Recap: Team Denham builds on early lead to secure 7-1 win and win points sweep

Eric Rhew

Aug 25, 2023

ROSEMONT, Ill. — New season, same late push up the leaderboard from pitcher Alyssa Denham.

After helping Team Alexander to a perfect 3-0 record in Week Four, the former Arizona standout turned the tables on her former squad by securing a 7-1 victory to complete Friday night’s Athletes Unlimited Softball doubleheader at Parkway Bank Sports Complex.

The win allowed Denham to move into third place on the leaderboard after securing MVP 2 honors. She improved to 6-1 on the season after allowing one run on four hits over five innings with four strikeouts, collecting 210 leaderboard points in the process.

Catcher Jordan Roberts led the charge offensively for Team Denham to earn MVP 1 recognition and 230 leaderboard points after going 2-for-3 with a three-run home run.

Outfielder Amanda Lorenz completed the MVP trifecta after finishing a home run shy of the cycle with a 3-for-4 effort, giving the former Florida star 200 leaderboard points in the victory.

Pitcher Odicci Alexander took the loss in the circle for Team Alexander after giving up six runs on eight hits in 4.2 innings with four strikeouts. Outfielder Aliyah Andrews and catcher Dejah Mulipola each registered two hits in the setback.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Team Denham used a solo home run from Fischer in the second inning and a double from corner infielder Kelsey Stewart-Hunter in the third inning to build a 2-0 lead. The teams traded a run in the fourth frame before Roberts’ three-run homer in the fifth broke things open to give Team Denham a five-run cushion.

LEADERBOARD IMPACT

While Denham moved into third place on the leaderboard, Alexander remains the league leader with 1,776 points. However, her lead has shrunk to just 62 points over corner infielder Danielle Gibson. Roberts’ effort on Friday elevated her standing to 18th place, an increase of nine spots.

GAME NOTES

Team Alexander and Team Denham combined to score eight runs in Friday’s nightcap, elevating the league’s season total to 183 runs through 26 games … Aspiration is committed to planting 10 trees for every run scored this season as part of its ‘Round the Bases’ initiative.
Team Denham registered the seventh win points sweep of the season with its 7-1 victory on Friday night … It is also the 30th win points sweep in Championship Season history.
Alexander saw an end to her personal 11-game win streak, including her six-game streak as a captain … It was her first loss since the season opener on July 28 against Team McCleney.
Team Alexander challenged a caught stealing call against Andrews in the top of the first inning, which was unsuccessful.
Andrews ran her hitting streak to nine consecutive games with her infield single in the first inning … She has also reached base safely in 12-of-13 games this season.
Fischer’s home run upped her hitting streak to five games in a row.
Mulipola fashioned her third multi-hit game of the season with a pair of singles in the second and fourth innings.
Roberts authored her fifth career multi-hit game after posting a single in the fourth inning before her three-run blast in the fifth … It also marked her first hits since July 30.
Catcher Gwen Svekis has hit safely in five of her last seven games after her single in the fifth inning.