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A Champion is Crowned in AU Pro Softball Championship Season

- by LaDarius Brown

Sadly for fans (myself included), the final doubleheader of the 2024 AU Pro Softball Championship Season is in the books. This season gave rise to the future of the sport with an acknowledgment of the legends who were there at the very beginning. That said, here is a recap of that final doubleheader (Games 29 and 30) of this thrilling 2024 Championship Season.

Game 29: Dominant Pitching In This AU Pro Softball Matchup

First, pitcher Lexi Kilfoyl had much to play for as she and Team Purple looked for a win versus pitcher Aleshio Ocasio and Team Blue. Sydney Romero gave Team Kilfoyl the early lead with an RBI single in the top of the first inning. In the bottom of the first, Team Ocasio took the lead back with an RBI double by Anissa Urtez and an RBI single by Delanie Wisz.

The Blue Team held the 2-1 lead until the fifth inning as the Purple squad scored four runs. Tori Vidales hit a solo homer to tie the game. That homer made her the second player in the history of Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball with 20 or more career home runs between AUX and Championship Season. 

Next, Romero added another RBI to her name as Kayla Kowalik hit an RBI triple. Lastly, Caroline Jacobsen hit an RBI single to give Team Purple a 5-2 lead.

Yet, Erika Piancastelli would cut into the lead for Team Ocasio with a solo homer to left field in the sixth inning. However, Team Kilfoyl made the game out of reach in the seventh with three more runs. Claire Davidson had an RBI double to left center while Sierra Romero plated two runs with another double to left center. The 8-5 win gave Team Kilfoyl their second win of the week as Team Ocasio dropped to 1-2.

[Sydney] Romero and Vidales took home MVP 2 and 3 honors, respectively as Kowalik was the game’s Defensive MVP. Here, Kilfoyl went the distance as she won MVP 1 honors allowing eight hits and striking out five in the win. What’s more, the rookie joined AU Pro Softball greats Alyssa Denham and Cat Osterman as the only pitchers with at least seven wins in a single season.

Game 30: The End

The final game of this season was Georgina Corrick and Team Orange against Amanda Lorenz and Team Gold. Entering the game, Lorenz was atop the leaderboard as her team was undefeated and Corrick’s team was in search of a W.

Following a scoreless first three innings, the Orange squad exploded five runs in the top of the fourth. Morgan Zerkle hit a grand slam to left field as Sharlize Palacios added an RBI single for the 5-0 lead.

An RBI single by Kelsey Harshman in the bottom of the sixth was the lone run for Team Gold as Team Orange added three more runners in the seventh. Megan Wiggins went yard with a solo shot and Karli Spaid slammed a three-run shot. Ultimately, Corrick’s team handed Lorenz’s team a rare loss with a 9-1 score.

Zerkle took home MVP 1 honors thanks to her four RBIs at the plate. Additionally, Sharlize’s big sister, Sashel Palacios, won Defensive MVP. All in all, the duo of Taylor McQuillin and Corrick earned MVP 2 and 3 honors for their work in the circle.

McQuillin was the winning pitcher as she notched her fifth win of the AU Pro Softball Championship Season. The lefty allowed two hits with six strikeouts as Corrick closed out the game.

The Champion of the 2024 AU Pro Softball Championship Season Is…

Despite the phenomenal efforts in this doubleheader, Lorenz is your champion by a margin of 66 points. The outfielder tied for the league lead in hits (19) and No. 1 in batting average (.373) and is the second position player to be champion (Dejah Mulipola – 2022). She finished with 1,800 points after placing 14th last season.

Kilfoyl not only finished second but was the Rookie of The Year as the former Oklahoma State star led the league in strikeouts (39) and innings pitched (59). Ocasio and Corrick rounded out the final four. Moreover, Aliyah Andrews won Defensive Player of the Year and was named to the All-Defensive Team.

Andrews is joined by [Sashel] Palacios, corner infielders Vidales and Baylee Klingler, middle infielders Aubrey Leach and Hannah Flippen, and outfielders Bubba Nickles and Haylie McCleney.

While much is to be celebrated, some players laced up their cleats for the final time. Denham, McCleney [Sashel] Palacios, Gwen Svekis, and Sam Fischer called it a career. All four greats were each given a standing ovation from the crowd in Rosemont one last time:

Overall, this season was special as next year it will known as the AUSL. Until then, be safe, be kind, and watch softball.


You can follow me on Twitter. Also, follow Beyond Women’s Sports for more from the world of sports. 

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About LaDarius Brown

I'm LaDarius Brown and I'll forever love the Seattle Storm and Sue Bird is my forever GOAT. Big time lover of wrestling and my love for women's sports is lifelong. P.S. I'm a UConn WBB fan (that's a secret between just you and I)

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