Arizona Wildcats in the AUSL

This summer was the inaugural season of the AUSL featuring the best softball talent in the world in a league that is funded by Major League Baseball.

Before the AUSL, the league was Athletes Unlimited but had no backing from the MLB and was able to grow in popularity giving college softball fans something to watch during the dog days of summer.

The AUSL features four teams in the Bandits, Blaze, Talons and Volts with no team having a home city as they toured around the country playing games against each other.

After a 24-game season the Bandits will face off against the Talons to crown the first champion of the league. Games start on Saturday at noon (MST) and will go through Monday for the if necessary game. Which would start at 4 p.m. (MST).

All the games will be shown on the ESPN family of networks.

Over time, Arizona softball has had a tremendous amount and success thanks to the Mike Candrea era where the program turned into a national power and forever changed the game by winning eight national titles, making 25 Women’s College World Series and 37 NCAA Tournament appearances.

However, it is the players that make the program and the Wildcats have had 111 All-Americans in their rich history.

In the league, there is a massive Arizona presence with players and people in the front office. In all there are four players in Devyn Netz, Taylor McQuillin, Miranda Stoddard and Dejah Mulipola. Plus, former UA star Jenny Dalton-Hill, who is the GM of the Bandits.

During the season, rookie Netz managed to play in 21 games where she made 63 at-bats hitting .254 while knocking in three home runs and 10 RBI at the plate. Meanwhile, she was able to record 19 ⅔ innings in the circle posting a 3.92 ERA where she struck out 10 batters.

Another Arizona rookie in Stoddard was in the league as well but didn’t see much time by playing in four games while making one start.

Team USA catcher Mulipola was on the Volts where she played in 16 games and made 48 plate appearances hitting .217 while launching two home runs and driving six RBI for the season.

Lastly, McQuillin is on the Bandits and will be looking to help her team win the first title in the AUSL. So far this season, she has gone 3-1 while making 13 appearances in 29 innings posting a 5.31 ERA while striking out 24 batters.

Again, Arizona fans can watch the championship series that starts on Saturday and will go through Monday (if necessary) on ESPN and ESPN2.