The Chicago Bandits are headed back to the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) Championship after defeating the Portland Cascade 6-5 in an 11-inning thriller.
The first play-in game in the AUSL’s expanded postseason brought all of the drama and was the longest game in league history.
In the bottom of the 11th inning, Ailana Agbayani singled down the first-base line with two outs to score Taryn Kern, who hit an RBI double earlier in the inning.
“I’m just so proud of our fight, and just staying the course. I mean, not often, at any level — little league, college, pro — you have five errors and win the ball game,” Chicago Bandits head coach Shonda Stanton said. “But, you know, that’s what it’s about, being gritty.”
Chicago was held hitless by Carley Hoover through four innings before breaking through in the fifth by taking advantage of free passes. With one out, the Bandits loaded the bases with a walk, a single, and a hit by pitch. Skylar Wallace fouled off the first pitch she saw, then watched four straight balls to take first base and bring in their first run.
After Sami Williams flied out for the second out, Morgan Zerkle came through under pressure, singling through the left side to score Wallace and Agbayani, who slipped by catcher Mia Davidson’s tag by mere inches to reach home plate and tied the game 3-3.
It looked like Chicago might end things in the seventh when they strung together a couple of hits to put two runners on. But Portland outfielder Kendra Falby kept the Cascade in the game with a double play, catching a fly ball and firing a strike to third base to get Wallace trying to advance and send the game to extras.
Both teams pushed a run across in the eighth. A throwing error by Williams allowed Sis Bates to reach first and Sydney Stewart to score from second (she was the last recorded out and placed there per extra-inning rules).
Taryn Kern answered back, singling to right field and driving in Zerkle. The Cascade threatened again in the top of the 11th inning, but were held to one run. Kern hit an RBI double to equalize before Agbayani delivered the walk-off heroics.
Although Agbayani will have the moment that will be remembered, she recognized not only Kern’s clutch hits off the bench, but also her impact on their dugout.
“[Kern] is just always so calm and so zen. She had a great game today, and just seeing her at second and seeing her play just calms me down,” Agbayani said. “She’s meant for the moment. She’s meant for this.”
Kat Sandercock got the start in the circle for Chicago, throwing 4.0 innings and allowing three earned runs on five hits. She walked one batter and struck out two. Lexi Kilfoyl entered in mid-relief and carried the team through extras for the win. She picked up four strikeouts and gave up only two hits. Both extra-inning runs were unearned.
Chicago now looks to Saturday and Game 1 of the 2026 AUSL Championship when they will face the Utah Talons in a rematch of the 2025 Championship. Game 1 begins at 1 p.m. ET on ABC.
“I look forward to us coming out and playing our best ball,” Stanton said. “We haven’t played our best ball yet down the stretch here, and for us to get to the point where we are, that’s pretty exciting stuff. So it’s gonna make me sleep well at night and feel good about the team.”
