Dumke Family Softball Stadium, Salt Lake City, Utah — The Utah Talons opened the 2026 Athletes Unlimited Softball League season in championship form Tuesday night, defeating the Chicago Bandits 5-2 at Dumke Family Softball Stadium in a rematch of last season’s AUSL Championship Series.
Utah used timely hitting and a complete-game performance from Montana Fouts to secure the victory in front of an enthusiastic home crowd celebrating the return of professional softball to Salt Lake City.
The Bandits struck first with two runs in the opening inning, but the Talons answered quickly in the second. Bri Ellis provided the spark, launching a two-run home run to tie the game and ignite the Utah offense.
Ellis wasn’t finished. The slugger added an RBI double in the fourth inning as the Talons pulled ahead, helping Utah erase the early deficit and take control of the season opener.
Fouts handled the rest in the circle. The right-hander settled in after the first inning and kept Chicago from building on its early lead, scattering two runs over seven innings to earn the complete-game victory. Utah’s defense backed her throughout the night, limiting scoring opportunities and preserving the advantage as the game moved into the late innings.
The win continued a trend that has favored the Talons in recent meetings between the two clubs. Utah defeated Chicago in last year’s AUSL Championship Series and opened the new season by once again turning back the Bandits in a matchup featuring two of the league’s premier teams.
For Chicago, Erin Coffel recorded a multi-hit game, providing one of the few offensive bright spots for a Bandits lineup that struggled to generate sustained rallies after the first inning.
The opener marked the beginning of the AUSL’s second season and served as a showcase for the growing popularity of professional softball in Utah. Fans packed the stands at Dumke Family Softball Stadium to welcome the defending champions back to the field, creating a postseason-like atmosphere for Opening Day.
Utah improved to 1-0 with the victory, while Chicago fell to 0-1. The teams continued their three-game opening series Wednesday night in Salt Lake City.
Tags: Athletes Unlimited Softball League, AUSL, Chicago Bandits, softball, Utah Talons