As we continue the countdown to the start of the 2018 Hot 100 on Monday, March 23, we’re spotlighting talented players and teams that have candidates to make the prestigious list… today, we go to North Carolina.

The Lady Lightning program led by John Corn has emerged to be one of the top fastpitch organizations on the East Coast and the Lady Lightning Gold Team Miken squad has finished in the top 10 of PGF 18U Nationals the last two years.

Quietly, the Lightning has also become a top producer of college talent with 40 players signed and/or committed since the 2014 class.

The freshman crop of talent looks to be strong as well with several players getting recruited by schools in major conferences like the ACC, Big Ten and SEC.

Here’s a closer look at top 2018’s who are candidates for the Hot 100 along with “scouting reports” by Coach Corn!

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— OF/IF Faith Jarvis (2018, uncommitted)
“Faith is an extremely fast player with home run power also. She patrols the outfield from gap to gap. Faith is a constant base stealing threat and has interest coming from Mississippi State, Georgia and North Carolina.”

— P Sydney Nester (2018, uncommitted)
“Sydney is a power pitcher with amazing movement. She can throw all the pitches, but dominates with her curve, screw, rise and change. Her velocity is between 62-64 mph and she also has incredible arm whip. Sydney has interest from Virginia Tech, North Carolina State and Maryland and she’s still looking into a couple of SEC schools as well.”

— SS/3BC Kelli Wagner (2018, uncommitted)
“Kelli is an incredible athlete at 5-foot-11 with power to all fields and great range too. She is a shut down shortstop with a cannon for an arm. At the plate, Kelli gives her team a chance to win with each at bat. She is looking heavily at schools such as Georgia, Missouri, Maryland and North Carolina State.”

— SS/3B Madison Owens (2018, uncommitted)
“Madison is a power-hitting shortsop with slapper speed. She is a dynamic, game-changing athlete with lots of range on defense. Madison is also the type of player that can play multiple positions on the field. At any time, she can change the game with one swing.  She has interest from South Carolina and Georgia.”

— P Leanna Whaley (2018, uncommitted)
“Leanna is a 5-foot-10 power pitcher and uses her skills to carve up batters. She throws 60-62 mph with a great change up, but her strongest weapon is a drop curve that she can throw to any batter on any pitch count. Leanna is able to get both strikeouts and easy groundouts on any batter. She has interest from East Carolina, Coastal Carolina, and Virginia Tech.”