Recap: Team McCleney offense explodes for record-high 20 runs

For Team McCleney, Saturday’s Athletes Unlimited Softball game against Team Chidester will be one the members of the squad remember for a long time after a record-setting performance led them to a 20-5 victory at Parkway Bank Sports Complex.

The triumph elevated Team McCleney’s record to 2-0 on the weekend, while Team Chidester had its record drop to 1-1.

Outfielder Amanda Lorenz conducted the offensive explosion for Team McCleney en route to claiming her second MVP 1 honor of the season. The former Florida star, who erupted for 256 leaderboard points, matched an Athletes Unlimited Softball Championship Season single-game record with six runs batted in after going 2-for-3 with a triple, a home run and two walks.

Infielder Caleigh Clifton continued her stellar play this weekend with an MVP 2 performance. Clifton registered a three-hit effort, including a two-run home run in the third inning and two doubles, to finish with 230 leaderboard points.

While the offense was clicking for Team McCleney, pitcher Mariah Mazon did her part in the circle to earn her second win of the season. The Oregon State alum received MVP 3 distinction after allowing two earned runs on six hits over 5.0 innings.

Team Chidester, which opened the weekend with a victory over Team Mulipola on Friday night, was led by rookie infielder Sydney Sherrill’s two hits. Five other players added a hit, including a home run by outfielder Tori Vidales.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Team Chidester opened the scoring with two runs in the top of the second inning before Team McCleney exploded for seven runs on six hits in the bottom of the frame, including home runs by Lorenz and designated player Mia Davidson.

LEADERBOARD IMPACT

Lorenz’s 256-point performance skyrocketed her position on the leaderboard by 17 spots into 12th place. Meanwhile, Clifton rose 20 positions on the leaderboard with her 230 points.

GAME NOTES

• The 25 combined runs scored mark the most in a single game in Athletes Unlimited Softball Championship Season history, eclipsing the 22 runs plated by Team Wagner and Team Pendley on Aug. 29, 2020.

• In addition, Team McCleney’s 20 runs are the most in a single game, breaking the previous record of 18, which was set three times.

• Outfielder Haylie McCleney set an Athletes Unlimited Softball Championship Season single-game record with six at-bats in the victory … McCleney went 2-for-6 with a single and a double.

• Lorenz’s six runs batted in equaled the standard set by Amanda Sanchez against Team Sanders on Sept. 14, 2020 … She entered the game with just five RBI in her previous eight games.

• Team McCleney set at least nine hitters to the plate in the second and sixth innings … There have been 14 times where a team has sent at least nine batters to the plate in a single frame this year.

• Outfielder Shannon Rhodes blasted her fourth home run in the last three games with a three-run shot to left center field in the fourth inning … She became the sixth different player to hit a home run in three consecutive games in league history.

• The teams combined to hit five home runs in Saturday’s contest, upping the Week Four total to 11 homers through three games … In 21 games this season, there have now been 58 home runs.

• Team Chidester avoided a sweep of the win points in the seventh inning by plating a pair of runs on Vidales’ two-run homer with two outs.

• Every starter in the Team McCleney lineup registered at least one hit, including six players who fashioned a multi-hit outing.

• With 25 runs in Saturday’s game, there have now been 235 runs scored through the first 21 games of the season … Aspiration is committed to planting 10 trees for every run scored this season as part of its “Aspiration Round the Bases” initiative.

GAME MVPS

• #1 – Amanda Lorenz (Team McCleney, +60)
• #2 – Caleigh Clifton (Team McCleney, +40)
• #3 – Mariah Mazon (Team McCleney, +20)