Amanda Lorenz Wins 2024 Athletes Unlimited Championship Season
With 1800 total points, Amanda Lorenz becomes the first-ever outfielder in Athletes Unlimited history to become champion.
Team Kilfoyl 8, Team Ocasio 3
With Aleshia Ocasio sitting in second behind Amanda Lorenz on the leaderboard and Lexi Kilfoyl in third, their teams certainly played with the intent of pushing their captains up into the Champion position. In a huge fifth inning for Team Kilfoyl, Tori Vidales and the rest of the offense battled back to take an 8-3 win over Team Ocasio, and allowed Kilfoyl to walk away in second place in her first-ever professional season.
“The immediate first day we came in here, and I talked to (Kilfoyl) and I was like you know you have to win all three games to win this,” Vidales said. “I said not only do we have to win, but you have to pitch, you have to get those points and we have to win. Usually, I am the one bringing the energy, bringing the good vibes, but with this team, I really had to bring out leadership because of how many rookies we have. This group specifically did a great job at taking in the information and helping one another today. For me that was my goal, I had to hit if we wanted to win.”
Sydney Romero poked a liner through the right side to begin the scoring for Team Kilfoyl in the first inning, but Team Ocasio evened the scoreboard immediately. After Anissa Urtez took a foul ball at the plate to her leg, she ripped a double down the left field line to score Skylar Wallace from first base. Delanie Wisz singled up the middle to drive in Urtez and take the lead.
With both Ocasio and Kilfoyl dealing on the mound, a pitcher’s duel commenced between the captains, but with two outs and no one on in the fifth inning, Vidales homered to left center to tie the game for the ‘Purple’.
From there, it was a hitting affair for Team Kilfoyl. Baylee Klingler made her way on base with a single and Sydney Romero added a double to take the lead. Kayla Kowlick tripled to right center for an RBI and after Caroline Jacobsen added an RBI of her own, Ocasio exited the game and Odicci Alexander entered in for relief.
Erika Piancastelli put some hope through the Team Ocasio lineup with a solo shot to left field, but that would be the end of scoring for the ‘Blue’. Meanwhile, Team Kilfoyl wasn’t slowing down. Megan Faraimo entered the circle in the seventh and with bases loaded, Sierra Romero doubled to add two more runs.
Kilfoyl finished with five strikeouts and 60 MVP points to complete the season with 1734 points. At the conclusion of game two, she was named Rookie of the Year.
“I didn’t expect myself to succeed this much going from college to the pro league,” Kilfoyl said. “I came in here with the expectation to feel it out and see what it’s about. I stayed true to myself, stayed true to my game and that goes a long way. I worked hard and achieved great dreams.”
Team Corrick 9, Team Lorenz 1
There was no catching up to Amanda Lorenz in first place. Despite the 9-1 loss, Lorenz clinched the title with the help of Team Kilfoyl beating Team Ocasio.
“I am honored and really thankful,” Lorenz said. “Younger me would be blown away. This game has always been my first love, and I love this game so much. I was that crazy kid running around for autographs so I am really grateful for the ones that came before me and made me dream so big.”
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Being the first outfielder to ever win in Athletes Unlimited history, the captain continued to show leather in left field and made two great saving plays. In a game that’s only had two other position players win between AUX and AU, Lorenz signified that every moment in AU counts.
“I am so pumped I did it for the position players,” Lorenz said. “It was a testament to having some really good pitchers on my staff, winning games and doing the best as possible at the plate.”
Team Corrick put up a great fight to take down Team Lorenz for just Lorenz’s fourth loss this season. Taylor McQuillin worked a full seven innings and achieved six strikeouts.
For Team Lorenz, Alyssa Denham made her final appearance in the circle of her career before Rachel Garcia took over. Garcia hit two batters to load the bases which allowed Morgan Zerkle to crush a grand slam to left field. With the grand slam, Zerkle made history by collecting 10,000 career leaderboard points.
Mariah Mazon came in after Garcia and the runs continued to flood in for Team Corrick. Sharlize Palacios singled for an RBI to extend the lead and Megan Wiggins added an insurance homer to right field for the ‘Orange’.
Coming in as a pinch runner for Zerkle, Karlie Spaid took the first pitch she saw from Mazon and sent a three-run home run to center field.
Team Lorenz struck late in the sixth when Kelsey Harshman singled to score Hannah Flippen, but that’s all the offense could put together in the finale.
Final AU Softball Leaderboard
1. Amanda Lorenz – 1800 points
2. Lexi Kilfoyl – 1734 pts
3. Aleshia Ocasio – 1606 pts
4. Georgina Corrick – 1520 pts
5. Tori Vidales – 1510 pts
