Saturday’s Athletes Unlimited Softball League All-Star Cup opening matchup between Team Ocasio and Team Kilfoyl may have been Kendra Falby’s professional debut, but she needed no time to adjust to the new level of play. The former Florida Gator made an impact in two of the game’s biggest moments, making statements at the plate and in the outfield for Team Kilfoyl.
Falby started her pro chapter with a .667 batting average and two hits, with her biggest offensive moment coming in the bottom of the sixth inning. With the game tied 1-1 and runners on first and third, she slapped a pitch that floated into shallow left, driving in the go-ahead run and turning the tide in favor of Team Kilfoyl.
“I could tell the first pitch I took, I was going really fast, and I was like, ‘Megan [Faraimo] provides the power, I just need to slow my feet down,'” Falby said of her approach at the plate. “And then the second pitch, I did that, and it worked to my favor.”
In addition to the run, the hit earned her an additional 40 leaderboard points (+30 for the inning win, and +10 for the single). Sydney McKinnery followed with another RBI single to make it 3-1, but Falby’s role in the contest was far from over.
Fellow Florida alum Korbe Otis launched a solo homer in the top of the seventh for Team Ocasio to put her squad back in striking distance. Down just 3-2, Team Ocasio put two more runners on base with back-to-back singles from Anissa Urtez and Taylor Edwards. A third hit — beamed down the right-field line by Jessi Warren toward Falby — looked sure to produce a run.
Falby sped to cut it off, going to her knees and sliding to secure the ball before firing it to the cutoff. The play proved crucial to the game win for Team Kilfoyl, as the squad held the runner at third and exited the inning unscathed when Lexi Kilfoyl forced Aleshia Ocasio to ground out, sealing the 3-2 win for Team Kilfoyl and capping a memorable professional debut for Falby.
Typically a center fielder, Falby had to make some small adjustments in the move to right field for her debut.
“It’s definitely different,” she said. “But I’m just happy to be here, and I’m just happy to be playing somewhere … I love right field right now.”
The rookie right fielder earned MVP 1 honors and is second on the leaderboard with 190 total points after the opening game, just 32 points behind her team captain, Kilfoyl.
Siera Jones is the digital media reporter at Athletes Unlimited. You can follow her on Instagram and X @sieraajones.
