The Quick Story: Pitcher Rachel Garcia recorded two hits, including a double and a home run, while throwing 4.2 innings of relief as Team Garcia (1-1) secured a 6-1 victory over Team Kowalik (1-1) to complete Saturday’s Athletes Unlimited Softball League All-Star Cup doubleheader at Parkway Bank Sports Complex.
Key Moment: Team Garcia plated five runs in the first three innings to build a 5-0 lead it did not relinquish. Garcia gave her team a 3-0 lead in the top of the third inning when she blasted a three-run home run to left field before catcher Taylor Edwards and middle infielder Ana Gold drove in runs during the top of the third inning.
Leaderboard Update: While catcher Kayla Kowalik holds the overall lead entering the final day of the season with 1,540 leaderboard points, Garcia stands just 186 points back in second place after posting the second-highest single-game leaderboard point total in any Athletes Unlimited softball game. Corner infielder Danieca Coffey surged into third place after tallying 150 points in Team Garcia’s victory.
Team Garcia Notes
- Team Garcia initiated a captain’s challenge in the bottom of the fourth inning on an infield single by outfielder Kalei Harding … The challenge was unsuccessful after the call was upheld.
- Team Garcia set a new single-game season high by leaving 13 runners on base … Team Garcia also finished 11-for-24 in advancement opportunities, including a 6-for-20 success rate with runners on base.
- Pitcher Rachel Garcia accumulated 296 leaderboard points in Saturday evening’s victory, marking the second-highest single-game point total in Athletes Unlimited Softball history … Garcia also holds the top mark with a 298-point outburst against Team Mulipola on June 14, 2023, in an AU Pro Softball AUX contest.
- Garcia now owns eight of the top 10 single-game leaderboard point totals in Athletes Unlimited Softball history.
- Outfielder Ciara Briggs finished 2-for-4 to mark her first multi-hit performance of the All-Star Cup season … She now has a hit in three of her last four games after starting the season with one hit through her first four contests.
- Garcia went 2-for-4 in Saturday night’s victory, including her first home run of the All-Star Cup with a three-run shot in the first inning … Garcia now has a hit in five of her last six games, including back-to-back multi-hit outcomes.
- Garcia also became the eighth player to drive in at least three runs in a game during the All-Star Cup after closing with three RBI.
- In addition, Garcia (4-1) earned her league-leading fourth victory of the season in the circle after limiting Team Kowalik to one run on two hits with six strikeouts in 4.2 innings of relief … She now has three outings with at least six strikeouts.
- Corner infielder Danieca Coffey extended her hitting streak to four games with a single in the seventh inning … She has registered at least one hit in 7-of-9 All-Star Cup fixtures.
- Catcher Dejah Mulipola, the game’s MVP 3 honoree, posted her second multi-hit outing after a 2-for-4 effort in Team Garcia’s victory … She has a hit in four of her last five games after going hitless in Series One.
- Rookie outfielder Kendra Falby claimed Defensive MVP honors for the second time this season … She joins middle infielder Ana Gold as the only players in the league to earn the award at least two times in the campaign.
- Pitcher Sam Landry limited Team Kowalik to just one hit and struck out a pair of batters in 1.2 innings in the start, but did not factor in the decision.
Team Garcia’s Next Game: Sunday, August 31 vs. Team Ricketts | 2:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. CT
Team Kowalik Notes
- Team Kowalik requested a captain’s challenge in the top of the seventh inning on an infield single by outfielder Jadelyn Allchin … The challenge was unsuccessful after the call was upheld.
- Captain Kayla Kowalik became the last player in the All-Star Cup field to lose a game this season after falling for the first time in nine outings this season.
- The loss also ended Kowalik’s six-game win streak as a team captain … The 6-0 start as a team leader is tied for the second-best stretch in AUSL All-Star Cup history.
- The Gold jersey suffered its first loss of the season after starting the season with an 8-0 mark … Team Lorenz opened the campaign with a pair of victories before Team Kowalik rattled off six straight wins, including a 2-0 record in Series Two and a three-game sweep during Series Three.
- Team Kowalik finished 6-for-15 in advancement opportunities, but was held to a 1-for-11 mark with runners on base.
- Team Kowalik allowed three runs in the first inning, marking just the third time a team captained by Kowalik has trailed at any point in her seven games as a team leader.
- Corner infielder Baylee Klingler, who failed to collect a hit in Series One, has registered a hit in six of her last seven games after authoring a single in the second inning.
- Outfielder Kalei Harding recorded her first hit of the All-Star Cup with an infield single in the fourth inning … She entered the game 0-for-7 in August.
- Kowalik saw her eight-game hitting streak come to an end after going 0-for-3 with a sacrifice fly.
- Pitcher Taylor McQuillin (1-1) was saddled with the loss after surrendering five runs on six hits with five walks in 2.2 innings.
- Pitcher Mariah Mazón limited Team Garcia to one run on six hits with three strikeouts over 4.1 innings of relief.
Team Kowalik’s Next Game: Sunday, August 31 vs. Team Coffel | 5 p.m. ET/4 p.m. CT
