Recap: Team Lorenz Earns Second Straight Sweep After Blanking Team Kilfoyl, 6-0

Eric Rhew

Aug 17, 2024

ROSEMONT, Ill. — Pitchers Aleshia Ocasio and Kathryn Sandercock combined to allow just four hits as Team Lorenz secured its second straight shutout victory, a 6-0 triumph over Team Kilfoyl in the second game of Saturday’s Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball Championship Season doubleheader at Parkway Bank Sports Complex.

The win elevated Team Lorenz’s record to 2-0, while Team Kilfoyl dropped its second game in as many days.

Ocasio, who matched a season high with 240 leaderboard points, garnered MVP 1 laurels after scattering four hits over 5.0 innings with two strikeouts and no walks. Sandercock, meanwhile, collected her league-leading fourth save of the campaign after closing the game with a pair of no-hit innings.

Outfielder Erika Piancastelli received MVP 2 accolades after going 1-for-2 with a two-run double and a sacrifice fly. Infielder Sydney Romero completed the MVP sweep by earning MVP 2 status with 170 leaderboard points after going 2-for-4 with an RBI double in the fifth inning.

Four different players registered a hit in the loss for Team Kilfoyl. Pitcher Sarah Willis (1-1) was credited with the loss after allowing four runs, including three earned runs, on five hits over 5.0 innings with two strikeouts.

KEY MOMENT

Team Lorenz took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on Piancastelli’s sacrifice fly before adding five runs in its final two trips to the plate, including Piancastelli’s two-run double in the sixth inning. Ocasio and Sandercock, meanwhile, allowed just one hit over the final four innings.

LEADERBOARD IMPACT

Outfielder Amanda Lorenz returned to the No. 1 position on the leaderboard after gathering 140 points in the victory, giving the former Florida standout a 76-point advantage over catcher Sashel Palacios ahead of their meeting in the Week Four finale. Ocasio, meanwhile, rose to third place in the league standings after climbing six spots in the victory.

GAME NOTES

Catcher Gwen Svekis was named as the game’s Defensive MVP for the first time this season.
Teams are now 2-for-20 in captain’s challenges through 22 games this season … Team Kilfoyl initiated a captain’s challenge in the top of the third inning after middle infielder Skylar Wallace was called out on a double play to end the frame … The challenge was unsuccessful as the call was upheld.
Team Lorenz authored the 25th shutout in AU Pro Softball Championship Season history, including the sixth clean sheet this season … Captain Amanda Lorenz has been the winning team leader in each of the last three shutouts.
Team Lorenz’s 6-0 victory also marked the 39th win points sweep in 142 all-time Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball Championship Season contests, including the seventh sweep this season … Six of this season’s seven sweeps have come via shutout.
Pitcher Georgina Corrick has won seven straight games after Team Lorenz’s victory over Team Kilfoyl on Saturday … Meanwhile, corner infielder Kelsey Stewart-Hunter has won six of her last seven outings.
Sandercock established a new Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball single-season record with her fourth save of the campaign, surpassing the previous mark of three saves set by Rachel Garcia in 2022 and matched by Sandercock in 2023 … The former Florida State product, who holds the Seminoles’ all-time saves mark, extended her own league record by notching the seventh save of her AU Pro Softball career.
Lorenz has hit safely in nine of her last 10 games after going 2-for-4 with a pair of singles on Saturday.