As AUX Softball enters Series Two, the rookies look to continue where they left off in Series One. Jocelyn Alo is as advertised as the two-time USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year stood atop the leaderboard after Series One. Also, McKenzie Clark made her presence known along with Alo. Veterans like Taylor Edwards kept pace. The opening doubleheader saw a combined 26 runs on the scoreboard at Wilkins Stadium. That being said, here is a recap of Games Seven and Eight that kicked off Series Two.
Game Seven: Don’t Call It a Comeback…Unless You’re On Team Clark
Following a scoreless first inning, Taylor Edwards and her team got on the board thanks to a solo homer by Delanie Wisz in the second. Team Edwards scored again in the third as Morgan Zerkle on a fielding error. Finally, Team Clark got on the board with a two-run double by Julia Cottrill in the top of the fourth.
Yet, Clark’s squad would answer in the bottom of the frame with a home run by Haley Lee. Edwards and her team’s final run came in the bottom of the fifth via a Hannah Flippen two-run double.
Down 4-2 after six innings, it was looking bleak for Team Clark. However, no one told the team that. First, Billie Andrews went deep with a two-run homer, tying the game at four runs each. Nadia Taylor added two runs with a double to left field to give Team Clark the lead.
Next, Kalei Harding extended the lead with an RBI single. Lastly, rookie Sarah Willis capped off the eight-run seventh inning with a blast to right-center field. Ultimately, Team Clark picked up a 10-4 victory.
BULLSEYE 🎯
— AU Pro Softball (@auprosoftball) June 16, 2024
Sarah Willis finds her target and smashes a 3-run homer off the "hit it here" sign! 🤯#AUProSB | 📺 ESPN 2 pic.twitter.com/6xDNgTf0kc
Andrews and Willis took home MVP 1 and MVP 3 honors, respectively as pitcher Mariah Mazon of Team Edwards won MVP 2 honors. The right-hander went six innings, allowing five hits and two runs while striking out four batters, More so, Jessi Warren was the Defensive MVP of the game for Team Clark.
Game Eight: No Shortage of Offense in this AUX Softball Matchup
For Team Edwards, it was a rough first game and their second one did not go as planned either in AUX Softball. Tori Vidales gave Team Alo the early lead with an RBI single in the top of the first inning. Edwards helped her team in the bottom of the inning with an RBI single of her own. The top of the second saw Alo’s squad put up four runs.
To start, Haylie McCleney knocked in a run with a double and Alo hit a three-run shot to right field. This gave Team Alo a 5-1 lead, adding two more with a two-time homer by Andrea Filler in the top of the third. Edwards would go yard in the bottom of the inning while Zerkle went deep in the fourth and Wisz hit another homer in the sixth. In the end, the final score would be 7-5 in favor of Team Alo.
Jocelyn Alo is NOT REAL 🤯@78jocelyn_alo I 📺 ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/Co0GAH7rsd
— AU Pro Softball (@auprosoftball) June 16, 2024
To the surprise of none, Alo garnered 60 points and MVP 1 honors. Zerkle and Filler were the MVP 2 and MVP as Wisz got Wisz took home Defensive MVP honors.
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