[based translation by narwhaltortellini]

SUMMARY

It's the top of the ninth inning with no outs and a runner on first. Bijou's first batter, Kawashima, is up to bat, and Momokan thinks he'll go for a real hit, not a bunt. She tells signs for a ball. Tajima notes Kawashima hit a bunt off the fastball in his last at bat, so he decides to use the fastball for the ball pitches to him, since throwing him fastball strikes is scary. They pitch a fastball for a ball, but Kawashima doesn't move. Momokan calls for a strike next. They pitch a curve ball, and Kawashima hits it making no outs and runners on first and second.

Abe has been continuing to count Mihashi's pitches and notes that he has just reached 100. He desperately wonders what Mihashi's condition is. He thinks if he could only just squat to catch one pitch then he could tell everything from that, but he can't.

Bijou's second batter, Ishikawa, is told to bunt. Showing his bunt, Ishikawa figures he'll be given a fastball. Tajima calls Mizutani (on third base) forward. Momokan asks for a strike, and Tajima makes it the fast fastball. Ishikawa bunts it, but it doesn't land far from the plate and Tajima goes after it. Not making it in time to get to third, he throws it to first and gets an out.

Tajima notes that though the bunt wasn't good, they still ended with only one out and runners on second and third. He notes Bijou seems to be handling the fastball a little too well.

Bijou's third batter, Yano, is told to hit a sac fly. Tajima notes Yano hit a sac fly on his first fastball. Not predicting a squeeze play, Momokan asks for a strike, which Yano sees and readies for. Mihashi pitches an obvious ball and Yano accidentally makes a partial swing, having expected a strike. Tajima notes how Yano reacted despite the obviousness of the ball, and wonders if he is aiming for a fastball. A ball is signaled for the next pitch. Tajima hopes to get Yano to hit a shallow fly rather than a good sac fly. Yano doesn't swing at the next pitch, confusing Tajima since it looked good. Mihashi pitches a curve ball strike and Yano hits it. It's not a sac fly like Yano was told to hit (angering Takii), but it makes it through the infield and Bijou scores, making it to eight points to Nishiura's five.

Tajima is confused that Yano suddenly decided to hit. Momokan calls Tajima to time out, and Tajima gets permission to go talk to her since they have no messenger. Tajima explains it seems like Bijou is reading his mind with the pitch course and type. Momokan realizes they must have figured out her signs. Tajima figures they can just change the sign, but Momokan thinks he should be ready to take care of everything on his own. She tells him to work with Mihashi and make sure Mihashi shakes his head if he doesn't want to pitch something, since Mihashi will remember when he was hit very well.

Tajima goes back and explains to the team. He reminds Mihashi to shake his head. Mihashi seems a little confused, and Tajima makes sure he's shaken his head before. Mihashi confirms that he has since he did so earlier in the game. The team notes that is true. Tajima reassures himself that Mihashi surely would not have been banned from shaking his head, and that Mihashi's not doing it before must have just meant he was happy with Abe's lead.

Wada is told he can hit how he likes, but when he looks for the strike/ball signal from his teammates, he is surprised to see there is none. Tajima is scared to do a strike on the first pitch, so he does a ball which Wada watches. Wada confirms Momokan isn't giving signs anymore, and is surprised at how fast Nishiura noticed what they were doing. Next Tajima chooses a strike shoot high on the inside. Wada predicts it will be a strike and hits a home run, making the score eleven to five.

Tajima comes to the mound to give Mihashi a new ball and ask if he's all right. Mihahsi says he is, and Tajima goes back to the plate feeling bad he can't apologize. He asks for a slider, but it doesn't go to the right place and ends up a ball. Tajima then asks for a fastball since it will be easier to control, but this ends up much too high. Tajima wishes Mihashi would shake his head if he can't pitch something, but he does not. He pitches a shoot and makes a third ball. The team begins to realize the balls are not Tajima's pitch calling, but Mihashi falling apart. Tajima sets up a fastball down the middle to make it as easy as possible, but Mihashi pitches another ball and the batter walks.

Tajima calls to Mihashi to let the batter hit and the team will take care of it. Mihashi remembers how Abe would say this to him when he wasn't doing well. The pitcher, Kashima, comes up to bat, and Tajima asks for another fastball down the middle. Kashima hits it, and it pops up right to Sakaeguchi, but Sakaeguchi lets the ball bounce out of his mitt. Mihashi picks up the ball, but it is too late to get an out, making one out with runners on first and second.

Sakaeguchi apologizes to Mihashi, and Mihashi notes that Sakaeguchi is nervous just like him. Mihashi is nervous because Abe is not there, and he wonders if Abe's absence is the reason Sakaeguchi is nervous, too. He wonders if this makes what is happening Abe's fault. He then remembers what Sakaeguchi said about how if Mihashi can't pitch then the team has as good as lost, and decides that he, Mihashi, is the one to blame.

Mihashi loudly calls out the one out to the team, surprising everyone. Tajima smiles and calls with him. The rest of the team calls out with renewed spirits. Mihashi thinks to himself that he can calm everyone down and that if he is okay, then everyone else will be too, because he is the ace.

Bijou's seventh batter, Matsushita, comes up to bat. Tajima asks for a fastball, and the batter pops it up and Oki catches it, making two outs. Takii notes they seem to have pulled it together and is frustrated with their tenacity. The Bijou catcher, Takeshi, comes up to bat thinking that since this is his last at bat, that he should hit without reservations.