Skip to main content

Talons walk-off Bandits, Volts breeze by Blaze

Screenshot 2025-02-05 152517by: Cooper Taylor06/19/25
Screenshot 2025-06-18 at 8.26.41 PM
Photo courtesy of Skylar Kade / AUSL

A pair of former UCLA Bruins stole the show in Wichita, Kansas. Talons catcher Sharlize Palacios walked off the Bandits with a two-run homer in a dramatic finish, while Volts pitcher Rachel Garcia tossed a complete-game win over the Blaze.

Talons 5, Bandits 4

Megan Faraimo earned the start for the Talons in Game 1. The former UCLA great opened the game with a scoreless first inning. Bandits starter Lexi Kilfoyl mimicked Faraimo’s start.

The Talons worked some two-out production in the bottom of the second. After Sydney Romero doubled, rookie Sierra Sacco singled home the game’s first run.

In the third, all six batters to the plate were retired. Faraimo continued to shine in the next two innings, keeping the Bandits scoreless. Kilfoyl also minimized the damage, bringing a 1-0 game into the sixth inning.

Things came crashing down in the sixth for the Talons, though. After Morgan Zerkle and Skylar Wallace exchanged singles to open the inning, Erin Coffel blasted a three-run homer to straightaway center. Faraimo notched a pair of strikeouts to end the half inning, but the Bandits jumped in front 3-1.

After taking the lead, the Bandits turned to Odicci Alexander to close the game. Alexander tossed a scoreless sixth inning, turning it back over to the Bandits following the shutdown inning.

In the seventh, Bella Dayton and Jordan Roberts singled in consecutive at-bats, chasing Faraimo from the game. Making her season debut, Georgina Corrick came in and stopped the bleeding. Sydney McKinney brought in the lone run of the inning on a groundout, grabbing some insurance for the Bandits.

Alexander trotted out again in the seventh, but after surrendering a leadoff single, Ally Shipman-Shrout belted a two-run homer to cut the deficit to one. Jadelyn Allchin then singled to bring the winning run to the plate. With two outs, Sharlize Palacios lined a walk-off two-run home run to win the game.

The Talons scored four in the bottom of the seventh, courtesy of a pair of two-run home runs, to stun the Bandits and tie for first place in the AUSL standings.

Volts 6, Blaze 1

Alana Vawter made her first career start in the AUSL for the Blaze on Wednesday. Unfortunately for Vawter, the Volts welcomed her with a first-inning run when Sierra Romero doubled home Tiare Jennings. Meanwhile, Volts starter Rachel Garcia stranded two runners en route to a scoreless first.

Up 1-0 in the second, the Volts tripled their lead. Sis Bates singled, and rookie Danieca Coffey hit her first professional home run. Coffey’s two-run shot put the Volts up 3-0 through four innings.

Garcia was rolling heading into the fifth, but Kayla Kowalik broke up the shutout bid on a solo homer. After a walk and a bunt single in the home fifth, Sierra Romero got that run right back on an RBI single. Vawter’s debut also ended after four innings, allowing four runs on five hits and striking out four. Rookie Emma Lemley came on in relief in the fifth and limited the damage to just one run.

Garcia also earned the shutdown sixth, working around a leadoff double to hold the Volts’ 4-1 lead. In the bottom of the inning, Coffey drove in her third run of the game on an RBI double. Amanda Lorenz then continued to add on with an RBI single, extending the Volts’ lead to 6-1 after six.

Garcia shined in the seventh, finishing the complete game win for the Volts. The former UCLA legend struck out nine and allowed just one run on four hits.

Both series continue in Wichita on Thursday, starting at 1 p.m.

For transfer portal news, stay up to date with the Softball America transfer wire and the Dugout, our discussion board for members.

More from Softball America:

2027 Position Recruiting Rankings
Teagan Kavan’s historic WCWS performance leads Texas to first national championship
Softball America Top 100 Players of the 2025 season

You may also like