This is Week 7 of the 2021 summer season with today’s edition as we feature great individual and team accomplishments from the past week.
This week’s honorees are from games and tournaments in the week of Monday, July 19 through Sunday, July 25, 2021.
Scroll to the bottom for details to submit info for future candidates.
National Club Team of the Week:
Wichita Mustangs 18U – Griggs
With only two weeks left of the summer, Head Coach Mark Griggs took his Wichita Mustangs 18U team to Kansas City to compete in the World Fastpitch Challenge for a final preparation before the Alliance Fastpitch Championships.
The venue gave Griggs the opportunity to get some of his younger players some game time. He didn’t expect the girls to make a run as deep into the week as they did, but the Mustangs came to play.
“It gave them a great chance to get in a rhythm and head to Oklahoma City game ready,” said Griggs.
Not only did the Mustangs cruise through the bracket with several run rule games, two players took All-Tournament honors: middle infielder Kyla Eck (2021, Pacific) ranked #39 in the 2021 Extra Elite 100 was Tournament MVP and shortstop Brooke Blankenship (2021, Florida State) ranked #5 in the 2021 Extra Elite 100, was Defensive MVP.
“The games gave the girls some opportunities to face adversity and compete,” Griggs added.
The USA Elite experience also provided broadcasts of the games on USSSAlive, which gave the parents opportunity to watch from home as few travel with the Wichita group.
Home runs were plentiful during the week run with Blankenship, Eck, Maggie Herdejurgen (Oklahoma State), Hannah Church (Ohio State) and FSU signees Katie Bright and Krystina Hartley all clearing the fence. OSU Signee Bailey Runner hit three and Univ. of West Georgia signee Ava Rameriez hit a walk off
The Mustangs’ office was running strong as the team averaged eight runs per game while the pitching corps allowed just an average of 1.5 runs in their eight-win run.
It’s been a long summer of travel and competition for this team, wich travels together on a Prevost bus from event to event with training in between.
The team has advanced this week into the Super Regionals at The Alliance Cup Championships in Oklahoma City.
Runner-Up / National Club Teams of the Week
* Last year at this time, the Frost Falcons 16U Gold team coach by James “Junion” Garrett, achieved 5th place at the PGF Southeastern Nationals held in Chattanooga (out of 95 teams) and, this year at the 18U level— with only nine active players and a 14U designated runner (the younger sister of a current player)—the 10 players pulled together to become champions of the 2021 PGF 18U Southeast Regional Championships.
Despite being shorthanded over the eight games, the team shuffled three pitchers – Macie Welch, Gracie Hughes and Hannah Pitts (#27) between the mound, first and second base and the trio dominated the opposition with a collective ERA of 1.80 and 56 strikeouts.
In the 8-0 run, the team scored 60 runs and gave up just 13 runs (only eight were earned) and the offensive was strong including a pair of 10-0 run-rule wins. In the semi-finals, the team won 10-4 over the Atlanta Vipers – Shumeyko team and in the title game beat Windermere Wildfire – Pollack 4-0.
We’ll have more on the Falcons in an upcoming spotlight feature….
*** Scroll down to see to more standout performances by teams and players!
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How to Submit Information:
Each week during the summer, Extra Inning Softball will recognize a National Club Player & Team of the Week.
Those honored will typically be announced on Tuesdays or Wednesday. The cutoff for submitting the nominations for Player & Team of the Week will be Mondays at 9 pm EST/6 pm PST.
* 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 2021 or Incoming 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
* Teams to be considered should include info such as record, key wins, standout performances and more for the week.
