The opening weekend of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League in Wichita delivered a flurry of historic moments, unforgettable performances, and milestones that will be remembered all season long.
From the buzz of a sold-out crowd to record-setting hits and game-changing plays, the opening series between the Volts and Blaze set the stage for a historic AUSL season. Whether it was a rookie debut, a veteran’s return, or a franchise first, the weekend delivered no shortage of memorable moments. Let’s dive into the top highlights from a weekend full of action in Wichita.
1. Sold-Out Opening Day Crowd
Saturday’s opening day crowd didn’t disappoint. Volts General Manager Cat Osterman addressed the crowd as the last fans made their way to their seats ahead of the game’s start:
“You guys being here – I would call it a sellout, because I only see a couple of empty seats – is the support that we fought for and we’ve tried to generate for a long time.”
And we can confirm that by first pitch, there wasn’t an empty seat in Wilkins Stadium.
2. McKenzie Clark’s Historic Extra-Innings Homer
The very first extra-inning game in AUSL history is an exciting enough milestone, but Volts outfielder McKenzie Clark put an exclamation mark on the moment with this three-run blast. She spoke on the significance of the moment following the 5-1 Volts win.
“To see where we are now, and to say that, yes, unexpectedly, I hit the first run for the Volts…I will take that to my grave.”
3. Korbe Otis’ Insane Catch
In the third inning of game two, Volts pitcher Rachel Garcia launched a ball to the warning track. But the Blaze outfield had it covered. Although it resulted in a nasty collision, Korbe Otis managed to absorb the impact and hang on to the ball. As a result, the Blaze exited the inning unscathed and Aliyah Andrews was able to walk away without serious injury.
4. Michaela Edenfield’s Meaningful Gameday Glam
Michaela Edenfield is known for her masterfully artistic gameday makeup, and she continued this ritual into the professional ranks. Edenfield delivered unique gameday glam for every game of the series, but for opening day, her makeup had a special meaning. The Florida State alum donned pink and white eyeshadow, complete with a painted pink ribbon to show her support for FSU coach, Lonni Alameda, who has breast cancer.
5. Danielle Gibson’s Return to the Batter’s Box
It was a weekend full of firsts, and the first run in Blaze franchise history was thanks to Danielle Gibson. She crushed one to the wall in the bottom of the first inning on opening day to drive in the first Blaze run. It was in her first at-bat since becoming a mom, providing proof (for anyone who still needed it) that elite on-field performances and motherhood go hand in hand.
6. Game 2’s 26-Hit Slugfest
The second game in the Volts-Blaze series was an absolute slugfest with both teams wasting no time in showing off their firepower this season. The Volts were responsible for 15 total hits in the 10-3 win, while the Blaze took credit for the other 11. Four players ended up with three-hit games, including Sierra Romero, Kelsey Stewart-Hunter, and Danieca Coffey for the Volts, and Baylee Klingler for the Blaze.
7. Baylee Klingler’s On Fire
Speaking of Baylee Klingler… She left Wichita with the most hits of any other player to take the field that weekend. In addition to her three hits in the second game of the series, on opening day she recorded the first multi-hit game in franchise history with singles in the 1st and 6th innings.
8. Sam Landry’s Highly Anticipated Debut
Expectations were high for Oklahoma’s Sam Landry. Just seven days after her June 2nd NCAA Women’s College World Series appearance, she showed that her mastery from the college circle translated to the pros. In her professional debut, she opened game three with a 1-2-3 first inning and held the Blaze to two runs (one earned) on three hits over 4.1 innings with one strikeout.
9. Emma Lemley Earns the Blaze’s First Win – In Her First Pro Start
Rookie pitcher made her debut on opening day, entering in relief, but on Monday night she started opposite Landry. The Virginia Tech alum secured the first win in Blaze franchise history (3-1) after stifling the Volts’ offensive charge, allowing just one run on three hits with two strikeouts through five innings on the rubber. Not bad for her first professional start. Lemley credited her recently wrapped college career as the best prep for her pro debut.
“I’ve had a lot of at-bats in the past few months against some really great hitters, but obviously this league is next-level, just the quality at-bats that they have. But I definitely think that staying in that kind of pitching shape really helped me to come in ready.”
10. Tiare Jennings Explosive Solo Blast
Tiare Jennings homered to left field in the bottom of the third in Monday’s series finale to make the Volts the first on the board. But describing this blast just like any other homerun wouldn’t do it justice. Straight off the bat, there was never any doubt. It was just the second home run in Volts history, the second of the weekend, and the seventh homer in AUSL history.
Siera Jones is the digital media reporter at Athletes Unlimited. You can follow her on Instagram and X @sieraajones.
