Lexi Kilfoyl came into Sunday's AUSL All-Star Cup finale with a 148-point lead, and will will leave Rosemont as champion. She becomes the first pitcher to win the individual championship since 2023.
A four-run inning for Team Klingler in the sixth against Kilfoyl swung the leaderboard in favor of their captain. Team Klingler captured all 130 possible win points, pushing Baylee Klingler to the top. However, Kilfoyl was awarded 40 MVP points, giving her the title. Kilfoyl ended the season with 750 win points, 162 stat points and 160 MVP points.
Team Klingler loaded the bases via a pair of singles and an error. Sydney McKinney extended the lead to two with a sharp single into left field. Bri Ellis made the most of her pinch-hit opportunity, lining a double down the line to score two more off Kilfoyl. Amari Harper, who drove in a run earlier in the game, blooped in another run, which proved to be the one-point difference on the leaderboard.
Harper, who led the AUSL All-Star Cup in batting average, delivered again. She roped a single into right field, and the speedy McKinney raced around to score from first base.
Team Kilfoyl outhit Team Klingler for most of the game but couldn't find the clutch hit. They had a pair of two-out singles in the second; however, Team Klingler's Sam Landry induced an inning-ending fly out.
Team Kilfoyl was back in business in the third thanks to the top of the order. Skylar Wallace hit a double and moved to third on a single from Aubrey Leach. Landry once again navigated through it, rolling a double play ball off the bat of Megan Grant to end the frame.
Leach hit another single up the middle in the fifth, and it sure appeared that Kendra Falby would score the game-tying run from second. However, it seemed that Falby didn't see the ball scoot past a sliding Alyssa Brito. Following a Grant walk to load the bases, Sami Williams rolled one over to third base to end the threat.
Team Klingler tried to give Team Kilfoyl another chance in the sixth, putting two runners in scoring position. However, Georgina Corrick kept them off the scoreboard, getting the next two batters to pop up.
