Bri Ellis stepped into her first pro series with a reputation for power. Five games in, she’s proving that slugger status translates just fine to the next level.

The Talons infielder launched her first professional home run in Sunday’s series finale against the Blaze, drilling a solo shot to right field in the top of the third inning. The long ball came on the first pitch of the at-bat and marked her fourth consecutive game with a hit. She’s now batting .400 with a .625 on-base percentage in the Athletes Unlimited Softball League.

Ellis’ blast helped the Talons build a lead they never gave back in a 10-8 win at Frost Stadium in Chattanooga. The former Arkansas standout, who hit 26 homers in her final collegiate season, has carried that momentum into the early days of her pro career—and added a little more firepower to a Talons team that’s now riding a three-game win streak.

Her weekend performance started in Game 1 of Saturday’s doubleheader, when she was hit by a pitch in the first inning and later re-entered as a pinch hitter in the fourth. That at-bat resulted in a two-run single to left-center, capping off a six-run inning that blew the game open. She also drew a walk in the fifth, reaching base twice in the win.

Ellis has now recorded hits in four of her first five AUSL games, including multiple RBIs. Though she’s rotated in and out of the designated player spot and pinch-hitting duties, she’s become a reliable bat in the Talons’ high-powered offense.

On Sunday, the Talons piled up 10 runs on 10 hits—backed by RBIs from Hannah Flippen, Sydney Romero, Sharlize Palacios and Ellis. After Ellis’ solo homer in the third made it 3-0, she added a walk in the fourth that helped extend another scoring opportunity. The Blaze mounted a comeback in the late innings, but the Talons held on to complete a three-game sweep.

It’s a promising start for a rookie with high expectations—and for a Talons team that keeps finding ways to win.

Siera Jones is the digital media reporter at Athletes Unlimited. You can follow her on Instagram and X @sieraajones.