AUSL Notebook, June 28-July 4: Sami Williams Sets RBI Record as Bandits Win Five Straight

The Chicago Bandits won all four of their games in the AUSL’s fourth week and climbed to second place. Sami Williams set the league’s single-season RBI record on the Fourth of July. This notebook covers Sunday, June 28, through Saturday, July 4.

Bandits reach .500, then keep going

Chicago beat Oklahoma City 8-6 on Sunday and came home Tuesday to beat the Portland Cascade 13-3 in five innings. That win put the Bandits at .500 for the first time this season after their 0-4 start.

Williams drove in seven runs in that game, which the AUSL said ties the league’s single-game record. Four came on a grand slam in a seven-run third inning.

The Bandits beat Portland again Thursday, 11-3 in five innings. The league said Chicago had outscored opponents 46-12 over the four-game streak to that point. Skylar Wallace had four singles, and Morgan Zerkle drove in four runs.

“Talk about dynamic, Skylar is like a supercharger, infusing this lineup with her tone and leadership,” head coach Shonda Stanton said.

Williams’ record on the Fourth

Rain and lightning delayed Saturday’s game against Texas in Rosemont by almost four and a half hours. The 3:30 p.m. start didn’t happen until 7:48.

Lexi Kilfoyl threw eight innings without allowing an earned run. The Volts took a 2-1 lead in the top of the eighth on a Dejah Mulipola RBI double. In the bottom half, Williams hit a two-run walk-off home run to left for a 3-2 win.

The two RBIs gave her 29 for the season, one more than the record of 28 that teammate Erin Coffel set in 2025.

“Not surreal here,” Stanton said. “I expect it. Like every time she comes up, you expect her to do damage.”

Chicago’s five-game winning streak moved the Bandits to 9-7.

Ellis walks off in Utah’s last home game

The Utah Talons closed their home schedule in Salt Lake City on Saturday by beating Carolina 5-4. With the game tied in the bottom of the seventh, Bri Ellis hit Karlyn Pickens‘ first pitch over the left-field fence.

Montana Fouts threw two scoreless innings of relief for her seventh win, which the AUSL said is a league single-season record.

On Wednesday, Jayda Coleman came up with two outs in the sixth and Utah down 4-2 against Texas. After a nine-pitch at-bat, she hit a grand slam to right in an 8-4 win. It was her second start since coming off the injured list, where she had been since June 13.

Utah finished the week 13-5, three games ahead of Chicago.

Klingler’s first-pitch slam

The Carolina Blaze trailed the Spark 4-0 in Oklahoma City on Monday. Alyssa Brito homered on the first pitch of the fifth inning. With two outs and the bases loaded, Baylee Klingler hit the first pitch she saw for a grand slam and a 5-4 lead that held. Keilani Ricketts threw four scoreless innings for her first win.

Carolina also won 4-2 in Salt Lake City on Friday.

Spark snap their skid

Oklahoma City ended a five-game losing streak Wednesday with a 9-3 win over the Blaze. Grace Jenkins, who signed with the Spark the week before after a reserve assignment, hit her first professional home run. Amari Harper followed later in the second inning with a three-run homer, her first as a pro.

The Spark beat Portland 12-3 in five innings on Saturday. Sydney Romero drove in five runs.

Cascade cool off

Portland opened the week by finishing a sweep in Round Rock, 5-2. Carley Hoover threw five scoreless innings of relief, and Megan Grant hit two home runs. The Cascade then lost three straight by a combined 36-9 and fell to 8-7.

The Volts lost all four of their games this week and have dropped six in a row.

Standings through July 4

Sunday’s schedule has the Volts at the Bandits and the Cascade at the Spark. Full dates are on our 2026 AUSL schedule.