#StateToTheShow: Championship Series Awaits Sacco, Chaffin
July 26, 2025 | Softball
STARKVILLE – The AUSL regular season has come to a close, and Sierra Sacco, Raelin Chaffin and the Talons posted the best record in the league. At 18-6, the Talons will hold home field advantage in the AUSL Championship Series this weekend in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
It was a shortened week for Mississippi State athletes in the pros. In the WPF, Chloe Malau'ulu and Aspen Wesley saw two of their five games rained out. Meanwhile, Sacco missed three games with an injury she sustained while making a highlight-reel diving catch down the left field line.
Sacco has been cruising through the professional ranks this season. She is currently on a 12-game reached-base streak and doubled in back-to-back games against the Blaze to open the week. She was announced as a participant in next month's Athletes Unlimited All-Star Cup on Thursday and earned AUSL All-Defensive Team honors along the way.
Chaffin earned her league-leading sixth win of the season on July 17 in a 5-4 win over the Blaze. She pitched 3.2 innings in relief, allowing just three hits while striking out a pair. The following day, she entered in relief and tossed 1.1 innings without allowing an earned run. She was relieved from the save opportunity after runners reached second and third, but an error on the would-be third out of the inning allowed the runner to score.
Meanwhile, Wesley picked up her first win of the year for the Monarchs after throwing 2.2 innings in relief and allowing just one hit to the New York Rise. The Monarchs won that game, 5-4, with help from Malau'ulu, who was 2-for-3 with a double and a run batted in. The following day, Malau'ulu reached base three times with a single and a pair of walks. She scored twice in a 7-6 loss.
The Monarchs close their season on July 26-28 by hosting the Atlanta Smoke. Their championship is scheduled to begin on July 30. The AUSL Championship Series will be played on Saturday and Sunday with an if-necessary third game on Monday. The first two games will air on ESPN with Game 3 on ESPN2. The Talons will write the final chapter of this year's rivalry with the Bandits with a title on the line. The teams split the season series evenly with four wins apiece.
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For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."
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It was a shortened week for Mississippi State athletes in the pros. In the WPF, Chloe Malau'ulu and Aspen Wesley saw two of their five games rained out. Meanwhile, Sacco missed three games with an injury she sustained while making a highlight-reel diving catch down the left field line.
Sacco has been cruising through the professional ranks this season. She is currently on a 12-game reached-base streak and doubled in back-to-back games against the Blaze to open the week. She was announced as a participant in next month's Athletes Unlimited All-Star Cup on Thursday and earned AUSL All-Defensive Team honors along the way.
Chaffin earned her league-leading sixth win of the season on July 17 in a 5-4 win over the Blaze. She pitched 3.2 innings in relief, allowing just three hits while striking out a pair. The following day, she entered in relief and tossed 1.1 innings without allowing an earned run. She was relieved from the save opportunity after runners reached second and third, but an error on the would-be third out of the inning allowed the runner to score.
Meanwhile, Wesley picked up her first win of the year for the Monarchs after throwing 2.2 innings in relief and allowing just one hit to the New York Rise. The Monarchs won that game, 5-4, with help from Malau'ulu, who was 2-for-3 with a double and a run batted in. The following day, Malau'ulu reached base three times with a single and a pair of walks. She scored twice in a 7-6 loss.
The Monarchs close their season on July 26-28 by hosting the Atlanta Smoke. Their championship is scheduled to begin on July 30. The AUSL Championship Series will be played on Saturday and Sunday with an if-necessary third game on Monday. The first two games will air on ESPN with Game 3 on ESPN2. The Talons will write the final chapter of this year's rivalry with the Bandits with a title on the line. The teams split the season series evenly with four wins apiece.
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|  7/16 – vs. Blaze, W, 4-1 | DNP | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
|  7/17 – vs. Blaze, W, 5-4 | 1-0 | 0.00 | W | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | .214 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1.000 |
|  7/18 – at Blaze, W, 3-2 | 1-0 | 0.00 | -- | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -- |
|  7/19 – at Blaze, L, 0-2 | DNP | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
|  7/22 – vs. Volts, W, 6-4 | DNP | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
|  7/23 – vs. Volts, L, 4-6 | 1-1 | 14.00 | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9 | .556 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -- |
| Â Weekly Totals | 3-1 | 4.00 | 1-1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7.0 | 10 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 28 | .357 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Â Season Totals | 14-5 | 3.63 | 6-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36.2 | 38 | 21 | 19 | 17 | 17 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 137 | .277 | 2 | 7 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|  7/17 – at Volts, W, 8-7 | DNP | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
|  7/18 – at Volts, W, 9-2 | DNP | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
|  7/19 – vs. Volts, W, 4-3 | DNP | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
|  7/20 – vs. Volts, L, 5-7 | DNP | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
|  7/22 – vs. Blaze, L, 6-12 | DNP | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
|  7/23 – vs. Blaze, W, 5-1 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|  7/16 – vs. Blaze, W, 4-1 | 1-1 | .667 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .667 | 1.000 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
|  7/17 – vs. Blaze, W, 5-4 | 1-1 | .250 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .250 | .500 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
|   7/18 – at Blaze, W, 3-2 | 1-1 | .667 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .667 | .667 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
|  7/19 – at Blaze, L, 0-2 | DNP | INJ | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
|  7/22 – vs. Volts, W, 6-4 | DNP | INJ | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
|  7/23 – vs. Volts, L, 4-6 | DNP | INJ | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|  7/21 – at New York Rise, L, 0-12 (5) | DNP | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
|  7/22 – at New York Rise, W, 5-4 | 1-1 | .667 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .667 | 1.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -- |
|  7/23 – at New York Rise, L, 6-7 | 1-1 | .500 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .750 | .500 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Â Weekly Totals | 2-2 | .600 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .714 | .800 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Season Totals | 6-6 | .273 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .500 | .364 | 4 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|   7/21 – at New York Rise, L, 0-12 (5) | DNP | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
|  7/22 – at New York Rise, W, 5-4 | 1-0 | 0.00 | W | -- | -- | 1 | 2.2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | .100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -- |
|  7/23 – at New York Rise, L, 6-7 | DNP | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Â Weekly Totals | 1-0 | 0.00 | 1-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 | .100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -- |
| Â Season Totals | 5-3 | 8.22 | 1-3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15.1 | 27 | 23 | 18 | 11 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 73 | .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."
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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