If you watched the PGF 10U National Championship that was won by the Corona Angels-McCullough team, you probably noticed the energetic, fist-pumping catcher for the champs, the always energized Charlotte Baum.
Baum shined with her defensive skills and also came up big with the bat when she stroked a key triple that helped her team tie the score late. The opponent, the So Cal Choppers-Franco team, respected her and intentionally walked her later in the game.
Charlotte began playing t-ball at age 4 and her mother, Sarah, says: “We knew right away that she had a special talent.”
The young athlete played rec ball in Rancho Cucamonga, California from age 4 to age 9 and then began playing travel ball and last year was the only ’08 on the all ’07 Explosion-Flores team that won the championship at TCS World Series in Park City, Utah.
And then this year the PGF championship meaning she has two titles before 12U!
So how did the fist-pumping during a pitching sequence get started? Her mom tells the story:
“Charlotte had been watching the College World Series and noticed how Paige Halstead of UCLA had such good energy. Charlotte and her dad (Charles) talked about how she could be that energy for her team.”
“During the next few friendlies, she tried to come out of her shell but it just wasn’t happening. I reached out to Coach Jeff (Johnson) on the Angels and asked him to talk to her. Coach Jeff came over and sat down with Charlotte and explained to her that she is a natural born leader and that she needed to ‘step-up her game’ and be more vocal.”
“He gave her some suggestions and examples of ways he felt she could really stand out and get the team pumped up. That night she sat in her bed and ‘practiced’ things she would say and do.”
The following weekend we had friendlies and it was obvious that she had finally found her voice—she was fist-pumping, taking off her helmet and yelling to her teammates and really commanding the field. After that and through PGF she just kept it going and it worked!”
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Name: CHARLOTTE BAUM
Hometown: Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Grad Year: 2026
Position: C/3B/OF
Club Team: Corona Angels-McCullough (10U)
Honors: Principals Honor Roll (4.0 GPA), Student Senate, Special Student Buddy Program, Banyan Track Team- Gold in Softball Throw (All-District)
Other sports: Basketball, swimming
Coach’s Comment: “Charlotte is a great athlete with tremendous work ethic. Her presence behind the plate was incredible and I definitely felt Malaya and the rest of our defense fed off her energy.” – Lydell McCullough, Corona Angels
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What a fun PGF National Championship! When you look back on the big win, what memory will stick out?
I know this is probably everyone’s but when Jordin landed that slap to win the game, as I was running past their shortstop from second base I looked over my shoulder (which you are not supposed to do lol) and I saw that the ball went into the outfield and I threw my hands up cause I knew we had won. Man that feeling was so amazing! Then I saw Coach Lydell (McCullough) run across the field and I knew we had done it!