Thank You, Good-bye and Good Luck Alyssa Denham!

Pitcher Alyssa Denham is yet another player who retired after last season with Athletes Unlimited. Denham won't be leaving softball though, as she has already embarked on a coaching career.

Denham was a star pitcher at the University of Arizona. She played three seasons at AU and also played internationally.

Here's an oddity. Somehow, over the three seasons at AU, I never got a picture with her at any game. The pic below was from a Northwestern game when she was an oppositing assistant coach.

I thank Denham for great memories on the AU field. I wish her a lot of luck in the future. I will be following her coaching career wherever it leads.

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Alyssa Denham and in in Evanston, IL-Spring 2022.

On the Beat With Athletes Unlimited Softball Week Four

Week Four of Athletes Unlimited Softball produced some interesting results. There's a new overall leader and reigning champ Cat Osterman has dropped out of the top ten in the standings. Mid-season arrival Kayla Wedl had her first pro hit. Anissa Urtez won a game MVP on Hispanic Heritgae Day.

Amanda Chidester led Team Gold to a perfect 3-0 record. Aleshia Ocasio's Team Purple went 2-1 and Sahvanna Jaquish's Team Orange went 1-2. Surprisingly, Cat Osterman's Team Blue went 0-3.

Despite her team going 3-0, Chiddy actually dropped one spot in the standings and now trails new leader Aleshia Ocasio by 52 points. Newcomer to the top four is Carrie Eberle with 1,378 points. Rounding out the top four spots is Sahvanna Jaquish, who dropped two spots, with 1,336. Osterman dropped to 12th place with 1,186. While it is possible to jump a lot of places (see Eberle's jump of 16 places), I don't see Osterman rebounding that much. I think it's Ocasio's time to win it all. 

On her way to her big vault in the standings, Eberle picked up two MVP awards. Alyssa Denham and Anissa Urtez finished in the top three for two of the games. 

Game 19-Alyssa Denham, Tori Vidales, Nadia Taylor

Game 20-Anissa Urtez, Sam Fischer, Sara Groenewegen

Game 21-Gwen Svekis, Odicci Alexander, Kelsey Stewart

Game 22-Carrie Eberle, Anissa Urtez, Morgan Zerkle

Game 23-Amanda Sanchez, Lilly Piper, Alesia Ocasio

Game 24-Carrie Eberle, Ali Aguilar, Alyssa Denham

The AU Week Five Draft is tonight at 5 PM CST. The teams return to the softball field Saturday as Eberle's Team Blue faces Chidester's Team Orange at noon CST. The nightcap sees Ocasio's Team Gold battling Jaquish's Team Purple at 3 pm CST. The season ends on Monday with the final game at 9 pm CST featuring Team Orange and Team Gold.

The postgame press session for Saturday featured Tori Vidales, Alyssa Denham, Nadia Taylor, Anissa Urtez, Sara Groenewegen and Sam Fischer. That interview session can be found at On the Beat With Athletes Unlimited Softball 09/18/2021.

Go to AUProSports.com for more info on all of AU leagues. Check back here for my continuing coverage of all AU Sports.