Aoba's teammates ask her out on dates conditional on their performance during a game, but she criticizes their goals as too low. Even with Aoba not pitching her hardest, Seishu Junior High wins in a called game. Afterward Senda meets his cousin, Midori Koganezawa, who is annoyed he ditched practicing with her to watch Aoba's game. Midori challenges Aoba as a batter, but Aoba declines to pitch to her. At the Tsukishima batting cages, Ko tells Midori the pitching machines are not as fast as Aoba's pitches. Ko helps Risa Shido, the spoiled varsity team manager, go shopping and brings her to the Clover Cafe, where he asks Aoba to put the bill on his tab as a birthday favor. Aoba finally agrees to pitch against Midori and strikes her out; she tells Midori she plans to attend Seishu High School, even though she would not be able play in tournament games, instead of a school with a girl's baseball team. Aoba learns from friends that Ko was being Risa's servant for a day in return for the last available teapot that is the 16th birthday gift on Wakaba's schedule of presents.
1軍との試合を終えたある日。光と千田は中等部の練習試合を見にいく。ピッチャーの青葉は、相手打線を完璧に抑え、わざと打たれるくらいの余裕を見せる。試合は青葉の好投で星秀学園中等部が勝利する。帰り道、光は雑貨屋であるものを見つけて立ち止まる。一方、千田は自宅の前でいとこの小金沢みどりと出くわすが…。
1군과의 시합이 끝난 뒤 어느 날, 센다와 코우는 중등부 연습 시합을 보러 간다. 투수 아오바는 상대 타자를 완벽하게 막아내면서, 일부러 안타를 맞는 여유를 보인다. 아오바의 호투로 세이슈학원 중등부가 승리한다. 시합이 끝나고 돌아오는 길, 코우는 잡화점에 있는 어떤 물건을 보고 멈추어 선다. 한편, 센다는 집 앞에서 사촌 코가네자와 미도리를 만난다. 센다에게 아오바의 호투 이야기를 들은 미도리는 아오바에게 흥미를 갖게 된다. 그러던 어느 날, 미도리는 연습을 끝내고 돌아오는 아오바를 기다리는데...
