The Quick Story: The Talons (17-4) staved off a late rally by the Blaze (5-16) and held on for a thrilling 3-2 victory in Athletes Unlimited Softball League action at Dumke Family Softball Stadium on Friday night.
Key Moment: With the game tied 1-all entering the fifth inning, the Talons plated a pair of runs on RBI singles by utility player Maya Brady and infielder Tori Vidales to take a 3-2 advantage. Pitcher Georgina Corrick entered the game in the bottom of the seventh inning with two runners in scoring position and struck out a pair of batters to clinch the victory.
Talons Notes
- The Talons initiated a coach’s challenge in the bottom of the seventh inning to review if a ball hit by outfielder Aliyah Andrews hit her while she was out of the batter’s box … The challenge was unsuccessful and the call on the field was upheld (foul ball).
- The Talons have now won 12 of their last 13 games with Friday’s victory over the Blaze … They are also a perfect 7-0 in the regular season series against the Blaze.
- The Talons were 6-for-16 in advancement opportunities, including a 4-for-12 clip with runners in scoring position.
- The Talons’ lead-off hitters reached base safely in 4-for-7 innings during Friday night’s victory.
- The Talons are now 13-2 when scoring the game’s first run.
- The Talons’ pitching staff has now registered a league-high eight saves, including a league-best three saves apiece from Montana Fouts and Georgina Corrick.
- Outfielder Sierra Sacco pitched in a pair of singles in a 2-for-4 effort at the plate and scored a run in Friday’s victory … She has now reached base safely in 12 consecutive games.
- Utility player Maya Brady moved her stretch to seven hits in her first seven AUSL at-bats with an RBI single in the top of the fifth inning … She has three RBI, three runs scored and three walks through her first three games … The UCLA product did not reach base safely for the first time this season in the top of the seventh inning, ending a streak of 10 consecutive plate appearances without recording an out.
- Infielder Sydney Romero, who entered this week’s series with just two doubles on the season, laced her third double of the series in the top of the sixth inning.
- Catcher Sharlize Palacios hit a double in the top of the fifth inning to mark her second two-bagger of the season … It was also her first extra-base hit since July 8 against the Volts.
- Infielder Bri Ellis now has a hit in three straight games after going 1-for-3 with an RBI in Friday night’s victory.
- Pitcher Mariah Lopez threw her longest outing of the season after tossing 3.0 frames … Making her second start of the campaign, she allowed one run on two hits with a pair of strikeouts in a no-decision … It was also her first start since June 10 against the Bandits in Rosemont.
- Fouts pitched 2.0 innings of scoreless relief to improve to 2-1 on the season, scattering a pair of hits.
- Corrick earned her second consecutive save after entering the game with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning and posting a pair of strikeouts to nail down the victory.
Blaze Notes
- The Blaze were 5-for-10 in advancement opportunities, but were 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position … They entered the game as the league’s top team with runners in scoring position.
- The Blaze have now lost three straight games after putting together their first set of back-to-back victories this past weekend against the Volts.
- Outfielder Korbe Otis registered her team-high eighth multi-hit performance of the season after a 2-for-3 effort on Friday night … The former Florida standout has tallied at least two hits in two of her last four games.
- Infielder Ana Gold launched her third home run of the season to tie the game at 1-all in the bottom of the second inning … It was her second home run in the last four games after hitting her first professional homer on June 23 against the Bandits.
- Gold also extended her hitting streak to six games after going 1-for-3 in the loss on Friday.
- Catcher Taylor Edwards, who was reinstated from the Injured List earlier this week, made her first appearance since June 20 against the Bandits.
- Pitcher Alana Vawter (1-5) was saddled with the loss after tossing 2.1 innings of relief, yielding two runs on three hits.
- Pitcher Keilani Ricketts pitched 2.2 innings of scoreless relief with a pair of strikeouts … Since returning from the Injured List, she has allowed just two runs in 10.0 innings across four appearances with 13 strikeouts compared to zero walks.
Next Game: Saturday, July 19 | 6 p.m. ET/4 p.m. MT
Probable Starting Pitchers: Montana Fouts (2-1, 2.55) vs. Devyn Netz (2-2, 4.97)
