Photo by: Jade Hewitt/Athletes Unlimited
#StateToTheShow: Talons Clench Championship Berth
July 14, 2025 | Softball
STARKVILLE – A pair of former Bulldogs are already bound for the postseason in their rookie year. Sierra Sacco, Raelin Chaffin and the Talons won five of six games last week to clinch a spot in the inaugural AUSL Championship with six games remaining in the regular-season.
Coming out of the international break, Chaffin pitched in four games for the Talons, posting a 1.97 ERA for the week over 10.2 innings. That lowered her ERA to 3.54 for the season, and she picked up her league-leading fifth win of they year. Her fifth win of the season secured a series sweep of the Bandits on Sunday afternoon.
Chaffin was impressive in relief against the Volts, tossing 3.0 scoreless innings on July 9 while allowing just two base runners. That was part of a historic series against the Volts as the Talons became the first AUSL squad to pitch back-to-back shutouts this year. To open the series with the Bandits, she tossed 3.0 innings in relief with her only run allowed being a runner that was placed on second to start extra innings.
The extra-innings series opener with the Bandits also saw Sacco shine brightly. She sent the game to extras with a leadoff, game-tying homer on the first pitch of the bottom of the seventh. Sacco drew a walk in all but one game last week, and defensively she has shown her range in the gaps and robbing a home run behind her fellow Bulldog Chaffin.
IN WPF action, Chloe Malau'ulu returned to the Orlando Monarchs after missing time to compete internationally at the Pacific Mini Games in Palau. Malau'u'u helped lead American Samoa to a gold medal and her eight RBIs ranked fifth in the tournament. She also went 12-for-24 with three doubles and a home run to post a 1.286 OPS and a .750 slugging percentage.Â
Since her return to the Monarchs, Malau'ulu has walked three times and recorded two putouts. Aspen Wesley started for the Monarchs in the second game two of their series at the Atlanta Smoke this weekend, holding the opponent to just three hits.
The Talons sit at the top of the AUSL standings with a 14-4 record. All four of their losses have come to the second-place Bandits (11-7). With only six games remaining on the schedule, the third-place Volts (6-12) cannot catch the Talons, but could still find a way in the AUSL Championship series. The Talons will play four games against the Blaze (5-13) on July 16-19 in Salt Lake City, Utah, before closing the regular season with two games against the Volts in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The first game of the Blaze series will air on ESPN2 with Game 2 on MLB Network and the final two games on MLB.TV.
Wesley, Malau'ulu and the Monarchs are back home to face the Florida Vibe on July 15-16, and both games will be streamed on the Women's Pro Fastpitch YouTube page. The Monarchs will then take a trip to New York to play the New York Rise on July 21-23.
Â
Â
Â
Â
Â
Â
For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."
Â
Â
Coming out of the international break, Chaffin pitched in four games for the Talons, posting a 1.97 ERA for the week over 10.2 innings. That lowered her ERA to 3.54 for the season, and she picked up her league-leading fifth win of they year. Her fifth win of the season secured a series sweep of the Bandits on Sunday afternoon.
Chaffin was impressive in relief against the Volts, tossing 3.0 scoreless innings on July 9 while allowing just two base runners. That was part of a historic series against the Volts as the Talons became the first AUSL squad to pitch back-to-back shutouts this year. To open the series with the Bandits, she tossed 3.0 innings in relief with her only run allowed being a runner that was placed on second to start extra innings.
The extra-innings series opener with the Bandits also saw Sacco shine brightly. She sent the game to extras with a leadoff, game-tying homer on the first pitch of the bottom of the seventh. Sacco drew a walk in all but one game last week, and defensively she has shown her range in the gaps and robbing a home run behind her fellow Bulldog Chaffin.
IN WPF action, Chloe Malau'ulu returned to the Orlando Monarchs after missing time to compete internationally at the Pacific Mini Games in Palau. Malau'u'u helped lead American Samoa to a gold medal and her eight RBIs ranked fifth in the tournament. She also went 12-for-24 with three doubles and a home run to post a 1.286 OPS and a .750 slugging percentage.Â
Since her return to the Monarchs, Malau'ulu has walked three times and recorded two putouts. Aspen Wesley started for the Monarchs in the second game two of their series at the Atlanta Smoke this weekend, holding the opponent to just three hits.
The Talons sit at the top of the AUSL standings with a 14-4 record. All four of their losses have come to the second-place Bandits (11-7). With only six games remaining on the schedule, the third-place Volts (6-12) cannot catch the Talons, but could still find a way in the AUSL Championship series. The Talons will play four games against the Blaze (5-13) on July 16-19 in Salt Lake City, Utah, before closing the regular season with two games against the Volts in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The first game of the Blaze series will air on ESPN2 with Game 2 on MLB Network and the final two games on MLB.TV.
Wesley, Malau'ulu and the Monarchs are back home to face the Florida Vibe on July 15-16, and both games will be streamed on the Women's Pro Fastpitch YouTube page. The Monarchs will then take a trip to New York to play the New York Rise on July 21-23.
Â
Bulldogs In The Show
Raelin Chaffin – Talons (AUSL)
| Â Opponent | APP-GS | ERA | W-L | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | 2B | 3B | HR | AB | B/AVG | PO | A | E | FLD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|  7/7 – vs. Blaze, W, 9-1 (5) | DNP | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
|  7/8 – vs. Volts, W, 4-0 | DNP | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
|  7/9 – vs. Volts, W, 2-0 | 1-1 | 0.00 | -- | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11 | .091 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
|  7/11 – vs. Bandits, W, 8-7 (8) | 1-0 | 0.00 | -- | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | .333 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1.000 |
|  7/12 – vs. Bandits, L, 1-9 (6) | 1-0 | 21.00 | -- | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | .500 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
|  7/13 – vs. Bandits, W, 6-3 | 1-0 | 1.75 | W | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 13 | .077 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Â Weekly Totals | 4-1 | 1.97 | 1-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10.2 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 37 | .189 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Â Season Totals | 11-4 | 3.54 | 5-1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29.2 | 28 | 12 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 109 | .257 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 1.000 |
Mia Davidson – Bandits (AUSL)
| Â Opponent | GP-GS | AVG | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | HBP | SO | SF | SH | SB | OBP | SLG | PO | A | E | FLD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|   7/7 – at Volts, L, 3-5 | DNP | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
|  7/8 – vs. Blitz, L, 10-12 | DNP | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
|  7/9 – vs. Blitz, W, 5-4 | DNP | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
|  7/11 – at Talons, L, 7-8 (8) | DNP | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
|  7/12 – at Talons, W, 9-1 (6) | DNP | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
|  7/13 – at Talons, L, 3-6 | DNP | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Â Weekly Totals | Inactive | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Â Season Totals | Inactive | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Sierra Sacco – Talons (AUSL)
| Â Opponent | GP-GS | AVG | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | HBP | SO | SF | SH | SB | OBP | SLG | PO | A | E | FLD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|  7/7 – vs. Blaze, W, 9-1 (5) | 1-1 | .500 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .667 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
|  7/8 – vs. Volts, W, 4-0 | 1-1 | .000 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .333 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 7/9 – vs. Volts, W, 2-0 | 1-1 | .000 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .250 | .000 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
|  7/11 – vs. Bandits, W, 8-7 (8) | 1-1 | .250 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .250 | 1.000 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
|  7/12 – vs. Bandits, L, 1-9 (6) | 1-1 | .000 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .333 | .000 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
|  7/13 – vs. Bandits, W, 6-3 | 1-1 | .000 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .250 | .000 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Â Weekly Totals | 6-6 | .125 | 16 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .438 | .313 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Â Season Totals | 17-17 | .281 | 57 | 11 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 3 | .379 | .456 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
Chloe Malau'ulu – Orlando Monarchs (WPF)
| Â Opponent | GP-GS | AVG | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | HBP | SO | SF | SH | SB | OBP | SLG | PO | A | E | FLD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|  7/11 – at. Atlanta Smoke, L, 3-7 | 1-1 | .000 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .250 | .500 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
|  7/12 – at Atlanta Smoke, L, 3-7 | DNP | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
|  7/13 – at  Atlanta Smoke, L, 1-9 (5) | 1-1 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 1.000 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Â Weekly Totals | 2-2 | .000 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -- | .625 | .750 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Season Totals | 4-4 | .000 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .313 | .375 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
Aspen Wesley – Orlando Monarchs (WPF)
| Â Opponent | APP-GS | ERA | W-L | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | 2B | 3B | HR | AB | B/AVG | PO | A | E | FLD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|  7/11 – at. Atlanta Smoke, L, 3-7 | DNP | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
|  7/12 – at Atlanta Smoke, L, 3-7 | 1-1 | 6.07 | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 | .300 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1.000 |
|  7/13 – at  Atlanta Smoke, L, 1-9 (5) | DNP | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Â Weekly Totals | 1-1 | 6.00 | 0-3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 10 | .370 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Â Season Totals | 4-3 | 9.95 | 0-3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12.2 | 26 | 22 | 18 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 63 | .402 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1.000 |
For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."
Â
Â
Players Mentioned
SOFTBALL | Postgame Press Conference vs. Washington
Saturday, May 17
SOFTBALL | Postgame Press Conference vs. Texas Tech
Saturday, May 17
SOFTBALL | Raelin Chaffin ESPN2 Postgame Interview
Saturday, May 17
SOFTBALL | Postgame Press Conference vs. Washington
Friday, May 16