Kowalik leads AUSL All-Star Cup after Series 2 win over Team Willis

Team Kowalik outlasted Team Willis in a 4-1 win on Thursday. The two teams kept each other quiet through the first four innings. Emma Lemley from Team Kowalik and Alana Vawter from Team Willis each earned the start in the circle.

The two pitchers only surrendered a combined five hits through the four scoreless frames, but Team Kowalik’s bats came to life in the fifth.

After Aliyah Binford relieved Lemley and shut down the side in the top half, Team Kowalik loaded the bases in the home half with no outs. Sierra Romero led off the inning with a double. Danieca Coffey singled and Binford walked. In relief of Vawter, Emiley Kennedy walked in the first run of the game on just a five-pitch at-bat to Ali Newland. Captain Kayla Kowalik then came up clutch for her team, driving in a pair of runs on a two-out single.

In the sixth, Montana Fouts entered in relief for Team Kowalik and sat down the opposing side in order. Off of captain and new pitcher Sarah Willis, Romero mashed a solo homer in the home sixth to extend Team Kowalik’s lead to 4-0.

In the next half inning, her sister, Sydney Romero, also hit a solo home run, cutting the four-run deficit to three. However, Fouts finished off the game with a strikeout to earn the save and seal Team Kowalik’s win.

Team Kowalik dominated tonight’s contest, earning 60 innings points and collecting the usual 70 points for the 4-1 victory.

AUSL Leaderboard

1. Kayla Kowalik – 860 points
2. Keilani Ricketts – 604 points
3. Danieca Coffey – 550 points
4. Devyn Netz – 530 points

All four will be captains for Series Three.

Next up for AUSL All-Star Cup

Series Three starts on Sunday as Team Coffey faces Team Ricketts followed by Team Netz versus Team Kowalik. The games will start at 3 p.m. ET starting on ESPNU.

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