2023 AUX Softball: Movers of Series 1

Leach takes the lead

Aubrey Leach is at the top in every which way in the AU point system after the first four games. Her stat points are second-best in the league, only behind pitcher Rachel Garcia by six points.

Her bat was red-hot in all four games at the plate and paces the season in multiple stat categories:

• hits (8)
• doubles (4)
• batting average (.571)
• on-base percentage (.647)
• total bases (15)

Leach’s performances earned her MVP 1 honors twice, totaling 120 points — the most earned of any player after the season kick-off.

Even though the orange squad she competed with in Series 1 picked up the fewest win points with 200, her contributions were so dominant they made up for the point category.

Sitting at the top of the leaderboard after Day 1…@aubrey_lynne10 😏#BeUnlimited | #AUX pic.twitter.com/YorkYjXj8H

— Athletes Unlimited (@AUProSports) June 13, 2023

Blue Tang produces two captains

Morgan Zerkle’s blue squad came out as the winningest team of the first series, securing 300 points for everyone on the roster. This category alone was enough to lift the entire squad to the top of the leaderboard.

In fact, only four athletes from the gold and orange teams (Leach, Garcia, Taylor Edwards, and Lilli Piper) broke into the top 15 in the rankings.

That left things up to the top performers from the Blue Tangs: Andrea Filler and Nadia Taylor.

Filler ranked second on the team in stat points with 130 total. Her two home runs for +40 points each really helped her excel in the point category and a consistent performance against Team Garcia on opening day locked her in for MVP 2.

 

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Nadia Taylor was fourth on the team in stat points with 110, highlighted by a grand slam on the final day of competition on Thursday. Her colossal homer was good for 40 stat points and all but secured Taylor to earn MVP 1 in the game.

What’s especially impressive about Taylor is that her production is solely based on her performance offensively; Taylor is classified as a designated player on the roster this season and hasn’t taken the field defensively. That hasn’t stopped her from making an impact on her team with the atmosphere in the dugout and production at the plate.

 

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Tune In

Series 2 action begins Sunday, June 18 with Team Taylor playing the doubleheader on ESPNU beginning at 1 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. CT. Check here for a look at the rosters the three captains drafted.

Savanna Collins is the Digital Media Reporter at Athletes Unlimited. You can follow her on Twitter @savannaecollins.