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Talons rally late, stun Blaze to sweep series

Screenshot 2025-02-05 152517by: Cooper Taylor06/15/25
Screenshot 2025-06-15 at 3.40.14 PM
Photo courtesy of Meghan Murphy / AUSL

For the third straight game, both the Talons and the Blaze scored in the opening frame. Off of Blaze starter Aleshia Ocasio, Hannah Flippen singled in a pair of runs to start the game. The Blaze immediately responded in the home half off of Talons starter Raelin Chaffin. Back-to-back two-out singles from rookies Korbe Otis and Ana Gold tied the game at 2-2.

Three hit-by-pitches aided the Talons’ second-inning response. Jadelyn Allchin drove in a run on a single, and Tori Vidales lifted a sacrifice fly to extend the lead back to two. Chaffin also worked a scoreless second for the shutdown inning.

In the top of the third, rookie Bri Ellis knocked her first home run of her professional career. Ellis’s solo shot put the Talons up 5-2 through three innings.

In the fourth, Emma Lemley made her third appearance in three days for the Blaze. The rookie blanked the Talons in the top of the fourth, striking out Sydney Romero with the bases loaded.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Blaze struck back in a big way, chasing Chaffin after walking in a run. On the first pitch from reliever Megan Faraimo, Baylee Klingler belted a grand slam to grab a 7-5 lead. Gold then drove in her second run of the day on a two-out triple, extending the lead to three after four innings.

The Talons also scratched across runs in the top of the fifth and sixth on rookie Sierra Sacco’s solo home run and Romero’s sacrifice fly.

Aleshia Ocasio then re-entered in the seventh with a one-run lead. After retiring two of the first three batters she faced, Vidales singled to left field, keeping the Talons alive. Flippen then ripped a three-run homer to right to extend the game with a 10-8 Talons lead.

The Talons kept the Blaze scoreless through the final three frames. Faraimo re-entered to shut out the Blaze in the seventh and seal the 10-8 comeback win.

AUSL Standings

Bandits 5-1
Talons 4-2
Volts 2-4
Blaze 1-5

All four teams head to Wichita for two-game sets starting on Tuesday. The Bandits take on the Talons, while the Volts and Blaze face off.

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