Recap: Team Mulipola defeats Team Jaquish behind 3-run third

Team Mulipola came out as the victor after using a three-run third inning to outlast Team Jaquish, 3-1, at Parkway Bank Sports Complex.

The win allowed Team Mulipola to even its record at 1-1, while Team Jaquish suffered its second straight loss and stands 0-2 entering Sunday’s Week Four finale.

Infielder Sydney Romero garnered MVP 1 honors after driving in two runs with a double to left center field in the third inning. Romero, who also scored a run in the three-run outburst, finished with 170 leaderboard points.

Pitcher Taylor McQuillin secured MVP 2 distinction after throwing 4.0 scoreless innings and allowing just one hit with four strikeouts. McQuillin, who upped her record to 2-2, claimed a game-high 178 leaderboard points for her efforts.

Infielder Lilli Piper was named the third MVP in the victory for Team Mulipola after going 1-for-3 with a single in the sixth inning. She tallied 120 leaderboard points.

Pitcher Peyton St. George took the loss for Team Jaquish after giving up three runs on four hits in 4.0 innings of work. St. George, who dropped to 1-2 in the circle, also registered four strikeouts.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Team Mulipola mustered all three of its runs in the third inning to take a 3-0 lead it did not relinquish. Romero drove in the first two runs with a double to left center field with one out before coming around to score on an RBI single by outfielder Erika Piancastelli. Team Jaquish ended the shutout bid in the sixth when infielder Andrea Filler singled to center field, scoring captain Sahvanna Jaquish from second base.

LEADERBOARD IMPACT

Team Mulipola captain Dejah Mulipola enters Sunday’s Week Four finale in second place on the leaderboard after netting 98 points, giving her 1,232 for the season. Romero, meanwhile, elevated her position on the leaderboard by 11 places following her 170-point performance.

GAME NOTES

• No home runs were hit in the game.

• Pitcher Odicci Alexander pitched 1.1 innings of scoreless relief to nail down her second save of the season … She is the first pitcher in Athletes Unlimited Softball Championship Season history to register multiple saves in the same campaign.

• There have now been seven saves earned this season after a combined five saves during the first two years of the league.

• The teams were a combined 10-for-33 in advancement opportunities, but were just 4-for-29 with runners on base.

• With four runs in Saturday’s game, there have now been 239 runs scored through the first 22 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 – Sydney Romero (Team Mulipola, +60)
• #2 – Taylor McQuillin (Team Mulipola, +40)
• #3 – Lilli Piper (Team Mulipola, +20)