Original subtitles

It's the bottom of the ninth and the score's tied.

Two outs, bases loaded,

and the count is three balls, two strikes.

For the Akagi Junior High Baseball Team,

this became our final game.

Game set!

Schools, line up.

Excuse me. Please line up.

Eijun!

I'm sorry.

I couldn't take you guys to the nationals!

Eijun...

Ei-chan...

What is this guy on?

A team that can't even catch pop flies or grounders in the nationals?

I heard your school's being demolished soon.

Here to make some last-minute memories?

There's no way we were going to lose to a team with a girl!

You gotta be kidding me.

This is our spirit.

The Akagi Junior High Spirit.

Huh?

Take this!

Eijun!

The One Pitch

You idiot!

Do you even know what you did to yourself?

The other team's coach and families came roaring to you.

the players glared at you with hatred,

and you slapped them and the umpire them twelve times!

Are you really okay

finishing your three years of junior high baseball with a record like that?

I understand your anger, Coach.

I feel ashamed for losing to such a team of clowns.

That's not the point!

I'm not talking about the outcome of the game!

I'm talking about your slapfest!

Oh, that?

Of course!

Oh, I am so ashamed.

After all the work you put in as the team captain...

It's hard for me to say this,

but some high schools might not want you now.

I'll be fine.

All I need is a ball and a bat to play baseball.

That's how we've always been doing it.

You really don't get it...

Sawamura-kun.

Principal?

If you like baseball, you must learn to follow the rules.

Violence is never the answer, even if it's for your teammates.

All right.

Well, I think I've repented enough, so see ya!

Hey, come back here, Sawamura!

Oh, it's fine, Mr. Sano.

But...

He wanted people to remember our school before it's demolished.

I am truly proud of him for staying late every day,

practicing for that goal.

He made me procure buses to take them to practice games,

and he made me treat them all to barbecue for winning.

Knowing I won't have to do that any more is like a dream come true.

He went on a rampage when his teammates were riduculed.

It was certainly a very "Eijun" way to end things.

In the end, I couldn't win a single game in junior high.

Ei-chan!

Did the coach finally let you go?

Was he super mad?

That would be an understatement.

I came running out because he wouldn't shut up.

Yeah, that's you, all right!

Won't he still be mad?

Aren't you going to have a hard time finding a school after that incident?

What are you saying, Wakana?

What are you going to do, stupid?

You need to think before you act.

No need to be so blue and worried, guys!

We're all going to the same high school.

I mean, let's keep it real.

Even if the schools merge and ours gets demolished,

we'll still have the same school spirit if we stay together.

We couldn't go to the nationals in junior high,

but let's make it a reality in high school.

Ei-chan...

Yeah.

You just wait, nationals!

We're coming to take over!

So...

how do you plan to get in without an invitation?

The school we're applying to isn't exactly easy to test into, you know?

Your brain is the biggest of our worries, too.

You guys have all been studying?

Like any normal person would.

Seriously?

I'm still stuck on fractions in math!

I think you should give up.

Never give up!

Must Win

Eijun!

Hey, Eijun!

Someone's here to see you.

I'm screwed, Grandpa!

Everyone's flying away, leaving me behind!

Stop dreaming!

Now wash up and come downstairs.

Someone came all the way from Tokyo to see you.

From Tokyo?

Nice to meet you.

You must be Eijun Sawamura.

Rei Takashima Seidou High School Baseball

I'm the assistant director of the Seidou High School Baseball Team.

My name is Rei Takashima.

We would love to have you on our team.

Seidou High School?

Hey!

Seidou High is a famous baseball school that's been to nationals numerous times!

Is that supposed to be amazing or something?

You play baseball, and you've never heard of Seidou?

Never.

There are tons of professionals on TV who've graduated from Seidou.

It's more fun to actually play baseball than to watch it on TV.

Shut your mouth!

Please excuse my grandson's ignorance.

No problem.

But why would such a famous school in Tokyo come here looking for him?

I was present at the game he played the other day and saw great talent in him.

But there was an incident after the game...

Yes, the use of his wrists in his slaps truly represented his ability as a pitcher.

This is your chance, Eijun!

Tell her you'll accept the offer before she changes her mind!

We need to celebrate with a feast tonight.

What? Hold on...

Do you have something to say?

I'm gonna go to Tokyo just to play baseball?

Besides, I don't want to play baseball in such a stuffy environment.

Do you know what you're saying?

Do you have any idea how amazing this offer is?

Seriously! This is your best bet for high school.

It's true that this'll be much easier than testing into a school.

But I'll be chasing after the same dream wherever I go.

So I'd rather do that with the teammates I have here at home.

E-Eijun...

I see.

So, when would you like to pay us a visit?

Wait—

We're going to get busier as time goes on,

so it would be nice if you could come as soon as possible.

I-Is she even listening?

The baseball field is a mirror that reflects the players' spirit.

It's the only place you can find the truth, Sawamura.

The truth?

That game...

That final ball you pitched...

Bottom of the ninth, two outs and bases loaded.

A single hit will cost you the game.

That pitch wasn't like any pitch you'd made before.

You raised your right leg without a hint of doubt in you.

Your form, balanced on one leg, was truly beautiful.

Your natural ability to prevent a bad outcome showed as you stood in danger.

Or perhaps it was your pride as a pitcher, but that pitch...

You threw it instinctively with your heart and soul to take that batter down.

That last ball I pitched?

I saw the qualities of a true pitcher when you threw it.

Emergency Family Meeting

She's been saying weird things from the start.

Like the slapping thing, too.

I wonder if she's really from Seidou.

She sounds suspicious to me.

Anyway, you should come see one of our practices.

From what I saw,

you didn't have an actual instructor

or rivals who drove you to strive to improve at your junior high school.

If you are actually aiming to go to the nationals,

you should gain something from seeing a top-level practice.

The nationals...

Is it just me?

Or did she make fun of my junior high team?

You better be kidding me!

Very well! I'll take a good look at your so-called "top level."

Like it?

This is our prestigious baseball practice field.

We have an indoor practice area over there,

Seidou Spirit Dorm

and most of the team members live in the dorms.

Wow! What is that machine?

There's so much stuff I've never seen!

I-I'm not falling in love or anything!

I was just caught off guard!

Is that so?

Besides, you don't need all this expensive equipment to play baseball.

I bet you just gather all the best players from around the nation.

Then it's no surprise that you're good.

In fact,

I would hate to lose to a top-tier team that's granted anything they want.

I won't deny the fact

that half of our team members are from outside the prefecture.

They're here to play baseball abroad, so to speak.

So you do just invite the good players.

However,

this is the age when Japanese high school baseball is known to be the best in the world,

and some scouts come from the major league to invite players to their teams.

"I want to be the best baseball player, ever."

Fifteen-year-old boys leave home

for the purpose of honing their abilities.

I respect all players who have that determination and aspiration.

Determination...

She's right.

I can feel a sense of tension in the air.

Kawakami! Are you kidding me?

You throw like a girl!

How about you pitch with some feeling?

You're already tired?

This is why you can't make the team!

I'm sorry.

Azuma's at it again.

He shows no mercy once he gets his eyes on someone.

If you don't want to get better, then go back home to your mommy!

We've got plenty of pitchers to replace you!

I want to get better!

Then give me your best shot!

You should take a good look at his batting.

That's Kiyokuni Azuma, a monster with forty-two home runs in his high school career.

He's one of the players who'll be drafted this year.

It's like I'm swinging through air!

You're gonna make my skills rust like that!

Kawakami!

You're done! Get off the mound!

Someone carry him out!

Put him in a cardboard box and send him home!

What's his problem?

He's gonna play pro ball with a body like that?

Impossible!

Look at his belly!

He looks like an old man!

Sawamura, stop!

I bet he's at least forty years old!

There's no way he's in high school!

Who in the world...

is making fun of my cute belly?

Cute belly?

I think you mean your fat belly!

Who is that brat?

Does he have a death wish?

Azuma's been trying to lose that weight for a while, too.

Get out of my way!

S-Stop, Azuma!

Sawamura, you apologize right now.

A "baseball abroad" program?

Maybe everyone here has determination and aspiration,

but just being better doesn't give you the right to talk trash about other people.

He made fun of his pitches,

and then told him to go back to his mommy?

Even if everyone else is fine with it,

I'm definitely not gonna let it slide.

You can't play baseball by yourself!

Did this prestigious school not teach you

that this is a team sport?

So I'd rather do that with the teammates I have here at home.

So he cherishes his teammates.

I'm sorry, Azuma.

He just came out of the countryside,

so he's completely clueless about the real world.

He's a pitcher.

Do you mind showing him what batting is all about?

Sure.

I don't mind at all.

However,

I won't let him get off the mound until he begs for mercy.

Wait a minute!

I never asked to have a match with some jerk like him.

Sawamura,

this is a baseball field.

If you have something to say,

you're going to have to say it through baseball.

Now, go get changed.

This sounds like a lot of fun.

Rei,

can I catch his pitch?

Who's he?

Kazuya Miyuki, a catcher.

Miyuki!

You're a first year! Don't get cocky!

Well, excuse me.

But you've been kinda high on horse lately,

so I just think it'll do you good to play with us kids to go back to basics.

Who's on a high horse?

Kazuya, be careful what you say!

He's gonna jump you!

Miyuki, I'm glad you volunteered.

His pitches are a bit peculiar.

He himself doesn't even know what he has.

Think you can draw out his potential?

Wow, big praise.

You must have high hopes for this kid.

Damn it.

What am I even doing?

I knew I shouldn't have come here.

Eijun's in Tokyo?

Ow.

Wait.

Is this your first time with the hardball?

I didn't know

that the hardballs were so much harder and heavier.

Hey, kid.

If you're gonna apologize, you better do it now.

Once you get up to the mound,

there's no place for you to run.

Who do you think you are anyway?

You're the one who'll be begging to run away.

In fact...

No hard feelings even if I happen to hit you!

Oh, man! This guy's hilarious!

Miyuki!

Nothing's funny here!

You wanna get hurt?

Oh, I'm sorry.

On this day, I pitched eleven balls.

This day changed my baseball career

forever.

I have a one-on-one with Azuma.

He's a monster who's going pro once he graduates.

But I can't stand a guy who talks trash to his teammates!

A great pitch won't be born without the battery working as one.

Just one all-out pitch he throws to Azuma

makes a huge difference in his fate.

Next time on Ace of the Diamond: Partner.

Let's win the national title!