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Get on board with Extra Inning Softball’s regular feature, The Last Inning.
We are scouring the Internet and Social Media and keeping our ears to the street for the latest going on in the softball community.
To contribute information, insights, thoughts or content ideas, email us at [email protected]. You can also send items/story ideas to Carlos Arias via email at [email protected] or via Twitter @Los_Stuff.
Here’s our TLI for Friday, Dec. 19 …
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FIRECRACKER LOOKING TO BE AN FBI AGENT
Katy Hicks, a talented junior with the Firecrackers – Brashear/Hicks 16U team and a great student at El Capitan (Lakeside, CA) High with a 4.48 GPA, committed this week to George Mason.
The reason is interesting, as explained by her father and head coach Bill Hicks.
https://twitter.com/fcbrashearhicks/status/1207732897047699456?s=21
“Katy wants to pursue a career in the FBI,” dad/coach explains, “and George Mason, being in Virginia, has excellent programs for that. They have been her top school for quite some time now.”
Coach Hicks says that the Mason coaches first saw Katy at college combines run by Sean Brashear of the Firecrackers and then watched the corner infielder at PGF National as well as at showcases this season.
“The recruiting process was a long grind and the new rule really slowed it down even more, however at the end of the day that just allowed her more time to develop which was a good thing,” he adds.
Katy is one of several high academic talents on the Firecrackers – Brashear/Hicks team that colleges are taking a look at and the coaches expect more commits soon. The 16U squad should make a solid splash this summer and says one coach: “Katy is just the first; there will be many more to follow.”
THE LAST INNING MINI-Q&A: KAILEE BAUTISTA
TLI takes a look at Illinois-born Texan Kailee Bautista for this week’s TLI Mini-Q&A. The uncommitted 2022 C/1B/3B first came to our attention in March of 2018 when she made Extra Inning Softball’s Extra Elite Class of 2022 Players to Watch list.
Since then she had a breakout freshman season at Horn High of Mesquite, TX, where she was selected as 2019 UIL District 6A Newcomer/Freshman of the Year. Bautista has made such great strides who knows where she might end up when the new 2022 Extra Elite rankings come out in early 2020.
Name: Kailee Bautista
Hometown: Mesquite, TX
High School: Horn High of Mesquite, TX
Club Team: Texas Blaze NTX Premier 16U
Graduation Year: 2022
Height: 5-foot-8
Position: Catcher/Corners
Nickname: Kickz
Twitter: @kaileebautista
High School Stats/Highlights: Selected by DFW Star Telegram 6A Division Player To Watch List 2019. Batted .444 with team-leading five homeruns. Selected as 2019 UIL District 6A Newcomer/Freshman of the Year, District All-Academic Team and guided Horn High to playoffs after three-years hiatus.
Travel Ball Stats/Highlights: There are many softball highlights to mention like hitting a grand slam for a comeback win, home runs, walk-off hits, defensive stops, pickle plays and my favorite — throw downs or pick offs — but what I cherish the most, personally, are the memories of camaraderie amongst my teammates, their families, our coaches, and fellow softball players thats I’ve met, befriended during our travels from Texas, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Arkansas and other neighboring states. You just can’t replace that.
Tell us about your travel team/organization and how you became involved with them?
I’m currently playing with Texas Blaze NTX Premier 16U based out of Denton, Texas. I was looking for a team in December of 2018 when I was approached by Mike Olguin, who at the time was coaching a 14U Blaze team here in the Dallas area. The team had a successful showcase and I loved the core group members of that team. They made me feel at home.They are all accommodating, friendly and made me feel felt like I belonged. Soon after they got in touch with my parents. Our family likes the organization’s mission statement. Coaches were able to lay out a good plan for the new team that will help us grow individually and assist in our recruitment process as a team. Something that wasn’t provided before to us.
*** To read the rest of today’s The Last Inning, including more on Kailee, scroll down below…