Get ready for Week 2 of 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 but you can be a part of the team too!
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 for Monday, Dec. 9 …
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16U SHAKE-UP
There’s been a lot of movement by top pitchers in the 16U division and TLI is doing its best to keep you all updated. OK, here’s the latest big move: Georgia-committed 2023 RHP Kirsten Fleet, #8 in the 2023 Extra Elite 100, has left Georgia Impact-Jeffreys to join Texas Bombers Gold-Burgess/Smith.
“I loved Georgia Impact and I’m definitely going to miss playing for them,” Fleet told Extra Inning Softball. “The trend in the travel ball world right now is building stacked teams to win PGF Nationals. Winning at PGF has always been my goal and I feel the Bombers are on track to doing that this season. I’m thankful for this opportunity and can’t wait to begin playing.”
In the past week, Louisiana Lafayette-committed 2022 RHP Halie Pappion, #64 in the 2022 Extra Elite 100, left Texas Bombers Gold-Burgess/Smith to join Tennessee Mojo-Fisher, Auburn-committed 2022 RHP Emma Rolfe, #16 in the 2022 Extra Elite 100, left Tennessee Mojo-Fisher to join Georgia Impact-Jeffreys and uncommitted 2021 RHP Lacie Ham left the OC Batbusters to go with Athletics-Mercado/Greg.
NOTHING BUT DINGERS FOR CHIDDY
The 2019 NFCA Convention in Atlantic City, NJ, concluded over the weeekend. TLI always dresses up as a Star Wars character, we’re looking at you Chewbacca mask in the back of the closet, when we go to ComicCon in San Diego.
We’re wondering what the most popular costume was at this year’s NFCA Con? While you’re pondering that, Chicago Bandits superstar/Team USA catcher Amanda Chidester dropped bombs all over NFCA Con, winning the home run-hitting contest for the second consecutive year.
Back to back years @chiddy3 wins the home run hitting contest at the NFCA convention. Furthest distance is 297 ft with over 80 mph exit velos. @umichsoftball pic.twitter.com/aOteagGHaZ
— Bonnie Tholl (@btholl) December 6, 2019
TRAINING MONTAGES
TLI loves a great training montage. There’s nothing like a training montage to get TLI pumped up every morning. Some people are big fans of Mr. Miyagi’s training methods for Daniel-son in “The Karate Kid.”
Others love when Luke Skywalker is going through his drills with Yoda attached to his back dispensing wisdom in “The Empire Strikes Back.”
But no one does a training montage better than Sylvester Stallone in the “Rocky” films. We believe the evidence from “Rocky IV” speaks for itself.
In honor of Rocky Balboa, here are some videos of talented softballers from around the country embracing the grind.
*** Uncommitted 2021 CF/slapper Ieesha Christian of Oklahoma Athletics 18U Premier puts in work.
1,000 balls later…#progress Ready to showoff my progress @UTAMavsSoftball camp tomorrow.#AsAllDay #growth
@OKAs18u_Premier @OKAthleticsAcad @StriveSoftball @SoftballConnect @softball_dugout @GameReady101 @IHartFastpitch @coachbrun @CoachBBuchanan @megan_low33 @MirandaKramer pic.twitter.com/99hVKFqQaG
— Ieesha Christian 2021 (@ieeshasoftball) December 7, 2019
*** Uncommitted 2022 OF Brijana Burnette of Lady Dukes-Lamar might have been feeling awful last week, but that didn’t st0p her from getting after it.
Love the Work Ethic ! OFF Season what’s that! Get after it Breezy.. #11 eat those Staduim stairs for breakfast. @btholl @UGACoachTony @LLefty18 @jakesidwell_UVA @HerdSB @FSU_CoachWilson @Coach_Alameda https://t.co/ztXpp2cuxE
— Lady Dukes Lamar (@LadyDukesLamar) December 7, 2019
*** Marshall-committed 2021 2B/SS Brooklyn Ulrich of Arizona Suncats 18U pays attention to the little things.
Today I worked on getting into a strong power position at contact. @arizonasuncats pic.twitter.com/TLp1tsPcrl
— Brooklyn Ulrich (@BrooklynUlrich) December 7, 2019
*** 2022 RHP/UT Kayleigh Smith and her Texas Blaze NTX Premier 16U teammates get after it during a Saturday workout.
Winter workouts have officially started #alwaysworking pic.twitter.com/efslrQUmZr
— Kayleigh Smith (@ks_pitcher29) December 8, 2019
BLING BLING!!!
Tennessee Mojo-Fisher won the PGF 14U Premier national title this past summer and the Mojo players picked up their championship rings this weekend. Merry Bling Bling!!!
THE CHAMPS ARE HERE!!! PGF NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!!! Mojo Domination#ShortDawg#SheCollectsThem#FishKids#WeGotIt#ComeAndGetIt pic.twitter.com/sUYDlxH01k
— Good Win Farm/ Eaton Sales (@GoodWinFarm92) December 7, 2019
FL FIRECRACKERS WIN SANTA SLAM TITLE
Fl Firecrackers-Campo/Bias went 7-0 to claim the 14U Santa Slam title over the weekend in Florida. Check out this clutch RBI single by Ariana Garcia that got the Firecrackers into the finals.
Tied ball game and I helped secure my team a spot in the championship game offensively after time expired with this clutch rbi single. A 5-4 win over Wellington Wild. @StriveSoftball @IHartFastpitch @ChrisSteiner20 @softball_dugout @SoftballConnect @352Diamond pic.twitter.com/looH21cBLL
— Ariana Garcia (@ArianaG33896023) December 9, 2019
FIRECRACKERS GEORGIA GO CAMPING
This is the time of year when many players make official/unofficial visits to colleges and players/teams attend college camps. Firecrackers GA-Rubio/Robinson had a successful visit to Georgia Southwestern’s camp this past weekend.
https://twitter.com/FirecrackersRu1/status/1203464094776516609
HOT TIX
If you are a Gators fan, you better wake up early in the morning on Jan. 15 to get single-game tickets, because the season tickets are gone.
This is so amazing. Thank you Gator fans! 👍🏻🐊🥎🌻 #GoGators https://t.co/j6jvG96DfX
— Tim Walton (@_TimWalton) December 9, 2019
IT’S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR
TLI loves the holiday season, especially when we come across a photo like this of EC Bullets-Maher. Love the Buddy sweaters.
Happy Holidays from the East Cobb Bullets! pic.twitter.com/GrA3Ia1WLZ
— EC Bullets – Maher (@ECbullets_Maher) December 8, 2019
Happy Holidays from Firecrackers-Rico/Weil
Happy Holidays from Firecrackers Rico/Weil@Firecrackersinc @tonyrico pic.twitter.com/Zey32yf0vP
— Firecrackers Rico/Weil (@firecrackerrico) December 9, 2019
Hopefully, no one was injured at the Kentucky Softball Christmas party. This dancing doesn’t give TLI a lot of confidence.
Kentucky Softball Christmas Party tomorrow… mood. @kswaggyyyy @UKsoftball pic.twitter.com/v3VL8srVsP
— Alexandria Marie (@AlexMartens2) December 6, 2019
Keller High, TX, regularly contends for state titles in the Longhorn state and it looks like they know how to throw a good Christmas party too.
The 2019 Keller Softball Christmas party was a hit! We came, we ate, we played games, we laughed, we cheered but most importantly we grew closer! Merry Christmas from our family to yours! #TogetherWeAreStronger pic.twitter.com/edvZkuoFl9
— Keller HS Softball (@Keller_Softball) December 8, 2019
When you're ready for break but remember you've still got one more final to take. @ChayannaRae pic.twitter.com/zH25hhAsYB
— Delaware Softball (@Delaware_SB) December 9, 2019
ICYMI
The TLI Crew knows it’s hard to keep track of everything over the weekend.
You might have been glued to the TV all Saturday watching the college football championship games, binging holiday movies on Hallmark channel or you were running around town in search of the perfect Christmas present.
Here’s what we had on Extra Inning Softball:
- Typography enthusiast Allison Benning, a hard-throwing RHP from Prince’s home state, talks about her recent commitment to Oregon;
- Mike Smith resigns as head coach at Ole Miss;
- Easton announced as title sponsor for 2020 Top Gun Invitational;
- building hype for the Top 15 Softball Stories of the Year.
— Carlos Arias, Extra Inning Softball (Follow Carlos on Twitter @Los_Stuff)
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