Utah clinches first as Chicago's record streak turns the AUSL race into a sprint
The Talons lock up the AUSL's first postseason berth, the Bandits rip off a league-record ninth straight, and NiJaree Canady finally gets her first pro win — with one week to play.
One week left in the AUSL regular season and the playoff picture is snapping into focus: Utah is officially in, Chicago won't stop winning, NiJaree Canady got her long-awaited first pro win, and Carolina's push has come apart. Let's dig in.
Lead Off
The defending-champion Utah Talons (14–6) became the first team to punch a 2026 AUSL postseason ticket, rallying past the Oklahoma City Spark 5–4 on Saturday. Trailing 3–2 in the seventh, Jadelyn Allchin homered to tie it before Sharlize Palacios crushed a two-out, two-run blast, and Megan Faraimo slammed the door with 10 strikeouts in a complete game. The win protects Utah's grip on the No. 1 seed — and the automatic bye to a Championship that opens July 25 on ABC, the first professional softball game ever broadcast on network television.
Why it matters: With one week of the regular season left, the top seed skips the July 23 play-in entirely. Chicago (13–7) is only a game back on a league-record nine-game win streak, so Utah can't exhale yet — the sprint to protect that bye is on. AUSL →
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By the Numbers
.318 — Chicago's team batting average during its record run, the best in the AUSL. The Bandits also lead the league in hits, runs, doubles, and triples, with a .412 on-base percentage and .533 slugging. Their offense, not just their arms, is powering the streak. Source · AUSL.
Scoreboard
Last 7 days — the race tightens
| Final | Note |
|---|---|
| Talons 5–4 Spark (Sat) | Palacios' two-out, two-run homer clinches the AUSL's first postseason berth; Faraimo fans 10 in a complete game |
| Bandits 2–0 Cascade (Sat) | Kat Sandercock's three-hit shutout runs Chicago's streak to a league-record nine |
| Volts 4–3 Blaze (Sat) | Jackie Lis' walk-off single; Carolina's fifth straight loss, fourth by walk-off |
| Volts 1–0 Blaze (Fri, 8 inn.) | NiJaree Canady's first pro win — a complete-game shutout and Texas's first shutout in franchise history |
This week — 5 to watch
| When | What | Watch |
|---|---|---|
| Tue–Sun Jul 14–20 | Final regular-season week — play-in seeding on the line | ESPN networks |
| Wed Jul 15 | Volts' home finale — Vince Young throws the first pitch | theausl.com |
| Sun Jul 20 | Regular season ends; No. 1 seed locks the Championship bye | ESPN |
| Thu Jul 23 | AUSL Play-In Game: No. 2 vs No. 3 at Davis Diamond | ESPN |
| Fri Jul 25 | Championship Game 1 — first pro softball game on network TV | ABC |
One week to sort the seeds — then the road to College Station begins.
Hot Corner
1. Chicago sets an AUSL record with nine straight wins
The team that started slow is now the hottest in pro softball. The Bandits reeled off a league-record nine consecutive wins to climb to 13–7, a game behind Utah, and Kat Sandercock authored the latest — a three-hit, six-strikeout shutout of Portland, escaping a bases-loaded jam that coach Shonda Stanton called "a game-changer for the season." Chicago now leads the AUSL in nearly every offensive category. AUSL →
2. NiJaree Canady breaks through with her first pro win
Softball's most-watched rookie got her moment. NiJaree Canady — the sport's first million-dollar NIL name — threw a complete-game shutout in a 1–0, eight-inning walk-off over Carolina, the Texas Volts' first shutout in franchise history and the first win of her pro career. She stranded nine Blaze runners, including a bases-loaded escape in the sixth, to snap an eight-game team skid. AUSL →
3. Carolina's playoff push is in freefall
A month ago the Blaze looked like contenders; now they can't close. Jackie Lis' walk-off single handed Carolina (8–11) its fifth straight loss — four of them by walk-off — sliding the Blaze out of the play-in picture with a week to play. Karlyn Pickens struck out eight, but the bats went quiet late again. AUSL →
4. AUSL stars light up MLB All-Star Week — Garcia takes MVP
Softball got a marquee-stage moment on Sunday. Four AUSL players — the Volts' Rachel Garcia, NiJaree Canady, and Tiare Jennings, plus Carolina's Alyssa Brito — anchored teams in the inaugural MLBx: All-Star 3-on-3 at Citizens Bank Park during MLB All-Star Week, alongside Phillies and Braves legends. Garcia stole it: she launched the event's only walk-off homer to win her semifinal, then poured in a game-high 18 points to carry Team Victorino to the title and take home MVP. MLB →
5. Recruiting's summer sprint hits full stride
With PGF Nationals looming later this month, the commitment wire is buzzing. Extra Inning Softball's "I Committed" series and Master Verbal database are tracking a fresh wave of Class of 2027 pledges, while summer showcases like Stars Over Alabama drew more than 100 travel teams this weekend. If you follow one recruiting feed between now and August, make it this one. Extra Inning Softball →
From the Dugout
Podcast pick: Everything Fastpitch — The Podcast (Tory Acheson & Don McKinlay) has been dissecting the AUSL season, right down to the strategy of pitching around a red-hot hitter. Takeaway: when opponents keep walking your best bat, the at-bat that decides the game belongs to the hitter behind her — so rep your 4- and 5-hole hitters on driving a runner in from second, not just swinging for the fence. Listen →
Clip of the week: @risesoftballdt — Coach Melissa's Rise Softball feed serves up bite-size softball-IQ and mechanics breakdowns built for sharing; a quick, rewatchable save before your player's next lesson.
Worth a read: The final-week seeding math is genuinely fun this year. MLB.com's AUSL hub is the cleanest way to track who joins Utah in College Station.
Play of the Week
Rylie Boone hits the dirt for a SportsCenter Top 10 gem
The Volts have had a rough season, but Rylie Boone gave Round Rock a reason to roar. Laying out full-extension in the dirt, the former Sooner smothered a hard-hit ball and popped up to make the throw — a play clean enough to land at No. 7 on SportsCenter's Top 10 for the night. In a lost year, it was a reminder that the Texas defense can still make you hit rewind.
Source: @ausl_volts · SportsCenter Top 10 · Watch the full clip →
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