We got some recruiting verbals (over a dozen) including some players going to great academic schools and have some more team transfer news…
 

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*** Mikayla Blaska, a 2015 OF/IF with the Finesse-Dreher team out of Michigan, is headed to Princeton according to her coach Donny Dreher.

“Mikayla really earned her offer from Princeton,” says Coach Dreher. “From a softball perspective, she batted second in our lineup all season and was batting .460 going into PGF Nationals.  She has such great bat control that only once all season did I have her sacrifice bunt even though she was hitting in front of (C/1B Alex) Sobczak (2015, Michigan) who was batting .510 and had a slugging percentage of 1.020.”

“Normally you would have a two-hitter sacrifice more to put runners in scoring position but I was confident she would always move the runner and put additional pressure on the defense.”

Mikayla scored 30 on her ACT and is a 4.0 student.

Continues Dreher, “Mikayla is a very focused kid and will compete for a starting position her freshman year.  I expect her to bat leadoff for my team next season.”

*** Got an e-mail from Coach Raiine Datan, head coach of the So Cal A’s-Datan 16U team who wrote:

“Please add Sara Silveyra to your master verbal list. Sara recently verballed to the University of San Diego Toreros. The Toreros are getting a great shortstop with a really big bat and a fantastic team player. We are so proud of her.”

Of the 2016 grade, Coach Datan adds, “she’s a 4.0 student athlete that is going to make a huge impact to the USD Torero Softball  program.

 

*** One of the first 2018’s to commit, Alyssa Pinto, an outfielder/first baseman who played last year with the Texas Bombers and is committed to the Univ. of Washington, will now be playing with Beverly Bandits Conroy 18G.

Alyssa will be traveling from San Antonio to Chicago and will get to play with fellow Husky commit Taran Alvelo, one of the top 2015 pitchers.

 

*** Sticking on the theme of players transferring programs, got a note from a source I trust in Texas saying:

“Texas Glory Adkins/Allen (arguably the best 16U in the state last year and moving to 18U Gold this year) loaded up with players from the DFW Firecrackers including:

• C/1B Devin Cantu (2016, Iowa)
• P/OF Tucker Caraway (2015, South Alabama)
• OF Julia Hollingsworth (2015, Tulsa)
• IF Morgan McCallum (2016, Kentucky)

… all commits to top programs and studs in DFW area.”

“Should be an interesting year in Texas!”

 

*** Finally, I normally don’t go younger than 10-12 years old, but this is too good of a performance to not throw a shout-out…

Kaylyn Breyen, a 9-year0ld pitcher/utility player with the Nortwest Diamonds 10U team, was a star at the 10U Nationals.

The Elk River, Minn. native had a fabulous three days at the event which ran from July 25-27 in Bloomington, Minn. as she pitched in 11 games and threw three shutouts, a no-hitter and had 74 strikeouts in 36 innings with only seven walks allowed.

She also was hard to keep off the bases, getting seven walks in 20 at bats while also stroking two triples, a double and four singles.

More importantly, she helped the Diamonds battle back from some serious adversity: after losing their first two pool play games on Friday, they were placed in the Bronze bracket for tournament play and won the next three games.

However, an early morning loss on Sunday forced the team into the loser’s bracket but Kaylyn helped the team win the next three games and then playing the OMGAA Storm won the if game and the title game.

*** More verbals:
— IF Brittanie Adams (2015, Ottawa)… plays for CTX Firecrackers
— C/1B Matti Byrd (2017, Austin Peay)… plays for Legacy SOS
— C/3B Emma Colegrove (2015, Tennessee State)… plays for Michigan Finesse
— OF/IF Ashlee Dahman (2016, Connecticut)… plays for New Jersey Intensity-Hannigan
— SS Ashlee Davis (2016, Austin Peay)… plays for Arizona Hotshots
— P Amanda Garcia (2014, Hope International)… plays for Cal A’s
— P Alexis Koltz (2017, Baylor)… plays for Nebraska Gold
— P Stephanie Kristo (2015, Manhattan College)… plays for San Jose Lady Sharks
— 1B/OF Kaila Provost (2015, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Univ.)… plays for Cal A’s
— C Hannah Russell (2016, Santa Clara)… plays for Firecrackers-Baisdon
— P/1B Kenna Wilkey (2017, Northwestern)… plays for Beverly Bandits
— P Kama Woodall (2017, North Carolina State)… plays for Gold Coast Hurricanes-Arcuri