4 things to know for AUX Fantasy Pick'Em

1. Stick with the hot hand

Series 1 could be anyone’s game but, once the first games are wrapped, take a hard look at who is hot. This could be pitchers or batters but from what we saw in Season 1 of AUX, stat points were very consistent series-to-series. For example, champion Danielle O’Toole, Dejah Mulipola, Morgan Zerkle and Georgina Corrick never faltered when it came to stat points.

They earned them in different ways but regardless of how their team was doing, they played well in almost every series. Sticking with consistent players can help you combat the unpredictability of win points and, naturally, MVP points, follow the highest stat point earners.

2. Withstanding the doubleheader

One of the major differences between AUX and Championship season of Softball is that there are only three teams instead of four. This means that on each game day, one of the teams will play a doubleheader.

When making your picks, you can use this to your advantage in two ways. Keep in mind that most teams either split or had a goose egg on doubleheader days. In fact, only three teams won both of their games (Team Fischer in Series 2 and Team O’Toole/Team Zerkle in Series 3).

If there’s a team drafted that has a hefty bullpen, it might be worth the risk to put your faith in picks from that team – particularly a pitcher from the roster who can throw for extended innings.

For example, if you picked Georgina Corrick in Series 3 last season, she raked in the points. She was the first pitcher in AUX history to win both games of the doubleheader. After pitching a complete game to seal a 2-1 verdict, Corrick threw 2.0 scoreless innings in the following victory. In the two games, Corrick scattered just six hits over 9.0 innings with one run allowed.

3. Feelin’ Fresh

While the rookies have their challenges cut out for them in adjusting to pro-level softball, they do have the major advantage of having seen live pitching for months straight. None of the returners have competed in the box and in live game settings like the rookies have for months on end as their wrapped up their senior year.

Reversely, the group who has the opportunity to really excel in the league from this crop are first-year pitchers. AUX Softball will be the first time a majority of batters will have ever faced them. It allows pitchers to surprise their opponents, keep tricks up their sleeves, and evolve as the season goes on.

There are multiple examples of this sort of success, namely in Rachel Garcia, Corrick, and Sydney Littlejohn Watkins. Corrick threw more innings than any other hurler last season (she had 39 innings compared to the second-highest log of 28.0 IP).

4. Lock in your picks

The AUX schedule is unique in that 18 games will be packed into two weeks. While Championship season follows a structured weekly format, AUX games days continuously flex.

Mark your calendar and keep this in mind so you don’t miss out on selecting your teams. It opens up at the conclusion of the weekly player draft and you will have up to 10 minutes before the start of the first game of the week to select your players.

Grab a stickie note or add it to your digital calendar; these are your deadlines:

• June 12
• June 18
• June 24

The second season of AUX kicks off with Team Garcia competing in the doubleheader. They’ll face Team Mulipola at 6 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. CT and finish opening day versus Team Zerkle at 8:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. CT. Both games will air on ESPNU.

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