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Bandits power past Volts, Talons hold off Blaze

Screenshot 2024-07-31 at 7.46.34 PMby: Brady Vernon07/19/25BradyVernon
Screenshot 2025-07-19 at 6.19.13 AM
Photo courtesy of Jade Hewitt / AUSL

Bandits 9, Volts 2

The Bandits secured another win in Round Rock behind a five-run second inning. Danielle Gibson-Whorton and Bubba Nickles-Camarena hit back-to-back home runs against Volts starter Mariah Mazon.

Even after a pitching change, Morgan Zerkle’s big night started with an RBI single with the bases loaded against Samantha Show. Skylar Wallace followed with another single, this time bringing home two runs.

Zerkle provided the rest of the offense for the Bandits on Friday night. She had a two-run, two-out RBI double in the fifth. Zerkle then hit her league-leading (she was tied with Nickles-Camarena before the swing) ninth home run, giving her team two more runs in the seventh. She finished the evening 3-for-5 with five RBIs and a triple short of the cycle.

Sarah Willis’ start only in the last two innings after the first three Volts reached in the third with Ciara Briggs helping push across two runs. The bullpen had a great night. Emiley Kennedy came in and limited the damage. The Volts threatened again in the following inning, this time Taylor McQuillin picked up her teammate. Kennedy, McQuillin, and Lexi Kilfoyl combined to throw five scoreless innings, allowing three hits.

Talons 3, Blaze 2

Another day, another great outing from the Talons pitching staff. Outside of a second-inning homer from Ana Gold, Mariah Lopez, Montana Fouts, Raelin Chaffin and Georgia Corrick combined to blow away the Blaze offense in the 3-2 win.

The Blaze’s best chance to score came in the seventh. They opened the inning with a pair of singles against Chaffin and a sacfrice bunt moved the tying run into scoring position. The Talons went to Corrick to close things out. After a lengthy at-bat against Aliyah Andrews, Corrick finally struck her out but proceeded to walk Korbe Otis to load the bases.

Corrick had to pitch to Aubrey Leach, and she did. Leach bounced one to Hannah Flippen, who couldn’t handle it cleanly and allowed a run to score. Baylee Klingeler stepped up with a chance to tie and even win the game. Following a first-pitch ball, Corrick threw three straight nasty pitches to strike Kilngler out to secure the win.

Bri Ellis found another RBI, starting the scoring in the second. The top of the Talon order of Sierra Sacco and Maya Brady was a headline once again. Sacco and Brady combined for four hits, including Brady’s RBI single in the fifth. TorI Vidales provided a much-needed insurance run to score Sacco on a RBI single. Brady has still yet to be retired and is 10-for-10 in her AUSL career.

AUSL Standings

Talons* 17-4
Bandits* 13-7
Volts 6-15
Blaze 5-15

*= clinched spot in AUSL Championship Series

The four teams continue their series in Round Rock, Texas and Salt Lake City, Utah, but the AUSL Championship Series in Tuscaloosa next week is now set. The Talons and Bandits face off in the first game of that series on July 26 at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

BUY TICKETS TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP HERE

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