Ballston Spa’s Ana Gold Named Pro Softball League Rookie of the Year

BALLSTON SPA — Ballston Spa native Ana Gold has received Rookie of the Year honors from the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL), which wrapped up its inaugural regular season on Wednesday. She was also named to the league’s All-Defensive Team as a corner infielder.

Prior to her final game of the season, Gold led all rookies and ranked fifth among all players in the AUSL with a .394 batting average. She also finished third in slugging percentage (.704). The rookie from Duke University was one of two players in the league with multiple triples, posted a hit in eight of her last nine games, and belted a pair of home runs in a 12-6 victory on Tuesday night.

“Everything just feels like it’s clicking right now,” Gold said in an interview posted to the AUSL’s website. “I’m seeing the ball [well], getting my swings off. You can’t think about every single pitch the pitcher has when you’re up at bat. You have to really look for a strike and get your swing off, and that’s helped me a lot.”

On the defensive side, Gold made just one error in the field all season and garnered an impressive defensive highlight reel, including one play in which she threw out a runner at first while stumbling and falling to the ground.

“I’m just ready any second for a ball to be hit at me, to make a great play,” Gold said. “I like to think when I’m on defense, I’m actually on offense. I’m taking the first step, I’m getting the hop I want, and just attacking the ball every pitch.”

Gold’s team, the Blaze, did not earn a spot in this year’s playoffs. 

The 2025 AUSL MVP will be awarded ahead of Game 1 of the AUSL Championship, which begins on Saturday, July 26 at 3 p.m. on ESPN.