Fouts breaks the win record, Bri Ellis walks it off, and Utah stays on top
A walk-off Fourth across the AUSL: Montana Fouts sets a single-season win record, Bri Ellis caps Utah's home finale, and Chicago rips off six straight to grab second.
It was a walk-off Fourth of July across the AUSL — records fell, an expansion team's skid ended, and Maya Brady came back with a bang — while out in Colorado, the world's largest youth fastpitch tournament crowned its champions. Two weeks left in the pro regular season, and every game now matters.
Lead Off
The defending-champion Utah Talons closed their inaugural home schedule in Salt Lake City exactly the way a title team should — with fireworks. Tied 4–4 in the bottom of the seventh on the Fourth of July, Bri Ellis ambushed the first pitch she saw from Carolina's Karlyn Pickens and drove it over the left-field wall for a 5–4 walk-off, capping a comeback from an early Reese Atwood barrage. Montana Fouts had already made history, spinning two shutout relief innings to earn her seventh win of the season — a new AUSL single-season record — as Utah improved to 13–5 to stay atop the standings.
Why it matters: A six-team league with annual roster churn is built to breed parity, and it has — but the Talons keep answering. With the regular season down to its final two weeks, the team to beat still wears green. AUSL →
By the Numbers
200%+ — the jump in AUSL merchandise revenue during the season's opening month versus its 2025 debut, with Portland's Hillsboro Ballpark opener setting an Athletes Unlimited record for single-game merch sales. Rookie jerseys are leading the way. Source · AUSL.
Scoreboard
Last 7 days — a walk-off Fourth
| Final | Note |
|---|---|
| Talons 5–4 Blaze (Salt Lake City) | Bri Ellis' first-pitch walk-off caps the home finale; Fouts' record 7th win in relief |
| Bandits 7–5 Volts (July 6) | Seventh straight win; Chicago climbs to 11–7, two back of Utah |
| Bandits 3–2 Volts (July 4) | Sami Williams' two-run walk-off homer in the 8th sets the AUSL single-season RBI record (29) |
| Spark 12–3 Cascade (run rule) | Maya Brady returns; Sydney Romero drives in five |
| Cascade 8–4 Spark (OKC) | Carley Hoover's complete game and Kendra Falby's bases-clearing triple snap a 3-game skid |
This week — 5 to watch
| When | What | Watch |
|---|---|---|
| Mon Jul 6 | AUSL trade deadline — last call before the postseason push | theausl.com |
| Tue Jul 7 | Blaze at Cascade — Portland opens a 9-game closing home stand | ESPN2 |
| Thu Jul 9 | Talons at Spark (Oklahoma City) — Patty Gasso on the call | ESPNU |
| Fri Jul 10 | Blaze at Volts — Austin "Champions Night," Kavan & Faucette first pitches | theausl.com |
| Sat Jul 25 | AUSL Championship opens at Davis Diamond | College Station |
Two weeks left and five of six teams are still alive.
Hot Corner
1. Fans name the first 10 All-Star Cup invitees
The AUSL revealed the first wave of its Aug. 8–30 All-Star Cup field in Rosemont, chosen by fans who voted June 15–30. Carolina led with four (Reese Atwood, Karlyn Pickens, Alyssa Brito, Dakota Kennedy), Utah landed three (Bri Ellis, Jordan Woolery, Jayda Coleman), Portland two (Megan Grant, Sis Bates) and Texas one (Rylie Boone). More names are coming as the showcase field fills to 45. AUSL →
2. Chicago rips off six straight to seize second
A team that started slow is suddenly the league's hottest. The Bandits have won seven in a row to climb to 11–7, two games behind Utah, while leading the AUSL in runs scored. Sami Williams has been the engine, setting a new single-season league RBI record (29) and delivering a Fourth of July walk-off of her own. AUSL →
3. Portland snaps its skid behind Hoover's gem
After being run-ruled by Oklahoma City and dropping three straight, the Cascade flipped the script 8–4 as Carley Hoover threw a complete game and Kendra Falby cleared the bases with a triple in a seven-run third. Portland now opens its season-ending nine-game home stand at Hillsboro Ballpark. AUSL →
4. Maya Brady returns and OKC's offense erupts
Reactivated from the seven-day injury list, Maya Brady slid back into the leadoff spot and the Spark rolled 12–3, with Sydney Romero driving in five on a home run and a double. OKC had gone 1–5 without Brady; coach Amber Flores now calls it "the best one, two, three punch in the league." AUSL →
5. A home-run robbery crowns the Sparkler's 18U national champ
Out in Aurora, Colorado, Triple Crown's Colorado 4th of July — the world's largest youth fastpitch tournament — crowned its 18U National Power Pool champ, and defense won it. Oklahoma Athletics National edged TN Mojo Ramsey 7–5 in eight innings; after Brooklyn Wells' tiebreaking two-run homer, Nadia Jeffries leaped over the center-field fence to rob a game-tying blast and end it. The circle was a duel of top recruits — Oklahoma commit Keegan Baker (No. 18) against Alabama commit Lyla Morici (No. 9). Triple Crown →
From the Dugout
Podcast pick: In the Circle (D1Softball) — D1Softball's crew break down the AUSL pennant race and the summer development calendar in fresh July episodes. Takeaway: summer is bullpen-management season — track your pitcher's weekly pitch count the way the pros do and build in a true recovery day, not just a lighter one. Listen →
Clip of the week: @aj_andrews_ — the first woman to win a Rawlings Gold Glove, A.J. Andrews breaks down outfield reads and glove work in clips built for sharing; a quick, rewatchable save before your outfielder's next practice.
Worth a read: The portal dominoes keep falling into summer — Florida State's Jaysoni Beachum and LSU's Tori Edwards headline the movers. On3's 2026–27 transfer portal tracker is the cleanest way to follow who lands where.
Play of the Week
Sami Williams caps the Fourth with a walk-off for the Bandits
On the Fourth of July, Chicago's Sami Williams did what she's done all season — ended it herself. With the game on the line, the Bandits' record-setting infielder turned on a pitch for a two-run, walk-off homer in the bottom of the 8th to beat the Volts 3–2 — one of two AUSL walk-offs across the league that Fourth of July. She's been the heartbeat of Chicago's seven-game surge into second place, and this was the exclamation point.
Source: @ausl_bandits · Watch the full clip →
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