The Talons are one step closer to defending their AUSL crown. Utah's 3-1 win over Chicago to close out the regular season secured their spot back in the AUSL Championship as the top seed in the playoffs. Despite a hot streak in the second half of the season by the Bandits, the Talons did enough to maintain their spot atop the standings, where they've been essentially all season.
Fresh off a plane from Peru, after playing with the Great Britain national team, reigning AUSL Pitcher of the Year Georgina Corrick threw a gem against the top-ranked offense in the league. Corrick did have to overcome early defensive miscues. Chicago scored in the first inning, fueled by a leadoff walk from Skylar Wallace. Morgan Zerkle reached on a two-out error, and then Wallace scored on a double steal, where Sahvanna Jaquish dropped the ball during her transfer to throw it back home.
Corrick took the game into her own hands from there. She allowed a baserunner in the second and third inning, but she entered the seventh inning having retired 12 straight batters before Zerkle reached on a leadoff single. Corrick made quick work of that threat. Jocelyn Erickson popped up and then Corrick induced the game-ending double play versus Mary Iakopo.
"She's spectacular. She's so amazing," Talons head coach Cindy Ball-Malone said. "And her defense behind her, I mean, she was pitching to some contact with really good hitters, and defense made some great plays behind her, too. It didn't even seem like she missed a heartbeat. Didn't even leave for that many days. So yeah, just her ability to play any given time with the ball in her hand."
Corrick finished her complete game, allowing one unearned run on two hits with four strikeouts.
The offense didn't wait long to pick up their pitcher after the mistakes in the field. Jayda Coleman tied the game with a solo home run in the top of the third. However, Kat Sandercock was matching Corrick pitch for pitch after the game-tying homer.
Utah had to get creative to score the go-ahead run and took a page out of the Bandits' book. Aliyah Andrews started the sixth with a single and Coleman reached on an error, putting the first two on for the heart of Utah's order. Although they took no chances. Jadelyn Allchin moved the runners into scoring position with a bunt. Jordan Woolery put down another bunt and Andrews beat the throw home to take the lead.
The Talons added an insurance run in the seventh. Hannah Flippen hit a dribbler back to Sandercock, who threw it short and past Erickson at first base, allowing pinch runner Kailey Wyckoff to score.
AUSL Playoff Schedule
The Bandits are now locked into the second seed and will compete in the play-in game for the chance at a AUSL Championship series rematch against the Talons. Who they play remains up in the air until the AUSL regular season finale between the Spark and Blaze at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2. If Oklahoma City wins, they'll earn the final playoff spot. A Carolina win would secure Portland a playoff spot and a duel with Chicago on Thursday at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN.
