As we enter the home stretch of AU Softball, the games become that much more crucial. In this case, the pitching took control in games twenty-seven and twenty-eight as the bats cooled off in both games. In addition, there is drama atop the leaderboard as a champion will be crowned this weekend. That being said, let us recap games twenty-seven and twenty-eight of AU Softball.
Game Twenty-Seven: Team McCleney Wins the Pitching Battle 2-1 over Team Chidester
In this case, all of the offense came in the first two innings as pitching took over in this matchup. Haylie McCleney’s squad scored their two runs in the first inning with RBIs by Sam Fischer and Andrea Filler. Fisher earned MVP 3 honors for her efforts For Amanda Chidester’s team, the lone run came in the second inning with an RBI single by Sydney Sherrill.
SHE DID IT AGAIN OMG@SisBates22 is a walking highlight 📽#SCTop10 | 📺 ESPNU pic.twitter.com/5eKsM7Z6O9
— Athletes Unlimited (@AUProSports) August 27, 2022
Next, pitchers Danielle Watson, Maggie Balint, and Peyton St. George controlled the game for Team McCleney. First, Watson started the game as she threw two innings, allowing the lone run and one hit. Balint took over for Watson as she went three innings, allowing three hits, and striking out two.
Scoreless inning for @saragroe 😤#AUSB | 📺 ESPNU pic.twitter.com/S6q27PENbl
— Athletes Unlimited (@AUProSports) August 27, 2022
Finally, St. George came in for the final two innings, picking up the save while striking out three. What’s more, St. George and Balint won MVP 1 and MVP 2 respectively for their performances in the circle.
Mariah Mazon went four innings for Team Chidester as she allowed both runs on three hits, striking out four. Sara Groenewegen tossed the four innings, giving up one hit and sitting down four.
Game Twenty-Eight: Garcia Golden as Team Denham wins over Team Mulipola 4-0
Unlike the previous game, one pitcher reigned supreme in the circle as Rachel Garcia went the distance. Garcia threw a shutout for Alyssa Denham’s team, allowing three hits while striking out eight. Two of the hits for Dejah Mulipola’s team came from Sydney Romero as Morgan Zerkle had the other.
Bases loaded?
— Athletes Unlimited (@AUProSports) August 27, 2022
No pressure for @raaaccchhheeell 😎#AUSB | 📺 ESPNU pic.twitter.com/rcfxrMsRnr
Garica now has three complete games this season, one behind league leader Danielle O’Toole. Given these points, she took home MVP 1 honors for her spectacular performance.
Offensively, Gwen Svekis slammed a solo home run, DJ Sanders and Amanda Lorenz each had an RBI as Aubrey Leach stole home successfully. Svekis won MVP 2 honors while MVP 3 honors went to Lorenz.
GWEN SVEKIS 🤯🤯🤯@gsvekis21 breaks the tie with a solo shot to start the 5th inning 🥳#AUSB | 📺 ESPNU pic.twitter.com/seVn9xwVBr
— Athletes Unlimited (@AUProSports) August 27, 2022
The Leaderboard Tightens
Entering the final two games of the AU Softball season, there are five players within 50 points of one another. Denham has a 20-point lead over McCleney as Mulipola fell from first to third place as Shannon Rhodes and Fischer round out the top five. Can Denham be the third pitcher to win it all, following in the footsteps of Aleshia Ocasio last year and Cat Osterman in 2020? We have to watch and find out.
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