After two tough losses to the top-ranked Talons, the Volts will look to rebound against the Blaze this weekend in Seattle. The Volts currently lead the season series 4-1, but the Blaze showed some promise in their series against the Bandit, winning the first game 12-10 and then losing the second game 5-4. If the team in purple and green hopes to keep the Blaze off balance, they will need to stick to a few keys.
KEY #1 Quiet the Blaze bats.
The Blaze scored a total of 16 runs in two games against the Bandits. Aubrey Leach finished the series 5-for-8 with one RBI. Korbe Otis was a big bat in game one, going 2-for-3 with three RBIs. Ali Newland was 4-for-6 with two RBIs in the series. As a team, they accounted for 25 hits in 15 innings.
The strongest part of the Volts’ season has been their pitching, with Rachel Garcia leading the charge. Payton Gottshall and Sam Landry have done a good job in their starts, and Sam Show is making her way back into the rotation after pitching a grueling season in Japan.
If the pitching staff can silence the Blaze bats like they’ve been able to all season, the Volts will be in good shape.
KEY #2 Get the offense going.
Despite struggling overall this season, the offense has shown up for the Volts while playing the Blaze. The Volts have scored at least five runs in each victory against the Blaze.
If they can conjure up the offense they have had in the past against this team, the Volts can keep chipping away in the second half.
KEY #3 Use the Husky magic.
The third key is less of a key and more of a fun nugget for the team in purple and green. As the team travels to Seattle to play in Husky Softball Stadium, Volts’ infielder Sis Bates will be returning to her alma mater.
Bates started all 261 career games at the University of Washington from 2017 to 2021. She finished with a .385 career batting average. The former Husky was a two-time first-team All-American and a three-time Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year.
Bates and the Blaze’s Baylee Klingler are both Washington alums. The two will be back on their home field all weekend long, starting Friday at 10:00 p.m. ET.
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
