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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 Thursday, Feb. 6, 2020…
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EXTRA INNING SCOUTING REPORT
With the 2020 high school softball season approaching, TLI will be taking a look at some of the top teams in the country with the Extra Inning Scouting Report.
TLI talked to Barbers Hill High of Mt. Belvieu, TX, coach Aaron Fuller about his Eagles, who went 42-4, reached the 5A regional finals and finished #19 in the 2019 Extra Elite Eighty High School Rankings.
Let’s get to the Extra Inning Scouting Report of …
BARBERS HILL
Top Returners:
- Jessica Mullins (2020, P/SS, co-District MVP)
- Samantha Landry (2021, P/LF, co-District MVP, All-State, #16 in the 2021 Extra Elite 100)
- Sophia Simpson (2021, P, co-District MVP, #8 in the 2021 Extra Elite 100)
- Estela Garza (2022, C, 5A Utility Player of the Year)
- Hayley Freudenberg (2020, P/3B, 1st Team All-District)
- Amber Thibodeaux (2021, UT/OF/C, 1st Team All-District)
- Stephanie Niemann (2021, LF/SS, 1st Team All-District)
- Kaylee Hornberger (2021, OF/IF, 2nd Team All-District)
- Kaitlyn Dutton (2021, P/RF, Honorable Mention)
- Summer Gigout (2020, 3B, Honorable Mention)
Top Newcomers:
- Faith Guidry (2021, P/1B)
- Maddie Glover (2022, 3B)
What will it take for your team to be successful this season? Our pitching and defense will be great. We’ll have to find ways to score runs.
Who is your No. 1 pitcher and what can you tell me about her skills? Who else could see some time in the circle? We have five Division 1 pitchers. They’ll all see time in the circle and they all bring a different set of skills. We’d be comfortable throwing any of them against any opponent.
What can we expect from your offense? Our offense won’t have a whole lot of power, but we do have lots of good hitters who can get on base and move runners around the base paths.
Did you pick up any impact transfers or did you lose any players to transfers? We had one transfer move in. Maddie Glover is a power-hitting sophomore who can catch and play 3B.
Who are the potential All-Section/All-District/All-State players on your team? We should dominate our district. We had eight of our nine starters last year made the All-District team. Our pitchers all have the potential to be All-State players, although since they’re sharing time in the circle, they won’t have as good of stats as another pitcher who is throwing every game for her team.
Signed and Committed Players: Jessica Mullins, Texas State; Hayley Freudenberg, Lamar; Samantha Landry, Louisiana-Lafayette; Sophia Simpson, Texas; Kaitlyn Dutton, Texas State; and Faith Guidry, Michigan State.
FUNDAMENTALS
TLI grew up a fan of the Los Angeles Lakers, so the Bling Dynasty with Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal was one of our favorite eras.
Shaq was one of the all-time great players and he was hilarious during interviews. He came up with nicknames for himself almost every week. One day Shaq heard about former Laker great George Mikan and the “Mikan Drill,” which was a drill for forwards and centers to develop rhythm, timing for rebounding and scoring in the paint. Basically, it was a way to drill fundamentals for centers. That’s when Shaq started calling himself “The Big Fundamental.”
What does this have to do with softball you might be asking yourself.? Well, TLI loves a good dinger like everyone else, but softball is all about the little things.
Fielding, base running and bunting are just as important as smashing bombs. That’s why TLI loved coming across this video of Jordan Peterson of Arizona Suncats 10U practicing her bunting skills. TLI is dubbing Jordan “Lil Fundamental.”
1/5/20 bunting
Suncats20 @arizonasuncats pic.twitter.com/NzvyWd0hf0— Jordan Peterson (@Jordy42suncats) February 6, 2020
HAPPY OPENING DAY!!!
Let’s play ball #Huskers! pic.twitter.com/qEWASi57ir
— Nebraska Softball (@HuskerSoftball) February 6, 2020
First pitch of the 2020 season is in there for a strike!#AggieUp // #ALLIN pic.twitter.com/odxTiN1rYi
— NM State Softball (@NMStateSoftball) February 6, 2020
Best grounds crew in the country! Thanks for getting us ready for opening day. The field looks beautiful. #titanpride pic.twitter.com/03SFW06a9V
— Kelly Ford (@CoachKellyFord) February 6, 2020
O’Pin’ing Day!!! For @GCU_Softball #LopesUp 🔥🔥❄️❄️ pic.twitter.com/yoUetqMCdB
— GCU Equipment (@GCU_Equipment) February 6, 2020
2020 GAME DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Bruins host CSU Bakersfield tonight at 7 p.m. at Easton Stadium.
Check out the unveiling of our new banner in the outfield!
Tickets available at the door or at https://t.co/VrJCWElqbJ.#GoBruins pic.twitter.com/vYZ36ZTmoh
— UCLA Softball (@UCLASoftball) February 6, 2020
— Carlos Arias & Brentt Eads, Extra Inning Softball (Follow Carlos on Twitter @Los_Stuff; follow Brentt on Twitter @ExtraInningSB)
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