Skip to main content

Blaze blank Talons, Bandits rally to beat Volts

Screenshot 2024-07-31 at 7.46.34 PMby: Brady Vernon07/20/25BradyVernon
Screenshot 2025-07-19 at 8.30.03 PM
Photo courtesy of AUSL

Blaze 2, Talons 0

The Blaze got the best effort of the season from their pitching staff. Devyn Netz (3 IP), Aleshia Ocasio (2 IP), Alana Vawter (1 IP) and Keilani Ricketts (1 IP) combined to limit the Talons to three hits in their 2-0 win.

The Talons went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position. The Blaze were able to erase a leadoff double by Maya Brady in the fourth on an inning-ending double play. After a sacrifice bunt put the tying run on second in the sixth, Ricketts retired Brady and Hannah Flippen to keep the birds caged.

The Blaze didn’t do a lot offensively, but enough to support their pitchers. Korbe Otis led off the first inning with a double. She scored after a bunt and a fielder’s choice for the early lead. The Blaze manufactured another run in the sixth. The first two batters reached and moved over on another bunt. McKenzie Clark drove in the insurance run on a sacrifice fly.

Clark also saved a run in the second, making a diving grab in the alley that would’ve scored the runner from first base if Clark didn’t snowcone the ball.

Bandits 4, Volts 3

The Bandit bats didn’t have many answers for Sam Landry for most of the game. They finally put it together in the fifth, where they scored all four runs in their 4-3 win in Texas.

Landry had held the Bandits to one hit entering the fifth, but the former Louisiana and Oklahoma quickly worked herself into trouble. She surrendered a pair of singles and hit a batter to load the bases for the top of the Bandit order.

Morgan Zerkle brought in the first run with a sac-fly to center. Skylar Wallace cut the Volts’ lead to one with an RBI single. Danielle Gibson-Whorton bounced one through the right side for a two-out, two-RBI single to put the Bandits up for good.

Taylor McQuillin started for the Bandits and battled out of a jam in the first with help from Bella Dayton, throwing out Ciara Briggs trying to tag up from third to end the frame. However, Dejah Mulipola committed an Arizona on Arizona crime with a two-run blast off of McQuillin.

Lexi Kilfoyl came into the circle to begin the third before throwing 4.1 innings, allowing one unearned run on three hits. McQuillin re-entered in the seventh for the final two outs of the game.

AUSL Standings

Talons* 17-5
Bandits* 14-7
Volts 6-15
Blaze 6-16

*= clinched spot in AUSL Championship Series

The Bandits and Volts finish their series in Round Rock at 7 p.m. ET on MLB.com

BUY TICKETS TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP HERE

More from Softball America:

Brooke Wells, Jena Young enhance Alabama lineup
Inside look at the Clemson transfer class
What to know about the Tennessee transfer trio

You may also like