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First inning fireworks fuel Team Willis win over Team Falby

Screenshot 2025-02-05 152517by: Cooper Taylor08/21/25
Screenshot 2025-08-21 at 7.09.29 AM
Photo courtesy of AUSL

Sarah Willis and Payton Gottshall earned the starts for Wednesday’s contest between Team Willis and Team Falby. The two teams battled in a nailbiter, but Team Willis came out victorious in a 3-2 finish.

Unfortunately for Team Falby, Gottshall could not record a single out before being pulled in the first inning. Sierra Sacco led off with a single, Sydney Romero tripled and Tori Vidales homered to put Team Willis up 3-0 after the first inning.

Oddicci Alexander and Georgina Corrick settled things down for Team Falby, though, shutting out Team Willis for the rest of the game.

Willis tossed four innings, surrendering two runs on four hits. Danielle Gibson-Whorton knocked an RBI single in the third. While in the fifth, Michaela Edenfield tacked on Team Falby’s second run of the game on an RBI double.

Taylor McQuillan came up clutch for Team Willis, keeping Team Falby scoreless in the final eight outs of the game. With Team Falby threatening in the seventh, McQuillan buckled down, struck out Edenfield, and retired the captain, Kendra Falby, to end the game and earn the save.

Team Willis won 70 points for the victory and an additional 20 points for its inning wins. Meanwhile, Team Falby took 40 points home after winning the fourth and fifth innings.

AUSL Leaderboard

  1. Kayla Kowalik – 650 points
  2. Keilani Ricketts – 474 points
  3. Sarah Willis – 472 points
  4. Rachel Garcia* – 458 points
  5. Taylor McQuillin – 406 points

* = Not playing in Series Two

Next up for AUSL All-Star Cup

Series Two ends on Thursday as Team Willis and Team Kowalik face off at 7 p.m. ET on ESPNU with the winner likely taking most spots atop the AUSL leaderboard.

More from Softball America:

2025 Recruiting Rankings
2026 Recruiting Rankings
2027 Recruiting Rankings

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