Georgina Corrick’s Complete Game Shutout, Bandits’ Offensive Power Highlight Saturday Wins in AUSL
The Athletes Unlimited Softball League is nearing the halfway point, and two teams continue to separate themselves from the rest — the Bandits and the Talons. Both teams won on Saturday and took 2-0 leads in their respective series.
The Talons (7-3) saw a dominant pitching effort from former USF Bulls ace Georgina Corrick. In the inaugural AUSL season, Corrick became the first pitcher to throw a complete game shutout. The Volts just couldn’t find any effective at-bats, finishing with only three hits and striking out seven times.
The Talons broke the game open in the fifth inning, as both Hannah Flippen and Caroline Jacobsen recorded singles that drove in a combined three runs. Flippen’s RBI gave her two on the day — she started the scoring with a two-out RBI single in the third inning to bring home Sierra Sacco.
Sunday’s game could turn into another low-scoring battle in Norman, Oklahoma, with Megan Faraimo and Sam Landry set to face off. However, it’s a must-win scenario for the Volts, who need to find some offense and avoid slipping further in the standings.
Meanwhile, the league’s hottest team, the Bandits (8-2), rolled to an 11-3 win over the Blaze in windy Wichita, Kansas. The total team output from the Bandits may be the most impressive storyline of the season so far. They’re not only just pitching well — their offense is clicking.
Rookie Devyn Netz has now homered in back-to-back games for the Bandits. Netz said postgame that she just focuses on having fun. That mindset is clearly paying off. From what I’ve seen in athletes across multiple sports, having fun always helps — and this Bandits team is having plenty of it.
Bella Dayton had a perfect day at the plate, going 4-for-4. She became just the third player in the AUSL to record a four-hit game this season, with two doubles and an RBI added to her stat line. This Bandits lineup is deep and really has no weak spots.
Sydney McKinney, who played college ball at Wichita State, completed the scoring on the day for the Bandits, as she took an Emma Lemley rise ball to left field and out for a three-run home run. McKinney finished the day 2-for-4 with three RBIs.
The Blaze (1-9), on the other hand, just can’t seem to put it all together. Despite star power in players like Baylee Klingler and Danielle Gibson Whorton, they’ve been unable to close out games. They’ve shown flashes, but it hasn’t led to wins.
With the season heating up and the standings beginning to take shape, Sunday’s games will carry extra weight — especially for teams trying to stay in the hunt. The Bandits and Talons have set the bar. Now the rest of the league has to respond.
