Pro News: AUSL All-Star Cup Series Begins Week 2 with Team Klingler’s Sam Landry & Lexi Kilfoyl Combining for Shutout Over Team Ricketts (August 15, 2026)
The AUSL All-Star Cup continued into Week 2 of the four-week All-Star showcase which the league describes as “both a celebration of the league’s historic second season and a preview of the future of professional softball.”
Here’s a recap of Friday night’s game which featured elite pitching as Team Klingler defeated Team Ricketts 1-0…
Sam Landry and Lexi Kilfoyl Tag-Team a Shutout Against Team Ricketts
With a precise performance in the circle backed by stout defense, Team Klingler only needed to push one run across for victory over Team Ricketts on Friday night at Parkway Bank Sports Complex in Rosemont, Ill.
Klingler’s squad secured not only a 1-0 win but also swept the win points in the opening game of Series 2 of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League All-Star Cup.
Pitcher Sam Landry earned the win, going 4.2 innings and allowing only two hits, a walk, and striking out three batters. The save went to Lexi Kilfoyl, who closed out the game for the remaining 2.1 frames.
“Sam [Landry] and Lexi [Kilfoyl] threw a great game tonight. They threw a lot of ground balls, and our defense was able to make it work,” captain Baylee Klingler said.
“I loved that they were able to have fun and do their job, and we were all able to play good defense behind them.”
They were backed by a strong defensive unit that did not commit an error and handled many ground balls.
Hannah Flippen and Klingler turned a momentum-crushing double play in the 7th inning, and the infield as a whole logged 11 assists. Ailana Agbayani also had an incredible backhanded stab at second base.
The game-winning run came in the 3rd inning.
With two outs, Bubba Nickles-Camarena roped a hit, and the ricochet off the left field wall gave her time to turn it into a triple. A pass ball allowed her to score.
Here’s a clip of the key hit:
Landry picked up MVP 1 honors, making her the highest-point earner in the game with 246 total points (130-win points, 56 stat points, 60 MVP points).
Nickles-Camarena and Kilfoyl slotted in at second and third, with Flippen picking up 20 points as the defensive MVP of the game.
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UP NEXT
Team Brown will make their Series 2 debut on Saturday night, facing Team Klingler at 12 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. CT on ESPN.
— Siera Jones/Athletes Unlimited Digital Media Reporter
Follow her on Instagram and X @sieraajones.
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WHAT’S AT STAKE
The All-Star Cup Title
Unlike the AUSL Championship, which crowns the league’s best team, the All-Star Cup crowns one individual champion.
Over four weeks, 45 of the league’s top players will compete for points, with every at-bat, inning and game influencing the individual standings.
The Race to Become a Team Captain
Leadership is earned, not assigned.
After each series, the top players in the individual standings become captains and draft new teams, meaning strong performances can completely reshape the competition from week to week.
Momentum Heading into the International Calendar and 2027
The All-Star Cup is the final showcase before many players head to national team competition and the offseason.
A strong performance can build confidence, enhance a player’s profile and create momentum heading into next year’s AUSL season.
The League’s Continued Growth
The All-Star Cup is the AUSL’s first major event following a breakthrough Championship Series and serves as another opportunity to showcase the league’s stars, innovative format and growing national audience.
Sustaining that momentum is a key objective for the league as it builds toward its third season.
The Next Faces of Professional Softball
With veterans, Olympians, college legends and standout rookies competing together, the All-Star Cup offers players another opportunity to establish themselves as the league’s next marquee stars.
Every highlight, clutch performance and leadership moment can elevate a player’s national profile.
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BY THE NUMBERS
- 1: Individual champion will be crowned after four weeks using Athletes Unlimited’s point-based format.
- 45: Number of players selected to compete in the 2026 AUSL All-Star Cup, showcasing the league’s elite talent level.
- 60: Percent of the All-Star Cup roster from the Carolina Blaze, Chicago Bandits and Utah Talons.
- 183: Year Over Year percent increase for regular season viewership.
- 732,000: Average viewership for Game One of the AUSL Championship Series, making it the most-watched softball game ever.