Without question, the action picked up even more in the AU Softball Championship Season in the second doubleheader. One game saw the ball being hit around the Parkway Bank Sports Complex while the other game kept the ball in the park. The leaderboard is tightening up as the final doubleheader of the week approaches. That being said, let’s recap Games Nine and Ten of the Championship Season.
Game Nine: No Shortage of Offense in This AU Pro Softball Matchup
Photo Credit: Jade Hewitt/Athletes Unlimited
In this matchup, Skylar Wallace and Team Purple played against Taylor McQuillin and the Orange Team. The first inning saw Jessi Warren get an RBI on a fielder’s choice, scoring Haylie McCleney for Team McQuillin. However, Wallace and the Purple squad responded with six runs in the top of the second. Caroline Jacobsen and Wallace each had RBI singles as Kelsey Stewart-Hunter hit a two-run single and Erin Coffel a two-run double.
As innings three to five were scoreless, Team Wallace added five more runs in the sixth. Sashel Palacios knocked in three runs with a double as both Jadelyn Allchin and Morgan Zerkle added RBI singles. Team McQuillin would get back-to-back homers from Erika Piancastelli and rookie Sharlize Palacios in the bottom of the inning.
.@hayliemac8 sneaks in there to score the first run of game 9 👀#AUProSB | 📺 ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/uYZEkWchnB
— AU Pro Softball (@auprosoftball) August 3, 2024
Piancastelli tied Savannah Jaquish and Amanda Chidester for the most career home runs (17) in the history of the Championship Season.
However, Team Purple got their first win of this season by a score of 11-3. The 16 total hits by Wallace’s team is the most in a game by any team this season as eight players registered at least one hit. Pitcher Georgina Corrick went the distance for Team Purple, getting MVP 1 honors, striking out seven batters and allowing just three hits.
[Sashel] Palacios and Stewart-Hunter were the MVP 2 and MVP 3 respectively as McCleney was the game’s Defensive MVP.
Game Ten: Pitching Took Control in the AU Softball Nightcap
Photo Credit: Jade Hewitt/Athletes Unlimited
If this game felt quick, it was not your imagination as it was under two hours long at one hour and 40 minutes. It was the shortest game this season and the fourth shortest one all time. Amanda Lorenz and the Blue Team scored the only runs of the game in the top of the first. Here, it came from the bat of Hannah Flippen with a two-run double to left center.
Team Lorenz comes out hot🔥
— AU Pro Softball (@auprosoftball) August 3, 2024
a @hannahFlippen 2 RBI double gives them the early lead!#AUProSB pic.twitter.com/QPDVZUhWvF
Overall, Lexi Kilfoyl and the Gold Team managed just two hits, which came from Aliyah Andrews and Sis Bates. Lorenz’s Team had five hits but it was enough to get the win as Aleshia Ocasio and Kathryn Sandercock controlled the circle. Ocasio started the game as the veteran right-hander went five innings and struck out two. Sandercock notched her second save of this season, going two innings with a strikeout.
Ocasio and Flippen garnered MVP 1 and MVP 2 honors while Victoria Hayward was the MVP 3 as she accounted for two of the five hits for Team Lorenz.
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