Carolina Blaze brings pro softball to Durham

Fun fact: It's not the Blaze's first season, but it is the first played in Durham.

• In 2025, the league's inaugural season, the Blaze and three other teams toured the country playing for crowds. North Carolina was not a stop.

Zoom in: Six teams now make up the league, and the Blaze is the only one on the East Coast.

• The team will play on Duke University's East Campus at Smith Family Stadium, which is a prime location along Broad Street.
• The roster includes the top draft pick of 2026, pitcher Karlyn Pickens, as well as two former Duke players, infielder Ana Gold (reigning Rookie of the Year) and pitcher Jala Wright.

What they're saying: "Playing at Smith Family Stadium allows us to connect the Blaze to a region that values competition, development, and the continued growth of women's sports," Commissioner Kim Ng said in an earlier press release.

Between the lines: Major League Baseball is one of the league's investors.

• Raleigh still hopes to land one of MLB's two planned expansion teams.

The big picture: Other AUSL teams are the Chicago Bandits, Portland Cascade, Oklahoma City Spark, Utah Talons and Texas Volts.

• Teams play 25 games, with the regular season ending in mid-July.

What's next: The Blaze play at 5pm Tuesday against the Portland Cascade. A general admission ticket costs $52.

• The game airs on CBS Sports Network.