At this weekend’s PGF Labor Day Showcase there will be two Southern Force teams from Kentucky: the 14U squad coached by Josh Bloomer and the 16U team led by Dave Carroll.

Coach Carroll’s team has moved up from the 14U level where it went 36-8-4 over the summer mostly playing teams at the 16U division.

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The Midwest team played in some big tournaments over the summer, finishing 5^th in the 16U Super Pool Division at Scenic City in Chattanooga, Tenn., winning the ASA Qualifier in Bowling Green, Ky. and taking 3^rd in the prestigious Independence Day Tournament in Boulder, Col. at the 14U level.

Highlighting the summer for the organization, however, was the Southern Force-Carroll team winning the ASA 14U Nationals.

“We played several quality teams but I think the difference for us was timely hitting, great pitching and solid defense,” says Carroll.

“The Southern Force has finished in the top 10 at ASA Nationals on 13 occasions but this years team is only the second team to win the ASA Nationals (in 2004 the 18U team won it all). Alisa Goler and the entire Southern Force organization have had a tremendous impact on our players’ development and team success.”

“We have been told we are the only Kentucky team to ever win a 14W ASA Nationals. These girls just know how to win and always seem to make the play or get the hit when it matters most. Every game it seems to be a different player; it takes a complete team to win an ASA Championship.”

Carroll says the team’s memorable summer was due to the entire roster making contributions.

“The team stats tell a real story about how diverse our team truly is,” he explains. “Seven different players lead the team in some offensive category and all seven had an OPS over 900 which shows the explosiveness of this team. The team average was .354 and we hit .378 with runners in scoring position.”

Here are some of the key contributors for the title-winning team with comments from the head coach:

—CF Laken Nesby (2018, uncommitted)
“Laken played centerfield all summer with only three errors while having three game-changing throws to the plate for outs. She is a defensive gem in center.”

—SS/C Emmy Blane (2019, uncommitted)
“Emmy bats second in the line-up and led the team in doubles. She has offers from several top programs and is among the best 2019 shortstops in the country.”

—C/IF Gracie Osbron (2018, uncommitted)
“Gracie bats third and led the team with a .448 average and a 1.203 OPS. She has offers from several top programs and may be the best 2018 catcher in the country”

—2B/RF Abby Shoulders (2018, uncommitted)
“Abby bats sixth and led the team with a .447 average with runners in scoring position. She has several D1 schools interested in her.”

—LF Megan Fortner (2019, uncommitted)
“Megan bats seventh and led the team in RBIs. She is getting interest and offers from a few D1 schools as a power-hitting outfielder. Megan has two older sisters who play or played at Wichita State and Southeast Missouri. Her oldest sister, Kayla, set a single season home run record at SEMO and has joined our coaching staff this summer.”

—P/1B Taylor Roby (2018, Louisville)
“Taylor bats fourth and lead the team in home runs with seven. She also pitched 214 of our total 273 innings on the year with 117 strikeouts.”

—IF/P Lindsey Carroll (2018, uncommitted)
“Lindsey Carroll is our lead-off hitter and led the team in triples, walks and stolen bases. She is also garnering interest from several D1 schools.”

—1B/3B Alyssa Case (2018, uncommitted)
“Alyssa bats fifth and may have been our offensive MVP—she led the team with a .704 slugging percentage. She hits for average with power and is drawing attention from several D1 schools.”

— The head coach also pointed out three utility players who played big for the National Championship team: Jenna Howell, Bailey Woodward and Payton Blades, who also pitched.

ROAD to the CHAMPIONSHIP

… a game-by-game recap of the week-long journey to the ASA 14U title as told by Coach Carroll:

Pool Play

* Beat the Hatters Gold 5-3:

“Abby, Emmy, Jenna went 2-4. In the 6th inning, we scored four runs on five hits in a row topped off by a two-run RBI double by Lindsey.”

* Lost to the GA Impact Stewart 3-2:

“Well played game by both teams, but our bats just went cold.”

Elimination Play

* Beat the Richmond Diamonds 2-0:

“Taylor had a no-hitter with 8 Ks. Abby and Alyssa went 2-3.”

* Beat the MN Sting 10-1:

“We had 18 hits as a team. Emmy, Gracie and Abby all had doubles, Alyssa had a triple and a home run. Taylor threw a two-hitter with 4 Ks.”

* Beat Team Michigan 5-4:

“We out-hit Team Michigan 8 to 3, overcoming four errors and an illegal pitch call in the top of the 7th with the go-ahead run on 3rd. Lindsey had a double, Alyssa had two doubles and the walk-off home run in the bottom of the 7th to win the game.”

* Beat East Cobb Bullets 2-1:

“Gracie had three of our team’s six hits in a hard-fought game. The game ended on a 4-6-3 double play (Abby-Emmy-Alyssa). Taylor gave up four hits with two Ks and no earned runs.”

* Beat Jacksonville Storm 5-0:

“In the second inning, the Storm had the bases loaded with no outs but didn’t score thanks to a ground ball double play that went to Lindsey (3B) to Gracie (catcher) to Alyssa(1B) followed by a popup to the Taylor (P). It was still 0-0 in the top of 6^th; the Storm had a runner at second with no outs and doubled in the left-center gap. Laken threw to Taylor in the circle to Gracie at home for the first out and a big collision at the plate. On the play, Gracie attempted a throw to third from the ground which got away, but Emmy at short backed up third and threw the runner out going home. That was two outs at the plate on a double to left center! In the bottom of the 6th, the Force scored runs runs with two outs on four hits by Emmy, Taylor, Alyssa and Abby and then a grand slam by Megan Fortner!

* Beat Frost Falcons 3-0:

In the first inning, Lindsey scored from third on a would-be home run that was robbed by the Frost Falcons centerfielder as she ran through the temporary fence. Next up was Taylor who hit a no-doubter homer for our second run in the inning. In the third inning, Taylor singled to right center, Jenna pitch ran and advanced to second on a wild pitch before being doubled home by Alyssa. Taylor pitched the shutout allowing just four hits with four K’s.

* Beat Atlanta Premier 6-3:

“We out hit the Premier 11 to 8 and had three runners on in the first but were unable to score. In the third inning, Lindsey led off with a single and scored from first on a double by Emmy and then Gracie singled to score Emmy. In the 6th inning we finally broke the game open on hits by Taylor, Abby, Megan, Bailey and Emmy. Peyton also had an RBI fielder’s choice in that big inning. Peyton pitched and held a good hitting team to three runs. That was our third game of the day on Saturday.

*Championship Game—beat Atlanta Premier 2-1:

“Emmy led off the top of the fourth inning with a single to center which was followed by a single by Gracie before Alyssa singled to score Emmy. With one out in the top of the 5th, Lindsey doubled off the leftfield wall on a 0-2 count changeup and later scored on a single by Gracie. It was a close play at the plate with a hook slide and she grazed the plate with her left hand. The Premier scored its only run with a solo homer to left in the bottom of the 5th. Both teams made several outstanding defensive plays on hard hit balls and the last out of the championship was a line drive out to second baseman Abby Shoulders. Ironically the ball has found that kid for the last out of several championship tournaments we have won. Why should this one be any different?

Key Stats for the Week:

• Abby Shoulders lead the team in hitting (.4440 and hitting with runners in scoring position (.615)
• Emmy Blane batted ,410
• Allyssa Case had a slugging percentage of .757
• Megan Fortner led the team in RBIs with 14
• Allyssa Case had two HRs (one walk-off), Taylor Roby had one and Megan Fortner had a grand slam
• Taylor Roby only gave up five earned runs in the nine games she pitched
• The Southern Force – Carroll team out-hit its opponents 82-38
• The Force team batting average was .318 but was .390 with runners in scoring position

LOOKING AHEAD: the 2015-16 Southern Force – Carroll team

“We did not have any open tryouts,” says Coach Carroll of assembling this year’s team, “but instead opting to add three players from last summer’s 16U Southern Force – Peyton team which finished Top 10 at the 16u PGF Nationals.”

“These players include infielder Mallory Peyton, a junior committed to Kentucky, outfielder Jaci Babbs, a 2.6 second home-to-first speed slapper and Hailey Whitmer, a first baseman and pitcher. Additionally, we added Olivia Suski, a pitcher and power hitter, from Southern Force – Bloomer’s 16u team which finished Top 25 at this summer’s 16U ASA Nationals.”

“Both Olivia Suski and Hailey Whitmer are 2017s who have begun to draw interest this summer from D1 programs.

“Jaci will bat in the leadoff this year. She had played for me previously, but had to move to 16U this past year and, like Lindsey Carroll and Abby Shoulders, is one of the best 2018’s flying under the radar.”

“Mallory and Hailey will give us much needed experience and hitting at the 16U level while Olivia will give us another true “A level” pitcher to go with Taylor.”

“When you add the four 16u players from the other Southern Force teams to the 14U ASA National Championship team, we should have the making of a Top 20 team in the country. As coaches, we have to figure out how best to utilize all their individual talents to maximize the team results!”