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Talons even series, Volts improve to 2-0 on AUSL season

Screenshot 2024-07-31 at 7.46.34 PMby:Brady Vernon•06/08/25•

BradyVernon

Screenshot 2025-06-08 at 4.54.35 PM
Photo courtesy of AUSL

Talons 6, Bandits 3

The ball was soaring off the Talons’ bats early. Ali Aguilar and Tori Vidales hit back-to-back two-out home runs against Bandits starter Devyn Netz.

Two-out runs were the theme in the Talons’ first win of the season. After Aguilar and Vidales were quickly retired to open the third, Hannah Flippen and Caroline Jacobsen hit two straight doubles. Bri Ellis hit a sharp single to left field to push the lead to three.

After Bubba Nickles-Camarena hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the third to pull the Bandits back within one, neither team scored in the next three innings. Mississippi State rookie Raelin Chaffin did well in her debut outing, throwing three scoreless frames, allowing a singular hit. She retired nine straight before giving way to Montana Fouts in the seventh, who threw a perfect inning.

The Talons tacked on two insurance runs in the seventh. Ellis worked a two-out walk. Pinch-runner Jadelyn Allchin scored on a liner to the wall from Sydney Romero. Sierra Sacco drove in another run via a single on a full count.

Morgan Zerkle had a thrilling start to the game for the Bandits. She hit a ball to left field that got past the diving Sacco. Zerkle, who had the first hit of AUSL on Saturday, raced around the bases for an inside-the-park home run.

Volts 10, Blaze 3

The Volts secured their second win of the weekend Sunday afternoon at Wilkins Stadium. Mariah Mazon started in the circle, tossing three innings and allowing one run on four hits. Payton Gottshall entered in relief, getting her first win of the season, pitching four innings and giving up two runs on seven hits. Keilani Ricketts started for the Blaze and went 3.2 innings, allowing four runs on four hits, suffering her first loss. 

After a scoreless first, the Volts struck first in the top of the second. Sierra Romero singled up the middle, then advanced to third on a Mary Iakopo double down the left field line. Tiare Jennings followed with an RBI single to the left side, giving the Volts a 1-0 lead.

The Blaze answered in the bottom half, capitalizing on a defensive miscue. Taylor Edwards singled and advanced to second on a Jennings error. Ana Gold followed with a deep fly to left that dropped for a double, scoring Edwards to tie the game at 1-1.

In the top of the third, Korbe Otis and Aliyah Andrews collided in left-center while recording the third out. Andrews was attended to by medical staff but walked off the field on her own. Kayla Kowalik entered in center field.

Romero led off the fourth with a bunt single, followed by another bunt from Kelsey Stewart-Hunter. Despite missing two earlier bunt attempts, Danieca Coffey delivered an RBI single up the middle to put the Volts up 2-1.

After a Jennings walk loaded the bases, the defense made back-to-back force outs at home. With two outs, the Blaze brought in Hope Trautwein-Valdespino to face pinch-hitter Michaela Edenfield, who was hit by a pitch. Jessie Warren followed with an RBI single to score McKenzie Clark, but Amanda Lorenz was thrown out at home, ending the inning with the Volts leading 4-1.

Gottshall relieved Mazon in the bottom of the fourth. Otis reached on an error but was doubled off on a lineout by Edwards. Anissa Urtez and Gold followed with two-out singles, but Gottshall escaped the jam by freezing Kalei Harding on an off-speed pitch on the outer half.

Rachel Garcia drew a leadoff walk in the fifth, prompting a pitching change. Brooke McCubbin entered for the Blaze but surrendered three straight singles to Stewart, Coffey, and Jennings, resulting in two more runs. Lorenz walked to load the bases, and Trautwein-Valdespino re-entered the game. Edenfield popped out to second, but the Volts extended their lead to 6-1.

Gottshall threw a scoreless sixth, allowing just a two-out single by Baylee Klingler.

The Volts poured it on in the top of the sixth. Singles from Garcia, Romero, and Stewart-Hunter brought up Coffey, who ripped a two-run single to center. After Clark was hit by a pitch, Lorenz grounded out to third to score another, giving the Volts a commanding 10-1 lead.

The Blaze responded in the bottom half. Otis singled and Edwards doubled to left-center. Urtez followed with a triple down the right field line to score both runners and cut the deficit to 10-3, staving off the run-rule.

In the seventh, Gottshall allowed a double to Klingler and a walk to Gibson-Whorton but closed out the game with a groundout and strikeout.

The two teams close out the series on Monday at 7 p.m. ET.

AUSL Standings

Volts 2-0
Bandits 1-1
Talons 1-1
Blaze 0-2

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