The Volts’ series in Round Rock, Texas, ended any hopes of playoffs or an end-of-season surge, losing three out of four to the Bandits. However, there were some bright moments. The team in purple and green found some offense in each game and took early leads. But in most outings, they were unable to hold onto those leads, which is where they fell short. 

Game 1: Bandits 8, Volts 7

An issue for the Volts this season has been the offense’s inability to score, but that was not the case in Game One of the series. They jumped out to an early 2-0 lead and scored in five of the seven innings. However, they struggled to hold onto that lead against the high-powered offense of the Bandits. 

Skylar Wallace hit a three-run homer in the top of the sixth inning to give the visiting team an 8-6 lead. The Volts could not recover. Amanda Lorenz hit a solo shot in the seventh, but it was not enough. 

Game Two: Bandits 9, Volts 2 

In the second game of the series, the Volts gave up five runs in the top of the second and couldn’t climb back. In that explosive second frame, Bandits’ Danielle Gibson Whorton and Bubba Nickles-Camarena hit back-to-back home runs. 

One positive note for the team was that Ciara Briggs was stellar. She was 3-for-4 with one RBI. 

Game Three: Bandits 4, Volts 3

It looked like game three of the series would bring victory for the Volts. 

They scored early in the top of the second and pushed across another run in the fifth inning to secure a 3-0 lead. But in the bottom of that inning, Gibson-Whorton singled to score two runs, and an error brought home the tying run. Then, Morgan Zerkle hit a sacrifice fly to give the Bandits a one-run lead. 

The Volts were unable to score again. The combination of Taylor McQuillin and Lexi Kilfoyl allowed a total of just six hits in seven innings. 

It wasn’t just a victory for the Bandits; it was also a big win for the AUSL. Over 6,500 fans, the largest crowd in AUSL history, packed Dell Diamond. 

Game Four: Volts 7, Bandits 5

Game Four was a much-needed victory with breakthrough moments at the plate for many hitters in the order. Both Tiare Jennings and Jessi Warren hit home runs, and Amanda Lorenz stayed hot with two hits of her own. The Volts used speed to push across runs in the second inning. 

The Bandits made a late push in the seventh, scoring two runs, but the Volts held them off to seal the victory. 

On the mound, it was a full staff effort. Rachel Garcia, Payton Gottshall, Sam Show, and Sam Landry all threw in the game, allowing a total of seven hits in seven innings. 

GENERAL TAKEAWAYS 

Even though this series made the possibility of the Volts not making the Championship Series in Tuscaloosa a reality, the team still showed some positives at the plate by scoring seventeen runs over four games. Many of which happened early in games, something that has been a struggle for them all season long. 

They will play their final two games of the year on July 22-23 against the Talons in Tuscaloosa, Ala. 

Maria Trivelpiece is currently the Director of Video Communications and Reporter at the American Athletic Conference and a softball color analyst. Trivelpiece was an outfielder at Fordham University and still stays involved with the game through coaching and covering the sport. You can follow her on X M_Trivelpiece or Instagram @_mariatrivelpiece