Extra Inning Softball’s National Club Player & National Club Team of the Week – July 23, 2019

Our Extra Inning Softball National Club Player & National Club Team of the Week features great individual and team accomplishments that led to championships in two of the top nationals events of the summer: the USA Select Elite World Fastpitch Championship and the TC/USA Nationals…

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National Club Player of the Week:

* Atalyia Rijo was the highest-ranked uncommitted player in the 2022 Extra Elite 100 and she’s only boosted her stock with her play this spring and summer.

Atalyia led her Corning High team to a New York State AA Championship—she hit a home run to lead off the title game–and the momentum carried over to the TC/USA Nationals last week as she helped lead her Team NC – Eaton team to the championship.

The shortstop hit .469 in nine games with six RBIs and in 33 plate appearances had no strikeouts.

Read more about Atalyia in our Extra Star Power article: Atalyia Rijo Carries On the Family Business

She also had a fielding percentage of .944 and with fellow infielder Janelle Ilacqua turned five double plays.

“Atalyia provides us with so many options in the top of our order with her short game and consistent bat,” Coach Nate Eaton says. “The team feeds off of her.  With her arm and range at shortstop we are able to get a lot of outs most teams won’t get. Offensively, her presence in the box certainly helps our other hitters.”

The incoming sophomore is getting SEC-level recruiting interest.

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National Club Team of the Week:

* The Texas Bombers HTX – Burgess team is now 2-for-2 on their three-tournament national tour, taking 1^st place in the Sparkler Jr 14U Power Pool in Colorado and the USA Elite Select World Fastpitch Championships last week in Kansas City.

James Burgess’ team won five straight to start the week off, but in Game 6 ran into the loaded Tennessee Mojo – Fisher team which won big 9-1.

“I told my kids we needed to see what they had, especially (pitcher) Keagan Rothrock and she was as advertised,” Coach Burgess explained. “We held out our #1 pitcher Halie Pappion in that game on purpose. We didn’t want them to get a look at her as we viewed ‘Pap’ as the magic bullet. We knew she could keep the game close if we were to face them again.”

In the Loser’s Bracket, the Bombers went on another roll, winning three in a row to enter Saturday’s Championship Bracket.

With everything clicking, the Bombers run-ruled Texas Blaze United 11-1 in the semis to force a rematch with Mojo, which beat Diamond Sports Hotshots – Nelson 6-1 in eight innings.

The state was set for the Bombers vs. Mojo rematch.

Unlike the initial contest, Game 2 between the teams was a pitcher’s duel between Pappion and Rothrock early in the game.

“I wasn’t really worried, though, as we were hitting the ball, they just made some great plays,” Burgess continued. “We had an error in the infield that led to them scoring first and two innings later they went up on us 3-0 on a Rothrock two-RBI single.”

The Bombers climbed back into the game as Amiah Burgess singled and was driven in by Aiyana Coleman to bring the score to 3-1. In the top of the 7^th inning, Mojo’s Taylor Pannell crushed what would have been a home run but was robbed by Amiah Burgess in an ESPN Top 10-caliber play.

In the bottom of the 7^th still down by two, the Bombers got an RBI single by Shelby Frazier and, with two outs, an RBI double by Kayden Henry—a Top 20 player in the 2023 Extra Elite 100—to tie the game 3-3.

After Amiah Burgess was intentionally walked, Henry ran to steal third but with the infield in, the catcher’s throw to third found no one at the base to cover the throw and went into left field giving the Bombers their second national tournament championship of the summer.

For the week, Kayden Henry had eight RBIs and hit .314, Amiah Burgess batted .441 with six RBIs, Aiyana Coleman hit .357 with eight RBIs and three home runs, Mike Martinez batted .416 with four RBIs and Halie Pappion pitched 30 innings and had 30 strikeouts and Mimi Sandoval also threw effectively, pitching 21 innings.

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2019 Extra Inning Softball Club Players of the Week

• July 23: SS Atalyia Rijo (Team NC – Easton)
• July 16: 3B/2B Stormy Kotzelnick (Beverly Bandits 18U – Tyrrell/Kelley)
• July 9: IF Lauren Nett (East Cobb Bullets CA 2020)
• July 2: IF Erika Andal (Jersey Intensity 18U – KOD)
• June 25: IF Haidyn Sokoloski (Texas Glory 14U – Naudin)
• June 18: P Maddie Penta (PA Chaos 18U – Spina)

2019 Extra Inning Softball Club Teams of the Week

• July 23: Texas Bombers HTX 14U – James Burgess
• July 16: Carolina Cardinals 16U – John Garner/Monte Sherrill
• July 9: Aces Fastpitch 18U – Ryan Taylor
• July 2: OC Batbusters 18U – Mike Stith
• June 25: Tennessee Mojo 14U – Josh Fisher
• June 18: PA Chaos 18U – Joe Spina

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How to Submit Information:

Each week during the summer, Extra Inning Softball will recognize a National Club Player & National Club Team of the Week.

Those honored will typically be announced on Tuesdays.

The cutoff for submitting the nominations for Player & Team of the Week will be Mondays at 10 pm EST/7 pm PST.

NOTE: the player submitted does NOT have to be on the team submitted.

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National Club Player of the Week Criteria

Individually, we’re looking for standouts who excelled in the circle, at the plate or in the field so be sure to nominate your favorite performance(s) by submitting the following:

• Player Name
• Grad Year (example: Class of 2019 or Senior)
• Position(s)
• Club team name with city/state
• Stats for the week (be as detailed as possible!)
• Up-to-date season stats if possible
• Recruiting information if applicable
• Any interesting background on the player
• Action and/or head shots
• If possible, contact info if we’d like more info or quotes

National Club Team of the Week Criteria

Teams of all divisions–18U down to 10U–to be considered should include the following:

• Team name
• Age division
• Head coach
• Week’s record
• Where played (event/tournament)
• Key wins (championship win, for example)
• Standout player performances as applicable
• Team or key player photo (if available)

Email your info and photos (1-4 as available) by the cutoff of Mondays at 10 pm EST/ 7 pm PST to: [email protected].