The Utah Talons, Utah’s professional softball team, won the 2026 Athletes Unlimited Softball League championship on Sunday.
The 6-1 Game 2 victory over the Chicago Bandits made the Talons back-to-back AUSL champions. The Talons won the inaugural title in 2025 before moving to Utah this season.
“The first time I met all of (the players) on a call in March, I asked them what their mission was, and they said to repeat,” first-year Talons coach Cindy Ball-Malone told reporters after the game. “All I’m gonna say is, job well done. So incredibly proud of them, and I’m pinching myself with this opportunity. I feel so blessed.”
Talons pitcher Montana Fouts, who was named the 2026 AUSL Pitcher of the Year before the championship series, pitched a complete game to seal the victory.
She gave up just one run and eight hits while also striking out four batters. The lone run came in the final inning.
In last season’s championship, Fouts also pitched a complete Game 2 to clinch the inaugural title with a 1-0 victory over the Bandits.
On Sunday, she praised her teammates and noted the motivation they give her.
“I’m super blessed with the opportunity to be around these amazing people. I mean, it’s pretty hard to not want to get better whenever these are your teammates, those are your coaches,” she said. “ … I feel like a lot of my internal dialogue was, like, if you can’t muscle it up for you, then you’re gonna muscle it up for them.”
Outfielder Jadelyn Allchin put the Talons on the scoreboard early with a two-run homer in the first inning. She later drove in another run off a double in the fourth.
Infielders Bri Ellis and Savannah Jaquish added their own home runs in the fifth and seventh innings, respectively.
After the game, Ellis said that the biggest difference between this season’s championship and last season’s was the Talons’ offense, adding that the team wanted to show up for Fouts.
“We came out and hit today for you,” she said. “Because how many games did you have us on your back? It’s about time for us to pick up and show up for her.”
The team plans to three-peat in 2027, according to shortstop and former Ute Hannah Flippen, who said the Talons are “making AUSL history every year.”
“Write it down,” Ellis added.
