Recap: Team Denham Edges Team Svekis on Harshman Blast and Strong Pitching

Harshman, who accounted for the game’s only run with her blast, secured MVP 1 honors and matched her career high with 220 leaderboard points. She was one of four Team Denham players to record a hit in the season opener.

McQuillin, the game’s MVP 2 selection, threw the final 3.0 innings to earn the victory in the circle. She scattered two hits and posted a pair of strikeouts to finish with 196 leaderboard points.

Denham, who finished with a no-decision, conceded just three hits in her 4.0 innings of work with one walk. She completed the MVP sweep for her squad after garnering MVP 3 accolades with 188 points.

Megan Faraimo, the 2023 AU Pro Softball Rookie of the Year, suffered the loss in the circle after giving up one run on four hits over 5.2 innings. She also collected five strikeouts against one walk.

Outfielder Victoria Hayward authored a two-hit performance to lead the Team Svekis offense, while rookie Sharlize Palacios and middle infielder Sis Bates each chipped in a hit.

KEY MOMENT

Harshman broke the scoreless tie in the sixth inning when she rocketed a 2-1 pitch over the center field fence for a solo home run with two outs. McQuillin retired the side in order in the seventh inning to seal the victory.

LEADERBOARD IMPACT

Harshman took the early lead on the leaderboard after surpassing the 200-point mark for the second time in her Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball career.

GAME NOTES

• Catcher Sashel Palacios was named as the game’s Defensive MVP after teaming up with McQuillin and Denham to post the shutout result.

• Friday night’s season opener marked the fourth game in Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball Championship Season history to finish with a 1-0 result … Team Eberle defeated Team Ocasio, 1-0, on July 30, 2022, before Team Chidester edged Team Jaquish by a similar margin on August 21, 2022 … In addition, Team Faraimo blanked Team Zerkle by a 1-0 count on August 6, 2023.

• The win allowed Denham to extend her personal win streak to 10 consecutive games dating back to last season while ending catcher Gwen Svekis’ nine-game run … Svekis and Denham were teammates during the final three weeks of the 2023 Championship Season.

• Harshman’s home run was the sixth of her Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball career … She has blasted at least one home run in each of her five seasons.

• Faraimo has thrown at least 5.0 innings five times in her AU Pro Softball Championship Season career … She also allowed one run or less for the sixth time in 13 career Championship Season outings.

• McQuillin secured the 19th win of her Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball career (AUX and Championship Season) with her victory in the season opener, increasing her all-time record … McQuillin also stands second in AU Pro Softball history with 55 career appearances.

• Sharlize Palacios registered the first hit of her professional career with a single to right field in the top of the fourth inning.

• Hayward authored the 20th multi-hit game of her Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball Championship Season career, extending her league record … She led off the game with a single to center field before adding a bunt single in the fifth inning.

• Outfielder Aliyah Andrews extended her hitting streak to 12 consecutive games dating back to last season after reaching on a single in the top of the fifth inning.

• Outfielder Amanda Lorenz had her five-game hitting streak going back to last season snapped after going 0-for-3 in the win on Friday night.

GAME MVPS

• #1 – Kelsey Harshman (Team Denham, +60)
• #2 – Taylor McQuillin (Team Denham, +40)
• #3 – Alyssa Denham (Team Denham, +20)
• Defensive MVP – Sashel Palacios (Team Denham, +20)