As Mia Davidson wraps up the first half of her season with the Denso Bright Pegasus in Japan, the Bandits will open their Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) campaign with reserve catcher Kelly Torres behind the dish.
Torres is coming off a standout collegiate career at Duke, where she was a key contributor to the Blue Devils’ 2024 Women’s College World Series run. In her final season, she started all 61 games and posted career highs in nearly every offensive category, including a .349 batting average, 40 hits, 61 runs, and 37 RBIs. She also blasted four home runs and added three triples, earning NFCA Third Team All-Region honors.
Defensively, Torres was elite behind the plate. She notched a .997 fielding percentage in 2024 and caught nine runners stealing. Across her four-year career, she threw out 30 baserunners—the most in Duke history.
Across her Duke tenure, Torres showed consistency and a flair for clutch moments. She homered twice against Alabama at the 2023 TaxAct Clearwater Invitational, drove in key postseason runs, and led the team in on-base percentage in 2022 (.481).
Torres joined the Clemson coaching staff in the summer of 2024, but she’ll now shift back into competition mode with the Bandits until Davidson returns from overseas. Her veteran presence and reliable defense give the Bandits a steady backstop to start the year.
The AUSL is a professional women’s softball league featuring four teams playing in a traditional format. The league will begin play this summer, with the Bandits set to open the season versus the Talons on June 7 in Rosemont, IL. Tickets are on sale now.
Siera Jones is the digital media reporter at Athletes Unlimited. You can follow her on Instagram and X @sieraajones.
