Baylee Klingler broke open a one-run game with a two-run double in the sixth inning as Team Ricketts defeated Team Garcia, 4-1, in the final game of Series One of the 2026 AUSL All-Star Cup.
Team Ricketts held a narrow 1-0 advantage through five innings before scoring three runs in the sixth. Reese Atwood started the scoring surge with an RBI single before Klingler drove a double off the wall in left field to bring home two more and extend the lead to 4-0.
The eventual winning run came all the way back in the first inning. Maya Brady, Sydney Romero and Morgan Zerkle opened the game with three consecutive singles to load the bases with no outs. Tiare Jennings followed by grounding into a double play, still bringing Brady home to give Team Ricketts an early 1-0 advantage.
The score remained unchanged for the next four innings as Rachel Garcia kept Team Ricketts off the board despite several opportunities to add to its lead.
Team Ricketts threatened again in the fourth when Jennings singled and Atwood reached on a throwing error, but Garcia escaped the inning without allowing another run.
Meanwhile, Team Garcia was still searching for its first hit. Amber Fiser tossed 2.2 hitless innings in her first All-Star Cup start before rookie Kenzie Brown entered in relief and extended the no-hit bid through the fifth.
The breakthrough for Team Ricketts’ offense finally came in the sixth. Zerkle singled through the left side before Jennings reached on a fielder’s choice. Kendra Falby drew a walk to put two runners aboard, and Atwood followed with a single up the middle to score Jennings.
Jordan Woolery then walked to load the bases for Klingler, who delivered the biggest hit of the game with her double to left field, driving in Falby and Atwood and giving Team Ricketts a four-run cushion.
Team Garcia answered in the bottom half of the inning when Skylar Wallace broke up the no-hit bid with a solo home run to center field, cutting the deficit to 4-1. It was Wallace’s fourth career All-Star Cup home run.
Team Garcia didn’t record another hit until Bubba Nickles-Camarena doubled with two outs in the seventh. Keilani Ricketts entered the circle to start the inning and worked around the extra-base hit to earn her first save of the season and close out the victory.
Team Ricketts’ pitching staff held Team Garcia to just two hits. Fiser struck out three over 2.2 scoreless innings, while Brown allowed one run on one hit with three strikeouts across 3.1 innings to earn her first All-Star Cup victory.
Klingler finished 1-for-3 with two RBIs and earned MVP1 honors for the fourth Game MVP award of her All-Star Cup career. Brown earned MVP2 honors and Fiser rounded out the voting with MVP3. Rylie Boone earned Defensive MVP honors.
Next Series
The AUSL All-Star Cup continues with Series Two, starting Friday, August 14, where the competition will reset with new teams following the next draft.
