The Quick Story: Catcher Dejah Mulipola and corner infielder Danielle Gibson Whorton each tallied two hits and pitcher Rachel Garcia authored her second complete game as Team Coffey (1-0) secured a 4-2 victory over Team Ricketts (0-1) in the first game of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League All-Star Cup doubleheader at a sold-out Parkway Bank Sports Complex on Sunday afternoon.
Key Moment: Team Coffey built a 3-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Corner infielder Ana Gold drove in the game’s first run with a double to left field before Mulipola followed with her first home run of the season, a two-run shot to left field. Team Ricketts answered with a two-run home run by catcher Sharlize Palacios in the bottom of the second inning before Gibson Whorton’s RBI single in the fourth
inning added an insurance run.
Leaderboard Update: Garcia surged into second place on the leaderboard after compiling a season-high 284 points in the victory for Team Coffey. Gold, meanwhile, rose seven spots on the chart following her 166-point performance while Gibson Whorton stands 10th with 510 total points.
Team Coffey Notes
- Team Coffey requested a captain’s challenge in the bottom of the sixth inning when designated player Aliyah Binford was hit by a pitch … The challenge was unsuccessful after the call was upheld.
- Team Coffey posted the fifth win points sweep in the All-Star Cup this season after claiming all 130 win points against Team Ricketts on Sunday afternoon.
- Five of Team Coffey’s eight hits came with runners on base … In addition, the squad was 4-for-8 with runners in scoring position along with a 9-for-15 success rate in advancement opportunities.
- Pitcher Rachel Garcia collected 284 leaderboard points in Sunday’s victory over Team Ricketts, marking the highest single-game total in the AUSL All-Star Cup this season … It also marks the fourth-highest point total in any Athletes Unlimited softball game.
- Garcia now owns seven of the top nine single-game totals in Athletes Unlimited history, including the top mark of 298 points in an AU Pro Softball AUX game against Team Mulipola on June 14, 2023.
- Garcia also becomes the second player in the AUSL All-Star Cup to record 200 or more leaderboard points in multiple games this season, joining catcher Kayla Kowalik.
- Garcia posted the third complete game effort in the All-Star Cup this season … She also started the campaign with a complete game performance against Team Corrick on August 2, while pitcher Lexi Kilfoyl went the distance against Team Ocasio on August 2.
- Garcia has earned Game MVP honors in all three of her appearances this season, including a pair of MVP 1 commendations.
- Captain Danieca Coffey and pitcher Mariah Mazón both improved to 5-0 during the All-Star Cup.
- Corner infielder Danielle Gibson Whorton authored her first multi-hit game of the All-Star Cup after finishing with a 2-for-4 effort in Sunday’s series opener … She opened the third inning with a single to right field before adding another single up the middle in the fourth inning.
- Catcher Dejah Mulipola, who entered Sunday’s series opener without a hit in her first two All-Star Cup games, posted a 2-for-3 performance for Team Coffey … She belted a two-run home run in the second inning to give Team Coffey a 3-0 lead before adding a single through the left side in the third inning.
- Mulipola finished with 220 leaderboard points in Sunday’s victory, setting a personal season high … She also became the eighth different player to surpass 200 points in a game this season.
- Mulipola and Gibson Whorton each received their first Game MVP awards of the All-Star Cup campaign.
- Catcher Sahvanna Jaquish, who made her first appearance of the All-Star Cup in right field on Sunday, notched her first hit with a single to left center field in the second inning.
- Middle infielder Ana Gold became the first player in the All-Star Cup this season to be hit by a pitch twice in a game … She was hit by a pitch in the third inning before being plunked in the fifth inning.”
Team Coffey’s Next Game: Monday, August 25 vs. Team Kowalik | 8:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. ET
Team Ricketts Notes
- Team Ricketts initiated a captain’s challenge in the top of the third inning on a single by pitcher Rachel Garcia … The challenge was successful after the call was changed to an out.
- The top four hitters in the Team Ricketts lineup accounted for six of the team’s seven hits on Sunday afternoon.
- Team Ricketts was 6-for-14 in advancement opportunities, but finished 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position.
- Pitcher Keilani Ricketts saw her personal four-game win streak come to an end with Team Ricketts’ loss on Sunday … She helped Team Lorenz fashion a 2-0 record in Series One before helping Team Kowalik earn a 2-0 mark during Series Two.
- Ricketts matched her season high by throwing 4.0 innings in relief, allowing just one hit.
- Middle infielder Sydney Romero has hit safely in all five All-Star Cup games after driving a single into center field in the first inning.
- Corner infielder Baylee Klingler ran her hitting streak to three games with a single in the first inning … She also added a single in the third inning with a single in the sixth inning to mark her second multi-hit game of the campaign.
- Klingler authored the seventh three-hit in the All-Star Cup this season after her 3-for-4 performance on Sunday.
- Catcher Sharlize Palacios became the ninth different player to hit a home run in the All-Star Cup this season when she slugged a two-run homer to left center field in the bottom of the second inning … A different player has accounted for all nine home runs hit in the All-Star Cup this season.
- Pitcher Montana Fouts suffered her first loss of the All-Star Cup campaign after allowing three runs on five hits over 2.0 innings with one walk.
- Outfielder Sierra Sacco was voted as the game’s Defensive MVP, becoming the eighth different player to receive the honor this season.
Team Ricketts’ Next Game: Monday, August 25 vs. Team Netz | 6 p.m. ET/5 p.m. CT
