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 info@extrainningsoftball.com and also los.extrainningsoftball@gmail.com.
Here’s our TLI for Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021 …
*****
AZ2 WINTER INVITATIONAL: THE PRIMER
WHEN: Saturday-Monday, Jan. 16-18
WHERE: Red Mountain Park, Mesa, AZ
WHAT’S AT STAKE? Some of the top 14U teams in the country will meet in one of the top tournaments of the winter.
WHO’S COMING? Arizona Hotshots 2024; Arizona Storm Munoz/Holtorf; Arizona Storm-Steverson; Athletics Mercado 2024; Cal Nuggets; Central Cal Dirtdogs-Close; Corona Angels FTS; Corona Angels-Tyson; Explosion AZ-Mabrey; Firecrackers Brashear TDR 2024; Firecrackers Central California Ramos; Firecrackers Weil 2024; Grapettes-Kapp; Grapettes-McNair; Desert Thunder-Basaldua; Grapettes-Medina; I-5 Softball; Lil Rebels RC/DJ/LW; Lil Saints-Kaddatz; LTG Lions-Carda-Cat; Ohana Tigers-Indian; Mountain West; Ohio Hawks 06-Joseforsky; Oro Valley Suncats-Judge; Power Surge Berndes 2024; So Cal Athletics-Briggs; So Cal Athletics KAM 2024; So Cal Athletics Marinakis/Guillenavilla; So Cal Choppers-Fausett; Sorcerer-Bigley; Sorcerer-Schroll; Suncats Jimenez; Suncats Jimenez/Gutierrez; Universal Fastpitch 06-Garcia; USA Athletics Rogers/Mathis 2024; Virginia Unity-Johnson; Victory USA; Washington Acers-McGee; and West Bay Warriors.
TOP CONTENDERS:
Athletics Mercado 2024: Coach Rick Hovermale has had a lot of success developing the young players in the Athletics Mercado organization and this year’s 2024 group should be one of the top 10 in the country. The Athletics top players are P/OF Miali Guachino, #25 in the 2024 Extra Elite 100, 1B/3B Makenzie Butt, #41 in the 2024 Extra Elite 100, P Sofia Elliott, #56 in the 2024 Extra Elite 100, 3B Nadia Rountree, #65 in the 2024 Extra Elite 100, and 2B/3B Jayde Pagdilao, #72 in the 2024 Extra Elite 100.
Corona Angels-Tyson: Marty Tyson’s 14U teams have been among the best in the nation for a long time, reaching the PGF 14U Premier national finals four times and winning championships in 2014 and 2018. This year’s group should be a contender at all major events agains this summer. The Corona Angels top players are P Stefini Ma’ake, #4 in the 2024 Extra Elite 100, OF Gigi Ganje, #13 in the 2024 Extra Elite 100, P Jazmine Chavez, #22 in the 2024 Extra Elite 100, C Alyssa Aguilar, #50 in the 2024 Extra Elite 100, 3B Alexis Jimenez, #58 in the 2024 Extra Elite 100, and C Isabel Cintron, #59 in the 2024 Extra Elite 100.
Virginia Unity-Johnson: After a very strong summer as a first-year 14U team, Josh Johnson’s Virginia Unity went 30-3 in the fall. This is a team on the rise that should make some noise this season. Unity is led by OF/IF Destiny Harris, #19 in the 2024 Extra Elite 100, P Kadyn Camper, #39 in the 2024 Extra Elite 100, and P/1B Lilly Parrish, #77 in the 2024 Extra Elite 100.
Power Surge Berndes 2024: Scott Berndes’ Power Surge squad was ranked #22 in last year’s Extra Elite Eighty 14U Club Rankings, but was unable to compete at any major events because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Southern California-based team is super talented and will make up for missed time this season. The Power Surge features UT Skye Williams, #21 in the 2024 Extra Elite 100, OF Addison Duke, #27 in the 2024 Extra Elite 100, P/UT Callie Christian, #32 in the 2024 Extra Elite 100, and MIF Susanna Pate, #60 in the 2024 Extra Elite 100.
USA Athletics Rogers/Mathis 2024: The Athletics are led by SS/OF Ti’are Ho-Ching, #23 in the 2024 Extra Elite 100, 3B/1B Miracle McKenzie, #34 in the 2024 Extra Elite 100, P/1B Charli Escobedo, #43 in the 2024 Extra Elite 100, P Mia Sanchez, #53 in the 2024 Extra Elite 100, and 1B/OF Katie Knarr, #77 in the 2024 Extra Elite 100.
NEWS & NOTES
***Arkansas-committed 1B/P Kiana “Kiki” Estrada, #18 in the 2022 Extra Elite 100, transferred from Chino Hills High, CA, to Orange Lutheran High, CA, a perennial CIF Southern Section Division 1 contender.
Kiki, a standout on Bruce Richardson‘s So Cal A’s team, hit .470 with nine home runs, 14 doubles and an impressive 47 RBIs as a freshman at Chino Hills. This past spring she went 15 for 30 in 11 games with four home runs, including a grand slam, and had 19 RBIs.
“I am super excited about this new chapter,” Kiki said.
*** Scroll down to see more news & notes from around the softball world…
