Recap: St. George, Andrews lead Team Leach in 3-2 win

In the end, it was the arm of Peyton St. George that carried Team Leach to its third straight win, a 3-2 triumph over Team Taylor to open the twinbill at Parkway Bank Sports Complex.

Team Leach, playing the first of two games on Thursday, upped its Series Two record to 3-0. Team Taylor, meanwhile, wrapped its slate with a 1-3 mark.

St. George authored the first complete game of the AUX season after allowing two runs on six hits with a season-high six strikeouts. The former Duke standout retired the side in order in three of the first four innings en route to securing her second MVP 1 honor of the season while adding 234 leaderboard points to her credit.

Outfielder Aliyah Andrews drove in two of Team Leach’s three runs while going 2-for-3 to claim MVP 2 distinction. Andrews finished with 180 leaderboard points in the victory.

Catcher Jordan Roberts finished the MVP sweep after securing MVP 3 recognition and 148 points on the strength of an RBI single in the second inning with a walk.

Middle infielder Caleigh Clifton fashioned two of Team Taylor’s six hits in the loss while catcher Delanie Wisz drove in two runs with a single to left field. Pitcher Mariah Mazon took the loss in the circle after conceding three runs on five hits over 3.1 innings with one strikeout.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Team Leach took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on Roberts’ single down the right field line before Team Taylor answered with two runs in the top of the third frame on Wisz’s base hit. Andrews’ two-run single in the bottom of the fourth inning provided the margin as St. George shut the door on a potential comeback bid.

LEADERBOARD IMPACT

Andrews’ efforts in Thursday’s opener vaulted her seven spots up the leaderboard and into the No. 4 position with 788 points. St. George, meanwhile, saw her leaderboard standing escalate 18 spots to ninth place with 724 points.

GAME NOTES

• Team Taylor and Team Leach combined to score five runs in Wednesday’s opener, upping the league’s season total to 136 runs through 11 games … Aspiration is committed to planting 10 trees for every run scored as part of its ‘Round the Bases’ initiative.

• The five combined runs were the fewest in an AUX game this season … The previous single-game low was nine runs between Team Garcia and Team Mulipola in the season opener on June 12, 2023.

• Thursday’s opener between Team Taylor and Team Leach lasted 1 hour, 53 minutes, marking the shortest game by time this season … It also marked the first time the bottom of the seventh inning was not played

• Team Taylor initiated a captain’s challenge for runner interference in the bottom of the fourth inning, which was unsuccessful … Teams are now 1-for-10 (.100) in captain’s challenges this season.

• Team Leach became the second team to earn a win as the designated home team this season … Team Zerkle claimed the other victory with a 7-6 verdict over Team Mulipola last Thursday night.

• St. George registered the fourth complete game in Athletes Unlimited AUX Softball history … Georgina Corrick was the last pitcher to spin a complete game in the final game of last season (June 25, 2022) with 9.1 innings against Team Fischer.

• St. George tossed the longest outing by a pitcher in AUX this season … She also became the fifth pitcher to throw at least 6.0 innings, including the fourth starting pitcher.

• Designated player Danielle Gibson has recorded a hit in all seven of her outings this season following a two-out double to center field in the bottom of the third inning … Corner infielder Tori Vidales also owns a seven-game hitting streak following her single to center field in the fourth inning.

• Roberts ran her hitting streak to six consecutive games with an RBI single in the bottom of the second inning … Clifton has hit safely in three straight games after a bunt single in the top of the third inning.

• Middle infielder Aubrey Leach has hit safely in 6-of-7 games after her single in the sixth inning.

GAME MVPS

• #1 – Peyton St. George (Team Leach, +60)
• #2 – Aliyah Andrews (Team Leach, +40)
• #3 – Jordan Roberts (Team Leach, +20)