Five year old Goro practices baseball every day to be like his dad Shigeharu, a pro ballplayer,until he injures his elbow and decides to retire.

The game enters extra innings, but Goro's right ankle is reaching its limit. When Tashiro says they should forfeit, Goro speaks from the heart.

After Taiga's batting pulls Seishu ahead, Kaido finally sends in their ace pitcher Mayumura. Goro is soon caught off guard by Mayumura's fastball.

The final game goes to extra innings. In the bottom of the 10th inning, Goro and Gibson Jr. have one last showdown to decide the champion.

Now in the 16th inning, Japan has a chance to win with a runner on third base. Toshiya attempts to take Gibson by surprise with a risky play.

Goro gives up his first hit during the bottom of a rainy third inning. He quickly makes up for his error by using a trick play to eliminate Kusano.

Gibson insists on taking the mound when America falls in danger of losing to Venezuela. Aware of his condition, America's coach is hesitant to oblige.

Goro watches from home as Kaido wins at Koshien. Later, he spends valuable time with his friends at a summer festival after being invited by Tashiro.

Goro takes the mound in place of Taiga with two outs and the bases loaded. Komori is flustered by Goro's fastball, which looks to be at full strength.

Ichihara is flustered after giving up hits to both Taiga and Uchiyama. But his pitching only gets worse when Tashiro steps up to bat.

Kaido buckles under Goro's all-out attack. All signs point to a pitcher's game, but Seishu's defense begins to struggle in the seventh inning.

Goro uses the excuse that he's tired from the tournament to explain coming back to Japan, but Shigeno thinks Goro's attitude is disgracing the game. Shingo admits he has decided to continue playing Little League Baseball so he can have a dream to get better, but Goro decides to go to his room instead. The next day the old gang decides they should get together and play baseball for fun because of the way Goro inspired all of them. Shimizu thinks of declining, but instead she invites Goro to the field hoping that watching the game will make him want to play again. As Goro watches he remembers the main reason he played while he was younger was for fun. The gang is shocked to see him there, but they let him join in. After the game ends Goro returns home, gets his bag, and says he is headed back to Florida to become a Major League Player. The episode ends with Goro throwing his first pitches as an official Major Leaguer.

Mifune has no outs and a batter on second base in the bottom of the sixth inning. Thrown by Mifune's unexpected tactics, Seishu falls further behind.

When Goro underestimates the opposing pitcher Ichihara, Seishu's hopes of taking an early lead are pinned on their only remaining batter, Tashiro.

The Championship match begins between the US and Japan. Japan's early hitting gives them a 3-0 lead and forces Sisler out of the game for the US. When Mayumura comes out he is forced to admit his fears of not being a monster player to both Goro and Toshi. However Toshi reminds him the most fearsome player is a picther who knows his own limits and is able to go beyond them. Mayumura turns the cheers for the US into his favorite symphony piece- Dvorak's New World Order, and Japan is able to establish early control in the championship. Seeing the US down 5-0 after the 3rd inning proves to be too much for Gibson. He leaves the hospital and heads for the ballpark to try and motivate his team back to winning it all. After Alex learns Gibson has been risking his life for America's pride he is determined to change the momentum of the game and get a hit off of Mayumura.

With Gibson's arrival the US gets a second wind. They cut Japan's lead down to 5-4 and force Goro into the game in the eighth inning. Goro walks the first batter and then gets two quick outs, but Gibson Junior hits a 100 mph fastball into the stands and forces Japan to have to rally in the ninth if they are to send the game into extra innings and have a chance to win it all.

Japan refuses to give up. In the top of the ninth they tie the score and send teh game into extra innings. Not wanting to lose momentum again Gibson takes it upon himself to get warmed up and force his way into the game.

It all comes down to this. Gibson and Goro are finally able to fulfill their promise and dream to each other as they face off in the World Baseball Cup and go into extra innings. Their performances are able to touch the hearts of everyone watching and all support toward one specific team seems to fade as both refuse to let the game end with shutout inning and shutout inning. However a rule is revealed- if the score is still tied after the 18th inning, then the game will be canceled and a rematch held the next day.

Tashiro pushes the team hard during training ahead of its match against Kaido. Goro objects when the doctor tells him he can't practice for the game.

Sanders replaces Keene in the starting lineup for the first time in a while, but his rusty play results in snapping the Bats' winning streak.

In the championship-deciding game, Goro gets a chance at bat with a runner on base. To his disappointment, he is told to make a sacrificial bunt.

After Miho breaks down to Shimizu and reveals she is actually Toshi's younger sister, both Shimizu and Goro decide to try and keep the two separated from each other. In their efforts to keep the two apart Goro and Toshi go to workout at he park, but it's at the same time Shimizu and Miho are having lunch there. The shock of seeing his sister causes Toshi to have a mental relapse of his parents abandoning him and causes him to start to have a mental breakdown. Another problem presents itself when it's revealed Domoto's leg still hasn't recovered enough to allow him to do more than pinch hit or be the Designated Hitter. Can Toshi pull it together soon enough to allow Japan to defeat Cuba? At the same time Momoko and Shingo arrive in America to root for Japan in the semi-finals and during the championship, but Shingo seems to want to be there only for autographs and for the amusement park.

Baseball club supervisor Yamada nets a practice match with Teijin High. Goro leads the team with his fast pitching but things take an unexpected turn.

Seishu ties the game with Fujii's hit, but Tashiro is still not satisfied. Goro speaks honestly after Yamada asks him why he's taking such a gamble.

Seishu faces Mifune High in the second round. Taiga loses his focus as Mifune breaks the deadlock to take the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning.