Below you will find the Opening Day starting pitcher for each team as the 2026 Athletes Unlimited Softball League season begins.
Portland Cascade at Carolina Blaze, 5 p.m. ET
Carolina Blaze, Aleshia Ocasio: Ocasio is one of the most experienced pitchers not only on the roster but in the league and gets the ball for the Carolina Blaze on Opening Day again. She had some of the most inflated numbers of her career last season, but honed in during the All-Star Cup to show what she’s capable of in her eighth year as a pro.
Portland Cascade, Kelly Maxwell: Tuesday will be Kelly Maxwell’s much-anticipated AUSL debut. She’s spent the last two years after graduating from Oklahoma playing overseas in the Japan Diamond League. The only look the U.S. audience has had at Maxwell is during her time with Team USA, where she helped the team to a Gold Medal at the 2025 World Games. She looked to be in top form on the world stage last year, and how she fares against the league’s competition will be crucial for the Cascade, who took her No. 1 overall in the Allocation Draft.
Texas Volts at Oklahoma City Spark, 7 p.m. ET
Texas Volts, Rachel Garcia: It should come as no surprise that Garcia will get the start in the circle for the second consecutive year for the Volts. She is undoubtedly one of the most dominant pitchers in the game and carried the team in its inaugural season. She led the league in strikeouts and complete games last season, further proving her ability to keep hitters off balance and go the distance.
Oklahoma City Spark, Maya Johnson: Rookie pitcher Maya Johnson will take on a big responsibility in her pro debut, but with the confidence of the Spark behind her. The team took her first in the 2026 College Draft for a reason. She’s coming off of earning NFCA Division I Pitcher of the Year honors and one of the most prolific seasons in recent history.
Chicago Bandits at Utah Talons, 9 p.m. ET
Chicago Bandits, Amber Fiser: The last time the Athletes Unlimited audience saw Fiser was during the 2021 All-Star Cup (formerly AU Pro Softball season), where she had limited opportunities. But over the four years, she’s competed with independent pro teams in the U.S., including the OKC Spark before they joined the AUSL.
Utah Talons, Montana Fouts: If Montana Fouts were to pick up where she left off at the 2025 AUSL Championship in Tuscaloosa… watch out. She was in a form last seen while donning the Alabama uniform, mowing down batters to secure the first-ever league title for the Talons.
Single-game and season tickets for the 2026 AUSL season are on sale now.
Savanna Collins is the Senior Reporter for the AUSL. You can follow her on Instagram @savvyco.
