When looking at the AUSL standings entering the Thursday doubleheader, one team is set for a trip to the postseason. Yet, one spot was up for grabs as the regular season nears its sunset as the awards are also in play. The games at Round Rock, Texas and Salt Lake City, Utah showed just how talented this league in all facets. Now, here is a recap of Games 38 and 39 of the AUSL season.
Game 38: No Shortage Of The Longball In Round Rock
As the adage goes, everything is bigger in Texas. The matchup between the Bandits and Volts saw big time offensive action at Dell Diamond. In the bottom of the first inning, Sierra Romero hit an RBI single for the Volts. Next, the Volts added to the early lead with a solo home run from Jessi Warren in the second inning for a 2-0 lead. However, the Bandits tied up the game with Morgan Zerkle’s AUSL-leading seventh homer and an RBI single from Danielle Gibson Whorton in the top of the third.
Amanda Lorenz gave the Volts the lead right back in the bottom of third with a solo homer. Lorenz is tied for third with five homers. Once again, the Bandits answered back as Skylar Wallace and Zerkle scored on a throwing error in the fourth. Also, Gibson Whorton added another RBI in the inning for a 5-3 lead.
The back-and-forth game saw the Volts retake the lead in the fifth with a Ciera Briggs two-run single and an Erika Piancastelli RBI double. In the top of the sixth, Wallace snatched the lead back for the Bandits on a three-run homer, making it an 8-6 game. While Lorenz went yard again for the Volts in the bottom of the sixth, it wasn’t enough as the Bandits won 8-7. The win gave them the final spot in the postseason, facing the Talons.
Game 39: The First Of Many In AUSL
Similar to the opening game in Texas, the matchup between the Blaze and Talons was a close one throughout in Salt Lake City. The Blaze found the scoreboard first via a Baylee Klingler solo homer in the top of the first inning.
However, the Talons reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the inning with two RBIs by Hannah Flippen and a Sydney Romero RBI single. Not to be outdone, the Blaze added three runs in the top of the second for a 4-3 lead. Devyn Netz hit a two-run single while Aliyah Andrews added an RBI in the inning.
Down entering the bottom of the fourth, the Talons made the score 5-4 thanks to a two-run homer by Maya Brady. It is her first career homer in AUSL in her second game.
That 5-4 score would be final as Talons get win No. 16, which leads the AUSL.
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