Original subtitles

Pitcher change.

Get off the mound, right now.

Bear the loss you had today in your heart.

If you do, you can go much higher.

Good ball control and faster pitches...

aren't something you can achieve overnight.

But if you can be patient and focus on building the foundation,

you'll slowly but surely set yourself apart.

Hone Your Moving Fastball

Yes!

It's a hit!

Three outs!

Change!

That should do it.

How did he get to that ball?

And he's on the second-string?

Just how many good players does Seido have?

Haruichi Kominato.

He has amazing baseball talent.

In terms of fielding alone,

he's on par with his brother, Ryosuke-kun.

I want to play, too...

Only two spots open in the first-string.

I don't have any time to waste.

I'm going to make it to the first-string!

Why?

You're too stiff.

How was that one?

Third one in a row to the scoreboard.

Why?

The batters were Randy Bass, Kakefu, and Okada.

But it sounds good when it hits the mitt!

People don't change so quickly.

You have to be patient.

Haven't I told you that enough?

I know what you're saying,

but I'm doing the exercises you gave me,

and you haven't told me my qualities yet.

You're flexible and have a good pitching form.

How do you grip the ball?

The ball?

Uh...

I see,

so you've put absolutely no thought into it.

How deep you grip, how it feels on your fingertips,

and how you place your fingers on the stitches.

Because you don't think about holding the ball in a certain way,

your point of release changes every time.

Your inconsistent throwing style creates the moving effect.

But I'm just trying to throw a fastball.

But that moving ball is the quality that defines you.

Furuya throws his fast and heavy fastball

by putting his entire weight on the tip of his fingers.

By contrast, the subtle inconsistencies at your fingertips

cause your pitches to break in ways that a batter can't predict.

Maybe it's worked for you in the past,

but in high school baseball, we use a metal bat that makes for easier contact,

so you'll just be overpowered.

You don't have speed or breaking balls.

There's only one way for someone like you to survive on this team.

Hone your moving fastball.

Once you get the physical strength you need to throw faster,

your fastballs will be even crazier.

Wait a minute...

Then all this time...

he'd been giving me exercises to help me?

Your goal is to become the ace, right?

Knowing Miyuki...

he'll catch any moving fastballs you throw.

B-But...

What about you, Chris-senpai?

With graduation right around the corner for me,

this is the best advice I can give you.

Be patient, and aim for the top.

You still have a long road ahead of you.

And don't forget to ice after you work out.

We have a month until the qualification tournament.

With their fatigue peaking,

it's time we start the training camp.

Ten more.

Your form is going wild.

Your body is opening because you're trying to throw fast.

Crap, Shades!

I mean... Good evening, Sir Head Coach.

What time do you think it is?

You'll only hurt yourself by practicing recklessly.

Didn't Chris tell you that the key is building the foundation?

True, there have been many pitchers who gave up

because they couldn't understand what Chris wanted.

But his method of prioritizing physical strength,

as he learned through bitter experience,

is, by no means, wrong.

If you can't listen to your catcher any further,

I'll have to split you two apart.

From the moment we met, he communicated with me as a catcher.

"Hone your moving fastball."

"Be patient."

But...

At this rate,

I won't be able to repay my debt.

I don't know what I can do in just a few months,

but before he graduates,

I want to show him the fruits of my training.

I have no words for him.

He's completely forgotten that there are two open spots

in the first-string.

Either way, you shouldn't overwork yourself by throwing recklessly.

If you're going to train by yourself,

you should do towel drills.

Get this.

No matter how strong you throw, you can't throw fast.

What's important is your glove hand.

Watch.

It's about how well you transfer all your strength to your fingertips.

As a southpaw,

you must create a wall with your right arm.

Your right leg supports your body as you shift your weight.

Your right hand creates the wall that stores all that power.

Like shooting an arrow, you hold that pull for as long as you can.

With all of your energy being transferred from your lower body,

you swing it down in an instant.

Wow.

The wind...

You try it.

The right-hand wall and the pull with my body.

Hone your moving fastball.

Make a wall with my right hand, and...

Swing it down!

I'm sorry! It was an accident!

It wasn't on purpose!

The right-hand wall

and the pull with my body...

The right-hand wall-pull for short.

Heads up!

Who's sending it this far?

I accidentally screamed like a little girl!

Oh, sorry.

I hit it too hard.

It was you?!

Whoa! Did you see how far that went?

He hits like a monster, too?

You really can't see the limit of his talent.

It would be a waste to keep him on the bench.

I just really want to throw.

He sure hits well for a first-year.

Makes me sick.

Yeah,

when we're stuck on the second-string

despite being the best players on our teams in junior high.

Not to mention...

It doesn't help when all the monsters on this team

practice harder than anyone else.

Yeah, I don't know what to say.

Everyone here is crazy and stupid.

But we don't want to regret being on this team.

Yeah,

even if we can't be on the field,

we want to fight it out until the end with these guys.

In fact...

We can't quit after coming so far!

We didn't go through three years of strenuous training for nothing!

I haven't even had a girlfriend for these past three years!

You idiot!

Don't say that!

Send more flying, you newbie first-years!

You'd better work so hard at baseball that you don't have time for a girlfriend!

And, second-years, you guys aren't being loud enough!

Looks like they're suddenly in the mood.

A pitcher

must stand on the mound

with everything on his shoulders, including the benched players.

I would never...

want to entrust the three years we spent here to you.

I'm here to become the ace!

And I'm confident that I want it more than anyone here!

Damn it.

I feel ashamed about saying that.

It's not about proving myself.

The one everyone recognizes...

is the ace.

Sawamura.

I'm heading out.

Do scroll B today.

Do three sets of each exercise.

Yes, sir!

Have a nice day!

He hasn't pestered me to catch lately...

A tad bit lonely...

Hey, that one felt good!

That drill...

I don't know if he came up with that,

but his center is looking more stable.

Looks like it's the perfect exercise for him right now.

National Training Center

Hey, Yu.

Maybe I shouldn't be saying this, as your parent,

but how about thinking about the future and quitting high school?

Your shoulder is pretty much healed.

But I really don't want to let you play Japanese high school baseball.

The Japanese fighting spirit principle is ludicrous.

Letting developing pitchers pitch under the sun for so long

is just unthinkable in America.

I asked the school to let you quit the team,

so why did you go back?

What are you going to accomplish

by finishing school as a second-string player?

I've already asked my high school if you could transfer in.

We can go to America any time you're ready.

That's my tire!

It was on the ground.

Well, I didn't give you permission, so give it back!

Also, that's my style!

Oh, were you secretly admiring the way I did it?

Yeah.

What?!

Brings back memories.

Tanba.

We wanted to make the team.

That was all we wanted.

Looking at them reminds me of how we used to be.

Chris, can you check my pitching form?

My control becomes rough after I pitch seventy times.

Sure.

Looks like remaining the ace isn't so easy.

How's your shoulder feeling?

It's gotten a lot better, right?

Are you gonna be ready by summer?

It's thanks to you noticing my injury

that I can still pitch today.

The more games I win,

the longer our summer will be.

You'd better come back to the first-string.

I know that, deep inside, you already know.

I haven't played for a year,

and I finish up practice early.

Seido isn't forgiving enough to give a guy like me a chance.

But...

You've sure learned to talk when you used to have stage fright.

I'm more worried that you'll give your ace title over to someone else.

Shut up!

I'm not letting anyone take it from me!

Yeah, that's the spirit.

What are you accomplish

by finishing school as a second-string player?

I'm sure Dad has some sense in his words.

But...

I have friends I've been fighting alongside with.

I want to graduate laughing with my friends, Dad.

I didn't know those two could laugh like that.

Yeah...

Seido High School Practice Field

Squeeze the glove hard right here,

and throw like kaboom!

Squeeze and kaboom!

And right-hand wall-pull for short!

Yes!

I finally feel it now!

Sawamura.

We have the pitcher line-up for the next game.

What?

This will be your last chance in the second-string,

so make sure you throw your heart out.

Last?

Already?

We'll pick two people to join the first-string after the game,

and we'll train until summer, having the camp focused on those twenty people.

Last...

Well, don't feel rushed.

Lately, you've acknowledged your weakness, and you've been doing well.

Just try to pitch to learn.

Chris-senpai,

are you not playing in any games?

It's only been several days, and I probably haven't improved much,

but in the next game,

please catch my pitches.

I want

to form a battery with you!

It sure is big.

I wonder if that hard-throwing Furuya is playing today.

So we're playing Seido...

Looks like he's doing well.

Zaizen, here's your bag.

Huh?

Thanks, can you carry it out?

S-Sure.

Kokudokan Seido

Both teams, line up!

They're putting the second-string up against Kokudokan?

Coach Kataoka's being pretty bold.

It's the last time the second-string team is playing, right?

Look at all the Seido players.

They look fierce while shooting for the remaining spots on the first-string.

Bow!

Let's have a good game!

But they're bringing him out for this important game?

Didn't he get clobbered by Komashiro?

Is he gonna stand a chance against the Kokudokan batters?

What? That's not Furuya.

Man, I was looking forward to the battle with the infamous, hard-throwing pitcher.

Hey, Sawamura.

Yes, Ono-senpai?

Uh, yeah.

They're going to let you throw for three innings.

If you throw like you did the last time,

I'm having you switched out.

Yeah!

It's great to be playing with you, sir!

I will throw like my life depends on it!

It's good that you have energy.

Make sure it's not the only thing you have.

I want to play a game, too...

I wonder what comical thing he's going to do today!

Depending on how he plays, he's not gonna get a chance for another year.

I wanted to see how Chris-senpai would lead Sawamura,

but I guess his shoulder isn't feeling very well yet.

I want

to form a battery with you!

I'm not the one choosing who plays in the game.

In any case,

you've been given the chance.

Don't throw in a way you'll regret, Sawamura.

All right!

I'll send these balls flying, so the rest is up to you!

Wh-What?

There's a difference between letting them hit and giving away hits.

Play ball!

Sawamura only has fastballs.

I just gotta collect them low to prevent any long hits.

I don't have speed or breaking balls.

Just like Chris-senpai told me,

all I can do is throw the best I currently can.

The right-hand wall.

Store all my energy for as long as I can,

and release it at once!

Go!

I need to show Chris-senpai the fruit of my training.

But I can't throw any strikes!

No outs and bases loaded right off the bat?

There's only one person I know

who can get him out of this pinch.

I have a plan.

We're gonna change...

this pinch into our momentum.

Next time on Ace of the Diamond: Chris to the Field!

Chris to the Field!

Let's win the national title!