“Chaffin settled down the waters and Brady stayed hot as the Talons edged out the Blaze in Salt Lake”
Salt Lake Nightcap Delivers a Tight One
Salt Lake City, Utah played host to game two of the Talons and Blaze series for the nightcap of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League slate. As expected, the Blaze brought the fight. They matched the Talons in the hit column, but just fell short in the run department as the Talons took home a 5-4 win.
Chaffin Steps Up in Relief
Raelin Chaffin continued to build her case as one of the league’s best arms, picking up her sixth win of the season. She tossed 3.2 scoreless innings in relief, giving up three hits, striking out two, and issuing one walk. Her ERA has now improved to 3.15.
Blaze Strike First, Talons Respond Fast
The Blaze jumped on Megan Faraimo early. Baylee Klingler launched a two-out solo shot in the top of the first to make it 1-0.
But the Talons wasted no time responding in the bottom half. After Sierra Sacco doubled and Maya Brady walked, Brady advanced to second on a wild pitch. Hannah Flippen then ripped a two-RBI single to give the Talons the lead. Sydney Romero added to it with a two-out RBI-double to make it 3-1 after one.
Blaze Answer Right Back
Faraimo ran into more trouble in the second, and the Blaze capitalized. Devyn Netz lined a two-RBI single to score Aliyah Binford, and Aliyah Andrews followed with an RBI of her own to bring in Netz. Just like that, the Blaze were back on top 4-3.
That would be the end of Faraimo’s night. After Mariah Lopez faced one batter, Raelin Chaffin entered and shut things down from there.
Brady Keeps Rolling, Talons Retake Lead
The Talons delivered the final scoring blow in the fourth inning. Sahvanna Jaquish reached, and Maya Brady launched a two-run home run to left to give the Talons a 5-4 edge.
Brady has been on fire to start her Talons campaign. She has reached base safely in every at-bat across the two Salt Lake games and finished tonight 3-for-3. Sydney Romero matched her with a perfect 3-for-3 of her own.
Strong Finishes and Missed Opportunities
The Blaze showed life in the later innings but could not capitalize. Aliyah Andrews was a bright spot, finishing 3-for-3 out of the nine hole and constantly threatening on the basepaths. She has proven to be the perfect table setter at the bottom of the order.
The Talons continue to show why they are one of the toughest lineups in the league. Their ability to grind out at-bats, draw walks, and execute in key moments stands out every game.
With the win, the Talons improve to 16-4 on the season and continue to build momentum heading into the postseason.
Next Up:
Talons and Blaze return for game three on Friday night at 9:00 PM EDT / 8:00 PM CDT, streaming on MLB.com.
Follow along with Fastpitch Wire, as we continue to bring you firsthand coverage of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League.
