Five year old Goro practices baseball every day to be like his dad Shigeharu, a pro ballplayer,until he injures his elbow and decides to retire.

Goro invites a boy named Toshiya to play catch, reluctant at first, Toshiya comes to love it. Shigeharu vows to make a comeback as a hitter.

A little league coach is dazzled by Goro's raw talent and teaches him to throw breaking balls. But Shigeharu, fearing injury, won't let him play.

Shigeharu is back on the team as a hitter and, on his best friend and teammate's suggestion, looks to remarry, but he's absent on Goro's birthday.

Goro is captivated by Joe Gibson, a major league player now playing in Japan. When Shigeharu homers off of him, Goro is beside himself with delight.

Shigeharu gets beaned by Gibson, but the Blue Oceans go on to win. Goro falls asleep enraptured, but the next day brings anything but joy.

Three years after his father's death, Goro joins the Mifune little league team. The coach welcomes him warmly, but the team has no love for the game.

Kaoru Shimizu joins the Mifune team, but they're still two players short. Goro then runs into his classmate Komori, who's being forced to shoplift.

Komori and Sawamura join the Mifune Dolphins, who now have a full team, but they have to play a game to save the team despite having hardly practiced.

Having learned the importance of teamwork, Goro steps up his game and puts down the adult batters, but his own team can't hit the opposing pitcher.

Gibson, now back in MLB, invites Goro to see him play in San Francisco. Though put off at first, Goro wants to see top-level baseball, so he accepts.

The Mifune Dolphins join a training camp during summer break with all the best teams in Japan. Goro runs afoul of another team's heavy hitter.

After Mifune loses a practice game to Kuki Little in part because he can't bring himself to pitch inside, Goro asks Yokohama Little for a game.

Goro, determined to beat Yokohama Little, helps Sawamura practice pitching. When Coach Ando sees them at it, he realizes he'd given up on his dreams.

Ryoko, the girl Goro just met, is a pitcher for Yokohama Little. He invites her to play ping-pong, upsetting Shimizu and keeping her up all night.

Before the fall tournament, Mifune practices at the batting cages. There, they run into the Okamura triplets, who play for their first-round opponent.

The Okamura triplets score a run off Goro with their strategy, and their ironclad defense grinds down Mifune's will, but Shimizu gives them new life.

In round two, Mifune faces Totsuka-Nishi Little, led by ace Kyuta Usami. Goro spots Momoko out with Shigeno and is consumed with dread.

Mifune is on the ropes; Goro suddenly gives up a home run, and they can't hit Kyuta's pitch. To make matters worse, Komori sprains his wrist.

Sawamura's desperation bunt gets him on base, breaks up Kyuta's perfect game, and rattles the ace. Mifune then closes the gap to one run.

Mifune draws Yokohama Little in the quarters, but Komori's injury is worse than they thought. With the team needing a new catcher, Shimizu volunteers.

Coach Ando throws out his back, so Momoko fills in for him against Yokohama Little. Mifune, overwhelmed by the big stage, commits several errors.

Toshiya gets Goro to hit into a double play. In the top of the 3rd, as Goro gets shelled again, he uncorks his secret weapon on cleanup hitter Majima.

The game enters extra innings. Yokohama Little saps Goro's energy with bunts and puts Ryoko in to pitch. Goro's teammates worry about how he'll react.

Ryoko and Toshiya defy their coach and pitch to Goro. Ryoko puts all her might into her pitch, and Goro musters his last ounce of strength to swing.