Statistics update of Arizona standouts in AUSL (6/16)

Alyssa Denham had back surgery two years ago to correct a ruptured disk. The injury was serious enough to force her to announce her retirement. In November 2024, Denham had surgery and the procedure included the placement of a spinal fusion cage, a prosthetic device inserted between vertebrae. During her rehabilitation, she felt strong enough to try pitching again, and she felt like she was able to make a return. Her childhood friend Cat Osterman is the general manager of the Texas Volts. On Dec. 1, Osterman selected selected four athletes to add to her team in the expansion draft, and with her second pick, Osterman picked Denham. “It’s an extreme blessing to get to play,” Denham told MLB.com. “So it’s going to give me the opportunity, I think, to play the freest that I’ve ever played.” She was forced to go on the injured list (undisclosed reason) a day after her first appearance on June 10, when she pitched six solid innings in an 8-5 win over Oklahoma City. Denham secured the victory after allowing three runs on four hits with three strikeouts over six innings. It marked her first appearance in the circle since Aug. 25, 2024, when she threw 2 1/3 scoreless innings against Team Corrick in the AU Pro Softball Championship Season finale.