Recap: Team Denham Sprints Past Team Alexander to Complete Week One Sweep

The victory allowed Team Denham to finish the opening segment of the season with a perfect 3-0 record, while Team Alexander suffered its third straight loss to finish at 0-3.

Wallace, who earned 190 leaderboard points in the victory, earned the first Game MVP award of her Athletes Unlimited career after going 2-for-5 with a single and her grand slam, while middle infielder Erin Coffel followed with a 1-for-3 effort to earn MVP 2 recognition and 168 leaderboard points.

Outfielder Megan Wiggins followed with an MVP 3 commendation after going 1-for-2 with a two-run home run after entering the game as a pinch runner in the fourth inning.

Pitcher Taylor McQuillin upped her record to 2-0 after throwing the final 2.0 innings, collecting four strikeouts while not allowing a hit.

Outfielder Bubba Nickles led Team Alexander in the loss with two hits, including an RBI double in the third inning, while four other players each contributed a hit.

Odicci Alexander dropped to 0-2 in the circle after giving up five runs, including two earned runs, on six hits over 3.1 innings.

KEY MOMENT

After falling behind by a 1-0 margin in the third inning, Team Denham answered with a six-run outburst in the top of the fourth inning. Corner infielder Erin Coffel got the scoring started with an RBI triple to center field before catcher Sashel Palacios brought her home for a 2-1 advantage. Wallace followed by belting the first home run of her professional career, a grand slam to center field that extended the margin to 6-1.

LEADERBOARD IMPACT

Three members of Team Denham will be sitting in the captain’s chair during Week Two after the squad’s three-win week. McQuillin will be the Orange team captain after finishing Week One with 466 points. Outfielder Amanda Lorenz, who was 3-for-5 in Sunday’s victory, vaulted into a share of third place on the leaderboard with Wallace. Lorenz will be the Blue team captain and Wallace will be the Purple team leader as a result of tiebreakers.

GAME NOTES

• Team Alexander initiated a captain’s challenge in the bottom of the third inning when Nickles was called out at home plate … The call was upheld and the challenge was unsuccessful … Teams are now 1-for-5 in captain’s challenges through six games.

• Team Alexander becomes just the third Gold team in AU Pro Softball Championship Season history to finish a week with a 0-3 record.

• Team Denham’s 11 runs set a new league single-game season high, while its 13 hits matched Team Svekis’ output from Saturday’s victory over Team Alexander.

• Team Denham was 12-for-23 in advancement opportunities, while Team Alexander was 7-for-11 in those instances … Team Denham also compiled a 5-of-13 effort with runners in scoring position.

• Pitcher Alyssa Denham won her 12th consecutive game with her squad’s victory on Sunday, establishing a new AU Pro Softball record for the longest win streak by any player … The former Arizona standout surpassed Alexander’s 11-game run during the 2023 campaign.

• Denham, who now stands 11-1 all-time as a captain in Championship Season play, has won eight straight games when serving as a team leader.

• Wallace became the seventh player in AU Pro Softball Championship Season history to hit a grand slam with her blast in the fifth inning … Wallace also stands as one of 16 players with a grand slam in any AU Pro Softball game (AUX or Championship Season).

• Wiggins earned the sixth Game MVP award of her Championship Season career while Coffel and Wallace were honored for the first time in their careers.

• Lorenz registered three hits in a game for the fourth time in her Championship Season career.

GAME MVPS

• #1 – Skylar Wallace (Team Denham, +60)
• #2 – Erin Coffel (Team Denham, +40)
• #3 – Megan Wiggins (Team Denham, +20)