Softball On SI

AUSL Blaze Trade Former Arkansas Razorback for Former Arizona Two-Way Star

Allison Smith|
Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) begins their inaugural season on June 7 with the partnership and support of Major League Baseball. In the picture, from left to right: Montana Fouts, Odicci Alexander, Sis Bates, Skylar Wallace, Amanda Lorenz, Aliyah Andrews, Maya Brady, and Aleshia Ocasio.
Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) begins their inaugural season on June 7 with the partnership and support of Major League Baseball. In the picture, from left to right: Montana Fouts, Odicci Alexander, Sis Bates, Skylar Wallace, Amanda Lorenz, Aliyah Andrews, Maya Brady, and Aleshia Ocasio. | Athletes Unlimited

AUSL's Blaze, the league's worst performing team have traded former All-American Arkansas Razorback Danielle Gibson Whorton for two-way threat in former Arizona player Devyn Netz. This is only the second trade in the history of the league. The first happened on June 22.

The Blaze have won just three games this year and pitching has been a major sore spot for the squad as they lead the league with the worst ERA, 7.40 and have given up the most home runs with 23.

Thus, Netz enters the Blaze chat. Netz is a two-way threat. At Arizona she cumulated a career 3.20 ERA, 56 wins, and 353 strikeouts, while hitting .318, with 104 hits, 109 RBIs, and 32 home runs.

Former Bandits player Devyn Netz has been traded to the Blaze.
Former Bandits player Devyn Netz has been traded to the Blaze. | Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL)

For Gibson Whorton, she joins a squad squarely sitting in second place in the league with a 10-5 record, but sit on top of the offensive categories with .331 batting average, .561 slugging percentage, and league best 22 home runs. For a player like Gibson Whorton who was known during her collegiate career for being a doubles and home run machine, as well as a defensive force in the infield, she is joining a solid squad.

However, the Bandits are getting a gem as well as Gibson Whorton is shining this season, hitting .340 in 47 at-bats with an on-base percentage of .407, which includes three doubles, two home runs, and 15 RBIs for her now former team, the Blaze.

Former Blaze infielder Danielle Gibson Whorton has been traded to the Bandits.
Former Blaze infielder Danielle Gibson Whorton has been traded to the Bandits. | Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL)

Gibson Whorton will make her debut in a Bandits uniform July 11 at 7 pm EST in Omaha, Nebraska while Netz and the Blaze face off against the Talons in front of a sold out crowd in Seattle Washington on July 11 at 10 pm EST.

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Allison Smith
ALLISON SMITH

Allison Smith is an expert in leadership and organizational behavior in collegiate and professional women’s sports. Smith is a professor (Georgia State University), researcher, and writer. Smith holds a Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee in Kinesiology and Sport Studies. Smith’s research centers on combatting the underrepresentation of women leaders in sport, lack of organizational structure for work life integration for sport employees, and lack of programming and oversight for preparing athletes to transition to life after sport. Since graduating with a bachelor’s in journalism in 2011, Smith has sought opportunities to write about sports as a contributing writer focused on the growth of women’s collegiate, Olympic, and professional sports in this new age and movement for multiple outlets including Athletic Director U, and now Forbes.com. As a former Division I and II pitcher and Division III pitching coach Smith will bring unique insight and expertise to Softball on SI.

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