The Quick Story: Team Kowalik sprinted to a 7-0 lead and held off a comeback bid by Team Coffey to register a 7-6 victory to close Monday’s Athletes Unlimited Softball League All-Star Cup doubleheader at Parkway Bank Sports Complex.
Key Moment: Team Kowalik (2-0) took an early 7-0 advantage in the first two innings. After catcher Kayla Kowalik belted a two-run home run in the first inning, Team Kowalik added five more runs in the second inning, including a two-run homer by corner infielder Delanie Wisz. Team Coffey scored in each of the next four innings to narrow the gap to 7-6, but pitcher Alana Vawter ended the comeback
attempt in the final frame for the one-run victory.
Leaderboard Update: Kowalik, who earned MVP 1 honors for the fourth time in her last five games, remains at the top of the leaderboard with 1,200 points. Pitcher Rachel Garcia holds the No. 2 position with 924 points, while pitcher Keilani Ricketts and middle infielder Erin Coffel round out the top four spots with 846 points and 828 points, respectively.
Team Coffey Notes
- Team Coffey registered 10 hits, marking the fourth time this season a team tallied 10 or more base hits … Team Kowalik most recently finished with 12 hits in its 13-5 victory against Team Netz on Sunday evening.
- Eight of Team Coffey’s nine starters registered at least one hit in Monday’s nightcap.
- Pitcher Rachel Garcia, who entered the game in relief in the second inning, scattered just one hit and posted six strikeouts in 4.1 innings … Garcia has allowed just one run on eight hits with 12 strikeouts in 11.1 innings during Series Three while racking up 426 leaderboard points.
- Garcia’s six strikeouts matched the league season high … She also had six strikeouts against Team Ricketts on Sunday, while pitcher Georgina Corrick had six strikeouts against Team Kowalik on August 19.
- Garcia has also received Game MVP honors in all four of her appearances this season after claiming her second MVP 2 certificate.
- Middle infielder Sierra Romero finished 2-for-4, including a home run, with a pair of runs scored and two RBIs to capture MVP 3 honors and 110 leaderboard points … She has tallied three multi-hit efforts in her last four games.
- Middle infielder Ana Gold was named the Defensive MVP after registering Team Coffey’s lone assists … She also went 1-for-2 with an RBI, along with being hit by a pitch and drawing a walk.
- Captain Danieca Coffey launched her first home run of the AUSL All-Star Cup season with a solo shot in the sixth inning … She finished 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored, marking her first multi-hit performance of the campaign.
- Team Coffey is the third team this season to claim win points in four or more innings, but lose the contest … Team Netz also earned inning win points in 4-of-6 possible innings during the first game of Monday’s doubleheader against Team Ricketts.
- Pitcher Sarah Willis (2-1) was saddled with the loss after yielding four runs, three of them earned, on five hits and was chased after just 1.0 inning pitched.
Team Coffey’s Next Game: Tuesday, August 26 vs. Team Netz | 6 p.m. ET/5 p.m. CT
Team Kowalik Notes
- Team Kowalik requested a captain’s challenge in the fifth inning to review if a pitch that hit middle infielder Ana Gold was over the plate … The call on the field was upheld, the challenge was unsuccessful, and Gold took first base.
- Team Kowalik also initiated a captain’s challenge in the bottom of the sixth inning to challenge if corner infielder Danielle Gibson Whorton maintained first base on a ground out by middle infielder Sierra Romero … The challenge was unsuccessful after the call was upheld.
- Team Kowalik lead-off hitters reached base just once in the victory when corner infielder Jessi Warren opened the second inning with a double to right field.
- The five-run second inning marked the third time this season where Team Kowalik has registered four or more runs in a single frame … Team Kowalik stands as the only team in the league to achieve the feat through the first 13 games.
- Team Kowalik was 8-for-12 in advancement opportunities, while hitting at a .500 (6-for-12) clip with runners on base.
- Captain Kayla Kowalik, who received MVP 1 honors for the fourth time this season, finished 2-for-3 with a home run, three RBIs and a run scored … She has now claimed Game MVP status in five of her six games this season.
- Kowalik has registered multiple hits in each of her last five games after starting the season with a 1-for-4 effort against Team Corrick … She paces the league with 13 hits and 10 runs batted in through six games.
- Kowalik improved to a perfect 6-0 this season, including a 4-0 mark as a team captain.
- Corner infielder Delanie Wisz launched her second home run of the season with a two-run homer in the second inning, which is tied for the league lead.
- Middle infielder Aubrey Leach has hit safely in three straight games after going 2-for-3 with a single and a double.
- Warren authored her third multi-hit game of the campaign after a two-hit performance on Monday night … In addition to her double to begin the second inning, Warren added a single in the third inning.
- Pitcher Aleshia Ocasio earned her first win of the season after pitching 4.0 innings … She allowed three runs on six hits with four strikeouts.
- Rookie Alana Vawter tallied her second save in as many days after allowing just one run on two hits in 3.0 innings of relief.
Team Kowalik’s Next Game: Tuesday, August 26 vs. Team Ricketts | 8:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. CT
