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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 Wednesday, May 20, 2020 …
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KOD HEADS UP HFL NORTHEAST
Kevin O’Donnell’s Jersey Intensity organization is joining the Heart of America Elite Fastpitch League (HFL) and O’Donnell confirmed he will run the Northeast Division.
Within the first hour that O’Donnell had made the announcement on Tuesday, he already had several top club programs confirmed including PA Chaos, Newtown Rock, Rhode Island Thunder, NJ Batbusters, NJ Pride, MA Polar Crush, CT Charmers, PA Outlaws, PA Strikers, PA Xtreme Gold, LI Crush, NJ Renegades, RI Rebels, LI Surge, NJ Vipers, SJ Mystics and NJ Hotshots.
“I do believe in these unprecedented times, especially how hard we have been hit in the Northeast, the HFL league platform makes a lot of sense,” O’Donnell told Extra Inning Softball.
“Coupled with the dead period being extended it will give our local clubs an opportunity to compete within the State and the region. In some areas, weekly doubleheader leagues will take place. We have been sheltered in place since March 17, so when we come out of this, there will be not much time to get ready so this will be a great opportunity to stay ready for the marquee national events.”
“It’s kind of a throwback to the way most of the players had started there playing careers with mid-week games in there local town teams. But the difference is now they are high-caliber club teams.”
SCENIC CITY CANCELLED FOR JUNE 4-7 WEEKEND
Extra Inning Softball has learned that one of the top club events of the summer, the Scenic City Invitational, has been cancelled as of today.
It appears it was a local (county) issue that reversed an earlier decision to allow the event to take place.
One Tennessee coach told us, “Hamilton County (Chattanooga, TN) just pulled the plug. Our governor has opened up Tennessee, but has granted autonomy to six counties that have their own health departments to chart their own path. Hamilton County is one of the six.”
Here is the text of what was sent out by the event organizers to coaches who had planned to attend:
It looks like the next large Southeast tourney will be Atlanta Legacy in July. Triple Crown is bringing Fireworks to Chattanooga in July also.
TOP GUN MEMORIAL DAY ENCORE THIS WEEKEND IN OKC
The Top Gun Memorial Day Encore will be held Saturday-Monday, May 23-25, in Oklahoma City, OK. The event had to cancel the 12U and 14U Divisions, but it has a strong field of teams for the 16U and 18U Divisions.
Here’s the 16U teams headed to the event:
Gametime Stars 16U Gold; Oklahoma Athletics 04 Platinum-Linsenmeyer; Oklahoma Athletics 04 Premier-Madden; TeamSmith Softball TX 16U; Tulsa Elite 2021; OK Impact Gold Premier-Sydney; American Freedom Synergy; Colorado Batbusters; OK Exclusive 16U Gold-Smith; Oklahoma Pure Fastpitch-Gibson; OK Bombers 16U-Aud; Midwest Batbusters 16U-Hale; Arkansas Bombers 04; Top Gun 16U National-Turner; OK Exclusive 16U Premier; Top Gun Academy-Berryman; Select Fastpitch 14U; Select Fastpitch 15U; Select Fastpitch 16U; Nebraska Gold 15U-Groff; OK Athletics 03 Platinum-Hunter; Nebraska Thunder Gold; Colorado Batbusters-S. Cardona; OK Impact Gold Premier-Smith; and Oklahoma Force 03.
Here are the 18U teams headed to OKC for the holiday weekend:
Oklahoma Athletics 16U Premier-Madden; OK Bombers Gold 18U-Aud; OK Exclusive 18U Premier; Oklahoma Athletics 18U Gold-Coleman; Tulsa Elite OKC-Wells; Tulsa Elite OKC-Walde; Tulsa Elite 18U National; Top Gun Academy-Angels; Top Gun Academy 18U Gold; and Select Fastpitch 18U.
*** To read the rest of today’s The Last Inning including more event news, an SEC verbal and more Softball Pets, scroll down below…