The Athletes Unlimited Softball League’s inaugural Opening Weekend continued Sunday, with the Bandits (1-0) still taking on the Talons (0-1) in Rosemont, Ill., and the Blaze (0-1) once again meeting the Volts (1-0) in Wichita, Kan.
Here are the results from Sunday’s action.
Talons 6, Bandits 3
After dropping the season opener, the Talons came out swinging on Sunday.
ATHLETES UNLIMITED SOFTBALL LEAGUE
A pair of solo home runs by Ali Aguilar and Tori Vidales with two outs in the top of the 1st set the tone for both clubs early. Facing an immediate 2-0 deficit, the Bandits quickly answered back with a home run of their own, a leadoff inside-the-parker by center fielder Morgan Zerkle. (Somewhat appropriately, the first inside-the-parker in AUSL history came on a sinking liner that snuck under a diving attempt by Talons left fielder Sierra Sacco, who hit the league’s actual first home run on Saturday.)
The Talons would rally briefly -- again with two outs -- in the top of the 3rd, padding a 4-1 lead with back-to-back doubles by Hannah Flippen and Caroline Jacobsen, followed by Bri Ellis’ first professional hit and RBI. Bubba Nickles-Camarena’s two-run homer in the bottom of the 3rd pulled the Bandits back within a run.
After a quiet three innings for both clubs, the Talons, still hanging on to a one-run lead, would get some insurance via yet another two-out rally in the top of the 7th, pulling ahead 6-3 on an RBI double from Sydney Romero and an RBI single from Sacco.
In three innings of work, Talons starter Lauren Derkowski worked around five hits, including both Bandits homers, without issuing a walk or recording a strikeout. Order was later restored by Raelin Chaffin (three innings), who entered in relief in the bottom of the 4th and, after allowing a leadoff double, silenced the Bandits’ bats for good. Opening Day starter Montana Fouts, serving as the closer on Sunday, nailed the game down with two strikeouts in a perfect 7th inning; Chaffin and Fouts collectively retired the final 12 Bandits batters in order.
In their gutsy team effort, all nine Talons starters recorded at least one hit and all six of their runs were scored with two outs; they were 7-for-13 with runners in scoring position on the afternoon.
Both teams will have Monday off before closing out the series at The Stadium at Parkway Bank Sports Complex on Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET.
Volts 10, Blaze 3
After McKenzie Clark settled their Opening Day game with a huge home run, the Volts stayed undefeated on Sunday with a very different offensive strategy.
The team scored 10 runs on 15 hits -- just two of which went for extra bases, both of them doubles.
With the game tied at one through three innings of play, the Volts’ scrappy onslaught began, appropriately, with Sierra Romero and Kelsey Stewart-Hunter reaching on back-to-back bunt singles to lead off the inning. The Volts would plate three runs in the frame on a pair of singles by Danieca Coffey and Jessi Warren and a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch of Michaela Edenfield to make it 4-1.
Tiare Jennings drove in two more on a single and a throwing error in the top of the fifth; really pouring it on in the top of the sixth, the Volts made it 10-1 on an RBI double by Coffey, another RBI hit-by-pitch (Clark) and an RBI groundout by Amanda Lorenz.
A two-run triple by Blaze infielder Anissa Urtez in the bottom of the sixth saved her club from being run-ruled but was ultimately too little, too late -- the Blaze ended the day with just three runs despite 11 hits, including a 3-for-4 performance by Baylee Klingler.
Coffey, Romero and Stewart-Hunter each had three hits for the Volts; Coffey and Jennings, who both entered the game as pinch-hitters, were a combined 5-for-5 with six RBIs on the day.
Volts starter Mariah Mazon allowed one unearned run in three innings of work; she was followed in relief by Payton Gottshall (four innings).
The Volts will go for the sweep at Wilkins Stadium on Monday, June 9, at 7 p.m. ET.