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Monday’s pair of contests in Athletes Unlimited action had it all: great pitching, massive home runs, stellar defensive player–especially in the outfield–and was highlighted by one star who had a birthday and celebrated it in style, with a three-run home run!
And kudos go to a rookie pitcher who has looked phenomenal in the last few games as she’s been almost untouchable.
Here’s the game recaps from the latest action featuring the top pro players in the world!
*****
Game 23: Team Ocasio Uses Early Offense to Power 5-0 Shutout of Team Osterman
ROSEMONT, Ill. – Amanda Sanchez celebrated her birthday in style Monday night.
Sanchez, who turned 25, wasted no time getting the party started in a 5-0 victory for Team Ocasio (Purple) over Team Osterman (Blue) in the first game of Monday night’s doubleheader.
She hit a three-run homer in the top of the first inning, and Team Ocasio swept all 70 innings points as well as getting 50 for the victory.
“It was awesome, but I think the best part was the team win,” Sanchez said. “That was my birthday wish today, so I’m glad I could make it come true.”
In addition to making here presence felt at the plate, Sanchez got some nice presents and birthday wishes, as well.
“Yeah, I got a lot from my teammates,” she said. “My captain (Aleshia Ocasio) got me a little cookie cake. I celebrated with my team. It was awesome. It was also awesome to have my mom and my brother in the stands.”
Sanchez got the birthday celebration started with a Roman candle of a blast in the top of the first inning.
Kelsey Stewart doubled with one out, and Erika Piancastelli was hit by a pitch from Taylor McQuillin. One out later, Sanchez hit a high drive to center field for a three-run homer.
Blue captain Cat Osterman replaced McQuillin in the third after McQuillin walked Piancastelli to open the inning. Gwen Svekis doubled Piancastelli to third base. Osterman looked like she might get out of it as she retired the next two batters, but Lilli Piper hit a double to drive home two runs.
“Cat is Cat,” Piper said. “When she comes in, everyone starts to worry, and you try to bring your best swings on a good pitcher. But I think it was just important to tack on as much as we could and give our pitchers a comfortable lead just so they could do their thing on the mound and not worry about anything else.”
In the circle, Ocasio was sharp. She improved to 4-4 by pitching five innings and giving up three hits while walking just one and striking out five.
Check out the highlights of the first game on Monday by watching this video:
“I felt really good,” she said. “The biggest thing was to give my team a chance coming off a loss two days ago. I wanted to make sure today that I gave my team a chance. I knew I wanted to go short for five and have someone come in for relief. We stuck with the plan. Odicci (Alexander) came in to close, and we threw a combined shutout, so we did our job.”
On defense, Team Ocasio got nice catches from all three outfielders: Amanda Lorenz in left, Janie Reed in center and Jazmyn Jackson in right. Catcher Gwen Svekis also threw out a runner trying to steal.
“Oh, my God, defenders make a pitcher,” Ocasio said. “I wouldn’t be a pitcher without my defenders. All three of them made plays. Jaz out there, I thought that ball (by Riley Sartain-Vaughan) was over, but she just completely stuck a glove up and robbed it off the fence. Janie and Amanda with web gems, that was really cool to see. They had my back, and that’s all I could ask for.”
Osterman did a nice job in relief, finishing for her team with five innings of four-hit, one-run ball. McQuillin fell to 3-2 after she worked two innings and allowed three hits and four runs.
Sanchez was the game’s MVP 1, good for 60 bonus points, followed by Piper (40) and Ocasio (20). Entering Monday’s second game, Ocasio found herself atop the overall points leaderboard with 1558.
“I don’t necessarily think about it too much,” Ocasio said. “When people try to talk to me (about it), I kind of stop them in their tracks. It is about the team. On the leaderboard, in the top four, you have to draft your team as you see fit, what you want in your lineup. It is all about the team because even being a captain, you don’t win without your team.”
— Bruce Miles, Athletes Unlimited
*****
Game 24: Team Chidester Defeats Team Jaquish 2-1 Behind Eberle Gem
ROSEMONT, Ill. – Go ahead and have yourself a weekend, Carrie Eberle.
In the two-year history of Athletes Unlimited Softball, Eberle enjoyed the best week of play of any pitcher not named Cat Osterman.
In Monday night’s late game, Eberle put the capper on a three-day run of success with a complete-game 2-1 victory for Team Gold over Team Orange.
It was Eberle’s third start in three games of Week 4, and all she did over those three days was pitch 17 innings and give up only two runs on 13 hits. Teammate Ali Aguilar put Eberle and Team Chidester (Gold) over the top with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the sixth inning against Haylie Wagner, who had just come on in relief of Alyssa Denham.
For her heroics, Eberle was named MVP 1 of the game, good for 60 bonus points.
But wait, there’s more.
Rookie Eberle moved up on the overall points leaderboard from sixth to third, with 1,378 points. That means she will be a captain for the final weekend of games.
Watch Carrie Eberle’s big game and other highlights from the last game of the six this weekend:
The other captains will be Aleshia Ocasio (1,558 points), Amanda Chidester (1,506) and Sahvanna Jaquish (1,336).
“It’s unbelievable,” said Eberle, who gave up four hits while walking two and striking out four. She stranded a runner at third base to end the game. “The team chemistry and everything came together so well, and I just had all the confidence in the world.”
There was no doubt Eberle would take the ball again Monday
“Chiddy checked in with me to make sure I was feeling OK,” she said. “She had confidence in. It’s so fun to play for her. I was ready to go. I was happy to get the ball again.”
Chidester did not take a pitcher until the third round of the draft for this round of play, but Eberle was her pick.
“She did phenomenal,” said Chidester, who had two singles and a double. “We had been on the same team quite a few weekends, and I just saw the potential. I loved her calm presence for the start of the games.”
Indeed.
Two rookie pitchers displayed veteran calm and cool in this prime-time matchup. For Team Jaquish (Orange) Denham followed up on her successful start on Saturday by working five innings and giving up five hits and one run.
Captain Sahvanna Jaquish got her team on the board with her fourth home run of the year leading off the top of the fourth. With two outs in the home fifth, Chidester singled and came home on a double by Haylie McCleney. That stood until Aguilar homered to start the sixth against Wagner.
“I just know she likes to go right at hitters,” Aguilar said. “Our game was tied, so I wanted to make something happen, and I got a good pitch to hit. So I went for it.”
In the top of the seventh, Jessi Warren opened with a single against Eberle and went to second on pinch hitter Morgan Howe’s sacrifice bunt. Eberle bore down and struck out Sashel Palacios. A wild pitch put the runner on third, but Eberle got Shelby Pendley to fly out to end the game. That was the exception in this game, as Eberle got 14 outs via groundballs.
After coming in as rookie, Eberle now is a captain, which means she has to prepare for a draft.
“I don’t know about that,” she said with a laugh. “We’ll get it figured out.”
Chidester said she’d love to keep this team together, but she’ll have to live next weekend without Eberle.
“That’s what she said to me after,” Chidester said. “She said, ‘Now I’m captain and you can’t pick me.’ I’m like, ‘Dang it.’ Honestly, I don’t know if I would have been able to grab her anyway. Carrie did so well this weekend, someone probably would have picked her up like that. It’s just tough.”
But not as tough as Eberle was all weekend.
— Bruce Miles, Athletes Unlimited