Professional softball is here, and it’s officially for real.
The Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) is in its second season of operation with six teams (Chicago Bandits, Carolina Blaze, Portland Cascade, Oklahoma City Spark, Utah Talons and Texas Volts).
The league, with significant investment from Major League Baseball, moved to a permanent city-based structure for 2026. These moves have paid off as a massive TV ratings boost of over 200 percent from the 2025 season has transpired.
As one of the dominant programs in college, Florida softball has seven players competing this season. The number was eight before the season, but Amanda Lorenz took the season off due to the birth of her first child.
The seven Gators have made their mark. The 30 game regular season ends Monday, July 20. The No. 2 and 3 teams in the standings will meet in a one game play-in on Thursday, July 23. The winner will face the No. 1 seed in a best-of-three championship series, held from July 25-27.
As of Wednesday, July 15, defending champion Utah Talons are the No. 1 seed. The Bandits and Cascade sit at two and three, respectively.
Here are how the former Gators are doing in the AUSL:
Kenleigh Cahalan, Portland Cascade
In her rookie season, Cahalan has played in 21 games for the Cascade. She holds a .189 batting average with 10 hits, seven runs, two home runs and six RBIs in 53 at-bats.
Jocelyn Erickson, Chicago Bandits
Like Cahalan, Erickson moved straight from the end of the Gators season to the Bandits. She’s played 19 games with 49 at-bats. In those games, she has eight runs, 12 hits, a home run and eight RBIs.
Kendra Falby, Portland Cascade
Falby, who wasn’t drafted in 2025, is enjoying fine success with the surging Cascade after a season as the Gators first base coach. She’s hitting .268 with eight runs and 15 hits. She’s even done something she seldom did with the Orange and Blue – hit a home run. Now, we just have to wonder if the pregame Carrabba’s runs are still a thing.
Korbe Otis, Portland Cascade
The Gators third member of the Cascade, Otis is having the most success at the plate. It probably helps this is her second campaign in the league. Her 14 runs, 20 hits and 13 RBIs rank in the top 10 of the league. She has three home runs as well with .485 slugging percentage.
Skylar Wallace, Chicago Bandits
Injuries have hampered Wallace’s season to an extent, but when the Gators program legend has been healthy, she’s been a hitting machine – just like she was in Gainesville. She has 15 hits in 32 at-bats for a .469 batting average. Her on-base percentage of .568 also tops the league.
Aleshia Ocasio, Carolina Blaze
Ocasio might have left Florida eight years ago in 2018, but she hasn’t lost any of her step with the Blaze. Playing both ways, Ocasio has 10 hits and seven RBIs at the plate. In the circle, Ocasio has hurled 21.2 innings with a 2-1 record and a 3.23 ERA.
Kelsey Stewart-Hunter, Texas Volts
One of the newest members of the UF Athletic Hall of Fame, Stewart-Hunter has played five games for the Volts. She holds a .111 batting average with an RBI double. This is despite her collegiate career ending a full decade ago.
Noah Ram covers Florida Gators athletics and Gainesville-area high school sports for The Gainesville Sun, GatorSports.com and the USA TODAY Network. Contact him at nram@usatodayco.com. Follow him on X @Noah_ram1, Instagram @Ramreporter and Facebook Noah Ram – Reporter.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: The AUSL season is in full swing. How are former Florida softball players doing?
Reporting by Noah Ram, Gainesville Sun / The Gainesville Sun
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By Noah Ram, Gainesville Sun | USA TODAY Network
