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.

Seiko is behind by five runs at the top of the fourth. Their cleanup, Nagata, is up at bat and pressures Furuya with his powerful swing. Miyuki calls for a quick time out to regain Furuya's focus. However, as he goes to catch the throw for a double play, a stabbing pain runs through his ankle.

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 spring tournament game against Ichidai Third High has finally begun. Seido is batting first against Ichidai Third High ace Kosei Amahisa. Seido's cleanup starts as Haruichi Kominato steps up to the plate with one out and a runner on third. Will Miyuki getting them to bat first help them take the lead? Meanwhile, Seido's starting pitcher Furuya takes the mound with the same emotions he felt in the Invitational. The early innings are turning into a heated battle!

During the long break in May, the powerhouse schools travel to different parts of the country to compete in practice games to prepare for the summer tournament. Fujimaki Komadai has traveled to Osaka to play Osaka Kiryu; Inashiro is playing Saiho in Aichi; Yoshinaga from Tokushima is in Kumamoto playing Shogakkan. Seido tides themselves over by playing Yamaga in Saitama, but then it's time for Sawamura to take the mound against Hakuryu, a team that finished in the semi finals of the Invitational.

Returning from his injury, Furuya joins a game with the second string. Seeing Sawamura shine in the first string's game, Furuya mulls over the words Kataoka wrote in his journal. Meanwhile, in Yamanashi prefecture, Seido's rivals Yakushi, Ichidai Third High and Inashiro Industrial compete in intense games for the spring Kanto Tournament. Sawamura and his teammates watch intensely as their rivals become stronger.

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?

It's the top of the seventh inning in Seido's game against Hachiya Oji. Hachiya Oji has to score this inning or else the game will be called. Kawabata fought his way to a base, but it would be Hachiya Oji's last offensive. Seido's victory is imminent. After hearing Furuya say he'd get to play next game, Sawamura watches the game from the bench, the number one on his back. The story of these two players vying for the title of ace will continue.