The Talons have officially secured their spot in the first-ever Athletes Unlimited Softball League Championship in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. With the Volts’ 1-3 loss against the Blaze on Saturday evening, the Talons became the first team in the league to claim a spot in postseason play. They will compete in the best-of-three series at Rhoads Stadium from July 26 to 28, despite dropping game two to the Bandits last night.
“It was kind of bittersweet, you know…we get beat up on, and then we still qualified. You know, we’re still aggravated from the loss, and then qualifying, it’s kind of bittersweet that part,” Head Coach Howard Dobson recalls of the moment the team found out they clinched.
The Talons found out that they were championship-bound late last night, and with the postseason just weeks away, they are still focused on finishing the regular season strong.
“Managing the rest of the season going out, especially playing the Bandits today, you don’t want to show them too much, because you figure that if they end up being the other team that qualifies, we don’t want to show all of our hand, all of our pieces.”
As the standings currently signify, the Talons are 13-4, making them the top team in the league, and were on an eight-game win streak until falling to the Bandits last night, 9-1. The worst record the Talons could finish with this season is 13-11, while for the Volts, the best they could finish is at 13-11 if they were to win out for the remainder of the season. The Talons would hold the tiebreaker with a 6-0 record against the Volts this season.
The Talons have dominated much of the league, but their biggest hurdle has been the team in blue. The Bandits are the only team that the Talons have lost to this season, and currently are second in the AUSL standings, a likely contender to compete in the postseason alongside the Talons. This weekend is their last regular season matchup, and Sunday marks their final game.
“They’ve been a thorn in our side a little bit, but they’re quality. They swing it really well and they put pressure and they’re one of those teams that never gives in, even if you have a big lead,” Dobson said.
The Talons are currently in a split three-game series against the Bandits and have the opportunity to take the lead in their final game this afternoon, set for Sunday at 1 p.m. EST on ESPN2.
“It’s a long series, and hopefully, if we don’t get them now, hopefully we’ll get them when it matters,” Dobson said.
Cayla Sweazie is a former collegiate softball player turned sports reporter with a passion for telling the stories of athletes. She is serving as a correspondent for the Talons of the AUSL. You can follow her on Instagram @caysweazie.
