Goro leaves Kaido High and considers transferring to Mifune High, but he reconsiders after watching Mifune dominate a preliminary match.

Goro tries to form a baseball team at Seishu High, but gets a cold response from the other boys. He receives support from a girl named Nakamura.

A losing streak has Shigeno in bad spirits. The school chairperson tells Goro that she can't approve of a team until he has teacher supervision.

Baseball club supervisor Yamada nets a practice match with Teijin High. Goro leads the team with his fast pitching but things take an unexpected turn.

Seishu ties the game with Fujii's hit, but Tashiro is still not satisfied. Goro speaks honestly after Yamada asks him why he's taking such a gamble.

Goro's team begins training. Shigeno shows up as a temporary coach but an intentionally harsh practice session causes most of the team to quit.

Under Shigeno's coaching, the team begins training in earnest with the goal of winning a preliminary game by spring. A new guy shows up at practice.

Seishu plays a practice match against Kaido's reserve team. They struggle with the opposing pitcher and fall behind thanks to some poor fielding.

Goro is dejected when he hears it will take three months to recover from his injury. Kaido High's chief manager Egashira visits him in the hospital.

The team is excited to play Yoka High in the first round of the tournament. Looking healthy, Goro throws a perfect fastball in practice.

After a fierce seventh-inning comeback, Seishu trails by just three points. Despite his injury, Goro takes the mound in place of an unmotivated Taiga.

The doctor tells Goro that his career is in jeopardy if he keeps playing hurt. Goro appears to take his advice but secretly looks for other options.

Seishu faces Mifune High in the second round. Taiga loses his focus as Mifune breaks the deadlock to take the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Mifune has no outs and a batter on second base in the bottom of the sixth inning. Thrown by Mifune's unexpected tactics, Seishu falls further behind.

Goro takes the mound in place of Taiga with two outs and the bases loaded. Komori is flustered by Goro's fastball, which looks to be at full strength.

After pitching a no-hitter in the third game, Goro catches the attention of Yokohama Blue Oceans scout Katsuragi, who proposes the team draft him.

Scouting the competition, Goro is taken aback by the improvement of their next opponent, Kuriyama High. Later, he runs into Katori before the game.

Tashiro pushes the team hard during training ahead of its match against Kaido. Goro objects when the doctor tells him he can't practice for the game.

When Goro underestimates the opposing pitcher Ichihara, Seishu's hopes of taking an early lead are pinned on their only remaining batter, Tashiro.

Goro gives up his first hit during the bottom of a rainy third inning. He quickly makes up for his error by using a trick play to eliminate Kusano.

Ichihara is flustered after giving up hits to both Taiga and Uchiyama. But his pitching only gets worse when Tashiro steps up to bat.

Kaido buckles under Goro's all-out attack. All signs point to a pitcher's game, but Seishu's defense begins to struggle in the seventh inning.

After Taiga's batting pulls Seishu ahead, Kaido finally sends in their ace pitcher Mayumura. Goro is soon caught off guard by Mayumura's fastball.

The game enters extra innings, but Goro's right ankle is reaching its limit. When Tashiro says they should forfeit, Goro speaks from the heart.

Goro watches from home as Kaido wins at Koshien. Later, he spends valuable time with his friends at a summer festival after being invited by Tashiro.