Recap: Team Wallace Prevents Team Lorenz from Week Two Sweep With 7-2 Result

The win elevated Team Wallace’s record to 2-1 while preventing Team Lorenz from securing a three-game sweep of its Week Two schedule.

Faraimo, who finished with 202 leaderboard points, received MVP 1 laurels after earning her first win in the circle this season. The former UCLA star registered four strikeouts and retired nine of the final 10 batters she faced.

Catcher Sashel Palacios, meanwhile, was the game’s MVP 2 honoree and collected 150 leaderboard points after going 2-for-4 with a run batted in for her second straight multi-hit contest.

Outfielder Morgan Zerkle finished the MVP sweep for the winning side, earning MVP 3 distinction and 150 leaderboard points after reaching base three times with a two-run single and a pair of walks.

Middle infielder Hannah Flippen paced Team Lorenz offensively in the loss with two hits, while three other players added a hit. Pitcher Aleshia Ocasio (2-1) suffered the loss in relief after giving up one run on one hit over 2.0 innings with a strikeout.

KEY MOMENT

After falling behind by a 2-0 margin in the third inning, Team Wallace answered by plating seven unanswered runs over the next four innings for a 7-2 lead it did not relinquish. The squad scored three runs in the third inning before adding an insurance run in the fifth on Palacios’ single to left field. Team Wallace upped the margin with two runs in each of the final two frames.

LEADERBOARD IMPACT

Palacios continued her climb up the leaderboard, moving three spots into third place after her 150-point performance. Rookie Erin Coffel also climbed four places and ranks fourth with 712 leaderboard points.

GAME NOTES

• Teams are now 1-for-11 in captain’s challenges through 11 games this season following three unsuccessful requests in Sunday’s opener.

• Team Wallace initiated a captain’s challenge of a safe call on outfielder Amanda Lorenz’s single with two outs in the bottom of the third inning … The challenge was unsuccessful after the call was upheld.

• Team Lorenz also initiated a pair of captain’s challenges in the game … The first challenge was for a stolen base by middle infielder Skylar Wallace in the top of the sixth inning to determine if Wallace left early … The challenge was unsuccessful after the call was upheld.

• In addition, Team Lorenz challenged a safe call on a single by outfielder Jadelyn Allchin in the top of the seventh inning, which was also unsuccessful.

• Team Lorenz’s loss ended a five-game win streak for Lorenz, outfielder Megan Wiggins, catcher Jordan Roberts and corner infielder Tori Vidales … It also ended a nine-game win streak for Lorenz in addition to an eight-game run for Roberts dating back to last season.

• Zerkle became the first player in Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball history to appear in 100 career games between AUX and Championship Season play with her first plate appearance on Sunday … The former Marshall standout has earned the starting assignment in an AU-record 98 of the 100 outings and stands as the all-time leader in hits and leaderboard points.

• Outfielder Bubba Nickles slugged the 13th home run of her Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball career off the left field foul pole in the third inning to give Team Lorenz a 2-0 lead … Eight of Nickles’ 13 home runs have come in Championship Season play.

• Lorenz upped her hitting streak to five consecutive games with a 1-for-3 effort in her Week Two finale … The former Florida product has eight hits and a .500 batting average during the streak.

• Zerkle moved her hitting streak to five games in a row with a single in the sixth inning … She has fashioned five hits in the streak, including a pair of doubles.

GAME MVPS

• #1 – Megan Faraimo (Team Wallace, +60)
• #2 – Sashel Palacios (Team Wallace, +40)
• #3 – Morgan Zerkle (Team Wallace, +20)