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Week 4 of the Athletes Unlimited softball season ended with a record-setting performance by Cat Ostermann who lost the previous game but showed with her masterful performance Monday night why she is the league’s point leader… and one of the greatest pitchers of all time!
Here are recaps of the games today written by Bruce Miles for Athletes Unlimited and photos courtesy of Jade Hewitt Media.
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Game 23: TEAM WARREN DEFEATS TEAM HAYWARD 7-5 TO GO 3-0 IN WEEK 4
A looser bunch of ballplayers you would not find than Team Warren before a late-afternoon clash with Team Hayward to kick off a big Monday of Athletes Unlimited softball.
Players hung out in front of the first-base dugout and danced, posed for the camera and generally enjoyed life.
Things may have gotten just a bit tighter in the late innings, but Jessie Warren’s Purple squad managed to hold off a pair of threats by Team Hayward and post a 7-5 victory. Lefty Taylor McQuillin came on with two runners on base in the bottom of the seventh and recorded three outs for the save – the last two on strikeouts – as Team Warren overcame a throwing error that allowed one run to score.
As things shook out on this sunny and warm pre-autumnal day, Team Warren went 3-0 for the weekend while Team Hayward wound up 2-1.
“I don’t think we were nervous,” said Team Warren catcher Erika Piancastelli. “I think we trust our defense. We trust our pitching staff 100 percent. I have full belief in Taylor McQuillin to get out of that inning. It was a little intense, but that’s what makes the game so much fun. I think we kept our energy like we did the whole game. We were able to work together to get out of that inning.”
Even if it did mean Piancastelli was left talking to herself after hitting baserunner Emily Crane with an errant throw and allowing Crane to score.
“Oh, yeah,” she said. “Just trying to stay focused and not think about those plays too much. But yeah, it was part of the game. You always have to move on to the next play and be ready.”
Piancastelli was involved in much good for team Warren. She hit her sixth home run of the season in a two-run fifth inning and doubled in the seventh, giving her 60 stat points in addition to the 100 she earned for her team winning innings and the game.
To top it off, she was named MVP 1 of the game, bumping her overall points total to 1,510, putting her third in the race for one of the four captains’ spots pending the outcome of Monday night’s game.
Team Warren got its offense going early against starting pitcher Kelly Barnhill, who got the nod ahead of Haylie Wagner. An RBI groundout scored a run in the top of the first, and Team Warren got two in the second. Nadia Taylor doubled but was out at third trying to stretch it into a triple. Shelby Pendley followed with a double and scored on Aleshia Ocasio’s triple. Ocasio came home on Kelsey Jenkins’ sacrifice fly.
There seemed to be a few eyebrows raised all around Parkway Bank Sports Complex with the start of Barnhill over Wagner. Barnhill pitched well over 5.2 innings Sunday. She did give way after two innings to Wagner, who finished the game for her team.
“I think I was surprised that she wasn’t starting because she has been so hot lately,” Pendley said. “But I think they wanted to go with a different look, see if they could get some innings out of Barnhill, and we took advantage of that.”
Team Hayward got a two-run homer from MVP 3 Haylie McCleney in the third and a solo shot from Lilli Piper in the fourth. Hayward’s Blue Team left the bases loaded in a one-run sixth before coming close in the bottom of the seventh.
Ocasio pitched four innings, giving up six hits and three earned runs. She also added two singles to her triple, and was named MVP 2 for an additional 40 points. Heading into the nightcap, she was fourth overall in the points standings with 1,508.
“I don’t really watch the rankings to a T as people might think,” Ocasio said. “Being in the top four is a huge accomplishment itself. I’m rooting for people to do great and doing that I’m not trying to put anybody down so that I can be in top four. I want everybody to put their best foot forward and compete.
“There’s [57] of the best players in the world here at AU. So to be part of a team that went 3-0 this weekend is super special. I was extremely excited to come back and play. Me and Jessie played together growing up and played together on the Pride. We know each other where we have a comfort level. She trusted in picking me No. 1 to pitch for the team and play wherever she needs me. It meant the world. I’m proud to be on this team.”
Here are the Game 23 video highlights:
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Game 24: Osterman throws five-hit shutout with 16 strikeouts for 2-0 victory
Another Monday night, another Monday night master class taught by Cat Osterman.
The veteran left-hander outdid herself in the Week 4 finale of Athletes Unlimited Softball play by striking out a season-high high 16 batters in a 2-0 victory over Team Reed.
In doing so, Osterman assured herself the top captain’s spot for Week 5 and the No. 1 overall pick in Tuesday’s draft (6 p.m. ET/5 CT, Facebook Live).
Osterman has piled up 1,990 total points over four weeks of play. She’ll be joined at the draft table by fellow captains Jessie Warren (1,580), Erika Piancastelli (1,510) and Aleshia Ocasio (1,508).
How dominant has Osterman been on Monday under the lights? In four games, she is 4-0, having allowed just two runs.
In Monday’s game, played in cool, calm conditions at Parkway Bank Sports Complex, Osterman allowed five hits. She struck out five in a row from the end of the third inning through the first batter of the fifth.
For the season, Osterman has 84 strikeouts. After losing her first decision of the season this past Saturday, she (8-1) tweaked things just a bit Monday.
“Yeah, after Saturday’s outing, just went back and kind of looked at what we’ve been doing, just to try to go with a little bit different game plan, mix quadrants a little bit, throw the rise ball a little bit more,” she said. “I think sometimes people forget I have it. So I was trying to use that in my favor.
“Just did a good job of mixing pitches and trying to get ahead of hitters, really. I was trying to keep the pitch count down and get people to chase when we could. Just thought we did a really good job of mixing everything and not really staying in one place tonight.”
Osterman’s catcher from the beginning of the season has been Gwen Svekis, whom Osterman has grabbed with the top overall draft pick when she has been a captain in Weeks 2-4.
When Osterman pitches, Svekis has the best seat in the house.
“Oh, it’s so fun,” she said. “It’s a hell of an easy job when she’s on like that. I just get to call the game and catch the ball, really. It was fun. It was a fun game to watch Cat go to work.”
Into the fifth inning, Osterman was locked in a scoreless duel with fellow lefty Danielle O’Toole, who fell to 3-4 but pitched a complete game, giving up four hits while walking one and striking out seven. As she usually does, O’Toole changed speeds well.
O’Toole was voted the game’s MVP 3, with Osterman taking MVP 1 honors.
Team Osterman picked up both of their runs in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, O’Toole hit Nicole DeWitt with a pitch, and Michelle Moultrie singled to center, moving DeWitt to second.
Pinch hitter Sashel Palacios hit a high fly to right field. Caleigh Clifton gave chase, but the ball glanced off her glove. The play originally was scored an RBI double but was later changed to an error on Clifton.
The second run came home on Megan Wiggins’ sacrifice fly.
Perhaps as a nod toward the tough error call, Palacios was voted the game’s MVP 2.
About the only player to solve Osterman all night was Team Reed leadoff hitter Hannah Flippen. She singled in each of her first two at-bats and walked her third time up. She also stole two bases, giving her 50 stat points for the night.
“It’s a challenge,” Flippen said of facing Osterman. “Every at-bat’s a challenge. I think that’s what we all love about this, about facing Cat, is that every time you get in the box it’s going to be a battle. That’s what I love about it. Today I think I got the best of Cat. It doesn’t mean that it’s going to be any easier tomorrow.”
It’s become a bit monotonous to ask Osterman about her strategy as she gets set to draft first for the fourth time in a row for the final week of play in Athletes Unlimited.
“I’m keeping my cards close to my chest this week,” she said. “We have one draft left, and I’m not letting any secrets out.”
That brought some playful pushback from her batterymate.
“Come on,” Svekis said. “Give the people what they want.”
“Never,” replied Osterman, who then teased: “I’m going to take Hannah Flippen because she got two hits today.”
Don’t bet on it.
Here are the Game 24 video highlights: