Morgan Debord, Taylor McQuillin, Haylie McCleney, Kelsey Harshman

Recap: Team McQuillin Battles Back in Extra Innings for 8-5 Victory Over Team Kilfoyl

Eric Rhew

Aug 04, 2024

ROSEMONT, Ill. — Team Kilfoyl battled back from a 5-0 deficit to force extra innings, but Team McQuillin answered with three runs in the eighth inning to close Sunday’s Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball Championship Season doubleheader with an 8-5 victory at Parkway Bank Sports Complex.

The win allowed Team McQuillin to close Week Two with an 1-2 record, while Team Kilfoyl dipped to an identical 1-2 after suffering its second straight loss.

Pitcher and team captain Taylor McQuillin secured MVP 1 honors for the first time this season after upping her record to 3-1 in the circle. The first-time captain, who tallied 236 leaderboard points, closed her first week as a team leader with 7.1 scoreless innings of work, scattering three hits while posting three strikeouts.

Middle infielder Aubrey Leach earned MVP 2 accolades along with 170 leaderboard points following a 3-for-4 performance with a walk in addition to driving in three runs.

Outfielder Erika Piancastelli finished the Game MVP sweep for Team McQuillin after driving in the go-ahead run with a double to left field in the eighth inning. She also registered a double and a walk en route to securing 150 leaderboard points.

Middle infielder Sis Bates and outfielder Claire Davidson each collected two hits in the loss for Team Kilfoyl, while outfielder Kalei Harding belted a three-run home run. Rookie Valerie Cagle (1-1) took the loss in relief, conceding three runs, including one earned run, on three hits over 3.1 innings.

KEY MOMENT

After Team Kilfoyl evened the score at 5-all with a five-run sixth inning, Team McQuillin reclaimed the lead and secured the victory with three runs in the top of the eighth inning. Piancastelli’s double broke the tie before she scored when catcher Gwen Svekis reached on a fielding error. Outfielder McKenzie Clark made it an 8-5 score when she hit a sacrifice fly to right field that brought Svekis home.

LEADERBOARD IMPACT

McQuillin’s game-winning efforts in the circle allowed her to remain in the captain’s chair for Week Three, putting her in third place on the leaderboard with 766 points. Despite the loss, Kilfoyl will also serve as a captain in Week Three after claiming the No. 2 spot in the league standings.

GAME NOTES

Teams are now 1-for-12 in captain’s challenges through 12 games this season … Team McQuillin initiated a captain’s challenge in the top of the sixth inning after outfielder Haylie McCleney was called out with two outs in the inning … The challenge was unsuccessful after the call was upheld.
Team McQuillin and Team Kilfoyl met in the sixth extra-inning game in AU Pro Softball Championship Season history … It is the first game needing more than seven innings since August 9, 2023, when Team Alexander defeated Team Faraimo, 4-3, in nine innings at the AU Pro Games at the Little League Softball World Series.
McQuillin was named Game MVP for the 12th time in her AU Pro Softball Championship Season career, including her sixth career MVP 1 certificate.
Leach, meanwhile, secured her second career Game MVP award with the MVP 2 distinction … It is the first time she has garnered Game MVP laurels since earning MVP 3 notice on August 5, 2022, in Team Mulipola’s 6-4 victory over Team Jaquish.
Leach authored the sixth three-hit game in the league this season after opening the game with three consecutive hits … It also marked the former Tennessee product’s third career Championship Season contest with three hits.
Bates remains the only player in the league with a hit in every game this season after registering an infield single in the bottom of the first inning.
Sunday’s Week Two finale marked the fifth time McQuillin has thrown 5.0 or more innings in a game during her Championship Season career.
Outfielder Aliyah Andrews saw her 15-game hitting streak come to a close after she went 0-for-4 in the loss for Team Kilfoyl.