Recap: Urtez, Vidales lead Team Chidester with home runs

Urtez, who went 2-for-3 with a single and a home run, claimed MVP 1 honors for the first time this season and finished with a game-high 230 leaderboard points. Vidales, meanwhile, was the MVP 3 selection after her 1-for-2 outing with a walk and her third home run of the season.

The home runs complemented an outstanding pitching effort from Alyssa Denham, who authored her first complete game of the season. The MVP 2 pick in Friday’s nightcap, Denham gave up two runs on three hits with three strikeouts while upping her record to 3-0.

Catcher Dejah Mulipola led her squad in the loss by blasting a solo home run in the fourth inning, marking her fourth straight game with a homer. Pitcher Odicci Alexander (0-1) suffered the loss after giving up three runs on two hits with two walks and two strikeouts.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Team Mulipola took a 1-0 lead in the second inning before Team Chidester answered with three consecutive runs for a 3-1 lead it did not relinquish. Vidales’ two-run blast in the second inning started the rally before Urtez added a solo home run to open the third frame. Mulipola trimmed the margin to 3-2 before an insurance run in the bottom of the fourth reclaimed a two-run edge.

LEADERBOARD IMPACT

The victory allowed captain Amanda Chidester to move into second place on the leaderboard with 1,170 points, while Mulipola sank to fourth place. Denham’s complete game effort elevated her spot on the leaderboard by seven positions to sixth place.

GAME NOTES

• There were seven home runs hit in Friday’s doubleheader, marking the most of any twinbill this season … The second game featured four home runs after three were hit in the opener.

• Mulipola matched an Athletes Unlimited Softball Championship Season record by hitting a home run in her fourth consecutive game … Outfielder Haylie McCleney had a four-game home run streak from Sept. 14-21, 2021.

• Mulipola also took over the league lead with her sixth home run of the season.

• Three of the four home runs hit in Friday’s second game led off an inning … There have now been 13 leadoff home runs through 20 games this season.

• Outfielder Victoria Hayward went 0-for-3 in the game, ending her 16-game hitting streak.

• The teams were a combined 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position.

• With six runs in Friday’s game, there have now been 210 runs scored through the first 20 games of the season … Aspiration is committed to planting 10 trees for every run scored this season as part of its “Aspiration Round the Bases” initiative.

GAME MVPS

• #1 – Anissa Urtez (Team Chidester, +60)
• #2 – Alyssa Denham (Team Chidester, +40)
• #3 – Tori Vidales (Team Chidester, +20)