Athletes Unlimited Softball Primer: Saturday’s Season Opening Games Are Here!

Athletes Unlimited’s inaugural softball season gets underway at Parkway Bank Sports Complex in Rosemont, Illinois, this weekend with an Opening Day double header on Saturday, August 29th, at 1p.m. ET and 4PM ET on ESPN2.

Here’s a primer on the start of the 30-game season to help you you further enjoy the action!

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All eyes on Saturday.

1pm ET on ESPN 2! #BeUnlimited pic.twitter.com/fWbvDgurAv

— Athletes Unlimited (@AUProSports) August 28, 2020

What will softball look like when Athletes Unlimited debuts Saturday? With the first draft tonight, here's a look at the new pro league. https://t.co/F09a2NLoEe

— Graham Hays (@grahamhays) August 26, 2020

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GAME SCHEDULES – WEEK 1

Saturday

• Game 1 Welcome Message: Billie Jean King, Tennis Legend and Social Justice Pioneer
• Game 2 First Pitch: Kenny Mayne, ESPN Broadcast Journalist

Sunday

• Game 3 First Pitch: Mike Candrea, Head Coach, University of Arizona Softball, 8-Time NCAA Champion
• Game 4 First Pitch: Chris Mosier, Team USA Triathlete

Monday

• Game 5 First Pitch: Abby Wambach, US Soccer Icon and member of Athletes Unlimited Advisory Board
• Game 6 Welcome Message: Natalie Portman, Academy Award Winner and NWSL’s Angel City Co-Founder

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Missed the first-ever Athletes Unlimited Softball Draft presented by @Carvana. You can re-watch it here. ⬇️https://t.co/9H4VijRm7g

— Athletes Unlimited (@AUProSports) August 27, 2020

PLAYER DRAFT

The initial player draft was held on Wednesday, August 26, where the top four athletes based on performance during two preseason scrimmage games earned the honor of being named the inaugural team captains and selected their squads for the opening week of play.

Players will move up and down the leaderboard based on their team and individual performance, and new rosters will be drafted by the top four players on the leaderboard each week.

Teams will play three games per week for a league total of six games each week.

🟡 Haylie Wagner
🟠 Jessie Warren
🔵 Nicole Pendley
🟣 Sami Fagan

After two days of scrimmages, the captain spots for Week 1 of Athletes Unlimited Softball are set! ✨ #BeUnlimited pic.twitter.com/YVVbu2MPow

— Athletes Unlimited (@AUProSports) August 26, 2020

After two days of scrimmages, Haylie Wagner – Gold (356 points), Jessie Warren – Orange (320 points), Nicole Pendley – Blue(300 points) and Sami Fagan – Purple (290 points) earned the captain spots for Week 1 of competition. 

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What position does your favorite athlete play? 💪🏻 Comment below ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/9RQiwRxQSg

— Athletes Unlimited (@AUProSports) August 27, 2020

TEAM ROSTERS:

Team Wagner (Gold)

• Haylie Wagner, P
• Amanda Chidester, C
• Aubree Munro, C
• Hannah Flippen, Middle Infielder
• Megan Wiggins, OF
• Samantha Show, P
• Amanda Sanchez, Corner Infielder
• Jazmyn Jackson, OF
• Anissa Urtez, Middle Infielder
• Morgan Howe, OF
• Lilli Piper, Corner Infielder
• Kamalani Dung, P
• Jordan Roberts, C
• Joey Lye, Middle Infielder
  

Team Warren (Orange)

• Jessica Warren, Corner Infielder
• Cat Osterman, P
• Gwen Svekis, C
• Victoria Hayward, OF
• Aleshia Ocasio, P
• Aubrey Leach, Middle Infielder
• Erika Piancastelli, C
• Janie Reed, OF
• Kelly Barnhill, P
• Abby Ramirez, Middle Infielder
• Katiyana Mauga, Corner Infielder
• DJ Sanders, Middle Infielder
• Morgan Zerkle, OF
• Coley Ries, P

Team Pendley (Blue)

• Nicole Pendley, OF
• Taylor McQuillin, P
• Sashel Palacios, C
• Shelby Pendley, Middle Infielder
• Jessica Burroughs, P
• Sahvanna Jaquish, C
• Nicole DeWitt, Corner Infielder
• Caleigh Clifton, Middle Infielder
• Karissa Hovinga, P
• AJ Andrews, OF
• Mandie Perez, OF
• Nadia Taylor, Corner Infielder
• Kelsey Jenkins, Middle Infielder
• Emily Crane, OF

Team Fagan (Purple)

• Sami Fagan, Middle Infielder
• Danielle O’Toole, P
• Taylor Edwards, C
• Nerissa Myers, Middle Infielder
• Haylie McCleney, OF
• Randi Hennigan, P
• Tori Vidales, Corner Infielder
• Kylan Becker, OF
• Michelle Moultrie, OF
• Sam Fischer, Corner Infielder
• Morgan Foley, P
• Kelsey Stewart, Corner Infielder
• Ariana Williams, OF
• Paige Halstead, C

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BROADCAST TEAM:

Eric Collins and Danielle Lawrie will call of the action for Athletes Unlimited Softball.

Collins is considered one of the preeminent voices for women’s softball, calling hundreds of games at the professional, collegiate and international levels including play-by-play for the USA National team, the National Pro Fastpitch Championship and Women’s College World Series on ESPN.

Lawrie, a current member of the Canadian National team and former Women’s College World Series champion at the University of Washington in 2009, will provide color commentary.

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COLLEGES REPRESENTED:

Click HERE to see the entire roster of athletes or click on the player links below.

Alabama

• Haylie McCleney

Arizona

• Taylor McQuillin
• Katiyana Mauga
• Danielle O’Toole
• Mandie Perez

Arizona State

• Morgan Howe
• Sashel Palacios

Cal

• Jazmyn Jackson
• Kamalani Dung

Cal State Fullerton

• Ariana Williams

Florida

• Kelly Barnhill
• Nicole DeWitt
• Michelle Moultrie
• Aubree Munro
• Aleshia Ocasio
• Jordan Roberts
• Kelsey Stewart

Florida State

• Jessica Burroughs
• Jessie Warren

Georgia

• Megan Wiggins

Loyola Marymount

• Sam Fischer

LSU

• AJ Andrews
• Sahvanna Jaquish
• Amanda Sanchez

Marshall

• Morgan Zerkle

McNeese

• Erika Piancastelli

Michigan

• Amanda Chidester
• Abby Ramirez
• Haylie Wagner

Minnesota State

• Coley Ries

Missouri

• Emily Crane
• Sami Fagan

Nebraska

• Taylor Edwards

Ohio State

• Lilli Piper

Oklahoma

• Caleigh Clifton
• Nicole Pendley
• Shelby Pendley

Oklahoma State

• Sam Show

Ole Miss

• Kylan Becker

Oregon

• Karissa Hovinga
• Janie Reed
• DJ Sanders
• Gwen Svekis

Tennessee

• Aubrey Leach

Texas

• Cat Osterman
• Nadia Taylor

Texas A&M

• Tori Vidales

Texas State

• Randi Hennigan

UCLA

• Paige Halstead

University of Louisiana

• Nerissa Myers

University of Indianapolis

• Morgan Foley

Utah

• Anissa Urtez
• Hannah Flippen

Washington

• Victoria Hayward

Williams College

• Joey Lye

Wisconsin

• Kelsey Jenkins

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POINT SCORING:

Win Points

Win points are all about the team performance. They accumulate during both individual innings and overall game wins. Each inning is worth +10 points and overall games are worth +50 points.

If an inning is tied, the points roll over to the subsequent inning.

Game MVPs

After each game, the players and members of The Unlimited Club will vote for three players who they feel had standout performances.

These points will be added to the player’s individual total. Points will be awarded as follows:

MVP 1: +60 points
MVP 2: +40 points
MVP 3: +20 points

Individual Stats

The final component of points is individual stats. Position players and pitchers will earn points based on their performance.

Offensive Points

The breakdown for individual points is as follows:

• Single: +10 points
• Double: +20 points
• Triple: +30 points
• Home run: +40 points
• Stolen base: +10 points
• Caught Stealing: -10 points
• Base on balls: +10 points

If a batter goes 3-for-5 with two singles and a home run, but is caught stealing, they will be awarded 50 points.

10 (S) + 10 (S) + 40 (HR) – 10 (CS) = 50 points

Pitching Points

Pitchers earn +4 points for every out and -10 points for each earned run allowed.

For example, if a pitcher throws 5 2/3 innings and allows one earned run, they would earn 58 points.

(17 x 4) – (1 ER x 10) = 58 points

A player’s points determine their ranking, which will be used each week for the draft.

What about extra innings?

In extra innings, no player earns individual points and there are no additional win points to be earned per inning – only those that have rolled over.

For example, if all seven innings were tied and the game took nine innings to decide a winner, only 70 points, plus win points, would be awarded.