We are only one week into the Athletes Unlimited Softball League season, but we might have already seen the game of the year on Saturday afternoon between the Talons and the Blaze in Chattanooga, Tenn.
The two clubs combined for 26 runs and 29 hits in a 14-12 win for the Talons. But all of that offense isn't what made this a memorable matchup.
It's that the Blaze, who once trailed 12-1 in the fourth inning, nearly pulled off an incredible comeback the likes of which we haven't seen in the Major Leagues in more than two decades.
ATHLETES UNLIMITED SOFTBALL LEAGUE
This first game of a doubleheader looked like it would be a romp for Talons, who bolted out to a 12-1 lead in the fourth inning. Then, as if the day seemingly couldn't get any worse or longer for the Blaze, play was interrupted in their half of the fourth by a 56-minute rain delay.
But that pause instead sparked the Blaze, who made it rain runs over the next three innings.
Baylee Klingler chipped away at the deficit with a three-run homer in the fourth. She then added an RBI single during the team's five-run fifth inning and tied the game with a full-count, two-out, two-run single in the sixth. Klingler's seven RBIs in the contest matched the Blaze's run total through their first three games of the season.
An 11-run comeback? We haven't seen something like that in MLB since Aug. 5, 2001, when Cleveland dug itself out of a 14-2 hole in the seventh inning against the Mariners and ultimately prevailed in 11 innings, 15-14.
The only problem for the Blaze? They couldn't seal the deal.
Sydney Romero revived the Talons' offense with a tiebreaking 2-run homer in the top of the seventh. Pitcher Montana Fouts retired the Blaze without much trouble in the bottom of the seventh to end the thriller.
As Yogi Berra famously said, "It ain't over 'til it's over."
The Talons and Blaze proved that adage is definitely true in the AUSL.
Game 2: Talons 7, Blaze 6
After getting the final three outs in Game 1, Fouts started the nightcap and earned the win. She went six innings, struck out five and allowed three runs -- all in the first inning. She was backed by home runs from Caroline Jacobsen and Ali Aguilar. With the doubleheader sweep, the Talons improved to 3-2. They will go for a three-game sweep of the Blaze (1-4) at 2 p.m. ET on Sunday. The game will be available on MLB.com and MLB.TV.