The Portland Cascade is set to make its Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) debut after being one of the two expansion franchises added after the inaugural season. Opening Day is today, June 9, on the road against the Carolina Blaze.
Here are the 16 athletes who are on the roster for the team’s opener at 5 p.m. ET in Durham, North Carolina.
Sis Bates | INF | L/R | Ceres, Calif.
- Washington 2017-21
- Acquired: 2026 Allocation Draft (3rd Round)
- Started in 16 games last season for the Volts; .229 batting average and .950 fielding percentage
Kenzie Brown | P | L/R | Lake City, Ill.
- Tulsa 2023, Arizona State 2024-26
- Acquired: Selected in the 2026 College Draft (3rd Round)
- Compiled a 50-25 career record and seven saves with a 2.75 ERA
Kenleigh Cahalan | INF | L/R | Trussville, Ala.
- Alabama 2023-24, Florida 2025-26
- Selected in the 2026 College Draft (4th Round)
- Gators’ third-leading hitter as a senior with a .377 average; also ranked third on the team with 17 home runs and 77 hits
Kendra Falby | OF | L/R | Odessa, Fla.
- Florida 2022-25
- Acquired: 2026 Allocation Draft (6th Round)
- Started in seven games of the 2025 All-Star Cup with four hits in 17 at-bats
Payton Gottshall | P | R/R | Massillon, Ohio
- Bowling Green 2020-22, Tennessee 2023-24
- Acquired: 2026 Expansion Draft (4th Round)
- Tied for second in the AUSL with 15 appearances during the regular season with the Volts; third in innings pitched and ranked fourth with a 3.40 ERA
Megan Grant | UTIL | L/R | San Bruno, Calif.
- UCLA 2023-26
- Acquired: 2026 College Draft (1st Round)
- Bruins’ second-leading hitter with .455 average as a senior; Owns UCLA career record with 91 home runs and established a new NCAA single-season standard with 42 home runs as a senior.
Sam Landry | P | R/R | Mont Belvieu, Texas
- Louisiana 2022-24, Oklahoma 2025
- Acquired: 2026 Expansion Draft (1st Round)
- Made 12 appearances as a rookie for the Volts with eight starts, 39.0 innings pitched, and a 4.85 ERA
Kelly Maxwell | P | L/L | Friendswood, Texas
- Oklahoma State 2019–23, Oklahoma 2024
- Acquired: First pick in the 2026 Allocation Draft
- Spent two seasons with Toyota Industries Shining Vega in the Japan Diamond League
Mariah Mazón | P | R/R | Tulare, California
- Oregon State 2018-22
- Acquired: added to roster as Reserve Player for 30 days
- Appeared in 11.2 innings last year as an AUSL Reserve Player; also competed in the 2025 All-Star Cup
Ali Newland | UTIL | L/R | Bremen, Ga.
- LSU 2021-24
- Acquired: 2026 Allocation Draft (5th Round)
- Appeared in eight total games last year with six starts while splitting time between the Volts and the Blaze
Korbe Otis | OF | R/R | Littleton, Colo.
- Louisville 2022-32, Florida 2024-25
- Acquired: 2026 Expansion Draft (5th Round)
- Started every game for the Blaze in 2025 with a .346 average, .422 OB% and .500 SLG%; also named to the All-Defensive Team
Kennedy Powell | INF | L/R | Conroe, Texas
- UCLA 2023, Texas A&M 2024-26
- Acquired: Signed from Available Player Pool
- Aggies’ second-leading hitter in 2025 with a .407 average; tallied team-high 81 hits, including 14 doubles and two triples
Sierra Sacco-Ferrie | OF | L/R | Marrero, La.
- Louisiana Tech 2022-23, Mississippi State 2024-25
- Acquired: 2026 Expansion Draft (3rd Round)
- Started in 20 games as a rookie with the Talons and authored a .313 batting average with 21 hits; also on the 2025 All-Defensive Team
Sydney Stewart | C | R/R | San Jose, Calif.
- Washington 2023-24, Arizona 2025-26
- Acquired: Second pick in the 2026 College Draft
- Logged a .346 career batting average with 47 homers; named the Big 12 Player of the Year her senior season
Kelly Torres | UTL | R/R | Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Duke 2021-24
- Acquired: added to roster as Reserve Player
- Picked up on reserve assignment by the Bandits last season, also played in the Women’s Pro Fastpitch league in 2024
Tori Vidales | INF | R/R | La Porte, Texas
- Texas A&M 2015-18
- Acquired: 2026 Expansion Draft (6th Round)
- Recorded a .268 average and .976 fielding percentage with the Talons last season
Note: Mia Davidson and Carley Hoover are on the Temporary Inactive List and will not be available for Opening Day.
The Cascade opens the season tonight in Durham, North Carolina, against the Carolina Blaze in a three-game series. They will make their home debut on June 18. Tickets are on sale now.