Recap: Warren Provides Heroics in Wild 8-7 Win Over Team Leach

Led by its captain Jessi Warren, Team Warren crossed the plate eight times over the final three frames to sneak past Team Leach for an 8-7 victory in a thrilling Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball AUX contest at Wilkins Stadium on Thursday evening.

The win elevated Team Warren’s 2-1 record heading into the nightcap against Team Wiggins. Team Leach, meanwhile, closed the season’s opening series with a 2-2 record.

Warren, who earned MVP 1 distinction and 200 leaderboard points, put her squad in the winner’s circle when she blasted a three-run home run over the left field fence off pitcher Montana Fouts. Warren closed the night going 2-for-4 with three runs batted in and a run scored.

Rookie catcher Jordyn Rudd-Lee secured MVP 2 notice after going 2-for-3 with two runs batted in and a run scored, giving her 150 leaderboard points. Outfielder Morgan Zerkle and corner infielder Tori Vidales each added a pair of hits in the victory.

Pitcher Alyssa Denham earned her first win of the season after throwing 3.1 innings of relief, giving up two runs with two hits while notching two strikeouts.

Outfielder McKenzie Clark paced Team Leach in the loss with the first home run of her professional career, a grand slam to left center field that capped a five-run outburst in the fourth inning. She earned MVP 2 honors and closed the game with 130 leaderboard points.

KEY MOMENT

Trailing by a 7-5 margin in the final inning, Team Warren plated three runs on one swing when Warren sent a 1-1 offering from Fouts over the left field fence to set off the celebration. It was Warren’s first home run of the season and also marked the seventh homer of the contest.

LEADERBOARD IMPACT

Warren’s game-winning heroics elevated her up the leaderboard 20 spots into 12th place. Vidales, meanwhile, rose 14 positions after collecting 130 points and stands 15th in the league standings pending the result of Thursday’s second game between Team Warren and Team Wiggins.

GAME NOTES

• Team Leach initiated a captain’s challenge on a safe call at home plate by middle infielder Hannah Flippen with two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning … The call was overturned and the challenge was successful.

• Team Warren initiated a captain’s challenge of a hit by pitch to outfielder Rylie West with one out in the top of the sixth inning … The call was upheld and the challenge was unsuccessful.

• Flippen was named the game’s Defensive MVP, earning 20 leaderboard points.

• Denham earned the 16th win of her Athletes Unlimited career between AUX and Championship Season play, breaking a tie for the all-time mark with Aleshia Ocasio … Denham owns a 16-6 record in all Athletes Unlimited competitions.

• Vidales extended her AUX hitting streak to 15 consecutive games with a single through the right side in the fourth inning.

• Rudd-Lee and designated player Karli Spaid became the first set of teammates to hit back-to-back home runs this season, doing so with no outs in the bottom of the fifth inning … Rudd-Lee belted her first Athletes Unlimited home run with a two-run shot to left field before Spaid slugged her first professional homer to center field.

GAME MVPS

• #1 – Jessi Warren (Team Warren, +60)
• #2 – McKenzie Clark (Team Leach, +40)
• #3 – Jordyn Rudd-Lee (Team Warren, +20)
• Defensive MVP – Hannah Flippen (Team Warren, +20)