Event Spotlight: Day 1 of HFL West Fall Championships Kicked Off Friday Night With Close Games, Dominant Pitching

The Heart of America Fall Fastpitch League (HFL) West Fall Championship got underway Friday night with top Mid-America club teams in the 18U, 16U and 14U age divisions jumping right into it with bracket play.

The first-ever HFL Championship (this is for the HFL West; the HFL East will take place next weekend) will run through Sunday when champions will be crowned and the event will capture the distinction of being the first regional championship in The Alliance Fastpitch history to provide bids for next summer’s National Championship.

The top three finishers in each age group will earn the trip to the 2021 Alliance Championship so there’s a lot at stake in College Station, Texas this weekend.

As we detailed in our HFL Championship event profile on Thursday, there are a lot of top teams and players competing this weekend including dozens of Extra Elite 100 players in the 2021 and 2022 classes.

All the games will be live streamed for free and the Sunday semifinals and championships will have multi-camera visuals with play-by-play provided by Tori Vidales, the former two-time Texas A&M All-American and NFP star.

Click HERE to find the schedule of games and the links to the streams

The HFL Championship kicked off with 6 pm games (CST) across all age divisions… see below for a list of scores.

Here are some early thoughts based on Day 1 action:

* A nice competitive rivalry is developing in the HFL between two top organizations, the Iowa Premier Gold program led by Greg Dickel, and Aces Fastpitch headed by Ryan Taylor.

Both orgs have multiple teams in the event and don’t be surprised to see these team names atop one of the age divisions when the dust clears on Friday.

Last weekend at the Team 1 Championship, Iowa Premier led by Mississippi State-bound pitcher Josey Marron defeated Aces Fastpitch at the 18U level; it will be interesting to see if the two can once again make the championship finale.

* Game of the Night was a thriller between GameTime Stars – Self vs. Oklahoma A’s Premier – Madden in the 18U bracket played Friday in Veterans Park.

The Stars were led by pitcher Taryn Batterton, an uncommitted 2022 who throws in the mid-to-upper 60’s and is getting looks by Power 5 Schools.

She started and gave up a solo home run shot in the first inning before settling down record six K’s against a solid hitting Athletics team. One of the game’s highlights was a diving catch on a bunt that was popped up and caught by Batteron who threw to first base for the double play which ended momentum.

Teams went back and forth throughout the game with the score remaining at 1-0 Oklahoma A’s in the top of the 7th before 2021 Texas-Arlington commit Morgan Max walked, 2022 uncommitted outfielder Emily Labeth hit a double moving Max to third base and 2021 Oklahoma Christian commit Kennedy Fisher lined a double to right field scoring Max and Labeth and putting the Stars ahead 2-1.

Batterton took the mound in the bottom of 7^th and gave up a leadoff walk before a bunt to the pitcher was turned into a 1-4-6 double play (pitcher to first covered by the second baseman who fired to second which was covered by shortstop ).

Batterton got a pop up to end the game as it was secured by 2021 uncommitted catcher Brylea Russell to end ballgame.

One other player who impressed for the Stars: Claira Skaggs, an uncommitted 2021 infielder who has a .537 on-base percentage this fall and has stroked two grand slams. The power-hitting lefty third baseman also has compiled a .489 batting average and 1.32 slugging mark.

*** Player of the Night: Cierra Harrison of Aces Fastpitch 16U. If Harrison can play at the level she did Friday night, Taylor Taylor’s team will be hard to beat.

Harrison, an uncommitted 2022 will be a steal for some college program and several of the Aces coaches were raving about the young pitcher/utility player who throws in the 60’s with a great rise, curve and change-up.

All she did in the first game was strikeout all six batters she faced and then helped put her team on the board with a first-inning two RBI double.

Said Coach Taylor earlier tonight: “Cierra has really taken her game to another level and has had 55 strikeouts in 32 innings this fall.”

Here’s an interview we did with Cierra before her impressive opening-game performance Friday evening:

Saturday will see a full slate of bracket games including many on Texas A&M’s home field, Davis Diamond.

*****

FRIDAY RESULTS

 18U

 16U

 14U