The inaugural season of Athletes Unlimited Softball League saw history being made as the Talons won the first-ever Championship Series on Sunday, July 27 in Tuscaloosa. Ala. After a 1-0 triumph over the Bandits in the second game, the Talons were presented the trophy on Rhoads Stadium by league commissioner Kim Ng and happily celebrated their title with champagne showers. Although Mother Nature caused delays in the middle of both games, the flock swept the outlaws and gave up only once run to their opponent during the entire showdown.
Rain or shine, Talons snatch AUSL title with top-flight pitching staff
The Talons were leading the first game 3-1 on Saturday until a weather delay in the sixth inning postponed play. As neither team scored after the game resumed on Sunday, the Talons won and were one dub away from the trophy. Talons pitcher Georgina Corrick remained undefeated in her last season appearance as a starter, while her teammate Megan Faraimo along with the Bandits’ Odicci Alexander and Emiley Kennedy also commanded the circle.
The championship finale began with both teams scoreless in a stalemate that lasted five innings. Bandits pitcher McQuillin and Montana Fouts of the Talons each recorded four strikeouts as both defenses cancelled each other out while the score remained tied.
Right before the fifth inning rolled in, the Bandits’ Lexi Kilfoyl returned to the circle after appearing on Saturday and relieved McQuillin yet rain begain pouring down again, which resulted in an hour-and-a half delay. After the tarp was taken off the field, the scoreless tie continued as Kilfoyl and Fouts had one batter struck out.
After the sixth inning began with Kilfoyl tossing her second strikeout, the stalemate broke when Talons third baseman Sydney Romero smacked a homerun to the left field and put the flock in the lead with the lone run. Fouts continued pecking at the Bandits with her sixth strikeout of the day, keeping the robbers away from home plate while the Talons led 1-0.
As the Talons inched closer towards the finish line in the seventh inning, Kilfoyl tossed her last strikeout of the season though the Bandits themselves were unable to respond with their offense. The seventh strikeout by Fouts ended the finals with the Talons shutting out the Bandits 1-0 and becoming the inaugural AUSL champions.
Fouts carried the weight in the circle for the Talons in the title-deciding game where the location happened to be a homecoming to her alma mater Alabama, where she played her decorated college softball career from 2019 to 2023. She threw seven strikeouts in the circle for a complete seven-inning shutout, while Corrick and Faraimo each tossed two Ks in the first game. Catcher Sharlize Palacios led the batting lineup going two-for-four at the plate with one run, and four players contributed to the offense by scoring once throughout the finals.
Kilfoyl tossed eight strikeouts on the mound for the Bandits and pitched for seven innings. Shortstop Erin Coffel, who was announced as the league’s MVP before the first championship game, tapped the most hits going three-for-five, and third baseman Delanie Wisz scored the lone run for the 2025 runners-up.
The champions have been crowned, but Athletes Unlimited Softball isn’t done yet for 2025
While the traditional team-based Athletes Unlimited Softball League is expected to return bigger and better next year, fans get one more month of professional softball with the AUSL All-Star Cup (formerly known as Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball from 2020-2024) around the corner. Nearly every player this season will face one another in an individual points format where the top four earners after each series become the team captain and draft players onto their team.
After the Series 1 draft to be held Thursday, July 31, Team Aleshia Ocasio (Blue) will take on Team Kilfoyl (Orange) followed by Team Amanda Lorenz (Gold) facing Team Corrick (Purple) Saturday, Aug. 2. The first pitch for the season opener is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT at Ting Stadium in Holly Springs, N.C., followed by game two slated for 3:30 p.m. CT at the same location. Both games will be broadcast on ESPN2.