Sydney Supple from Oshkosh, Wisc. is one of the top 2019 players in the country and last year committed to Northwestern when she was just 13 years old. The tall lefty who is also a standout hitter will start her freshman year at Oshkosh North High School this fall, but currently is playing with the Beverly Bandits Premier 14U team at the DeMarini Invitational Showcase.

Here’s a profile we did on her last November.

In today’s blog, Sydney talks about how she’s been preparing for the tournament for months, especially anticipating the first game which was against a team from one of the top organizations in the country…

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The Demarini Invitational Showcase is where 44 of the best teams in the country come to face off head to head and, for me, the greatest part of this tournament is there are no age divisions!

The teams range from 18U teams full of girls who will be attending college ball in a few weeks all the way down to 14U teams where a select few are getting ready to step into high school for the first time.

Out of the 44 teams here at DeMarini, there are only two 14U teams and I’m lucky enough to be on one of those teams experiencing this level of competition before I start high school.

Last year was my first year with the Bandits playing on 12U and I played in a tournament 20 minutes away from this event. Every second I got, I was at these fields in Glen Ellyn watching this tournament in awe.

Previously I played on a local team in Wisconsin and at our tournaments the only fans you had were your parents. Last year I looked around and saw the stands and backstops filled with college coaches… it was incredible!

Never will I forget cheering on the 14U DeMarini Bandits last year as they shut out an 18U OC Batbusters team!

At that moment I knew that would be my goal and my motivation to keep pushing myself to get better. I also knew that in 365 days I’d be ready to help lead my 14U Bandits against some of the toughest competition in the country.

All offseason I worked and worked, pushing myself in the workout room, on the field, and off the field trying to be the best teammate I could be. Months later I knew my goal was coming around the corner.

As always, my Mom got the schedule of who we would be and we saw that in the first pool game my Beverly Bandits team would be playing the 18U Batbusters— this was the day I’ve been working towards!

The minute I stepped on the field, I told my teammates, “Play with your heart and leave it ALL on the field!”

Stepping on the mound I gave every pitch everything I had. And my defense did the same behind me refusing to let the ball touch the ground. Coming into the game I knew I’d split it with our other pitcher, so I was proud walking off the mound with my team in the lead.

Going into the last inning we were down 5-3. Our leadoff and second hitters showed off their speed getting on base. Now it was my turn at the plate and I gave it every ounce of energy I could into my cut as I got a base hit. We got the bases loaded and came up with two runs, but I was left stranded at third.

The game ended in a tie 5-5 and it wasn’t exactly how I pictured it, but I walked off the field knowing I gave that game everything I had.

The great thing about it was it was a pool play game. We had games all Thursday and Friday and won a great game over Washington Ladyhawks 18U.

Saturday is where it all matters and is the big test to show who can fight harder over those 90 minutes.

Going into brackets this weekend, not only is it our goal to win every inning, but every pitch and minute.

If you can win all 90 minutes you get to walk off the field as a champion!