[based translation by narwhaltortellini]

SUMMARY

:
With Suyama on base, Tajima comes up to bat. Takeshi notes he looks ready to hit. He sends him a ball, but Tajima doesn't swing. Takeshi notes Tajima is a good player, but that it doesn't really matter how this at bat goes since they'll be in the quarter finals tomorrow and need to end the game with as few pitches as possible. They pitch a slider. Tajima sees it and hits it long, just inside the third base line. Tajima makes it to second, and Suyama makes it home, bringing the score six to eleven.

Takeshi meets with Takenouchi and explains that he just let Tajima hit since he was so much trouble, and they will just get their outs with the next three batters.

Hanai comes up to bat. He's had nothing but fastballs till now, so he plans to aim for those. Hanai gets a fastball and swings and misses, but notes the ball is getting slower. He waits on the next pitch, and gets another strike. Takenouchi pitches another strike, and Hanai swings and misses again, making the first out.

Oki comes up to bat thinking he must hit because Nishihiro is next. Takeshi remembers Oki made a good hit before. They pitch a ball, and Momokan is surprised to see them pitching him a breaking ball when Hanai had all fastballs. Oki plans to aim for the fastball. A shoot comes next, and Oki lets it go by, getting a strike. Momokan signals for them to do a hit and run, and thinks the next pitch will be a fastball since the last two were breaking balls. Takeshi notes that if they can get Oki out, the game will basically be over considering who's in the batting order after him. Takenouchi pitches, Tajima starts running, and Oki sees the pitch is a fastball and swings, hitting the ball. The ball is picked up and thrown to first, and Oki is out despite sliding head first.

With two outs and Tajima on third, Nishihiro is called up to bat looking slightly horrified. Mihashi and the team yell encouragement, and Momokan tells him to hit however he can. He swings at the first pitch and misses. The team continues to yell encouragement, the second pitch comes, and Nishihiro swings and misses again. Nishihiro continues to tell himself to hit the ball. The third pitch comes, and he swings and misses again, making the third out. Bijou wins.

Bijou runs happily onto the field, and Hanai calls Nishiura to come out as well. The teams bow to one another, and Hanai calls the team to thank the cheering squad. After, Nishihiro falls to his knees crying, and Hanai and Oki help him back up. The team heads back to the dug out. Mihashi trails behind, and when he gets there Abe is waiting outside it, standing with crutches. Mihashi stands across from him and starts crying, saying they lost. Abe looks upset and hugs Mihashi's head.

Momokan calls to the team to stop what they are doing. She gives them a pep talk, predicting they are all wondering if the game could have gone better if they were better at certain things. She tells them not to let their tears and regrets now go to waste but instead to save those feelings and turn them into drive to do better. Shiga explains tears relieve stress, but Momokan reminds the team they've got the newcomer's tournament in two weeks and the fall tournament after that, so they need to get back home right away and start practice.

The parents talk outside the stadium. Hanai's sisters are sad they can't come cheer their brother on anymore. The VP comes to talk to the mothers. Roka is spotted by the Bijou boys and they enthusiastically come to tell him they made their goal. Roka is friendly and encouraging to them, and Kazuki remarks on his change in personality, annoying Roka.

Kazuki spots Takeshi, and goes to talk to him. Kazuki congratulates Takeshi, and tells Takeshi that he was sitting with Roka during the game, and mentions he saw Takeshi look up at Roka many times. Farther away, Roka sees Kazuki talking to Takeshi, and is very irritated.