Club on the Rise: EC Bullets Coach Andrew Biele Moves Down to 14U

There’s a lot of positive movement happening these days in the East Cobb Bullets organization and among those benefiting will be those playing 14U as they’ll be playing for one of the top club coaches in the nation.

After four successful seasons—including a US Club Ranking of No. 1 in 2016 and No. 4 in 2017, winning the 2016 Boulder Longmont IDT and capturing a slew of Top 10 finishes in all the major national events—the majority of Andrew Biele’s East Cobb Bullet team is moving up to the Bullets 18u Gold team coached by Greg Schnute and Biele is moving down to coach the EC Bullets 14U Gold Team, which will be called “EC Bullets Biele/Heath.”

Having all 17 of his players committed including 11 SEC Commits, three ACC and one Big Ten commit, Biele felt it was best for the organization for his team to move up to play for Schnute and for him to go down to the younger team.

“Greg is one of the best 18U Gold Coaches in the country and it will be great for these girls to be coached by him and his staff before heading off to college.” Says Biele

Among those making the move up to play for Schnute this summer is Biele’s daughter, Angelina, a 2018 pitcher committed to Duke.

Despite losing the 17 players being elevated to play 18u, Biele’s 14U team won’t be lacking talent; in fact, it’s quite the opposite as the young team is stacked with some of the top 2021’s and 2022’s in the country.

“We will have a real shot to win PGF this year,” the coach believes. “This team has a chance to be special—we have a lot of work ahead of us, but there is incredible talent up and down the roster.”

“The core of this team won ASA Nationals at 12U,” Biele continues, “and we’ve added some incredible talent.  I wouldn’t be surprised if they ended up with more major conference commits than my old team and that’s saying a lot.”

The talent on the team starts with pitching and the deep and talented staff should give the Bullets a chance to be competitive in every game and in every tournament.

Ace pitcher Lexie Delbrey is already 5-foot-10 and was clocked at 64-66 mph and averaged over two strikeouts per inning last fall. She projects to be 6-foot and says her coach, “Lexie has incredible upside with her frame and drawing tremendous interest from SEC, ACC and Pac-12 schools.”

Another one of Biele’s aces is Shannon Becker, a 6-foot right-hander who throws in the low to mid 60’s with “great movement and an incredible great changeup” according to her coach. Becker averaged 1.5 K’s per inning last fall and adds Biele, “Shannon is not just a pitcher, she is an incredible athlete. She’s a power hitter that is has been clocked 2.9 home to first. She is also getting tons of interest from SEC, ACC and Pac-12 Schools.

A third pitcher to watch is Maddie Latta, another top-flight pitcher drawing interest from ACC and Big Ten schools. The 5-foot-8 righty throws in the high 50’s to low 60’s and finished the fall with a 0.00 ERA with the Bullets. Biele states, “Maddie has tremendous movement and command of her pitches, it’s fun to watch her work on the mound.

Adding to the team’s impressive depth is a fourth standout in lefty LHP Kylie Ferguson, who like a current Bullets star–2019 pitcher Kelley Lynch, an Auburn verbal— is another East Coweta (Georgia) High prodigy.

“Kylie has some of the best stuff I’ve seen on any left-handed pitcher,” says the Bullets’ coach. “I had a chance to have her pickup with my team last summer and she is really special. Her movement and changeup are just incredible.”

At the plate Biele says this team “can mash. It’s different for me cause my old team was built around speed whereas this team has speed but can really hit for power up and down the lineup.”

The 14U head coach thinks this team will hit twice as many home runs as his older team. “They hit eight out in the Veterans Showcase in the fall,” Biele says.

Outfielder Kenadie Cooper is one of those “rare athletes,” he feels. “At 5-foot-9 with sub 2.7 home-to-first speed and power at the plate, Cooper is five-tool player. You just don’t see this kind of combination of size, power and speed, she is one of the best all-around athletes in the 2021 class.”

Natalie Heath, a corner infielder, “has a cannon for an arm and can absolutely stroke the ball,” Biele continues. “A natural power hitter this 5-foot-9 freshman will no question hit double-digit home runs this season.

Olivia Cook is another corner infielder in Biele’s “Murder’s Row,” as he describes his offense. “Olivia hits for power but is such a great line-drive hitter. She really is an advanced for her age at the plate with unbelievable power and bat speed.

Outfielder/infielder Katie Taylor is another speedster with power. “It’s funny, because this kid is a legitimate 2.7 to first so we discussed turning her around to the left side, but every time we discuss it she belts another one over the fence!” the coach adds.

A great pitching staff needs a great catcher and Biele has one in Olivia Underwood. “She is not just a great defensive catcher,” he continues, “she also led the team in hitting this fall, batting over .600. Olivia is starting to develop power, but what I like is her ability to hit the ball to all parts of the field.”

Biele’s shortstop, Avery Fantucci is a 5-foot-8 eighth grader who he says reminds him of Hannah Adams (a 2017 grad now at Florida). “She’s tall with such soft hands and an absolute rifle for an arm and offensively she is really developing into a great hitter,” he explains. “She’s going to be a special player.”

Ryla Traylor has been out this fall with a broken ankle but Biele says the 5-foot-9 utility player is “really raw and athletic with so much upside, I’m excited to get her back on the field and see her develop. She’s definitely going to turn some heads.”

The team is rounded out by middle infielder/outfielder Macie Wiggins, who Biele says is “a great clutch hitter;” lefty speedster McKenzie Wittenberg, a second baseman/outfielder and catcher/outfielder Halle Cannon, who at 5-foot-8 “is really developing and should be one of the best 2022 power hitters in the country,” according to her coach. “She is already being sought after already by a bunch of major conference schools.”