All things considered, the Talons and Bandits proved to be the two best teams in the AUSL season. They faced off for the first-ever AUSL Championship at Rhoads Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Looking at the pitching, both teams finished in the top two in strikeouts and in strikes thrown.
Offensively, they are in the top two in nearly every category, including batting average, home runs, and Runs Batted In (RBIs). Also, several season award winners squared off. That being said, here is a look of the series between the Talons and Bandits.
AUSL Championship Showdown In Tuscaloosa
In Game One, the weather pushed back the action from Saturday afternoon to start off on Sunday. The offense stalled over the first three innings until the Bandits found the scoreboard in the top of the fourth. Bubba Nickles-Camarena hit an RBI single to left field for the 1-0 lead.
However, a Tori Vidales solo homer to right center for the Talons tied the game in the bottom of the inning. Caroline Jacobsen added an RBI on a fielder’s choice while Vidales hit a sacrifice fly RBI in the fifth for a 3-1 Talons lead.
Ultimately, the Talons would win with that score behind the stellar pitching of Georgina Corrick and Megan Faraimo. Corrick, the AUSL Pitcher of the Year, went six innings as Faraimo closed it out in the seventh for the save.
Looking at Game Two, the Talons are one game away from a championship as the Bandits looked to push it to a Game Three. Without question, it was all about the pitching as the bats were on ice for the first five innings.
Ending The AUSL Season In Dramatic Fashion
In the end, the lone offense came from the bat of Sydney Romero for the Talons in the top of sixth with a solo homer off of Lexi Kilfoyl. For the Talons, the celebration was on as they make history as the inaugural champions of the AUSL.
Montana Fouts went the distance, allowing five hits with seven strikeouts. Despite the loss, Kilfoyl struck out four in three innings of work as Taylor McQuillin started the game.
TALONS. IN. TWO. 🏆 pic.twitter.com/3Kd3bLycXu
— Talons | AUSL (@AUSL_Talons) July 27, 2025
Although they came up on the losing side, the Bandits had an incredible season. Case in point, Erin Coffel as both the Offensive Player of the Year and league MVP. Also, four players finished the regular season in the top five in home runs: Morgan Zerkle (9), Nickles-Camarena (7), Skylar Wallace (6), and Coffel (5).
Nobody could corral @erincoffel5 this season 🤠
— Bandits | Athletes Unlimited Softball League (@AUSL_Bandits) July 26, 2025
Add AUSL MVP to her list of accolades this season!!! 🩵 pic.twitter.com/zG0MNZURko
What’s Next For The AUSL?
Next month, 60 players will be competing against one another over the course of four weeks in the AUSL Cup. The action will take in Greenville and Holly Springs, North Carolina as well as in Rosemont, Illinois. Four teams, Gold, Orange, Blue, and Purple, will play against each other, with plenty of points up for grabs.
The Week One captains will be:
Amanda Lorenz (Gold)
Kilfoyl (Orange)
Aleshia Ocasio (Blue)
Corrick (Purple)
It begins on August 2 in Holly Springs and concludes in Aug 31 in Rosemont. Fans can watch in attendance and/or on ESPN platforms.
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