps into the batter's box, he declares to score a run. His batting turns out to be amazing. To answer the call, Sawamura sprints and makes it back to the plate. The first-year team gains momentum, but the Head Coach is ending the game mid way. However, he will let the game continue if...

Sawamura and Furuya are called to the bench. They are to incorporate the pitchers' training menu into their practice. Sawamura is excited by this addition, but unfortunately, Miyuki is partnered up with Furuya. While Sawamura is showing discontent that he isn't Miyuki's partner, a suspicious looking man there stands with a cold look. He is the other catcher, Chris. "Nice to meet you, poor...

"You won't ever be the ace." Sawamura receives a grim statement from Chris after seeing Furuya's performance in a game. Chris leaves Sawamura with a difficult training menu and leaves before anyone else. All Sawamura sees in him is a man who has given up. However, the moment he makes that comment out loud, Miyuki loses his cool. What ticked him off? What is Chris hiding?

After learning the truth about Chris, Sawamura follows him around to get him to teach Sawamura baseball. Chris finally gives in to Sawamura's persistence and decides catch his pitches. The pitch Sawamura decides to throw is the fastest pitch he can. But in response, Chris asks, "What is your specialty?" Sawamura can't throw breaking balls or amazing fastballs. What kind of pitch should he...

Chris tells Sawamura to improve on his specialty. While Sawamura started this relationship being an arrogant prick, Chris has been a catcher to him from the start; the training menu Chris gave him was a menu specifically for him. Sawamura puts in the effort to improve because he wants Chris to see his growth before Chris graduates from the team. At the first-string try-out game, Sawamura asks...

What Sawamura throws from the mound is an amazing moving fastball. However, his control's going haywire. When it looks like he might be getting replaced, the man who comes in is Chris. What is the "plan" that Chris takes when it appears all is lost?

Chris's father Animal comes to watch the game. He tries to stop his son from pushing himself to play. However, watching Chris make dangerous plays sends him back to the days he was a pro, and...

Sawamura's opponent batter Zaizen makes an unexpected play. However, Sawamura fixes his pitching and avoids the worst. Being on a roll, Sawamura throws his final pitch. What of the ball that Sawamura throws with everything he wants to tell Chris?

Sawamura keeps training hard. However, it was obvious to everyone that he was overworking himself. Chris calls Sawamura over to give him a warning—the best thing Chris could do out of concern for Sawamura's body. As the training camp of hell begins, Sawamura...

The training camp continues. The first-years can barely keep up with the harsh training. As Sawamura improves little by little, he is called to Miyuki's room for some reason. There, he found his upperclassmen waiting, and...

With fatigue from the camp, no one is playing well in the practice game against Osaka Kiryu. Even Furuya gives up 11 runs in just four innings. And finally, he calls for a time out. When everyone assumes he's raising the white flag, he makes a statement expressing his fortitude.

Seido and Kiryu begin playing neck and neck, and then Sawamura is called to the mound with Miyuki as his batterymate. "Let's have fun," says Miyuki, but Sawamura doesn't know what this game means for him.

"At least pitch to the inside." Miyuki tries to motivate Sawamura, who goes out with just his moving fastball and little experience. But Sawamura is unable to throw well. So Miyuki gives Sawamura another word of advice. This time to believe the fielders and throw with spirit. Is Miyuki trying to encourage him or put pressure on him? But it reminds Sawamura why he came to Seido. And the pitch he...

Seido, Inashiro Vocational, and Shuhoku are having a three-way round-robin. Game two of the round-robin is Inashiro vs Shuhoku, and the ace of Inashiro, Mei Narumiya, is pitching this game. He's the one who shut out Seido's batters at the last summer tournament semi-final. To make matters worse, Narumiya shows off a new weapon he didn't have last year. The pitch lights a fire under Seido's ace,...

Miyuki and Tanba's opinions clash mid-game. However, Tanba claims that what he wants to do is necessary for him to become a true ace. As Tanba gets closer and closer to becoming a true ace, something terrible happens.

Many rivals gather at the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Qualifiers, and only two schools can make national. Seido's summer to bring glory back to their name begins with a game against Maimon West High School. Seido's starting pitcher is...

Maimon West High School's starting pitcher isn't who Seido were expecting. The Seido team struggle against a player with no data and finish their first attack without scoring. However, Furuya isn't doing any less as the starting pitcher.

With the first game done, each player focuses on cleaning up his techniques. Chris teaches Sawamura how to hold the ball for a four-seam fastball. It should be a powerful weapon for Sawamura down the line.

The opponent in the fourth round is Akikawa Academy. Their pitcher, Shunshin Yeung, has been called "clockwork" due to his impeccable pitch control. "This won't be like the previous games." The Seido team shift their gears.