The Best Softball Players I Covered

 Softball is a relatively recent love for me compared to basketball or football. I fully discovered the sport while working as a graduate assistant at Saint Francis University and the love affair has never ended. It has only grown stronger.

 All-time greatest players I've covered. Well, I covered softball pretty much every year from 2019 through 2026. I filled in in 2020. In 2021 I wasn’t the SID, but quite frankly should have been. Due to our main one being of uneven quality. A 40+ win team and the coverage was shoddy.

 But, somehow, said SID ended up working for a Power Four team. Such is the vanity of life and the power of quotas. So, what is the criteria? Well, any teams that were directly covered or years that I served as the director of operations (2021).

 So, unfortunately, any players before that do not fall under the criteria. Sorry Madison Cabell, you would have been first base, but that's not how this works. Teams I covered were Saint Francis and Bucknell. Saint Francis from 2019 to 2021, and Bucknell from 2023 to the present. I had an off year in 2022.

 Starting off at catcher.

 I started at the catcher because since the role is arguably the most important position on the diamond. And if you have a good catcher, you're generally going to have a good pitching staff. Catcher is quite easy for me. Zoie Smith of Bucknell. Zoie Smith is one of those players of whom the historical record won't list as having significant laurels. Unfortunately, she was only ever a Second Team Patriot League member.

 She deserved first team. The Boston catcher, who possessed teammates with the ability to get on base, sucked up the slots. There wasn't much more Zoie could do than bat well.

 She batted incredibly well, despite little protection behind her, and receiving few pitches worthy of her keen eye. In 2023, she finished 19th in the nation in doubles per game. A significant feat for a player who had very little support.

 But she was a lefty, and like most great lefty hitters possessed an arcing swing, that flowed through the strike zone and clobbered a significant number of pitches.

 Her senior year, she actually had 75% of the team's home runs. Of course, that was only three out of four. But still, Zoie was a potent hitter. She handled the pitching staff incredibly well.

 Her left arm gunned down many a potential base stealer. So that puts Zoie Smith as a type of catcher that deserved a spot in the Bucknell Hall of Fame. It is unlikely, due to the fact that her conference honors simply won't be that significant.

And her team, unfortunately, did not win many games while they were in the conference tournament several times. She was sharp-minded, intelligent. She was everything you wanted in a backstop.

You know, place her on some of the greatest Saint Francis teams and she mashes .360, has 10+ plus home runs, and is sure to follow a Hall of Famer in the batting lineup.

At first base, this might be surprising to people, but it's another Bucknellian. 

MaKenzie Hilling possessed not the size of a typical first baseman, but the zealous heart of a competitor. A ferocious team captain with a capable batting eye, she graduated with Bucknell's career record for walks. Hilling was the type of player, the type of first baseman that existed back in the dead ball era for baseball.

 She wasn't a power hitter, though she did have a home run in 2025 when the Bison knocked out Lehigh in the Patriot League Tournament. She knew how to get on base, hit for a decent average, work the count, and overall led with fiery example.

 At second base, I'd put Cheyenne McKee.

 Cheyenne was a player who did it all. An excellent example of leading by example. Cheyenne hit for average, hit for power, fielded, and could play any position.

 She played in the outfield as well at second base and did what the team needed her to do, which was perform. A better person than player, which is hard to believe, Cheyenne epitomized what Saint Francis Softball was in those glory years.

 Cheyenne was a machine dedicated to annihilating his opponents. The 2018 NEC Player of the Year, which surprisingly was a rare award for SFU softball stars, despite winning multiple championships.

 Shortstop, I'll have to go with the transfer of 2021, Jordan Petruchowski.

 Jordan Pietrzykoski was the epitome of pep and the type of player that, if she was not on your team, you would find horribly outrageous. But that was only the more reason for Red Flash fans to love her.

 She brought endless energy and a rebirth to a program that spent the COVID-abbreviated year searching how to survive in the new post-Hayley Norton era. She hit well, fielded her position, and locked down the left side of the infield with MeKenzie Saban. There's really not much more to say about JP other than she gave one of the best quotes in my St. Francis tenure with, “I love Jimmy John’s!”

Oh, I love Jimmy John’s. I loved watching Jordan Pietrzykoski play shortstop.

The third base pick is a pretty easy one. Mekenzie Saban.

Zoie Smith had a long, lengthy swing of a lefty. Saban's lefty swing was short, brutish, and just absolutely vicious to softballs.

She hit doubles like crazy, one of the league's best in the NCAA in every full-length season, becoming the NEC's double queen. A feat that I confirmed despite no longer employed at Saint Francis. Like I said, folks, good SIDs are rare.

She was probably the best pure hitter during Saint Francis' run of titles. She hit a few home runs as well, but her focus was just leading off, hitting above .400, and lashing at all kinds of balls. She walked occasionally, but really, with a hitter like Saban, you don't want her to walk.

You want her to hit pitches, to tell the world, this is who we are: a battalion of batters guaranteed to put 10-plus up on you. She got started in 2019 (sophomore year) and she never looked back.

In the outfield, starting in the left field, Hayley Norton, the NEC's home run queen. One of the reasons I spent most of 2019 tracking down record-setting milestone balls. She was an RBI machine as well, the perfect kind of cleanup hitter.

Destined to deliver all sorts of blows to the team. Hayley stole bases in her career, hit doubles, fielded well. Just an all-around great player.

Another lefty, her style was a bit like Zoie Smith. A lefty swing that was rather like Babe Ruth in its idea of, let's not worry about singles. Let's see how many launched angle homers we can place into the atmosphere.

If singles happen, so be it. We're going big game hunting. Her three-run double in the NEC final against Long Island won me my first ring.

It was a ball, that wasn't blasted, but it found a gap and kept rolling. It rolled and the bases cleared. She ended her career as a leader in everything.

Seeing as Saint Francis dropped down to Division III, she'll remain that.

Next up in center field, we have to go with Jordy Frank.

Jordy possessed the kind of glove that nabbed everything. A Skyhawk from DuBois, home of the McKee twins. Let it be said, every SFU ring came with a player from DuBois on the team. 

Jordy hit well. But her main job was to track down, dive, and annihilate all matters of line drives and fly balls. She caught the game-saving ball in the 2019 NEC Championship Game against Long Island.

 The Blackbirds were storming back before she nabbed a ball that halted their rally. She continued, as she was just a sophomore on that team, to play large roles in the 21 and 22 titles.

It's really not hard to look at Jordy and see the reason why Saint Francis' softball was great. She might not have been one of the A-plus superstars. But you don't have a dynasty with just three or four of those.

You have a dynasty with loads of other players that you can pencil into the lineup without care or concern. That was Jordy Frank.

And in right field, we have Sierra McKee, the other half of the McKee twin pairing.

Sierra was, as I dubbed her, the Countess of Clutch. She hit numerous grand slams, including one against New Mexico State for the first NCAA-win in Saint Francis' history.

Needless to say, if she needed a big hit, Sierra McKee would deliver. The type of vibrant devotion that only all-time players can provide. She hit homers, she hit doubles, she walked.

Oh, and she even floated in as catcher, occasionally. And despite her thoughts on the matter, did a bang-up job.

You win a lot of games with Sierra McKees. And that, my friends, counts for something.

 Pitchers. I'll go with a three-woman rotation here, because I think three works out well and it is a magic number

First of all, the #1 pitcher, Grace Vesco. Grace, the ace.

Grace Vesco, 2021, is as dominant as I've ever seen a pitcher be. She had a 1.00 ERA, and frankly, that should have been lower. The Akron scorer blatantly called an error hit, costing her two unearned runs.

Yeah, I'm still sore about it. Grace just left opponents in the proverbial dust. In the game that year against Bowling Green, she out-dueled Payton Gottshall, who now pitches in the AUSL, in a one-nothing classic that I had the pleasure of broadcasting on Facebook Live.

Many times, there were opponents, especially in the NEC, who went up and either didn't swing or half-heartedly swung, knowing they had no chance against the fearsome fastball that she could just unload upon opponents. She was the type of pitcher who showed no mercy when she was on, and displayed no mercy. She was easily the queen.

Second pitcher was her fellow teammate, Rachel Marsden. And you can't spell Rachel without ace.

 

Rachel was an ace as well. Conquering the second game after Grace won the first.

I mean, it was pretty easy living. Grace pitches the first, Rachel pitches the second, boom. Rachel also had offensive capabilities as well.

But as a pitcher, she was fantabulous. I'd also list Rachel as my DH due to that reason. But she did not hit when I was working at Saint Francis.

She was the type of player with a bulldog mentality. She might not have possessed Grace's pure talent, but she made up for it with a desire to have the ball. I loved her Pennsylvania grit that intensified her ability.

I loved watching her pitch, loved watching her hit from afar. And she could even field.

Third and final pitcher is easily Madison Roukey from Bucknell.

 Madison Roukey pitched, finished her career in the top ten in most Bucknell categories. She didn't have the gross win totals of Grace or Rachel. Again, wins and losses are often, even in softball, based on your team.

Maddie the Baddie, as I coined her after her ten strikeouts against Holy Cross in 2023, knew she had to usually keep things under two or three runs to win. She possessed a lot of guile, strength, and a desire to win.

Even more impressive was her backstory, losing her father during 2020 to a senseless shooting. But you would never know that after seeing Maddie, who wore a perpetual smile on her face, and still does. She was fun to watch.

She delivered a 1-0 win over Lehigh in 2024 Patriot League Tournament in the opening game. One of the best pitching outing I've seen live. She handcuffed the team that knocked her out of the box earlier in the year.

She was a great player, a great, even better person. And a pitcher who went out there and understood the assignment and made do with it. 

That's my starting lineup. I think I'm winning a lot of titles.

Thoughts on the UFL Announcement

The long, agonizing wait is finally over. On September 23, the UFL announced the locations that will replace the shuttered Birmingham and Houston franchises, along with the league's second expansion market for 2028.

Colorado and Rhode Island are set for 2027, while Utah joins Oklahoma City as part of the 2028 expansion.

UFL pundits tabbed Rhode Island as a popular pick with its USL stadium and a chance for the league to establish a northeastern outpost. Colorado received some attention — mostly because of the once-existing Denver Gold — but its reveal can safely be considered a surprise. 

AAF aficionados have long argued for Salt Lake City's return to spring football, blaming the Stallions' poor 2019 attendance partly on an early start and poor advertising. That's ironic considering how many in the UFL community still advocate for a February beginning. The UFL is treading old ground but Mike Repole can provide better fertilizer. 

Every possible market comes with a risk. There is no surefire thing in spring football. Texas, for example, was seen a fruitful market but declining attendance has pruned the Lone Star State to only Dallas. However, these three markets offer suitable stadiums and hungry fan bases. 

The biggest news from the announcement may be what wasn't announced. The Michigan Panthers will not, as of this moment, be returning until 2029 or later — barring an unexpected relocation. The proposed soccer stadium in Detroit hit a snag during construction. UFL fans have clung to the departed Panthers like a 25-year-old to his old high school crush. 

Popular guesses such as Austin, Boise, Las Vegas and New Orleans proved to be what so many rumors are: wishful thinking, clickbait and fan-driven dreaming. Vegas, with its tantalizing tidbit of Jon Gruden as head coach, was too much of a wish list item to be true. 

Colorado

Thoughts: Colorado Springs, home of the Air Force Academy, loves its sports. A picturesque city, nestled in the Rockies, opens a western wing for a league long consolidated in the Midwest and South. The stadium only seats 8,000 but can be expanded to over 10,000. Under Repole, the vision has shifted from too-large coliseums to cozy soccer stadiums. Colorado Springs fits the bill. 

Possible Monikers: Trailblazers, Trappers, Silver, Springboards

Rhode Island

Thoughts: The tiniest state in the union was home to the last defunct NFL franchise, the Providence Steam Roller, to win a league title. This version will play at Pawtucket (please spare us the Family Guy jokes) in the USL stadium. The opening video focused on waves crashing into the shore (Breakers resurrection?). The UFL needed new regions and New England represents the next bold move of Repole's vision.

Possible Monikers: Breakers, Whalers, Steam Roller Continentals, Privateers, Greene* 

Utah

Thoughts: In 2019, spring football failed in Utah with the Salt Lake City Stallions heading to the glue factory. Of course, the AAF, a recipient of overly indulgent nostalgia which has blinded its devotees to its seriously flawed foundation, failed everywhere except Orlando and San Diego. A late March start should avoid Utah's temperamental winter weather. Salt Lake City is familiar ground and certainly not as exciting as new territory, but the city has potential and if the metropolis is willing to play ball, the UFL can't ask for much more. 

Possible Monikers: Stallions, Mountaineers, Pioneers, Battalion, 

All told, Repole and the UFL arrived at three suitable locations. I might have hedged differently; personally I would have jousted for Pittsburgh or New Orleans, but the three cities offer potential for a league looking for another Louisville. 

*Why not honor one of America's best and overlooked generals: Nathanael Greene? We aren't celebrating 250 years without him. 

Why the Western Michigan-Michigan Ending Means More Than a Vetoed Upset

The Phantom Second, the Wolverine Ripoff, the Replay Mary, call the dramatic play whatever you want. The title does not matter. What matters is how Western Michigan was unjustly robbed of a victory. Of a lifetime defining moment. A program-defining moment. 

The Western Michigan players still have a story to tell their grandkids. Instead of a tale of heroism and victory over the odds; it will be a football folk tale of John Henry beating the machine but perishing in the effort. 

When justice fails; society turns inward and bitter. When that happens, a football loss, as painful it can be in the moment, registers low on the totem pole. 

Recent developments have already shaken fans' faith in college football. The sport seems determined to create apostates or devoted to culling the weak-willed of their belief. A small core cannot sustain college football. The casuals must believe. 

I love college football. Even if the sport hasn't returned my affections. I have seen Army come up short against ranked foes, in heartbreakers against Michigan and Oklahoma. Saint Francis recently dropped from Division I to Division III. Tonight, in a game between two teams of which I harbor no affection or hostility, I felt a gnawing pain that my allegiance and hours spent watching college football was a chasing of the wind. 

Will college football survive this scandal? It will. The sport is remarkably resilient. It survived player deaths in the early 1900s, two World Wars, pro football, conference expansion, and even with all the summer legal drama, thousands of people packed the stands today. However, each crack damages the foundation. Everything eventually falls apart. 

Restore some faith in the sport. Vacate the win and properly reward Western Michigan. 

Requiem for the Birmingham Stallions

It's the fate of spring football to inevitably end tragically. It's almost inappropriate that the Stallions do not go out as champions, but instead went out no longer on top, but a sad remnant, a failed dynasty, a decaying empire that could not withstand a new regime.

Birmingham ruled the United States Football League, won the first year of the UFL, won a division title the next year, and then floated away. A determined band, a dedicated core, was not enough to sustain them. The city simply never produced large enough numbers to appreciate the dynasty.

In fact, the numbers were never enough. Even when they were in the middle of the pack, it felt lackluster. Not enough came out to praise the conquering heroes of spring football.

The three-time title winners, the Kansas City Chiefs of modern spring football. We can say that perhaps it's unfair that Birmingham was on the chopping block. That other teams like Dallas have a pittance in its stands, yet its location as UFL headquarters shields the franchise from the executioner's axe.

But we must remember Birmingham, not as they went out, but as they once were. The galloping horses who owned the UFL, who owned the spring football prairie.

The UFL under Mike Repole has taken a new direction. A direction of smaller, intimate stadiums. Protective Stadium and her 47,000 seats do not fit that new viewpoint.

One can say perhaps marketing could have been better, and there's some truth to that. It could have been. It certainly lacked pizzazz for a sport that is a niche.

An audience of true football-dedicated diehards who love the game and vehemently know the names of folks like Alex McGough and J’Mar Smith without irony or hipster happiness. Unfortunately, those fans, like Birmingham's, are small in overall number. And perhaps we see that's why spring football rarely lasts.

Because how could it? It is the domain of those who see more than what and see beyond the NFL and college football's borders. Yet we could say that either way, spring football has had a strong stay in Birmingham. The Stallions have left their mark.

And maybe if it is just a brief couple of pages in the chapter of football's history, it's still a story that those won't remember. Of when Skip Holtz reigned supreme. Is it fair to say? It's hard to tell.

Fairness is not a goddess found much in spring football. She tends not to bestow her favors. Instead, she often is a vapor.

The Stallions won their first title when Case Cook found his leg broken in the 2022 United States Football League Championship game. Perhaps we can but say it comes around. But regardless of what happens with the Stallions, they did play.

They did win. And those are titles that can never be erased, even if their name passes into history.

My Two Cents on Brendan Sorsby - Not Sponsored by FanDuel

In case, you haven't heard, the NFL, like a weathervane followed popular opinion, announced today it would not hold a 2026 Supplemental Draft, effectively casting Brandon Sorsby adrift until the 2027 draft. The disgraced Texas Tech quarterback took another loss after the NCAA barred him from competition. 

UFL head honcho Mike Repole quickly filled the breach with another one of his must-see tweets:

Repole Stable

@RepoleStable

Welcome to the

@TheUFL

, Brendan Sorsby. The UFL is the league of opportunity. We created our Regional Player Initiative to keep great players closer to home, closer to their fans, and on the field. Let’s do this!!!!! Brendan Sorsby, welcome to the

@UFLRenegades

. Have your people call my people!!!!!

First off, Repole gonna Repole. The man enjoys his guerilla marketing more than the Viet Cong. No publicity is negative publicity and considering his successes, you can understand the strategic vision. What is worse than bad gossip? No gossip. The UFL exists but extra reminders, especially in the dead offseason, never hurt. Unlike the NFL, the UFL doesn't have an offseason that engages casuals. 

Secondly, the accompanying photo (posted below) screams AI. The off-brand XFL logo (rather sharp) and the misspelling of NoBull (apparently, AI spells like Scooby Doo) draws attention away from his offer. Spring football always battles perception. 

However, the graphic is irrelevant. Should Sorsby sign, he and the Renegades would be partners. Interesting, since Dallas has a capable quarterback in Austin Reed. Reed cooled off after his hot start but finished among the league leaders in several categories. 

The NFL could bar Sorsby for the year because the Shield doesn't need him and can afford to virtue signal. An extra good quarterback never hurts, of course, but his presence isn't that important. But the UFL? It could always use another bolt of talent at the most important position in football. 

2026 UFL QBs were a shifting lot. The United Bowl saw two starters combine for 40 yards at halftime. Luis Perez rapidly aged, Ta'amu went down with an ACL injury, and most of the others ranged from Rosie O'Donnell in a bikini to closing time acceptable. That is the lot of spring football. The best quarterbacks succeed and move on to backup roles in the CFL (Perkins), practice squad conversion to wide receiver (McGough), and NFL backup purgatory (PJ Walker). 

Will Sorsby accept Repole's offer? Likely not. He will fight for access to NFL riches. Would his signature on an UFL contract help the league? Indeed, it will, should he prove talented. Modern spring football needs another Kurt Warner. Kickers are nice and they put the foot in football. However, a star quarterback would signify its importance in development. 

UFL: United Bowl Review

 The 2026 United Bowl delivered packed stands, a record-long Beer Snake that slithered like Kaa around Audi Field, and a game that wasn't decided until the final minutes. Mike Repole and the league couldn't request much more from the fickle football gods. 

Thrice time was the charm for a close United Bowl. The inaugural edition in 2024 featured a dull 25-0 Stallions romp over the offensively-challenged Brahmas and the incredibly, risk-averse Chase Grabers. Last year's edition featured 92 points but the Defenders held solid control in a 58-34 firefight. 

The 3 p.m. ABC timeslot slide in perfectly before the night's NBA finals. The competing World Cup game was a C-Lister affair between Qatar and Switzerland. Hopefully, the report featured, at least, 1.5 million viewers. The game trended on X. Spring football continues its positive upward momentum. 

The city of Louisville clearly embraced its winner. The bridge lit up in a Halloween-green and social media buzzed about the win. Chris Redman, the hometown boy, delivered the goods after retooling the roster from a 0-3 start. With a couple of changes on the offensive lines and the cutting of Benny Snell, the Kings went from barely running better than a one-legged mule to dashing for long touchdowns. 

The only blemish stemmed from the horrendous quarterback play. Jason Bean and Chandler Rogers combined for 40 yards at halftime. 50 Cent had more yardage in his name than the two QBs. EJ Perry replaced the injured Bean (spoiler alert!) and threw for 50 yards. Rogers finished with an anemic 81 yards and two interceptions. A casual's stereotype for spring football is dismal quarterbacking. The 2026 United Bowl didn't shake that impression. But it did feature a Defender chugging a beer after a touchdown. That beats Dak Prescott any day. 

DC 20, Louisville 27

In a strange quirk, DC was technically the away team, but the raucous Audi Field crowd left no doubt that the stands were not a two-party affair. (A little capital humor for my readers). DC dominated early and should have led by more except running back Xazavian Valladay fumbled while heading for the end zone. Still, a Matt McCrane field goal provided a 3-0 lead after the first quarter. 

DC's butterfingers returned in the second quarter. Ty Scott fumbled and Eric Garror returned the sphere 12 yards for the opening touchdown. Valladay redeemed himself for his earlier fumble with a 51-yard touchdown. McCrane added two field goals in the final two minutes and DC led 16-7 at halftime. With Louisville's offense looking more tragic than a nerd's prom plans, DC fans were right to feel confident. 

Louisville tried the field goal game in the third quarter with future NFL kicker Tanner Brown knocking home two attempts. In between the scores, Bean suffered an injury. 

That opened the door for Louisville to make its move. The Kings undertook a drive and opened the fourth quarter with Ian Wheeler's 44-yard touchdown run. DC tried to strike back on the next drive and Perry delivered a long strike to Cornell Powell. Unfortunately, he was called for offensive pass interference. The drive ended with a Perry interception. Louisville was set up at DC's 25 and the Kings scored again for the 27-16 lead. 

DC, unlike at Bladensburg in 1814, refused to give up and McCrane kicked a 60-yard field goal for four points. Louisville's next drive went down as one of the most cautious attempts in recorded history and the Kings punted. Perry drove the Defenders down to the Louisville six-yard-line. Facing a 4th and 5, he had a wide-open receiver but the interior pressure forced an errant throw. The Kings took over with 1:52 remaining and drained the clock for the win. 

Three years and three different UFL champions. Parity, thy mine is spring football. 

UFL Playoffs Review

The first round of the UFL playoffs did not disappoint! Both games were one-score affairs (gotta love the three-point option) and the crowds were engaged and excited. Homefield advantage melted away under the Daytona sun and the Kaw is not the Law in St. Louis according to the Kings' degree. Both Coach Becht and his old franchise St. Louis continue their quest for that elusive first playoff win. 

The switch to Daytona was a last-minute change by Repole and the league and it worked beautifully. The team drew over 6k to the stadium - a number certainly higher than anything the original plan of hosting the game in Columbus would have collected. 

Unfortunately, the Storm faithful saw Becht continue his journey into the Jim Mora Sr. of the UFL. Another solid 8-2 regular season disappeared into playoff disappointment. 30-10 in the regular season washed away by 0-3 in the playoffs. 

St. Louis delivered a respectable crowd to the Dome that, once again, left in misery. The Battlehawks' attendance plunged 20% this season and the brief feedback online has many fans threatened to yield their season tickets. Now, much of that might be heat-of-the-moment exasperation but the league could have used a win for Birds. 

Louisville continued its Cinderella campaign. The Kings started 0-3 before trading Jason Bean - which in a marvelous twist will be their foe on Saturday in the United Bowl - and rolling to the 6-4 finish and now a playoff win. A team that once couldn't run the ball on a Pop Warner team has ripped off massive gains. Chandler Rogers is consistent and the defense swarms. 

DC 28, Orlando 22

The key to a playoff upset is a fast start. DC roared to a 14-6 lead on two short rushing touchdowns. Orlando answered with two field goals but eschewed a third three-point attempt in lieu of a 4th and goal try. The chance failed and momentum returned to the Defenders. Take the points in the first half. DC missed the opportunity to cash in before halftime when McCrane inexplicably shanked a 28-yard attempt. 

The Defenders added a field goal and were driving for more points when Bean went down with an arm injury. Backup Spencer Sanders entered the game and threw a tragic pick six on a screen pass. Orlando was alive, as Sanders' career died. The cruel camera caught him, squatting down before the bench in gross acknowledgment. 

Bean returned to the game and calmed the storm with a devastating touchdown drive, capped by a 33-yard pass. Orlando renewed its strategy of relying to seven points with three. McCrane answered with a 60-yard field goal (counting for four points in the UFL). Because in spring football, that is how kickers roll. Miss the put. Make the eagle. 

DC went into a softer-than-Neville Chamberlain prevent defense and Orlando scored with three minutes left. The three-point conversion failed but they had life down 28-22. Becht controversially passed up the 4th and 12 chance, trusting his gashed defense and three timeouts. The gambit failed. DC gained two first downs and drained the clock. The defending champions remain alive. 

Louisville 29, St. Louis 20

The Kings possibly ended the Spring King's reign with a road playoff win. The affair went back-and-forth before a Perez red zone interception ended the contest. Perez had more pass attempts (45) than Louisville had plays (42) but the Kings maximized their possessions and used big running plays to drive past the Battlehawks.

Louisville scored first on a 53-yard touchdown run by James Robinson. St. Louis responded with a field goal before Tanner Brown connected on a four-point 60-yard bomb. 

The second quarter was all St. Louis with the Battlehawks tallying two touchdowns for a 17-11 halftime lead. 

Rogers found Winstead for a 9-yard touchdown pass and Louisville regained the 18-17 advantage. St. Louis replied with a field goal for a 20-18 lead. The Battlehawks missed a prime opportunity to extend their lead when Perez missed a wide-open McBride. 

Louisville capitalized on the miss when Ian Wheeler darted 55 yards for a touchdown. St. Louis challenged for a block in the back but Dean Blandino disagreed. The Battlehawks drove down the field but their red zone reception disappeared when Louisville challenged for holding. The penalty was obvious. St. Louis' drive went backwards and their 4th and 26 attempt was batted down. 

The Kings moved the ball to St. Louis' 45 and faced a 4th and 6 decision. Brown told his coach he would make the field goal. Redman trusted his kicker and Brown booted a 63-yard missile for the 29-20 lead and a possible NFL contract.

The Battlehawks refused to cede and drove down the field looking for the tying score. Their last ditch effort perished when Chambers picked off Perez, who was seeking Butler, in the end zone. Louisville knelt down and the Kings punched their ticket for the United Bowl.