Ryan Taylor has the DeMarini Aces (formerly the DeMarini Zephyrs) on the upswing.

In 2013 the Kansas City, Missouri-based team finished 9^th at the PGF Platinum National Championships in Huntington Beach, Calif. and this past summer the DeMarini team played at the highest level—PGF 18U Premier Nationals—and tied for 33^rd.

Coach Taylor reached out today saying, “I figured my flight to Atlanta for the Southern Force showcase was a good time to catch you up with my team.”

The Midwest program has certainly been on the move recently, doing well at last weekend’s Diamond 9 Sun Classic (more on that in a second), but the Aces aren’t celebrating just yet.

“This will be our last weekend of 2014,” Ryan continued. “It’s always a late start for us due to the fact Missouri high school plays in the fall. We are lucky to get one practice in before our first tournament.”

Despite not being as polished as the coach would have hoped, the Aces did well at the Sun Classic with a 6-1 record including wins over teams from Arizona, California, Massachusetts, Virginia and Washington.

“Olivia Kinsey, our 2017 pitcher, put herself on the map last weekend throwing 12 innings with 19 Ks,” Coach Taylor said. “She and McKenzie Ellis (Northwestern) combined for a no-hitter against the Vienna Starz.  Ellis threw 11.1 innings with 17 Ks on the weekend.” 

“Our wild card pitcher is my shortstop, Lexey Kneib (Nebraska). She threw 4.1 innings with 8 Ks.  With performances like that out of the circle, it puts the team in position to compete in every game and play with a calm confidence.  Add that to our offensive stats, a team batting average of .370 with five home runs, and good things will happen.”

Still, it’s not like the team doesn’t have enough to work on.

“There’s plenty to work on with the young group,” the coach stated, “as only three kids need to play 18U. The majority of our roster is 16U.”

Taylor has a baseball background, but a more accomplished one in wrestling as he wrestled at Arizona State.

Last fall we profiled Ryan and the team then and he told us, ““I started the DeMarini Zephyrs in 2009 and in four short years we’ve been able to put kids in SEC, Big 12, Big 10, and several other conferences.“

“It’s been an amazing ride and I credit the kids for buying in and believing in the system.”

This year’s team has players going to the Big Ten, SEC and Notre Dame among other places.

***

Here’s a look at the 2014-2015 Aces team with comments from Coach Taylor:

2015’s

— OF/MIF Melissa Schlotzhauer (Drake)
“Mel sets the tone for our offense. From the leadoff role, she bats over .500 and possesses great speed to have on the base path.  We played the Beverly Bandits seven times last year and Bandits’ Head Coach Bill Conroy said he thought she was our toughest out at the plate.”

— C/1B Brooke Rozier (Iowa)
“Brooke is a power supply in the lineup. Last summer she finished second on the team in home runs with 11.  Brooke broke her thumb this fall had has been shut down, but I expect big things from Brooke next summer at the plate. “

— P/1B McKenzie Ellis (Northwestern)
“Kenzie is a presence on the mound and at the plate and I look for her to continue building on last year.  She made the decision not to play Iowa high school softball and, instead, challenged her abilities at Boulder, DeMarini, and PGF Nationals.  She wants to make an impact in Year One at Northwestern, but before then she will lead us in the circle.”

2016’s:

— SS Lexey Kneib (Nebraska)
“Lex was lockdown for us at SS and batted in the 2-hole last year.  Her power numbers are moving from doubles to HRs.  She will eat a few innings in the circle, which I think she enjoys more than she let’s on.”

— CF Havyn Monteer (Iowa)
“Havyn was clocked from the right side at 2.65 to 2.67 consistently at camps last winter.  The kid is explosive in everything she does.  When you lose a kid like Kiki Stokes, now playing centerfield at Nebraska, you ask, “How do I replace that?” I found my answer pretty quick in Havyn.  You might ask why she doesn’t bat from the left side… it’s simple: she hits .485, cranks out home runs and is second on the team in doubles.”

— C/3B Lindey Kneib (uncommitted)
“Lindey was our battery last year, she controlled the game behind the plate.  Her live arm eliminated the run game from teams last year as she had a 70% caught stealing rate.  Her ability to make the pitchers feel confident is something you can’t teach.  She has several visits this fall and looks to make her decision by January.”

— OF/MIF Abby Buie (uncommitted)
“Abby hit .584 last year at 16U Premier Nationals for her team.  We are excited to have her on board and add speed to our lineup.  We are working to increase her power numbers and she’s been able to put the ball out of the park this fall.  Abby fills into our outfield nicely with speed and arm strength.”

— C/3B Madison Heide (Notre Dame)
“Probably the most versatile athlete on my team, Madison plugs into short and the outfield perfectly.  She has a cannon from any position with a 65 mph overhand throw. Madison continued her offensive explosion this fall leading the team in home runs.”

— OF/1B Toni Martin (uncommitted)
“Toni wins the vertical challenge standing at 6-foot and she’s just a very strong kid!  Her overhand is 65 mph and Toni offers speed down the line at 2.8-2.9.  She is leading the team in on-base percentage at .700-plus and has a great ability to control her at-bats and foul pitches off.  She played locally her entire career with limited exposure and I expect big things from her this year.”

2017’s:

— P Olivia Kinsey (uncommitted)
“Olivia picked up with me last summer and continues to gain confidence in the circle.  Last year was a great learning experience and she’s really come into her own.  Her rise (62-65 mph) and change-up frustrate hitters and coaches; she has the swing and miss stuff schools look for.  Olivia can change the game with her bat, too, and she was clocked at the Missouri camp with 72 mph bat speed.”

— 3B/C Nicole Duncan (uncommitted)
“Nicole has one of the quickest releases I’ve seen.  She’s added depth at the corner for us and power at the plate.  Nicole leads the team in doubles this fall and the kid has been a doubles and RBI machine!”

— MIF Kami Zimmerman (uncommitted)
“Kami is one of the most positive kids I’ve been around.  She’s constantly pushing and picking up her teammates.  She played on a younger team last year and, at tryouts, we saw a good foundation to build on.  She’s settled in nicely at the plate, and been clutch with RISP. Kami will add depth at second base this year.”

— OF/1B Callie Martin (uncommitted)
“Callie is a lefty who hits right-handed… yeah, ask her dad about that one!  Much like Buie, Callie hit well at 16U PGF Premier nationals with a .500-plus average. Due to injuries, she caught every game last year for her travel ball team.  We’ve also pushed her at first and in the outfield this fall.  Callie is very athletic on the corner; the only thing I hate about her there is wasting speed.  I’m really excited about what she can do at the plate and on the base path.  She’s a middle-of-the-lineup kid who can steal bases.”

— MIF Kendyll Bailey (Missouri)
“’KB’ hit over .700 for us in Boulder last year at 14 years old.  Her hands are very soft at second base and she also has good range.  Her ability to hit HRs blossomed last year and coaches are looking for Kendyll to add to that with maturity.”

2018’s:

— OF/MIF Madison Crosslin (uncommitted)
“Much like KB last year, Madison is the baby of the bunch. She played on a 14U team, and continues to adjust nicely.  She has an excellent work ethic and is eager to learn.  Speed is one thing you can’t teach and having that makes her an instant game changer.