The Carolina Blaze saved the best for last. In a game split between Monday night and Tuesday morning due to weather, the Blaze smoked the Oklahoma City Spark 11-1.
Devyn Netz recorded her first start of the season and only tossed 5.2 innings coming in. Her fresh look kept the Spark in the infield in the first inning, as the side was retired in order on nine pitches.
Oklahoma City sent Maya Johnson out for the start, and Carolina hit her early. Dakota Kennedy led off with a double. After Kennedy moved to third on a wild pitch, Reese Atwood brought her home with an RBI single through the left side to take an early 1-0 lead.
After a mound visit, Johnson lost control and put Baylee Klingler on with a hit by pitch. That was all for Johnson, and Spark head coach Amber Flores went to Maddie Penta. Then Valerie Cagle, Penta’s first hitter, smashed a three-run home run to put the Blaze up 4-0.
After Jordyn Rudd-Lee singled with Ana Gold and Alyssa Brito on, Brito caught the Spark unaware and stole home to make it 5-0. The Blaze were able to bat around and bring Atwood back to the plate, and she added a three RBI double to expand the lead to 8-0.
In the top of the second inning, Rudd-Lee caught her final ball and received a standing ovation while leaving the field. Rudd-Lee had previously announced her retirement from pro softball. Netz worked through the top of the second inning and kept the Spark off the board. Then, a long delay followed as severe weather moved into the area.
Play returned Tuesday morning at 10 a.m. EDT, 14 hours and 18 minutes later, and the Spark went to Jailyn Ford in the circle. Right off the bat, she ran into Cagle, who singled to left field. Ford bounced back with back-to-back strikeouts but ran into Aubrey Leach with two outs. Leach got behind 0-2, then gapped a three RBI triple to make it 11-0 Blaze.
Ford retired the side after that. She struck out 5 batters in her first two innings pitched, as she recorded 2 in the bottom of the third.
Netz gave the Bandits all they needed in the circle. Outside of a couple of free passes, the Spark could not get on for the most part. Netz’s spin and change of speed worked well for her, and the contact OKC made was weak.
In the top of the fourth, Delanie Wisz reached on an error at third base to lead off the inning. Then, with two outs, Sydney Sherrill stuck with Netz’s changeup for a base hit to put two on. OKC worked its way to bases loaded after Haley Lee walked and had a chance to put some runs on the board. But Sarah Gordon grounded out to leave the bases full.
After Ford and the Spark retired the Blaze in order, Netz returned to the circle to finish the game and the season. But first, Maya Brady smashed her 11th home run of the season. That homer put Brady back in the league lead and set the AUSL single-season record, again. That was all the Spark could muster, as Netz finished the five-inning complete-game win.
