All in all, the action in the AUSL has been nonstop with the bats hotter than the summer weather. Furthermore, the defensive and pitching is shining bright for the fans. The six teams have played at the top of their game. That being said, here is a recap of three series among the teams.
Utah Talons Vs. Carolina Blaze
In Game One of this series, the offense was few and far between in Durham, North Carolina. Utah scored first in the top of the second as Sarah Gordon hit an RBI single. Yet, Carolina tied the game in the bottom of the third with Aleshia Ocasio scoring on a fielding error. The game remained tied as the action went to extra innings.
To start, the Talons put up two runs in their half of the eighth with RBIs singles by Gordon and Jordan Woolery. At this point, the Blaze needed two runs to walk it off in the bottom of the inning. While rookie Reese Atwood made it a 3 – 2 game for Carolina, it was not enough as Utah got the win. It’s important to note the starting pitching was excellent.
For the Talons, Georgina Corrick went all eight innings as she allowed seven runs with four strikeouts. Looking at the Blaze, Karlyn Pickens was the hard luck loser with an identical line to Corrick in hits and strikeouts in seven-and two-thirds innings.
Shifting to the second game, it was another low-scoring affair as this matchup was decided sans extra innings. In the top of the first, Kailey Wyckoff drove in a run via a sacrifice fly for Utah while Jadelyn Allchin scored on a throwing error.
What’s more, Gordon hit a RBI double to center field in the fourth for Utah in the fourth as the Talons shut out the Blaze 3 – 0. On the whole, Talons pitcher Montana Fouts delivered another standout effort in the circle. She sat down six Blaze batters and allowed four hits in the complete game shutout victory.
Utah Talons Vs. Carolina Blaze (Game Three)
As shown above, Carolina needed a win to avoid being swept in front of the home crowd at Smith Family Stadium. Without question, the Blaze wasted no time to find the scoreboard as Dakota Kennedy slammed a solo home run in the first.
Additionally, Carolina added three more runs in the second. In detail, Ana Gold hit an RBI triple, Alyssa Brito had a groundout RBI, and Valerie Cagle closed out the offense via a homer. The lone run for Utah came off the bat off of Caroline Jacobsen with a home run in the third.
Back to the Blaze, two more runs scored from an RBI single by Atwood and a homer by Devyn Netz in the fifth and sixth innings, respectively. Carolina avoided the sweep with the 6 – 1 win over Utah.
Portland Cascade Vs. Texas Volts
This series sees the Cascade travel to the Lone Star State to face the Volts at Dell Diamond in Round Rock, Texas. Game One saw Portland use the long ball to generate its offense, all in the top of the seventh.
Firstly, Korbe Otis slammed a two-run homer to left field. Next, rookie Megan Grant went yard with a solo shot. Lastly, Kenleigh Cahalan hit a two-run home run of her own to round out the firepower for the Cascade.
On the positive side for the Volts, they got on the board in the third with a Danieca Coffey sacrifice fly RBI. Portland won the game by a 5 – 1 score over Texas with a great pitching performance by Sam Landry. Landry threw her third complete game of the AUSL season, allowing just two hits while striking out four.
Looking at Game Two, the Cascade’s bats were flowing against the Volts as Tori Vidales hit a two-run double in the first. Grant hit a fielder’s choice that brought in Kendra Falby in the second as the Volts would answer in the third. A sacrifice fly RBI by Leighann Goode and a Rylie Boone RBI single made it a 3 – 2 game.
However, the Cascade would add to their lead in the fourth thanks to a Mia Davidson RBI single. More so, Otis scored a fielding error in the sixth as did Sis Bates in the seventh. While the Volts got a solo homer from Jalia Lassiter in the bottom of the seventh, the Cascade won the game 6 – 3.
Portland Cascade Vs. Texas Volts (Game Three)
As I noted previously, the bats have been hot in the AUSL and one player in the series finale exemplified that. Here, Megan Grant accounted for three RBIs in the game for the Cascade. More importantly, it came from a solo homer in the first and a two-run shot in the fourth. Speaking of the fourth, Portland plated two more runs as Falby and Bates scored on a wild pitch in the inning.
The Volts scored in their half of the first on a two-run single by Jackie Lis, but Grant’s bat was too much with the Cascade getting the series sweep 5 – 2. In the circle, Carly Hoover allowed a hit and struck out five for Portland in the win.
Chicago Bandits Vs. Oklahoma City Spark
By and large, most of the games have been competitive among the teams this season. In reality, Game One of this two-game series was an outlier as it was one-sided. Chicago began the offensive onslaught in the first via a two-run homer by Skylar Wallace. Wallace would go deep with another two-run in the fourth.
In the third, Morgan Zerkle hit an RBI double while Mac Barbara had an RBI single in the inning. Besides the aforementioned two-run homer by Wallace, the Bandits scored four more runs in the fourth. To start, it was a ground rule RBI double by Ailana Agbayani as Sami Williams contributed with an RBI double. Closing out the offense for Chicago in the inning was a two-run single by Jocelyn Erickson.
Rounding out the matchup in the fifth was an Erin Coffel two-run double, a two-run shot by Williams, and an RBI double by Barbara. At the end of the day, it was a 14 – 0 commanding win by the Bandits over the Spark. Chicago pitcher Lexi Kilfoyl threw a complete game, allowing four hits with two strikeouts.
Chicago Bandits Vs. Oklahoma City Spark (Game Two)
Game Two between Chicago and Oklahoma City saw both squads produce offense. Barbara and Erickson each hit RBI singles in the first for the Bandits. In addition, Chicago scored three more runs in the second with a Willams two-run double as Mary Iakopo hit a sacrifice fly RBI. Following a two-run home run by Agbayani, the Bandits held a 7 – 0 lead after three innings.
Oklahoma City got on the scoreboard in the fourth as Delanie Wisz drove in a run on an RBI single. Wallace made it an 8 – 1 game for Chicago thanks to a sacrifice fly RBI in the top of the fifth.
The Spark scored five runs in the bottom of the fifth with two home runs. First, Sydney Sherrill went deep with a two-run homer and Sydney Romero blasted a three-run shot. Nonetheless, the Bandits picked up the 8 – 6 road win over the Spark.
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