Ep. 7: Aoba pitches against Azuma while Daimon exploits her as a disposable practice pitcher for the varsity team.
Akaishi informs Ko and Nakanishi that Daimon prioritizes results over player well-being, urging them to oust him. Daimon reveals to Azuma that he selected Senda and Aoba solely as disposable pitchers for practice. He dismisses concerns about Aoba’s workload, claiming her gender prevents tournament play. During her turn, Aoba insists on Akaishi as catcher and pitches at full speed, nearly striking out Azuma. After Akaishi criticizes Azuma for lacking masculinity due to a foul ball, Azuma hits a home run, causing Aoba to collapse from exhaustion. Despite her physical pain, Aoba tells Ko she will continue pitching for the varsity team to analyze their batting weaknesses. She also expresses a desire to believe Wakaba’s claims about him, maintaining her commitment despite the team's toxic environment.
Episodes
- Ep. 3 · Nakanishi challenges Ko to a sandlot rematch while Aoba and Akaishi investigate Seishu High rumors.
- Ep. 4 · Aoba and Ko stop a burglar, leading to secret training under Akaishi and a mysterious record-breaker.
- Ep. 5 · Aoba cares for sick Momiji while Ko cooks and stays the night
- Ep. 6 · Ko joins the prefab team while Azuma recognizes him from the batting center.
- Ep. 7 · Aoba pitches against Azuma while Daimon exploits her as a disposable practice pitcher for the varsity team.
- Ep. 8 · Aoba pitches for Ko while Momiji’s resemblance to Wakaba unsettles Akaishi.
- Ep. 9 · Daimon tests fielding while Ko pitches and faces fatigue as scores shift.
- Ep. 10 · Ko struggles with control while Azuma dominates with home runs in a tense scrimmage.
- Ep. 11 · Maeno's seniors quit trying until Tubu Ōkubo reveals Daimon's injury, sparking Makihara's effort and Ko's clutch hitting.