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:: Episode 204: The Best Episode Ever
   Yakyuu SHINDOI (Baseball is TIRING)

Summary


The episode begins where the last one ended, with Mihashi batting, desperately wishing to help his team getting the called game. Yeah. It's always about what YOU want, isn't it, Mihashi!? Thankfully, he goes right out thanks to Sugita and Sawamura being awesome, although Sugita was fumbling slightly.
A TERRIFYING booming voice is heard from the stands... Abe's terrifying dad! AAAAHHHHHH!!!!
Sakitama form a little circle. Sugita apologizes for his foolishness, but Oyama tells him not to worry about it, it can't be helped! Except it totally CAN be helped, Ichihara thinks! Oyama is WAY too nice to those foolish little first-years! If he keeps going on like this, they'll NEVER learn! Sawamura notices that Ichihara is very close to reaching the boiling point, but he manages to keep his rage bottled up... for now.


It's Tajima's turn to hit, and everyone on the Nishiura side is VERY eager for some Tajima action, but since they can't risk his injury getting worse, they just have him bunt. Thanks to Sawa being awesome again though, Nishiura is prevented from scoring another point! "NICE, SAWA!" Ichihara cheers. "When you say 'Nice Sawa,' it sounds like a drink," Sawamura says, and Ichihara guffaws. Man. I love Sakitama.
Mizutani and Nishihiro apologize to Momoe for screwing up, but even Momoe has to compliment Sawa on being awesome. Could she have underestimated Sakitama...?
Either way, it's Sakitama's turn to bat, but Harada, Sawamura and Ichihara all fail to succeed like Hero Boy. Ichihara feels confused about a pitcher as dweeby as Mihashi winning against Tosei. Don't we all?
Nishiura's turn to attack again, starting with Sakaeguchi! He finally gets to hit for real after having to bunt so many times. He manages to get on base much to Ichihara's dismay. Sawamura tells him it's okay though. BATTER SHOUBU! Izumi's next, and there's some confusion among Sakitama for a second, but Oyama assures Ichihara that he's going for a bunt... which he totally doesn't. Well, Ichihara isn't blaming Oyama, but just HOW can he remain so calm?


Very well, Hanai's turn, out he goes. Start the angst engines! He runs back to the dugout to feel sorry for himself, then pulls himself together and joins in on cheering on his teammates. It's Abe's turn to bat next, and he makes sure to silently mock Sakitama while he's at it. Ichihara is starting to feel kind of overwhelmed, but Oyama tells him to take it easy. Easy for HIM to say, right, Ichihara? It is revealed through internal monologue that Ichihara actually hates being a pitcher! Too much responsibility! Too shindoi! Ichihara throws four balls, and Abe silently mocks Daichi a last time before running off like the jerk he is.
Timeout for Sakitama! Oyama tells everyone not to worry about it, who cares if the opponent scores a few more points? Ichihara cares, that's who! He lightly snaps at Oyama not to kid around, and when Oyama awkwardly laughs it off and starts babbling about luck, Ichihara explodes for real. He yells out that it's all over for Oyama if they lose this game, which again causes DAICHI to explode, blaming himself for being walked. Ichihara wipes away a couple of tears and apologizes for having an outburst in the middle of a match, but Oyama assures him that he's glad to hear his honest opinion on things.
Oyama declares that he'll toughen up for the rest of the match, and Sakitama split up and run off to their respective positions. Thanks to the magic of inner monologue again, Oyama's reason for being such a softie is revealed - he has experienced so many players quitting that he just couldn't act harsh at all towards his current few teammates. He decides right then and there to do his best in this final game as a thanks to everyone who stuck around with him until now. THAT IS SO TOUCHING!!!
Back to the game. Sakitama manage to pull themselves together somewhat, and keep Nishiura at only one point for that round despite their having a bunch of runners. Sawa gives Ichihara a quick "Nice pitch!" and Ichihara has to admit that there's SOMETHING about being a pitcher that feels kinda nice.


Sakitama's turn to attack again! Tanaka gets an anticlimactic out, and Sugita is up next. He manages to get on base, and slightly climactically at that! Furusawa is next, but unfortunately, he fails. Oyama accidentally tells him it can't be helped - it has become somewhat of his catchphrase that he can't shake off. Well, he'll worry about that later, time to bat! He fools around a bit, then hits the ball and makes a run for it, dramatically diving for the base and making it! Hooray! Daichi is up next. Come on now, Nishiura, don't be such jerks. Nooo, they're being jerks again! Abe chickens out and gives Daichi another intentional walk, and the webmaster's opinion on Nishiura keeps getting crushed. Baseball is tooo haaaarsh!!
Kamimura is next, and he screws up. No points for Sakitama this round either. Daichi runs up to Oyama and apologizes, but Oyama assures him that it wasn't his fault. Which it really wasn't!
Looking at the scoreboard, Ichihara sighs and starts to realize how flawed their plans have been. There's nothing that can be done about that now, though. He is determined to not let the enemy score any points this round. Keep going, It-chan!! Mizutani's first, then Mihashi, then Tajima. Sugita throws the ball way over Sawa's head, but Oyama once again tells him not to worry. Oyama does worry, though! Why did Nishiura change their lineup so much? Slowly but surely, he's starting to realize that Tajima just might have an injury.
MEANWHILE, Mihashi and Hanai are watching from the dugout, and Hanai notices that Mihashi is cheering for Tajima even though it's currently Sakaeguchi who is batting. Back to Sakitama, Ichihara is starting to feel overwhelmed again, but Oyama tells him to relax and just let Sakaeguchi on. Izumi is next. He fumbles around a bit, then hits, and Nishiura gets another single point. Momoe scolds them a bit for being careless, Hanai angsts some more about Tajima being awesome, and all is well in Nishiuraland... when a shadow suddenly looms over the field (well, figuratively). It's ROKA! AAAAHHHHHH!!!


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