Every game is important, but from here on out, every result will carry a little more weight in the Athletes Unlimited Softball League. Two teams with their sights set on finishing strong will square off at Hillsboro Ballpark in Hillsboro, Ore. The Carolina Blaze are visiting the Portland Cascade. Game 1 will take place Tuesday night, at 8:00 p.m. EDT/5:00 p.m. PDT on ESPN2. Game 2 is Wednesday night, at 8:00 p.m. EDT/5:00 p.m. PDT on CBS Sports Network.
These two met to start the season in Durham, N.C., and the Blaze took the series two games to one. Portland (9-7) holds a half-game lead over the Blaze (8-7) for third place in the AUSL standings. The Utah Talons lead the league at 13-5, two games ahead of the Chicago Bandits, who are at second. While there are more games to complete after this quick series, this could be a momentum builder for either team.
Carolina comes in after splitting a two-game series in Utah against the Talons. The Blaze had a sweep in their sights until the Talons battled for a comeback win that was capped by Bri Ellis’ walk-off home run on the night of July 4. That loss was a stinger, and Carolina needs to build some momentum, starting Tuesday night. However, it will be tough.
Karlyn Pickens (4-2, 2.42 ERA) was in the circle when Ellis connected, and Tuesday night will give her a quick chance to get back to work and turn the page. Pickens will square off with Portland’s Kenzie Brown, who comes into the night with a 2-2 record, 23 strikeouts to 15 walks and a 4.45 ERA with an opposing batting average of .235.
The Cascade will be in front of their home crowd at Hillsboro Ballpark for the first time since June 21 and will try to use that energy. Sunday marked their final road game. Now they open a season-closing nine-game homestand. They are coming off an 8-4 win in Oklahoma City that snapped a three-game losing streak. A seven-run third inning, paired with a complete game from Carley Hoover, got the job done. It was Hoover’s first start of the season, and she improved to 2-0.
A couple of things for both teams is simple, they cannot beat themselves and they must stay true to themselves. The Cascade are really good at taking advantage of mistakes and constructing a rally. That’s what took place in the seven-run third inning against the Spark. Additionally, the Blaze experienced that on June 11 in Durham, when Portland ran up a 12-run second inning that led them to a 12-4 run-rule win.
That day, the Blaze also saw Brown, who pitched a five-inning complete game. She kept Carolina off balance. Now that they’ve seen her, I am looking to see what kind of adjustments they make before and during the game.
Hoover will face the Blaze in the second game of the series, and it will be the first time they face her, as she recently returned from the Japan Diamond League. Hoover, who can adjust well, likes to attack the zone and has good trust in her stuff and the defense behind her. Carolina is an aggressive team at the plate and likes to capitalize early, with Reese Atwood among the bats that can do damage.
That matchup could be an interesting one. I am also curious to see whether Valerie Cagle stays in the lineup. Her at-bats have been good in the chances she’s received. Hoover was part of the Blaze last season, but an injury kept her out for all but one game. So, it will be interesting to see how Carolina sees her. The Blaze is set to send out Aleshia Ocasio.
For Portland, they have to keep the same free mentality they carried into the last game against OKC. Kendra Falby spoke about that mindset in the postgame press conference Sunday night, and it was a big reason she had a great game. She went 2-for-4 with three RBIs, including a bases-loaded triple in the seven-run third inning.
Carolina has to find that mindset after a stinger in Utah. From here, the stakes only climb, and the team that stays loose while the other presses should come out ahead.
