Episode 18: An Audition?

Aoba's friends urge her to audition for the lead in a movie adaptation of Idol Ace, but she declines. Risa auditions and when she is picked as a finalist, she makes Ko try to teach her to pitch convincingly. Midori tries again to recruit Aoba for her school's girls baseball team. When Aoba declines a batting rematch, Midori shows off her hitting in the Tsukishima cages, where she meets Risa practicing batting and coaches her. With continual practice Risa's pitching improves but, as Azuma puts it, only from kindergarten to first-grade level. After a week of Midori's pleading, Aoba agrees to pitch to her again. At the school baseball field, they meet Risa practicing at the last minute. Aoba strikes Midori out in three pitches, and after watching her form, Risa pitches a ball over the plate for the first time. Risa gets the role of a spoiled team manager and resigns as Seishu's manager. Risa gives Aoba a gift in thanks, and says she's okay with a supporting role if it leads her to her goal of becoming famous.