Episode
Ace of the Diamond: You're in the First-String
Overview
To stop the attacks on Chris, Sawamura reverts back to his original pitching form while maintaining the wall against the dangerous Naoyuki Zaizen. The results not only improve Sawamura's speed, but they start putting pressure on Zaizen and reveal an injury he had earlier. With Chris and Zaizen being of equal strength now, the momentum swings back to Seido. After 3 innings Chris and Sawamura are pulled from the game. The game concludes and the Coach calls everyone together. Two players are moved up to the varsity team, and many third years have their hearts broken. While Chris isn't brought up to play, he is brought up as a manager for the varsity team.
Details
- Series
- Ace of the Diamond
- Season
- Season 1
- Episode
- Episode 13
- Air date
- 2013-12-29
- Runtime
- 24 min
Episode context
You're in the First-String is Episode 13 in Season 1 of Ace of the Diamond. It aired on 2013-12-29. The runtime is 24 min.
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Episode 12: Target
Chris has Miyuki join him and Sawamura in the bullpen as they try to master Sawamura's new pitching form and get him to start throwing strikes with it. Chris's father Animal shows up at the game and tries to get Chris to stop playing, believing his shoulder isn't yet healed and that he will only cause further damage to himself. In order to stop Seido's momentum, Naoyuki Zaizen suggests they change the target from trying to destroy Sawamura to trying to destroy Chris. This episode covers chapters 30 to 33.
Episode 14: Training Camp Begins!
Sawamura continues to train hard, but when Chris notices he is overworking, he has Miyuki pul lhim into the indoor training facility for some pickoff training and leg positioning training so he won't get hurt. Furuya is reminded he must trim his nails and is also forced to start pickoff training. Furuya tells Miyuki he has a twisted personality. Tanba watches his rivals and vows not to give the ace number to anyone else. As hell week begins Tanba and Kawakami are sent to the bullpen while Sawamura and Furuya are forced to work on fielding practice and base coverage scenarios. Once their coverage scenarios are done they are sent out for outfield catching. In the bullpen Tanba works on a secret pitch with Miyauchi. When the 100 yard sprints start and the night workouts increase, Sawamura realizes him and his fellow first years haven't prepared for anything like this.
More episodes from this season
Episode 11: Chris to the Field!
Eijun appears to have greater speed on his moving fast ball than ever before. However his control has gone hectic. After walking the bases loaded with no outs, Coach Katoka signals for a change. Most of the team believes it will be Eijun getting subbed out. Instead Chris is inserted into the game. He calls all the infield together and reveals a plan that he believes will turn the momentum around completely. The only question is whether or not Eijun will be able to do so with all his wild pitches
Episode 15: Lead with Your Plays!
The training camp continues. The first-years can barely keep up with the harsh training. As Sawamura improves little by little, he is called to Miyuki's room for some reason. There, he found his upperclassmen waiting, and...
Episode 10: Hone Your Moving Fastball
Chris finally tells Eijun what sets him apart is his moving fastball. He reveals all the training he's given Eijun could make him the ace if he does it regularly for one year. However Eijun wants to thank Chris personally by delivering his best pitch to him in a game. One night when he's doing secret practices, Coach Katoka catches him and threatens to split him up from Chris. When Eijun tells him his reason for practicing this way at night, he recommends Eijun start a towel exercise that will improve his flexibility and control. Now with his speed back and his movement becoming better than ever, Sawamura is ready for his final JV game. The only question is will there be a catcher available to help him and catch his moving fastball?
Episode 16: Challenge
The practice game between Seido and Osaka Kiryu begins with Furuya determined not to give up any hits after remembering the coaches words, "go get obliterated today." The first batter nails his fastball deep to the outfield. A bases loaded walk gives Kiryu a 3-0 lead and prompts a visit to the mound by Miyuki. The visit reminds Furuya to trust in the fielders around him. Furuya begins to intentionally give up hits so his outfielders can cover for his current weakness.
Episode 9: With Chagrin in His Heart
Sawamura begins to follow Chris every where to try and learn more about baseball. He also sits out of some practices so he can learn how the communication of a team works. Chris finally gives in to Eijun's persistence and catches a few of his pitches. After catching them, Chris informs Eijun he must find his specialty if he is to be truly effective as a pitcher. At first Sawamura is confused. he knows his speed isn't the best and he can't throw breaking balls, so what could be his specialty. Eventually Sawamura decides his specialty is his control, but focusing solely on control lowers his speed and allows him to get slaughtered in weekend a game. Can Sawamura figure out what his specialty truly is before being demoted?
Episode 17: Games Are Fun
Kiryu's ace, Hiromi Toshi, continues to dominate Seido's batters as his speed increases as the game goes on. Miyuki decides to play a game with Toshi and has Furuya pitch full out with the goal of striking out the ace. To show off more of his dominance, Furuya hits a homer off of Toshi in the bottom of the fifth. As the two teams appear to become even, we reach the sixth inning. Sawamura is brought in to pitch the remaining four innings while Furuya is sent to the outfield to give him fielding practice and additional at bats. Takahiro Matsumoto gets pissed, thinking his team is merely practice targets for Seido's first years. Sawamura experiences pitching problems similar to Furuya's. However because his previous team was weak, he is used to such situations and quickly begins to adjust.
Episode 8: The Truth About Chris
Chris continues to leave practice early and give Eijun additional workouts. Eijun believes Chris is slacking off and has given up on making the first string, but what makes him the most mad is when Chris tells him he will never be the ace as long as Furuya is on the team. Rei Takashima reveals she was the one who assigned Eijun to work with Chris because of his knowledge of the game, and when Eijun bad mouths Chris he ticks off Miyuki. Rei ends up taking Eijun to see one of Chris rehab practices and reveals he is the only man Miyuki has never beaten. Eijun realizes Chris was trying to make it where he wouldn't get hurt and begs Chris to teach him baseball.
Episode 18: I Hate It, But...
Miyuki continues to try to get Sawamura to pitch inside and gain additional control, but his motivational speeches seem to have little to no effect on Sawamura. Sawamura begins to try to trust in his infielder's, and as he does so he sees his pitching begin to improve. While many runs are given up, both Sawamura and Furuya learn the lessons the coach hoped to have them learn in the training camp. After the game Coach Matsumoto acknowledges Sawamura's ability and praises how it can be a secret weapon if it is utilized correctly, but only with a little refining.
Episode 7: The Two Batteries
The game concludes, and Furuya and Masuko are promoted to varsity while Eijun and Haruichi are promoted to JV. Along with the promotion comes additional pitchers training for Furuya and Eijun. However their training can only be done with the partners that Coach Katoka assigns them. Furuya is assigned to work with Miyuki while Sawamura is assigned to work with Chris. However instead of catching Eijun's pitch, Chris continually gives him additional work that isn't pitching, making Eijun think the coach has gotten the last laugh and that he won't succeed at Seidou.
Episode 19: Fate
A 3-set of matches takes place to end the training week of hell as Inashiro Industrial vs. Seido, Inashiro Industrial vs. Shuuhoku, and Shuuhoku vs. Seido on Seido's field. Kawakami pitches the game vs. Inashiro Industrial with Miyauchi while Tanba is forced to work with Miyuki. None of the starters play in the match vs. Inashiro Industrial, though Furuya is positioned in left field for the entire game. Inashiro Industrial brings out their starters for the second game, including southpaw ace Narumiya Mei. Mei already has a wicked slider, curve ball, and fast ball, but in the game he debuts a change up pitch that could make him unbeatable. Finally we start the Shuuhoku vs. Seido match. Through 6 innings Miyuki has Tanba throw nothing but curveballs and fastballs, but in the seventh inning Tanba debuts his new fork ball.