Original subtitles

Wait, managers.

Thanks for everything you do.

Let's keep working hard for two more days.

Isashiki-kun...

Senpai!

Ryo-san, are you free—

Ryo-san?

Seido High School Practice Field

A Nostalgic Face

Those are some nice hits.

That's going at around 150 km/h, right?

Narumiya-kun's max is 148 km/h and he's a southpaw.

If they can't hit his pitches, it won't even be a game.

Sakai.

You're still trying too hard to make contact.

You have to swing the bat all the way.

Listen up!

If you can't swing with confidence,

it'll only give momentum to the opponent!

You have to swing the bat all the way through!

Even if that means you get struck out.

Yes, sir!

Got it!

So close!

Just a hair lower!

W-Well, his swing is nice.

Yeah.

Look at Furuya!

Impressive.

His batting's good, too.

I want to pitch in the bullpen.

Harucchi!

Damn, you lucky boy.

Sawamura! Bunt!

That's good!

Look how slow that's rolling.

That's off a 150 km/h pitch.

How can he tap it like that?

Are you serious?

Can he bunt off anything?

Oh, no.

I can't believe I'm so impressed by him.

It's because he's not afraid of the pitch.

That can't be the only reason.

Good job!

You're the bunt master!

Not good at bunts

Just bunt every at-bat!

Wh-What?

These guys are surprisingly relaxed.

Well, there's only one more game, no matter what happens.

So they just have to go all out.

Damn you all!

It's about time I showed you my true power.

Don't swing.

Just practice your bunts.

B-But, General!

Seido High School Practice Field

Field practice starts after lunch.

Go eat, then come back here at one.

Yes, sir!

Good luck!

We'll be there tomorrow!

Furuya, Sawamura.

Let's look through the data on Inashiro while we eat.

Yes, sir!

Lunch and meeting, sir?

Did you have to say that?

Having Tanba-san in charge of the pitchers

takes a load of our shoulders.

Yeah.

We've made it this far with a four-pitcher relay.

Whoever's on the mound at that time is the ace!

That's how we should all pitch!

And he knows that more than anyone.

Seido Spirit Dorm

We need to watch out for their first and second batters.

Yeah.

I'm sure they'll try for steals, too.

And we definitely need to watch out for their cleanup,

but the scariest thing about Inashiro's batters...

...is their attachment toward victory.

Attachment?

Yeah.

Last year,

the game was decided by a squeeze play from their cleanup.

From their cleanup?

In order to score, they'll even make their cleanup bunt.

Some of the best players in the country come at you as a team

to make sure they score when there's a chance.

In other words,

they're the team that knows how to play so that they won't lose.

Anyway, we can't give them any four-ball walks.

Let's check on everyone's pitching in the bullpen after lunch.

Yeah!

I'll just do the best I can do right now.

I won't let the team down.

I can finally pitch.

What's wrong, Sawamura?

Not giving up four-ball walks is important for sure,

but people can easily hit my pitch to the outfield, right?

You were right, and I gave up a hit yesterday, too.

What?

Did you lose your confidence again?

No, I didn't!

And what do you mean "again"?

I know tomorrow's the game,

and I may be saying something stupid,

but can I say something?

I want to learn breaking balls.

Well, time to get back to practice.

Yeah.

Rejected

Wait!

Seido High School Practice Field

Hey, managers.

Can you help me out a bit?

Y-Yes, sir!

Are there still more?

Of course!

Who do you think I am?

There are plenty more in the car!

This is a gift from me to the guys.

It's the least I can do for them!

H-Hey, isn't that...

No doubt about it.

He's the cleanup from last year.

Kiyokuni Azuma, third-round draft pick for the pro league.

Azuma-senpai!

It's Azuma-senpai!

Hey, Isashiki.

How've you been?

Hello.

Hello. Hello. Hello.

Why's a pro here?

Aren't they in season?

I heard Azuma's trying to lose weight in second-string.

He needs to lose 10 kg, or he can't play.

Seriously?

Azuma-senpai, did you get bigger?

How did you get fat after going pro?

Shut up!

It's from all the stress of not playing!

Did you say hi to the coach already?

Yeah, well...

He just told me to lose weight.

Stop asking me questions!

This is your year!

The dream I couldn't achieve

is in your hands now.

Azuma-senpai.

Seido High School Practice Field

You guys'd better make it to nationals!

Next, splitter.

Slide step!

Not bad.

He's throwing low,

and thanks to the break he got, his pitches have power.

All right, that's enough.

Already?

Tomorrow's the game.

Your biggest problem is stamina, remember?

Nice pitch!

Tanba-san's pitch is looking good.

Yeah.

Though he still has some slip-ups here and there.

The batters were waiting for his slip-ups in the last game,

but being able to pitch through five innings

should've given him some confidence.

The condition of his pitch is important,

but it's more important that he has his eyes set forward.

I'm more worried about...

Shoot! Sorry!

Don't worry!

Your speed's looking good!

Just a little higher!

He's been pitching in every game as the closer.

Nori might be the most mentally fatigued out of anyone here.

He's able to consistently throw low.

He might be pitching a little too cautiously.

Yeah.

At this point, it's more about the heart than the technique.

How strong and confident can you be on the mound?

That's what's key, Nori.

Yes!

Perfect!

I'm scared for my own sake!

Why aren't we playing for real today?

That was a ball.

Are you trying to hit me?

What are you talking about?

My mind's set right down the middle.

That's even worse!

Well, he has energy.

But that's all.

I want to learn breaking balls.

Next, four-seamer.

Yes, sir.

His form's starting to look consistent.

Nice pitch, Sawamura.

Oh, not at all.

I've still got a lot to do.

I'm sorry I'm such a newbie.

That's the wrong reaction.

Chris-senpai, it's about what Sawamura said at lunch.

I know.

If he could learn a breaking ball overnight,

I would've done it long ago.

No.

I'm not sure what was on his mind when he said it,

but in yesterday's game...

Seido High School Practice Field

Sawamura, come here!

What is it?

You said you wanted to learn breaking balls.

What did you have in mind?

All right, I get it.

We'll listen this time.

He's still mad we ignored him?

They didn't even give me a chance at lunch.

A cutter.

Well...

A cutter's a type of moving fastball, right?

It's not just a random break but an intended break,

and you make batters jam an inside pitch to get them out with grounders.

I thought if I could jam the batters even more,

I could avoid having the ball go into the outfield.

That's what I was thinking.

I see.

So he's got Sanada from Yakushi on his mind.

Not bad.

Not bad coming from you, Sawamura.

The crossfire pitch you threw in the last game...

...was basically a cutter.

Seriously?

If you already have it thought out in your head, then it should be easy.

Remember what you did that time and try to throw it.

Kanemaru, can you go in as a right-handed batter?

Y-Yes, sir.

He grows in every game.

He's quickly getting out of reach.

Well, what's this?

You're that disrespectful brat from that one time.

Why are you in the bullpen?

Don't tell me you're on the first-string team.

Y-You're...

...the person I completely shut down before!

Chubby-senpai!

Chubby!

Chubby?

Wait.

I don't remember you being this fat.

Are you trying to pick a fight, twerp?

I remember you saying something about not liking famous schools!

So what are you doing at our school?

I d-don't remember any of that.

Learn some respect, or I'll box you up and send you back home!

Look how soft this is.

Azuma-senpai.

What?

He's a valuable member of our team right now.

What...

...did you say?

There's a pitch we wanted to try.

Want to take a look at his pitch from the batter's box?

Something crazy's about to happen.

Not at all.

He's just going to stand there.

Azuma-kun and Sawamura-kun dueled ten months ago.

I wonder how Azuma-kun will see Sawamura-kun now.

Give it here!

Y-Yes, sir.

You should put on these guards.

I don't need 'em!

You think I can't dodge his pitch?

Azuma.

You're a professional who gets paid to play with a healthy body.

If you're going to stand in the box, put on the guards.

He suddenly got quiet.

Miyuki.

You want to see if it'll be any good for tomorrow, right?

You should catch this one.

This is an important role as the main catcher.

Chris-senpai.

Hey, so you really think he's a valuable member?

I'll have to see it for myself to believe it.

There aren't many batters

who can put on so much pressure just by standing here.

Then we won't hold back, sir.

Give me one to the inside.

Try to throw what you threw yesterday.

I just wanted to throw a hard pitch to the inside.

Are you serious?

Your legs are way too closed.

Can you swing your arm all the way through like that?

What?

Out of the blue?

And it's breaking!

Azuma-senpai!

Seido High School Practice Field

Are you okay, Azuma-san?!

The guards were useless!

It got his fat!

His flexible shoulder and elbow

and the twist between his upper and lower body...

...introduce a new kind of break as he transfers power to the ball.

This is Sawamura's cutter.

That was it.

Chubby-senpai!

Can I throw more?

I don't want to forget what I just felt!

Thanks!

Dumbass! Why don't you apologize first?

And I'll kill you if you call me chubby again!

I don't remember his pitch looking like this.

I couldn't even react.

Ryo-san!

That was solid.

Those two are an amazing duo.

He's a monster.

Ryo-san, your leg.

Did you hurt it when you slid for home last game?

What's your point?

I hit the catcher's leg guard with my shin,

so it's just a little swollen.

A little?

Don't worry.

I'll have plenty of adrenaline flowing in a game.

Everyone hides minor injuries like this.

But...

If you think I'm dragging the team down,

you should tell the coach.

If it comes from my year-long partner,

then I can't disagree.

He's as good as always.

He may not have a big body,

but his heart is bigger than anyone's.

Nice.

Shut up.

He's only a year older than me,

but he has my full respect.

He's been teaching me so much this year.

Man, that was quite a misfortune.

That kid just kept hitting me nonstop.

Aren't you glad you had guards on?

It's not a laughing matter!

You suck at dodging.

You're gonna have a hard time in the future.

Excuse me.

Please stand for me.

Who are you?

Azuma-senpai.

How was Sawamura's pitch?

Hey, Chris.

I heard you've been healing pretty well.

You don't look like a dead man anymore.

I have to say, his pitch is peculiar,

and he's a different kid from a year ago.

But he's still very rough.

I can't imagine him wearing the ace number.

You're quite a harsh judge.

Are you kidding?

Do you even know what the third-years were like in their first year?

You were head and shoulders above the rest,

but everyone else was just trash.

Compared to you, everyone's trash－

No way.

They were actually really bad.

The third-years used to be trash?

How much you can improve is really up to you.

Tell him I said that.

It's time you improved, too.

He's merciless.

Yeah!

You can't believe what Azuma-kun said?

The third-years were once first-years, too, you know?

No one's reliable from the very start.

What do you mean?

These guys are a joke.

They have no future.

I'm not quitting!

I can't just give up!

In order to survive,

we can only keep our chins up.

Next time on Ace of the Diamond: Footsteps to Tomorrow.

Footsteps to Tomorrow

Let's win the national title!