At the Baseball Kingdom magazine office, Mine looks back to the summer tournament. The game between Yakushi and Seido was an exciting watch. Seido played their pitcher relay in order to face Yakushi's powerful batting lineup.

Maezono's pressure overwhelms Raichi and hits a fly allowing Kuramochi to come home and tie the game. Raichi comes to realization of what it means to stand on the mound. Coach Todoroki notices Raichi's change in attitude and quickly puts Sanada on the mound.

The game against Hakuryu, a quarterfinalist in the Invitational, is entering the final stretch. What has Sawamura felt and learned facing a nationally ranked powerhouse school? What did Furuya feel and learn watching Sawamura pitch the game on his own? Both pitchers have mixed emotions. Meanwhile, Mima, who also wants to play professionally, has taken an interest in Miyuki.

An announcement is made that Miyuki will leave the team and play in the Tokyo Invitational. Seto and Okumura will play on the first string while Maezono and Kuramochi take charge of the team. Miyuki sets off for the Inashiro Industrial practice field where the invitational will be held. Well-known players from several schools arrive for the team's first meeting.

After losing Ono to an injury, the Furuya-Yui battery has trouble establishing a rhythm, repeated making errors and walking batters. Still unable to recover, they give up runs and with the team in trouble, Furuya has to leave the mound. Kaneda the relief pitcher pitches well, but he is unable to stop Yamamori Academy's momentum, and Seido's winning streak ends at nineteen games. In game 2 against Seiho High School, the beast of Aichi, Sawamura is the starting pitcher. After receiving encouragement from Coach Kataoka, Sawamura boldly takes the mound.

Showing the sum total of his pre-tournament training, Sawamura pitches impressively against powerhouse school Kokonoe, holding them to two runs in eight innings. Meanwhile, Ochiai still holds esteem for Furuya who wore the ace number and still continues to improve. Will Seido's ace for this summer be Sawamura, or Furuya? What will Kataoka decide?